Best Whale-Watching Destinations
by Yannick SchrothAug 3, 20266 min read
Photo: Sandra Seitamaa / Pexels.
Verified detail lives in the individual guides, not in this summary.
How we chose
We selected for migration routes and calving grounds with documented seasons, because that is what makes sightings likely rather than lucky, and we favour places you can reach from a base you would want to live in anyway. Species differ by location and month; the linked guide names which. Keep the legal approach distance, which varies by country.
Tenerife
Year-round whales and dolphins offshore, plus the fastest fibre in the Canaries.
Year-round, fibreRead the guide → 37°44′N 25°40′W · PortugalThe Azores
One of the world's great whale-watching regions, with many species in the mid-Atlantic.
Atlantic, many speciesRead the guide → 5°58′N 80°25′E · Sri LankaSri Lanka
Mirissa is a top spot to see blue whales, the largest animal on earth, in season.
Blue whales, MirissaRead the guide → 28°38′S 153°37′E · AustraliaByron Bay
Humpback whales pass close on their migration off Australia's most easterly point.
Humpback migrationRead the guide → 23°51′S 35°33′E · MozambiqueTofo
Humpback whales in season alongside whale sharks and mantas off Mozambique.
Humpbacks + big animalsRead the guide → 15°52′N 97°04′W · MexicoPuerto Escondido
Dolphins year-round and humpback whales in season off the Oaxaca coast.
Dolphins, humpbacksRead the guide →Picking a whale-watching base
- Year-round whales and dolphins with fast fibre: Tenerife.
- Blue whales in season: Sri Lanka (Mirissa).
- Whale-rich Atlantic and migration hotspots: the Azores and Byron Bay.
FAQ
Where can I see blue whales?
Sri Lanka's Mirissa, on the south coast, is one of the world's top spots to see blue whales, the largest animal on earth, roughly November to April. It is also easy to combine with the south-coast surf and nomad scene. As always, choose a responsible operator and note that sightings are seasonal and never guaranteed.
Which base is best for year-round whale watching?
Tenerife: the waters off the southwest coast have resident whales and dolphins year-round, and it pairs that with the fastest fibre in the Canaries for a work-first base. The Azores are outstanding in the migration seasons, and Sri Lanka, Byron Bay, Tofo and Puerto Escondido are strong seasonal options.
Sources
- Every entry above is drawn from our own destination guide for that place, and the claims here are the ones those guides already verify: Tenerife, The Azores, Sri Lanka, Byron Bay, Tofo, Puerto Escondido.