You’ve got questions
Everything we get asked about swimming with humpback whales in Vava’u — the season, the boats, what it costs and how booking works. If something is not here, write to us.
The answers,
without the padding
The trip
Where do these trips take place?
In Vava’u, an island group in the northern part of the Kingdom of Tonga, in the South Pacific. You fly into Vava’u airport, code VAV, and we collect you from there.
On the island we are based next to Mango Restaurant, inside Beluga Dive. If you are already in Vava’u, come and say hello.
When is the season?
Humpbacks fill the waters of Vava’u from mid-July through October. They come to calve and to mate, and that is the only time we run trips.
The whales visit outside cyclone season, so cyclones are not a concern on these dates.
What does a week actually look like?
Every trip is 7 nights with 5 whale-swim days, running Saturday to Saturday.
- Saturday
- Arrive in Vava’u. We collect you from the airport and get you settled in.
- Sunday
- Rest day. Explore town, relax, and get your gear ready for the week.
- Monday – Friday
- Five whale-swim days. Boats leave at 7:30am and you are on the water for seven hours with your accredited guide. Lunch is included.
- Saturday
- Transfer back to VAV airport.
What should I expect in Vava’u?
It is a small, undeveloped island. There are not many places to stay, which is why we book our accommodation years ahead to hold the best of what is available.
The weather does what it likes. It can be flat calm, it can be rough, and it can be both in a day. We go out as long as the captain says it is safe.
You are on the boat for seven hours a day, Monday to Friday. We do not come back to the dock unless there is an emergency on board, so pack for the whole day. Bring a boat jacket — the wind is the thing that gets people, not the water.
What is included in the price, and what is not?
Included
- Accommodation, 7 nights
- Accredited whale guides
- Hot breakfast daily
- Lunches on whale-swim days
- Boat and skipper
- Return airport transfers from VAV
Not included
- International airfare
- Domestic airfare
- Travel insurance — mandatory, and it must include evacuation cover
- Alcohol and drinks
- Crew gratuity
- Snorkelling gear
In the water
How many people can swim with the whales?
Tongan law allows four guests in the water at a time, plus the accredited guide — five people with the whale. That is the law, not our preference, and everyone in Vava’u works to it.
What differs is how many guests are on the boat waiting their turn. Day boats elsewhere take eight to twelve people. Ours take four or six.
- Four-passenger boat — no rotation. Everyone is in the water for every single encounter.
- Six-passenger boat — four swim while two wait on the boat, then you swap. A lower price for a little less water time.
The group waiting on the boat is not wasting time, incidentally — surface activity from the deck can be just as good as being in it.
Do I need to be an experienced diver?
No. These trips are snorkelling only. You do not need a diving certification and you do not need freediving experience — most encounters happen at or near the surface.
We work as a group in the water and stay close together, so we do not spook the whales or stress them. Every encounter is different, and some whales are far more curious than others.
Will we definitely see whales?
In twenty years, we have never had a group go home without swimming with whales. That is a track record, not a guarantee — they are wild animals in open ocean and nobody can promise you an encounter. But it is a long record, and it is not an accident.
We run the trips in peak season, go out five full days for seven hours at a time, and put you with people who know this water.
Our guides and skippers are local to Vava’u, with years of in-water experience here and a good name in the community and the industry.
Reading a whale — how settled it is, when to give it room — is most of the craft. It is also why encounters here tend to be long rather than frantic.
One more thing worth knowing: boats in Vava’u do not jump each other’s whales. If a boat is with a whale, it stays their whale until they sign off to another boat.
What gear should I bring?
Mask, snorkel, fins and wetsuit are not included, and we strongly suggest bringing your own. You are in and out of the water all week, and nobody enjoys fins that nearly fit or a mask that fogs all day. Gear also deteriorates quickly in the Tongan humidity, so ours does not last the way yours will.
We have good fins available to rent at $20 USD per day if you would rather not travel with them.
- Wetsuit — we wear a 3mm full suit in the water
- Mask and snorkel
- Fins
- Boat jacket, for wind
- Sunscreen and sunglasses
- Snacks
- A camera — you will want one
Booking & payment
How much is the deposit, and when is the balance due?
A non-refundable deposit of $1,500 USD confirms and holds your place on a trip.
The final balance is due 120 days before departure. Payment plans are available if you would rather spread it out — just ask.
How do I pay?
All booking payments run through our booking platform, WeTravel. You can pay by credit card, or by bank transfer if you hold a US bank account. Payments are made directly on WeTravel.
What is your cancellation policy?
120 days or more before the trip: 20% of the trip cost, plus the deposit.
Less than 120 days: 100% cancellation fee.
When should I book?
Space is genuinely limited — four or six guests a boat — and most of our guests book about a year ahead. The sooner the better, particularly for the peak weeks.
Availability shown on the trips pages is live, so a week showing spaces really has them.
I am travelling solo — what do I need to know?
Pricing is based on double occupancy. If you are travelling alone, add the single supplement at checkout, space permitting, and the room is yours. What it costs depends on where you are staying:
- Flying Annie Moa — $500 USD
- Mystic Sands — $1,050 USD
We do not pair guests with other travellers, so the supplement is not refundable.
Is tipping included?
No, and it is entirely at your discretion. As a guide, guests generally budget 10–20% of the tour cost.
Tips go directly to the boat crew, who work long days to put you with whales.
Getting there & staying
Do I need a visa for Tonga?
Most visitors do not need a visa in advance for a stay of up to 31 days. That includes travellers from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, most of the EU and much of the Pacific.
If your nationality is not covered, you will need a visa before you arrive. Rules change, so check against your own passport rather than taking our word for it.
If you do need one, email us at info@humpbackswims.com and we will point you at agents who handle Tongan visas and know the process.
Can children come?
To travel independently you must be at least 18. There is no upper age limit on most of our tours.
If you are travelling with children under 16, you need to book every space on the boat for your family rather than join a mixed group.
For younger travellers we suggest an October trip — the whales are more settled by then and it is an easier week in the water.
What else is there to do in Vava’u?
Plenty, in a quiet way. Guests tend to spend their free time at the beach, snorkelling, and visiting the island’s caves, which are worth the trip on their own.
Be aware of Sundays. Trading on a Sunday is against the law in Tonga, so almost everything closes — including the airport. A handful of restaurants and resorts serve meals. It is a good day to visit a local church and see how Tongans spend theirs, or to take a resort day on the beach.
Four or six guests.
That is the whole boat.
Mid-July to October in Vava’u: seven nights, five days in the water, and twenty years without a group going home having missed them.