Hawaii Ocean Rafting Whale Watch and Snorkel

Great experience. The Captain, Clint, and the marine expert, Nicole (I think, sorry!) were awesome. They were very knowledgeable about the area and the animals. Even if we had only caught a glimpse of one of the animals, I would recommend the trip. Instead, by either skill of the crew or luck or both, we stumbled upon some whale action. We got a very up close experience with the animals. (the captain was very respectful of the animals and the laws but the whales came up to our boat that was drifting in the water). The smaller vessel makes this experience even better. Thanks for the great time that was the last night of our trip.

This was a great experience from start to finish. The boat was very comfortable even in the rougher seas in the channel between the islands. I was seated at the bow and did not experience the slap down between waves. The captain did a great job, so did his mate. They were extremely knowledgeable and informative. He put us on some spinner dolphins and we had a great time. It was smiles and awes across the boat. The water was an amazing blue. I greatly recommend this adventure.

We had a great time! It was early in the season, but we saw probably around 15 different whales in several “romantic” pods. We also saw a mama and calf, along with an escort! We had my 93 year old mother in law with us and they took exceptional care to angle the boat so she could see without standing or turning around! Highly recommend this tour group!

Captain Jack and Mer did a wonderful job! Over the 2 hour excursion we saw several whales, including a breaching 10-day old baby whale which was absolutely incredible. Mer gave us a marine bio breakdown about the various creatures and answered everyone’s questions. The boat we were on was shaded and a little smaller which only added to the overall appeal knowing we weren’t fighting a crowd. It was funny, light, and well worth the money. This excursion would be great for anyone looking to see more of the island and support the local community here on Maui.

It was such a great experience that we will forever treasure it! We started with a beautiful rainbow (almost fully double rainbow) in the middle of the sea!! 😍The captain and Bree were super kind and knowledgeable! They really know what they are doing!! And super important too: they really want to please You find by the dolphins and whales!! 😍 they knew where to go and they found a pod of Dolphins (there were like 80 -100 at least) that were jumping and playing around! We were also lucky enough to see our first whale! (Even that it was still early on the season). We saw 1 turtle in our way back! And were able to see some of the fishes that people were trying to see while snorkeling but water was so clear that we could even see them while on the boat! captain also gave us some good tips about where to go snorkeling and he was completely right! Jack pot on that too!! Thank youuuuu!! Totally recommend it!

Mark and Meredith were great! We had so much fun riding on the little boat and they were knowledgeable and fun. We got to see awesome whale behaviors because they knew what to look for. I would absolutely book here again!

Had a wonderful morning snorkeling and whale watching with Captain Hinori, Nicole and Olivia! Crew was top notch, we learned so much about the whales and conservation, saw some beautiful fish in Lanai and had good vibes all around. Highly recommend!

Our tour was at 8am on 12/22/25 and I wish I could remember the names of our guides because they were fantastic. Their professionalism put us in a position to have a once in a lifetime experience. There were plenty of spouts and tails but we were treated to a friend making at least a dozen breaches. This was my first time taking a tour, and I can’t imagine anything topping this experience, truly once in a lifetime! As if the jumps weren’t enough, our friend waved goodbye with one final jump as we were driving away.

Captain Henore and Val were amazing tour guides for our first whale watching experience. We saw whales almost the entire 2 hour time, and Val was very knowledgeable with his marine biology background and facts. Highly recommend!!!

Awesome, awesome experience! We had so much fun and saw so many whales. The staff was very nice and super knowledgeable of whales and how they interact with each other. We saw lots of whales and followed them in the water. Recommend definitely 10/10! The boat was brand new and we were very fortunate with the weather and the lack of wind. Overall, such a fun experience and was 100% worth the visit. Btw we booked on viator as it seemed the best price.

Jess and CJ were great!! We had a great experience. We saw a bunch of behaviors, breaching, fin slapping, and had a curious calf approach us.

Guides & staff were professional, friendly & knowledgeable about whale migration. The raft was a great way to feel close to the water. It was clean and spacious for size of group. Easy to sign up for tour. Tour very organized & started on time.

Such a great whale watching trip! Loved the raft experience and the staff were extra special! The raft has great seats and handles that made the trip comfortable. Highly recommend!

Enjoyed the two hour whale watch. Saw lots of whales and learned so much from the Captain CJ and guide Joy. It was a great way to start our Hawaiian vacation

This was a great trip! We all boarded the "raft" which is much more of a boat than a raft. Headed out to the ocean and the captain and crew educated us on the local sea life and the whale migration. We then got to listen to the whales singing using a hydrophone, it was amazing. Shortly into the trip we saw a pod of dolphins, it was amazing. That's about the time we saw the whales spouting up in the distance. We quickly sped that way. When we got close we saw not one whale, but a group of 7 or more! It was amazing!! I highly recommend this tour if you're able to attend.

My wife, daughter, son-in-law and grandkids came to Maui for Christmas. one of our must-do items was whale watching, and we selected Hawaii Ocean Rafting based on other revies, and we are sure glad we did! The office staff was great, and once onboard, Cattain Mark and First :Mate Brie were sensational! friendly,funny, knowledgeable and accommodating all the way, The 40' Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) with twin 300 HP Yamaha outboards was fast, maneuverable and comfortable just n excellent experience, and lots of whales up-close and personal!

Captain Henore is AMAZING! He truly loves & enjoys what he does and makes your whole trip happy and fun! Bree & Meredith are so sweet and great too!! I love Hawaii Ocean Rafting and come back year after year (multiple times each year) because they are the best whale watch in Maui! Thank you for continuing your whale watches and having such an amazing crew!

Great time with Captain Jack and Meredith for dolphin watching. The dolphins made a great show for us. Captain Jack and Meredith were knowledgeable about the dolphins, land, and ocean life. They ensured we had ample time to take pictures and truly witness the playfulness of the dolphins. They also provided light snacks of fresh fruits, chips, and cookies. TIP: you will board the boat based on your checkin time. So the earlier you get there the better. Also, you will be barefoot inside the boat. You'll remove your shoes prior to boarding.

This is a must do during whale season. Seeing them at this level gives you a whole new perspective. I love the seating on the boats. I love the shade. It's a very comfortable ride. We had an amazing captain 1/6 & 1/7. Captain Henore or Captain Awesome as I like to call him. He brings a smile to your face and a fun adventure to all. His personally warms your heart. He is very knowledgeable and easy to talk to. We also had Bree & Meredith and they were very sweet. But the true star is Captain H! We've been coming out on these rafts since shortly after they opened and many times every year since. Capt H is the best Captain we've had in so many ways. He looks for cool whales and lets you know when they are bring spicy. However you want to say it, you'll have a whaley good time out on the water with him. And Toni the owner is very kind and a great team leader. Excellent company in so many ways. Take a ride with them. You'll remember it forever.

I think Jack and Olivia did a great job, even if the whales were not cooperating which is beyond their control. Mahalo!

Captain Henore and Bree were great guides for this tour. They were very informative and tried really hard to get us as close to the whales as possible. If you have a chance to take this tour, it is worth it.

This is a great trip with awesome views of whales. The crew was very friendly and knowledgeable. I would recommend it.

Very efficient check in and getting to boat. Extremely friendly captain ZACH and naturalist MEREDITH so fun and informative to be on the water with these two. We were lucky enough to see a competition group of humpbacks vying for a female. We also saw a dolphin in the mix!

I'll say the same thing as I did for Makai - wildlife adventures are very random and so review is based on service and overall trip not how many whales I saw (number is 8-10 btw) The raft is very comfortable. You can sit on the pontoons while taking pictures. There's nothing major obstructing if the animal is on your side. Whales aside, you get epic views of ocean and Lahaina and even the mountains. People are great and check in was super smooth. They have water and porta potties at their location so super convenient. Please carry cash for tipping but they also have Venmo. We did see many whales so that's always a plus!!! Tip: early morning or sunset tours are better as that way you get great views too

We had a great time on the whale watching tour with Jill and Olivia. They were both knowledgeable and helpful, and gave us wonderful whale encounters. The boat itself is a pontoon, seating about 16 passengers. We had to be barefoot onboard. Seats were comfortable and the boat itself was quite maneuverable. Do take Dramamine if you are prone to sea sickness. We saw some great sightings! Support local businesses by booking with them.

Really nice being on the water close the action. Our hosts were wonderful and also very knowledgeable. We saw a number of whales and actually got pretty close to whale that was circling us. Definitely recommend!

Great trip! Saw multiple humpbacks. Were respectful of the distance to whales while still getting to see some relatively close.

Absolutely amazing! For the whale watching experience, it's intimate with 12 seats and whales within 50 feet. The crew shared a lot of great information about whales and Hawaii. We loved it!

love the trip! The extraordinary experience of whale watching and the knowledge learned along the way.

This is a great trip because the boat's not too big, and you're down low near the water. The captain is super capable and safety-conscious, and there was a marine biologist on board who clearly knows her stuff and loves what she does. If a passenger spots a spouting blowhole in the distance, the captain will likely head right on over to that area. Two hours is just the right amount of time to be on the water.

This was amazing experience!! We had never been whale watching henory and Bri both took very good care of us with interesting facts about the whales and we had a blast!!! Would do again and would recomend!!!

Highly recommend Captain Henore and Bree! Saw so many dolphins and whales. Will definitely be back

Our captain and first mate were absolutely fantastic. We saw whales, of course, and that was spectacular... but somewhat beyond their control. But both of our guides were informative, warm, friendly and optimistic... even during the quieter waiting spells. 10/10 would do this again!

we love Jack and Si. We saw so many whales that we came back the next day to do it all over again because we had a whale of a time!

Had a wonderful whale watching adventure with Zack and Jess of Hawaii Ocean Rafting, yesterday. Thanks for your great explanations of the humpback social structure! Saw 7 humpbacks in all and a few blows in the distance. Pretty good for early in the season. Most of our time was spent watching a mom, escort, and baby (what a cutie!), with the picture attached being a frame from a lucky video of the escort breaching, where I happened to have my iPhone pointing in the right direction.

We had one of the worst weather days and still had a great time with Captain H. and Sy! Saw a competition brawl and lots of surface excitement along with a beautiful breach! They were both very knowledgeable and super helpful and attentive to all of the guests with their (widely) varying comfort and experience levels. Fun day- Thank you!

Hanoi and Bri were great! Def recommend! Great guides and they showed us lots whales!

Awesome service and both of the guides are great. Highly recommend it. Worth to go to watch whales.

Welcoming and knowledgeable crew help you not just watch whales but educate you on what you're experiencing in the waters of Hawaii. Also the boat we were on was very clean, safe, and comfortable!

Great trip yesterday with captain jack and Meredith. Saw a few humpbacks and had a blast. They did an amazing job locating the whales. Loved it. Highly recommend.

So much fun great crew great whale watching easy seating and overall fun time !! Would do it again !

Captain Jack and crew, Nicole and Brie were wonderful. We joined them on a snorkel cruise to the Island of Lanai. It was not whale season, unfortunately, but we saw literally every thing else!! A monk seal , turtles , bottle nosed dolphins, spinner dolphins , flying fish, and lots of tropical fish . Captain Jack also brought up an octopus and allowed us to touch it! Very cool how he suction cups to your hand as you touch him. Amazing experience all around. We have sailed with Captain Steve in the past, but he lost his home and boats in the 2023 Lahaina fire, so may not be back. Very sad. Please come to Maui and help tourism by supporting this great group of people! I highly recommend this rafting trip by Hawaiian Ocean Rafting Rebecca B

AMAZING!! We had captain jack, first time and would absolutely book with this company again. Felt very safe , whales were everywhere and very close. Extremely knowledgeable crew and explained as we watched a whale fight. Incredible experience, thank you : ) Boat felt very safe and at no time did I feel worried, even in the larger swells far out.

We just had the most amazing dolphin watching trip with Captain Jack and Val! We went out on the 9am tour and they started by taking us over towards Lanai to try to find that pod of Hawaiian spinner dolphins. While on the way there we saw some sea turtles and flying fish. When we got to Lanai, we couldn't find any dolphins, but the guides shared with us some history and legends of Lanai and pointed out some things on shore. When we turned to head back, however, we had to pass through a small storm, so it was raining, wet, and a bit of a bumpy ride! Throughout this though, the guides were very calm, informative, and funny. They were going to refund us our trip due to the weather, but as we approached Maui, the sun came out and we stumbled upon a pod of dolphins! They extended the time of our tour so we got to spend time with this pod of about 200 dolphins all around us! While we were there, Val taught us about the Hawaiian spinner dolphins and they even put a Hydrophone in the water and we got to hear the dolphins clicking to each other! The guides were great and made the most of the weather, but then we got lucky with dolphins too, so we thoroughly enjoyed the trip! This will be a Maui vacation highlight for me for sure!

Fabulous trip to see Spinner Dolphins. Captain Jack and Val found them right away and we spent nearly the entire 2 hours in the company of Spinner dolphins. Fabulous trip with great captain and naturalist. I highly recommend a raft trip with them.

this is one of my favorite Rafts on Maui ! Great crew, awesome experience, close-up, and personal to the whales so amazing!

Captain H and Bri were amazing!!! Had a wonderful time and saw lots of whales! Great start to our morning

The only thing we did in Maui that was better was getting married. Seriously, a very fun and recreational activity. Our hosts, " Captain Jack " and Meredith, were amazingly professional. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

We enjoyed our whale-watch rafting trip with Cy and Captain Jack. They provided an extensive commentary during the tour and we spotted several whales nearby our raft. The ocean in the morning was not too tough though we did get a little wet from the splash into the raft where we were near the back. Was nice to go out of Mala Wharf rather than drive all the way to Maalaea.

Captain Henie and Meredith were so friendly and knowledgeable! Would absolutely recommend to friends. Great for full families... even with little kids!

This trip was extremely special, the captain and their team were so knowledgeable about the area, Hawaiian culture, the sea life and everything. Who would have thought taking a boat trip was so educational! Not to mention, they took us to some amazing locations that are not always available due to weather but they tried and succeeded. We saw Turtles, dolphins. Fish, coral, birds, tried to find whales (out of season), the Hawaiian blowhole and more. They were so freindly and ensured everyone had an amazing adventure. Thank you! I would definitely come again! Thanks Captain Jack and your team! Sincerely Elke and Siani.

from the second you check in to the time you are departing the boat, you are in great hands! The crew went out of their way to make sure everyones wishes were fulfilled. we not only went to 2 incredible snorkel spots, but were immersed by a pod of spinner dolphins followed by some whales that were really showing off. snorkeling around the island of lanai could not have been better, with the island playing their part of show dropping scenery. Blue(the boat) could not have been more comfortable, and you will not find a better crew to snorkel with!

What a fun whale-watching experience. I'm not sure how one is supposed to react when seeing a whale, but I certainly let out my fair share of screams and yelps (ha!) during our time on thee water. I have never been on this type of boat before, apparently it's called a zodiac boat, but as a non-swimmer I would be lying to say it didn't take some getting used to. There are high winds in Maui so the water was quite rough (at least for me) but the ride was ultimately smooth. I appreciated that the staff had us play musical chairs depending on where we spotted whale activity, so if there was a whale on the left, those folks sat down so the right side of the boat could stand up and have an unobstructed view. It worked great for the most part. Since we have no control over marine life and there is no guarantee you'll see anything, any glimpse of a whale was appreciated by me. We saw lots of activity, even a competition pod of two males and a female, as well as some babies. I would certainly do this again if I ever found my way back to Maui. Best of all this is a HAWAIIAN-OWNED BUSINESS which is the only thing you should be supporting while here.

We were disappointed that we didn't find dolphins today. But the trip overall was amazing. We learn some new facts we didn't know about Hawaii Islands thanks to the captain Jack and Meredith. Even there is always a chance not to see dolphins the trip worth the money.

Captain Jack and Jess were great! Super friendly funny people. Saw flying fish, got a brief history of Lanai and Lovers Rock. It was a great fun ride.

Another excellent adventure with Captain Jack; this time with marine biologist Maryanne. Last week we took the snorkeling tour to Lanai with Jack, Jesse, and Silas. Today, we saw hundreds of spinner dolphins- mamas, babies- all putting on a great show of backflips, spins, and tail flapping. We learned so much about the dolphins and the islands from Captain Jack and Maryanne. We will definitely book again with this company when we return.

We went out with Captain Mark and Val on Friday. It was an incredible morning. Not only did we get to see lots of whales, but also got to experience Spinner dolphins for the first time. Captain Mark and Val were extremely knowledgeable and shared lots of helpful information along the way. This is our third time with Hawaii Ocean Rafting - we'll definitely be back! Mahalo for a wonderful (and educational) adventure on the ocean.