Maui Whale Watch Feb 20, 2026
- A Wandering Doc
- Jul 4
- 7 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
How: Pacific Whale Booking (book at link)
Where: Ma’alaea Harbor on Maui
When: 10:30 a.m. boat tour start time. (Check in at 9:45 am )
Why: It’s Whale Soup Time!!
Meet: 8:45 am in Billboard Onboard if you would like to find someone to share the cost of transportation to Ma'alaea Harbor
 When I’m not cruising, I am fortunate to spend winters on Maui and have been a volunteer researcher with the Pacific Whale team for the last 5 years. If you want to watch whales, Maui is the best place on this itinerary ~ hands down. Nothing compares. Yes, there are smaller marine sanctuaries on other Hawaiian islands, but the entire Maui Nui basin (geographic area between Maui, Lanai, and Molokai) is a shallow water dedicated and protected marine sanctuary making Maui one of the best places in the entire world to observe Humpback Whales. We call the winter months Whale Soup time in the basin and February is prime viewing. You will see whales, and lots of them.
No need to pay for a ship tour. Getting to Ma’alaea Bay is easy. 15/20 minutes by car (uber or taxi). 30 minutes by Maui bus (but I don't think the bus is the best idea this year due to timing). We will not be crossing over to the west side on the Honoapiilani Hwy (the Pali), so we don’t need to worry about traffic on the the Pali. It's very simple to get to the harbor.
I'm always a little embarrassed for 'My Maui' as the ship docks in Kahului. It's like bringing guests into your home via the back door with all the exposed garbage cans. This is a major industrial port. Maui is so much more than Kahului! Even if you don't go on a whale watch, you will be missing the real beauty of Maui if you don't leave the port area.
Once you have signed up and paid for the 10:30 a.m. sailing, please respond here on the blog with your first names and I'll get a list going to help share transport. I have found that it is MUCH easier for me if you respond in the comments below but you must be a member of the blog to respond here. If you are opposed to joining the blog, respond on various social media sites and I'll do my best to get you on the list.
First Name | Screen Name (If Applicable) |
Cheryl | Bermudabound2014 |
Susan & Allan | Cruisinsusin |
Marie & Steve | FloranceItaly |
Joe & Linda | HapEmom |
Phil & Joanne | REOVA |
??? | QuickRates |
John & Diana | Riverrat |
Lee | Lake23 |
Davied & Maggie | MaggieM03 |
Getting to Ma'alaea Harbor
The group does not need to take the same mode of transportation to Ma’alaea Harbor. Some of us can uber, others taxi. Some can ride the Maui bus (watch the times). We can even leave at different times. Weather may also play a role as we are in Hawaii during the rainy season. If it’s pouring I likely won’t be walking to the uber pick up or the Swap meet.
Transportation Option 1: Uber/Taxi
Pro: You won’t have to walk the 1.5 miles to get to the bus stop and timing for transportation is flexible. Easiest.
Con: Cost more than Maui Bus
Uber/taxis can be spotty on Maui (although they are getting better). I strongly recommend you pre-arrange an uber/taxi from the Ma’aleaa Bay back to the port (you shouldn't have any problem leaving the port heading to Ma'alaea harbor as lots of rides waiting at the port). Although I'm not recommending riding the bus to Ma'alaea Harbor this year, riding the bus back is a legit.
My best guess is that uber will be in the $30 dollar range each way and taxis more accordingly. Prices are dynamic and change quickly.
With a group going, it should be easy to find someone to share the cost of an uber/lyft/ or taxi. You can met me in Billboard Lounge at 8:45 a.m. on the morning of the tour and from there, people who have not yet paired for transport can do so. If you are set with someont to share transport cost, no need to meet. This has worked perfectly the other years I organized this trip.
IMPORTANT NOTE: You should choose a taxi if you have any mobility issues as uber pick has been across the main street at Longs Drugs (it's a bit of a hike between .5 and .75 miles). Ubers have not been allowed in the port area for pick up (they can get closer for drop off). Taxi's pick up much closer to the ship.
Transportation Option 2: MauiBus
Pro: Free or $1
Con: Must walk approximately 1.5 - 2.0 miles from the ship to the Bus stop at Queen Ka’aahumanu shopping center (or reverse for ride back). Departure times are not flexible.
In the past, a large group of us walked together to the Queen Ka'aahumanu shopping center and rode the bus to Ma'alaea. It was GREAT! Unfortunately, that likely won't work this year due to timing. Using the bus for the ride back is totally doable.
Bus leaves QueenK center promptly at the bottom of the hour (:30). That means the ship must dock and set up the gangway immediately. Anyone wanting to ride the bus must be ready to leave as soon as the gangway clears and make a very brisk 1.5 mile walk to QueenK in order to catch the 8:30 am bus to Ma'alaea. I'm afraid that the 9:30am bus won't get you there until 10:00 a.m. Not much time for error. It is doable, but depends on your risk level.
My recommendation for this year is to pair up and share the transportation cost of uber (if you can walk the distance to longs) or Taxi (will pick you up very close to the gangway).
You can always take a taxi/uber to the harbor and bus back to save money (and for the adventure). I'll show you exactly where to pick up the bus once we are on site. I ride the bus often on Maui. It's the only thing on the island that is cheap and runs on-time. Note: I'll be meeting my neighbors after the Whale Watch for lunch and leaving the group at that time so I won't be riding back with you but it's super easy. If you plan on riding the bus back I highly recommend downloading the MauiBus App which will give real time bus location and all the deets on cost/policies.
Additional Information for the Day:
1) Ocean Center Aquarium and PacWhale share the same location. The Ocean center is wonderful (and a great way to spend a rainy day if the weather doesn’t cooperate). There is a 3D Humpback whale movie that is short but worth the price of admission imo. I usually watch it a few different times from different vantage points but I’m a whale nutcase. https://mauioceancenter.com/. Plenty of time after the whale watch to visit. You can buy tickets through groupon for a discount.
2) Haycraft Park Beach: It’s about a ¾ mile walk from the harbor down to Haycraft Park beach if you just want to stick your toes in the sand either before or after the whale watch. Apparently there is also a very small beach at the harbor itself but I’ve never been to it.
3) Ma’aleae Harbor: I can easily spend a day just hanging out at Ma’aleae Harbor. In addition to the aquarium, and the PacWhale store (which is my favorite store on islan), there is shopping, restaurants, watching the fishermen come in, an ice-cream shop, etc.. It’s small and compact but I’ve always found the aloha spirit alive and well here. https://maalaea.com/
4) We enjoy the MaiTai’s from the lovely view at the Seascape restaurant located inside Ocean Center Aquarium (note, they aren’t Monkeypod MaiTai’s, but they are good enough with decent happy hour pricing). There is a ‘secret’ side entrance to the Seascape restaurant where you can dine without paying the admission ticket to enter the Ocean Center. Ask me to show you where. Tantes is also available at Ma’alaea Harbor and while they don’t have the same view as the Seascape, it’s better pricing and the mai-tai is as good as any.
Things I 've Learned putting this group together in 2024 and 2025
1) I didn’t anticipate a cancellation of this port stop but in 2024, the cruise before ours couldn’t stop in Maui due to weather. Consider buying the whale watch insurance (it's $5) .
2) The walk to UBER (Longs Drugs) was much farther than I first anticipated and some people struggled. If you have walking difficulties please take a taxi.
3) I forgot to remind people to take seasickness medicine if they think they will need it. If you are prone to seasickness sit outside and preempt with medicine. The tour isn't long enough for the meds to kick in if you take them once you feel sick.
4) A light jacket (or rain jacket) is good. It can be a bit chilly out on the water and it's rainy season.
5) Reserving group transportation isn't cost effective (I've looked) but I invite anyone to do more research to see if renting a bus for the group is better.
6) I'm recommending the 10:30 am trip as opposed to the 1:30 trip because the ocean is much calmer in the morning and rains are more likely in the afternoon.
7) In 2025, there was a Roberts Hawaii bus that happened to be onsite taking back folks who did the whale watch via the ship tour and a few of our people just hopped on rode back for free. No guarantees that will happen again, but be on the lookout for a huge solid green bus that says "Roberts"