The top 10 whale watching spots range from the cold waters of Norway and Alaska to tropical coastal towns in the Maldives and Hawaii. The most visited whale watching destinations were determined by the travel app Visited, which allows users to mark off places they’ve been around the world. Using the Visited app, you can find new places to travel, check off where you’ve gone, set travel goals, and get a custom printed map of your travels.
Here are the top 10 whale watching spots in the world according to the travel app Visited:
- 1. The Maldives located in the central Indian Ocean in South Asia is the top whale watching destination in the world, with plentiful marine species, including blue whales, humpback whales, whale sharks, sperm whales, dolphins, and more.
- 2. Juneau, the capital city in Alaska, U.S., is a prime whale watching destination, with large numbers of humpback whales as well as orcas, harbor seals, steller sea lions, and many other marine species.
- 3. Husavik on the north coast of Iceland offers stunning natural views as well as great whale watching, with marine life including minke whales, humpback whales, blue whales, dolphins, killer whales, and fin whales.
- 4. Hermanus in South Africa is a coastal city known for its great whale watching. You may see humpback whales, Bryde’s whales, African penguins, dolphins, and southern right whales here. The annual Whale Festival in the fall attracts over 150,000 people who come to see the southern right whales in large numbers.
5. Tromsø is a city in Tromsø Municipality in northern Norway that features incredible whale watching, including killer whales, humpback whales, and harbor porpoises.
- 6. Lahaina on the island of Maui, Hawaii, is a warm dolphin and whale watching destination in the U.S., with the most sightings between November and May.
- 7. Kaikoura is a scenic coastal town on the South Island of New Zealand that is renowned for its sperm whales and New Zealand fur seals.
- 8. Tadoussac is a village in Quebec, Canada, where the Saint Lawrence and Saguenay rivers meet. Tadoussac is known for its whale watching and has humpback whales, blue whales, fin whales, and minke whales from May to October and beluga whales year-round.
- 9. Provincetown is a coastal town in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, U.S., with prime whale watching season between mid-April and October. You may spot fin whales, humpback whales, and right whales in the area.
- 10. Nanaimo is a city along the coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada, with plentiful whale watching. Marine life in the area includes Southern Resident Orca Whales, humpback whales, gray whales, transient orca whales, and minke whales.
Have you been to any of the top whale watching spots in the world? Browse over 50 lists of the most visited travel destinations, mark off places you’ve been, and get a custom printed travel map by using the Visited app.
Download Visited for free on iOS or Android.
For those that love whale watching you may want to check out Popular Snorkeling Destinations, Beaches Around the World and 10 Most Popular Hiking Trails.
