New Zealand
What: Giant Sperm Whale
When: Year-round
Kaikoura's resident Sperm Whales are equivalent in size to four elephants and thanks to the unique conditions of a deep undersea canyon combined with unusual sea currents, you can see them year-round. At other times of the year you'll see migrating Humpback Whales, Pilot Whales, Blue Whales and Southern Right Whales as well as pods of dolphins.
Mexico
What: Fin-back and blue whales
When: Year-round
Jacques Cousteau described the Sea of Cortez as "the world's aquarium" and it's a meeting place for one of the most varied whale populations in the world. Over on the west coast of Baja California, bordered by the Pacific Ocean, Gray whales migrate here to calve each year from mid-December to mid-March where you'll be able to see them nurse their calves.
America
What: Humpbacks, blue, gray, fin whales and minke.
When: Year-round you'll see different whale species.
Head to Monterey Bay in California for a chilled whale-watching break by the Monterey Submarine Canyon, a watery Grand Canyon. which provides an ideal habitat for many whale species to come close to shore to feed. ALong with the migrating species, you may even see rare beaked whales and sperm whales too.
Costa Rica
What: Humpback and pilot whales
When: December - April
Visit the stunning protected beaches of the Marino Ballena National park and take a whale-watching tour which explores Isla Ballena, the Tres Hermanas Islets and the sea caves of Ventana (which means windows). The caves go some 50m back from the beach to the ocean and the tidal pressure inside creates a great 'blowhole' effect - just the thing for the whale-watching spirit!
Sri Lanka
What: Blue and sperm whales
When: December- April
Sri Lanka is in the heart of the International Whaling Commission's protected zone in the Indian ocean and so one of the best places in the world to see blue and sperm whales. Head to Dondra on the extreme Southern tip of the country to see whales passing through on their migration. Best time to see them is in the morning, these whales are early risers.
Azores
What: Baleen and sperm whales
When: April-June for baleens, year-round for sperm whales
You
don't have to go far to see whales, you can see them in Europe too and
the Azures is one of the best places to do so. The baleens come to feed
on the red krill throughout April-Jane and put on a spectacular display.
Australia
What: Southern right whales and blue whales
When: June- October
Take
a drive on the Great Ocean Road and time your trip to see the stunning
spectacle of whales feeding and calving their young in the 'nursery' by
Warrnambool. Special viewing platforms allow visitors to get within 100m
of the females as they swim close to the shore line. Bring your camera!
Mozambique
What: Humpback whales
When: July-November
Each
year the the humpback whales migrate through the turquoise waters of
the Quirimbas National Park, the largest marine protected area in Africa
and home to peerless coral reefs with countless tropical fish, turtles
and even dugongs (sea cows). Mothers teach the young calf how to breach
and tail slap as they pass through the islands - an incredible sight for
any nature lover.
