It is finally that time of year where the beautiful humpback whales make their return to the Hawaiian islands after migrating from Alaska! Step aboard the Kibou and explore the incredible Kailua-Kona coast while searching for our seasonal humpback whales! Learn about the majestic creatures and the local area with our experienced and knowledgeable crew! Bring your own beverages, sit back, and enjoy the view with Iruka Hawaii Dolphin!
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 22.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Excurgo comparison of 525 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Big Island, Hawaii: Whale Watching Tour lasts about 2 hours.
Prices start at $99 per person for this Big Island of Hawaii experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, starting at 1:30 PM and 2:00 PM.
Children aged 3–11 pay from $79, adults from $99. Infants go free.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
The meeting point is Iruka Hawaii Dolphin and Manta Tours. Slip A-17, Honokohau Small Boat Harbor. 74-380 Kealakehe Pkwy. Kailua-Kona, HI 96740, USA. Please meet us at the Iruka Hawaii booth located at Slip A-17 at the Honokohau Small Boat Harbor for check-in. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
The experience is available in JA, EN.
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 30 participants.
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Confirmation is sent by the operator within 24 hours of booking.
Travellers rate it 4.9 out of 5 across 183 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Iruka Hawaii Dolphin.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Incredible!!!! We saw lots of whales …. Beautiful …. Knowledgeable guides and so well worth the time
Aloha! Thanks for joining our whale-watching tour and for the great review! We are happy you got to see the whales while they were here! Mahalo and come again next year!
Two spots to snorkel, plenty of fish. Top tip, take your time, enjoy the water, the fish come to see you and there is more life if only you relax and look.
Aloha! Mahalo for joining our whale watching tour with us, we are so glad you enjoyed the calm waters, great hosts, and snorkeling with so much marine life, we truly appreciate your thoughtful tip and hope to see you again soon, mahalo!
Be patient and keep your eyes peeled. Also, Dramamine. The crew was lovely; we felt safe and well-informed : )
Aloha thank you for joining us and sharing your experience. We’re so glad you felt safe and well-informed and appreciated the care from our crew during your whale watching tour. Come back soon for another unforgettable adventure mahalo.
This review is for the afternoon whale watching tour operated by Iruka. Pre-Trip communication was excellent. They informed me in plenty of time when our original trip had to be canceled due ro weather and were able to accommodate us on the following day. The crew of the Kibou were outstanding with Tamae at the bow spotting for cetaceans and distributing snacks and beverages. Diego was a font of interesting information on humpback behavior as well as dolphins (we saw both spinning and bottle-nose). We spotted several whales and dozens of dolphins. We even saw a monk seal up close. Captain Trevor plotted a speedy yet safe course. All had excellent knowledge of where to most likely spot the animals. Only negatives: onboard bathroom was out of order and fresh pineapple was not provided as listed in the itinerary. Boat had ample and comfy seating. I would highly recommend this trip and operator to friends and family.
Aloha thank you for joining us and sharing such a detailed review. We’re so glad Captain Trevor, Diego, and Tamae helped make your afternoon whale watching trip memorable with great sightings and information, and we appreciate you noting both the highlights and areas we can improve, including the onboard amenities. Come back soon for another unforgettable adventure mahalo.
I would highly recommend this company for any of your whale watching and manta tours, employees are great and do everything possible to make this an enjoyable experience
Aloha thank you for joining us and sharing your kind words. We’re so glad our team helped make your whale watching and manta ray tours enjoyable and memorable. Come back soon for another unforgettable adventure mahalo.
Patience. You won't see whales right away. The crew is awesome and informative. I highly recommend raising company
Aloha thank you for joining us and sharing your experience. We’re so glad you appreciated the patience and effort of our crew and found the tour informative and rewarding. Come back soon for another unforgettable adventure mahalo.
Trevor, Diego and Tamae were super fun and great with sharing their knowledge about the dolphins and whales (as well as spotting them of course). At the end of the tour we saw monk seals, which was such a special and rare moment! The spinner dolphins were so fun to watch too showcasing their skills to us 🌊
Aloha thank you for joining us and sharing your experience. We’re so glad Trevor, Diego, and Tamae made the tour fun and informative and that you were able to enjoy such special sightings, including monk seals and spinner dolphins. Come back soon for another unforgettable adventure mahalo.
This is our first time at whale watching. Captain Trevor and Diego were an amazing crew. They were just as excited and engaged as all of us to see the whales. They made sure we didn’t just see whales, but we watched them. I had an amazing experience. 11/10
Aloha thank you for joining us and sharing your experience. We’re so glad Captain Trevor and Diego made your first whale watching trip so exciting and memorable and that you were able to truly enjoy watching the whales. Come back soon for another unforgettable adventure mahalo.
We had an amazing time on our whale watching trip with Trevor,Diego, and Tamae as our captain, guides, and photographer. We were fortunate to see a couple calves who were playful and spent a lot of time at the surface. One of them even breached for us as we prepared to head back. This is exactly the experience I came to Hawaii to have ❤️
Aloha thank you for joining us and sharing your experience. We’re so glad Trevor, Diego, and Tamae made your whale watching trip so special and that you were able to witness such playful calves and even a breach on the way back. Come back soon for another unforgettable adventure mahalo.
When we arrived for the prepaid tour, we were told that we were required to sign a release of liability. When I read the waiver, it included release of liability for negligence. I then informed the tour employee that I would not agree to release of liability for negligence and asked for a refund. The employee told us that we could not receive a refund the day of the scheduled tour. I then gave notice that this was a violation of U.C.C. (Merchant Law) and requested the business owners phone number, which I called and left a message, but have not received a call back yet.
Aloha, thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re sorry to hear about the situation at check-in and understand your concerns regarding the waiver and how it was handled. We take these matters seriously and will be reviewing this with our team to ensure our policies and communication are clear and consistent. Please reach out to us directly at info@hawaiidolphin.com so a member of our management team can follow up with you and address your experience further. Mahalo.
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Island, Hawaii: Whale Watching Tour | 2 hours | 4.9 (183) | $99 | |
 Big Island: Zodiac Raft Whale Watching Adventure | 3 hours | 4.9 (483) | $124 | View |
 Maui Eco-Raft Tour: Eye-Level Whale or Dolphin Watching - Lahaina | 2 hours | 4.9 (2,858) | $85 | View |
 Big Island: Sunset Whale Watching Shared Activity | 2h 15min | 4.7 (7) | $157 | View |
 Maui Whale Watching: WHALES GUARANTEED with Makai Adventures | 2 hours | 4.9 (1,184) | $109 | View |
 Waikiki 2 Hour Whale Watching with Guaranteed Sightings on Oahu | 2 hours | 4.6 (1,336) | $53 | View |
 Big Island: Waikoloa Deluxe Whale Watch | 1h 30min | 4.6 (129) | $129 | View |