The Hawaiian Islands |

Each November through April, thousands of North Pacific humpback whales drop into Hawaii's warm, shallow ocean waters to mate, calve and nurse their young. January through March are Hawaii's peak months for spotting them as they breach and spout offshore. The Auau Channel and its neighbor channels separating Maui, Lanai, Molokai and Kahoolawe provide one of the largest areas of shallow ocean in the Islands - a big draw for parent humpbacks calving and nursing their young. The Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, encompasses shoreline to 500-foot depth locations off Kauai's north shore, the north and south shores of Oahu, the Maui Nui shallows, the north Kona and Kohala coasts of Hawaii Island and the submerged Molokai volcano known as Penguin Bank. The best spots are coastlines facing channels that are part of the sanctuary. A few of our favorite Hawaii whale-watching spots include: Makapuu Point and Halona Blowhole Lookout on Oahu; the West Maui shoreline from Maalaea to Kaanapali on Maui; the beaches of the North Kona and South Kohala coasts on Hawaii Island; and Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge on Kauai. Enjoy the season!