Every Hawaiian Island is a great place to whale watch, and this includes Molokai. Perhaps because of its relatively small size and modest population, however, there aren’t that many whale watching cruises, in extreme contrast to some of the other Hawaiian Islands. But of course it is the quality and not the quantity of whale watching cruises on Molokai that matters, and the quality is certainly high because Hawaii is one of the best places in the world to see whales. Below we list the companies that offer whale watching cruises from Molokai, as well as provide a basic overview of whale watching in Hawaii.
To start with the latter first, Hawaii is such an excellent place to whale watch because it is deeply intertwined with the humpback whale migration. After a summer of feeding in Alaska, about half of the North Pacific humpback whale population comes to Hawaii to spend the winter, from about December to May. During this period, there are around 10,000 humpback whales off the coasts of the Hawaiian Islands. They travel there to mate, give birth, and then raise their young. So, like almost all places where it is possible, whale watching is seasonal in Hawaii, and it just happens to have a particularly good season because of the number of whales in the area. And of course humpback whales are not the only animals in this area. There are other whale species, like pilot whales, and there is also a range of other marine life, ranging from dolphins to sea turtles. The ecosystem around the Hawaiian Islands is rich, and it will be on full display when you take to the waters looking for whales.
As for who you can take to the waters with, there are at least three companies on Molokai that offer whale watching cruises: Whale Watch Molokai, Molokai Fishing, and Alyce C Sport Fishing. As you can probably discern based on these names, only the first company, Whale Watch Molokai, is specifically dedicated to whale watching. The other two companies are clearly sport fishing companies, but during the humpback season they offer whale watching cruises as well. Because there are companies that offer whale watching on the side, it is hard to determine if we have unearthed every single entity that offers whale watching on Molokai. There could be small charter boat operators who offer something like a whale watching cruise, for example, or there could be other sport fishing companies that dabble in whale watching. However, the three above appear to be the main whale watching providers, so if you are on Molokai and want to whale watch, any of these companies can help you out.
So, there aren’t many whale watching companies on Molokai, but there are a few, and we suppose that is really all you need. However, if you know when you are going to be on the island and definitely want to go whale watching, it is worth making reservations in advance to secure a spot, which can be done via phone or email. For more general information, check out our article on whale watching cruises in Hawaii.
