Oahu] Spotting Whales on Oahu! ? 95% or higher for whale watching tours!

Oahu, Hawaii's most popular resort island

Oahu is the most popular resort destination among the eight main islands of the state of Hawaii.

The Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (Honolulu Airport) is the famous gateway to Hawaii, and the state capital, Honolulu, is an important political, economic, and tourist center for the state of Hawaii.

In this article, we will introduce the attractions of Oahu, whale watching, and more.

If you are planning to visit Oahu, we hope you will find this information useful.

↓Click here for recommended whale watching tours.

 

What is Oahu like?

Oahu is the third largest of the Hawaiian islands.

Famous as one of the best resort areas in the world, it continues to attract many tourists with its beautiful beaches, vast wilderness, and various activities.

It is a popular overseas travel destination, visited by more than one million people from Japan each year.

Click here to see the ranking of popular plans on Oahu.

 

How to get to Oahu

Six airports serve Daniel K. Inouye International Airport from Japan: Haneda Airport, Narita International Airport, New Chitose Airport, Central Japan International Airport Centrair, Kansai International Airport, and Fukuoka Airport.

The flight time varies depending on the direction of air currents, but is approximately 6 to 7 hours from Japan to Hawaii and 8 to 9 hours from Hawaii to Japan.

It also depends on which airport you will be using.

↓ Click here for directions from Hawaii Island to Oahu.

 

Attractions of Oahu

Here are some of the key points that show how attractive Oahu is as a resort destination!

 

Beautiful beaches and vast wilderness

Hawaii is perhaps best known for its beautiful beaches.

There are many different types of beaches on the island, including Waikiki Beach near many resort hotels, so you are sure to find one to your liking!

The abundant natural beauty of the area, including Diamond Head, is another attraction, and biking and driving through nature is a real pleasure.

↓Click here for popular sightseeing tours of Diamond Head

One of the world's leading resorts

Oahu is a resort destination full of attractions that will make you want to come back once you have visited, and is famous for its high rate of repeat visitors.

Many resort hotels, including the Hilton Hotel, and a wide variety of leisure activities are available for people of all ages.

↓Click here for a list of popular hotels on Oahu

 

Shopping and restaurants are also recommended

In fact, Oahu is famous as an area with many shopping malls.

The most famous of these is the Ala Moana Shopping Center, which houses various types of stores, from luxury brands to casual brands.

With more than 350 stores, it is a huge shopping center that you could spend a whole day visiting.

Another attraction is to enjoy Hawaii's delicious gourmet food at restaurants.

Enjoy "loco moco" (hamburger steak, fried egg, and gravy on rice) or "pancakes" with lots of cream, ice cream, and fruit at the site!

↓Click here for recommended food and shopping tours.

 

On the island of Oahu
Whale watching can be enjoyed!

Although it may not be well known, Oahu is one of the best resort areas in the world for whale watching.

When the whales appear, local people feel it is a sign that winter is coming! When the whales appear, local people feel it is a sign that "winter is coming!

In Japan, it is the same feeling as when cicadas chirp or cherry blossoms bloom.

 

What is Whale Watching?

Whale watching is an activity to observe whales from offshore, on the shore, or from an observation platform.

In Japan, you may be able to experience this in some areas of Okinawa.

It is not always possible to see whales, so it is mostly up to the luck of the day.

 

Whale Watching Periods

Whale watching on Oahu is generally available from December to April, but may be seen as far as May.

Although most people think of Hawaii as a place to visit in the summer, we recommend that you visit in the winter as well, as it offers a different kind of fun than in the summer.

However, the ocean on Oahu in winter often has high waves, and it can be chilly along the coast, so please be careful in your choice of clothing.

↓Learn more about what to wear on Oahu in the winter.

 

Humpback whales seen on Oahu

Humpback whales spend the summer months in Alaskan waters where food is plentiful, and in the winter they gather toward Hawaii in search of warm ocean currents.

They give birth, breed, and raise their young in the warm waters of Oahu, even in winter. This is because young humpback whales are vulnerable to the cold ocean water.

 

How to enjoy whale watching

There are two main ways to enjoy whale watching on Oahu.

One pattern is to take a tour, and the other is to view it from a land-based beach or observation deck.

If you take a tour, you can see humpback whales up close, but the high waves offshore in the boat can be intoxicating.

If you are easily intoxicated, it is best to watch from the shore. Humpback whales can reach 11 to 15 meters in length, so you can appreciate the power of the whale from a distance.

Learn more about cruising on a ↓boat

 

Whale Watching Attractions

Here are some of the attractions of whale watching on Oahu!

 

One of the few very rare tours abroad

First of all, there are only a few points in the world where you can see humpback whales in the wild up close, and it is rare to see them properly prepared as a tour.

In addition, the time of year when they can be seen is limited, making this a very rare tour indeed.

Incidentally, if you join a tour on a large cruising ship, a buffet and commentary in Japanese are available.

 

You are sure to be very excited!

The sight of their huge bodies swimming in all directions, squirting, and breaching is dynamic and exciting!

If you are lucky, you may even see a mother and her child swimming close together.

 

Over 951 TP3T! Amazing encounter rate!

The success rate for whale watching on Oahu is said to be an astounding 95% or more.

There is a chance to encounter them at any time of the day, morning, noon, or night, as long as it is in season.

If you take the tour and do not see any humpback whales, you will receive a ticket to board the ship again for free.

 

Point to see whales on Oahu

Here are some points on Oahu where whales can be seen!

All of the locations shown here can be seen from the coast or from an observation deck.

 

diamond head

Diamond Head is a volcano on the island of Oahu, and is a famous tourist spot from the top of which you can see the entire coastline.

 

Point Features

The "Diamond Head Lookout," a lookout just below Diamond Head, is very good for whale watching.

With the open ocean in front of you and close to Waikiki Beach, you can easily enjoy whale watching.

 

Access

From Daniel K. Inouye Airport, it is approximately 22 minutes southeast via I-H-1E.

It is approximately a 7 minute drive from Waikiki Beach to Diamond Head Lookout via Kalakaua Ave and Diamond Head Rd.

↓Learn more about Diamond Head

 

Lanai Lookout

Lanai Lookout is located in the eastern part of Oahu, just past Hanauma Bay.

 

Point Features

There is a parking lot for about 20 cars.

The observatory was formed by layers and layers of lava, so it is difficult to walk on the uneven terrain, but the splashing waves on the lava are very powerful.

It is also famous for being used as a filming location for the drama "Lost.

 

Access

It is approximately 27 minutes from Daniel K. Inouye International Airport via I-H-1E and HI-72 by car.

↓Learn more about Oahu Observatory

 

Makapuu Cape

Cape Makapuu is the easternmost cape on Oahu.

 

Point Features

The Makapuu Lighthouse, located at the tip of Cape Makapuu, is famous as a sanctuary for whale watching.

It is about a 40-minute walk from the parking lot to this lighthouse, but it is a popular easy hiking course. You can also see the ocean from the trail, so you may be able to see whales without going to the lighthouse.

The wind is a bit strong at this point, so please be careful with hats, etc.

 

Access

It is approximately 33 minutes from Daniel K. Inouye International Airport via HI-63N and HI-83W by car.

↓Learn more about hiking trails on Oahu

 

Kualoa Lunch

Kualoa Ranch is located in the northeastern part of Oahu and offers a variety of activities.

 

Point Features

You can experience a western-style horseback riding course here, and if you are lucky, you can see whales.

The two-hour course offers opportunities along the way around the Ka'ava Valley from a high vantage point overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Whale watching while horseback riding will surely be a wonderful memory.

↓Click here for recommended horseback riding tours.

 

Access

It is approximately 32 minutes from Daniel K. Inouye International Airport via I-H-1E and HI-72 by car.

↓Learn more about Kualoa Ranch

 

Turtle Bay Beach

Turtle Bay Beach is the northernmost beach on Oahu.

 

Point Features

As the name suggests, this spot is famous for its sea turtle habitat, but it is also famous as a place where a non-profit organization for whale conservation holds a humpback whale counting event in the winter.

It is a beautiful beach with a coastline that stretches for about 8 km.

↓Click here for recommended sea turtle observation tours.

 

Access

From Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, it is approximately 54 minutes by car via HI-83E.

 

If you really want to see whales.
High probability of spotting whales.
Take a tour!

Whale watching can be done on your own, but to increase your chances of encountering whales, it is still recommended to join a tour.

Many tours take you out to sea by boat so you can see the whales up close.

In addition, guides who are well versed in whale watching will accompany you and take you to places where you have a high probability of spotting whales.

 

Three recommended tours

Here are three whale watching tours you can take on Oahu!

 

Whale Watching Cruise

This tour sails on Oahu's largest cruise ship, the Star of Honolulu.

The ship has a deck with a 360-degree view of the whales, and on board you can learn about the whales' biology through explanations and videos by the crew.

Some courses include a buffet, a hula dance experience, and a program for kids, so both adults and children can enjoy themselves.

Another nice feature is that if you fail to encounter the whales, you will receive a pass to reboard the ship for free.

 

Whale Watching Cruise
Diamond Head Sunrise Hiking Tour

This is probably the only tour that combines whale watching and hiking at Diamond Head!

Climb Diamond Head early in the morning to watch the sunrise, then take a catamaran cruise for whale watching.

This tour finishes in the morning, so you can make the most of your afternoon!

↓Click here for Diamond Head sunrise viewing tour

 

Whale Watching Cruise
West Coast of Oahu with high encounter rate
Viewing off the coast of Waianae

Enjoy whale watching off the coast of Waianae on the west coast of Oahu.

The waters off Wai'anae are famous not only for whales, but also for being home to dolphins and sea turtles, so if you are lucky, you will have a chance to encounter both.

This tour also gives you a free pass to reboard the ship if you do not see any whales.

↓Click here for sea turtle watching tours on the west coast of Oahu.

 

summary

In this article, I have introduced whale watching that you can enjoy on Oahu.

Come and experience the dynamic ecology of this rare whale-watching sanctuary up close and personal!

Thank you for taking the time to read this to the end.

↓Click here to read the article.