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Moorea
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Ocean Wildlife Expedition; Swim With Whales, Sharks, & Rays Half-Day Boat Tour

Moorea-Maiao, French Polynesia

From $164.20

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Free cancellation
Up to 24 hours in advance.
  • 4 hours (approx.)
  • Pickup offered
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Overview

Explore the waters of Moorea on a small-group half-day boat tour that offers the chance to snorkel near marine animals such as sharks, stingrays, and whales. Your naturalist guide shares commentary about the creatures you might see, including blacktip reef sharks, grey reef sharks, pink whiprays, leopard rays, dolphins, and humpback whales (mid-July to mid-November). Choose from a morning or afternoon departure for this small-group tour limited to eight people. Includes guide, use of snorkel equipment, beverages, fresh fruit, and hotel pickup and drop-off.
  • Small-group half-day boat tour with wildlife snorkeling, from Ha'apiti
  • Look for sharks, dolphins, stingrays and whales while snorkeling from the boat
  • Hope to see humpback whales during their migration from mid-July to mid-November
  • Choice of morning or afternoon departure
  • Small-group tour with a maximum of eight participants ensures a more personalized experience

What's Included

  • Guide
  • Bottled water
  • Beverages
  • Fresh fruits
  • Live commentary on board
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Use of Snorkeling equipment
  • Snacks
  • Alcoholic Beverages
  • Food and drinks, unless specified
  • Souvenir photos (available to purchase)

Meeting And Pickup

You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup

Meeting point

  • PK 27
    PK 27, Moorea-Maiao, French Polynesia

    Tour departs from Tiahura public beach located next to Hibiscus Hotel. Hotel pickups will be either by boat or vehicle, depending on location.

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • Minimum recommended age is 4 years
  • Recommended items: Swimsuit, towel and sunscreen
  • Please note: In-water observation with humpback whales are not guaranteed. Local operator's priority lies both to guest safety and to respect of all wildlife encountered during tours. We will only enter the water with humpback whales after the biologist onboard has observed their surface activity and deemed it safe for both the guests and the whales. Allowing the whales to continue their natural behavior, mating rituals, and migrational movements is vital for a healthy marine environment. Government placed regulations are followed for all interactions.
  • Near public transportation
  • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
  • Most travelers can participate
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 11 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
  • This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

about cancellations.

Traveler Photos

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Featured review
JennyPaul
Our guide was amazing and knew exactly what he was doing. He stressed patience and we ended up seeing a mom and baby! We traveled with our kids (8 and 7) and were unsure if they would be able to participate and even prepped them if they didn’t want to swim that far they could stay in the boat but it was no problem! Manu had a “buddy board” where they could hold on to the handles and pulled the kids behind him so they got to see the whales as well. It was incredible. Highly recommend!!

Reviews

5.0
288 reviews
Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
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Reviews by Viator travelers.
Showing 1-10 of 288 reviews
Best of the week, excellent adventure
Carl_C, Mar 2023
Wow, what a fun adventure! The team was awesome and helpful, these were the only guys that took us out past the lagoon and into the Pacific Ocean. The sharks out there were much bigger and fast. Loved it!
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Thank you guys for your feedback Hope to see you again Cheers
Doesn’t match a name of experience
Natalia_H, Nov 2022
It was a nice trip. But they should tell people truth, it was overpaid for this experience. Other companies doing exactly same snorkel but less money. And this company charged over price only because they say on the site it will be swimming with whales that, of course, we never seen.
Response from Host, Nov 2022
Hello We are sorry that you didn't see the whales . At the end of the season the chance are lowest but still possible. This tour is based on the marine wildlife observation with wild animals that's mean we can t guarantee anything. Sometimes Ocean can give everything and sometimes nothing and we have to understand and respect that. The best moment for whales swim is between august and beginning of November. Our price are higher but we are also the only company of Moorea who give part of our income to 2 different foundation who protect sharks and whales and you participate by booking with us. We hope you will be back at the best time of the season to have a better chance to swim with Humpback whales.
They tried
Steve_R, Nov 2022
Definitely swimming with the sharks and Rays. We did know that we were not in season for the humpbacks, so not seeing them was expected. However, after only spending maybe a half hour with the sharks, we went out to sea and spent over an hour bouncing in the waves. I believe they were looking for whales but nothing was communicated. Then we went to find turtles and after swimming for a very long time we gave up. Good things-the guides were great, the snacks were great and they kept the rum punch flowing!
Response from Host, Nov 2022
Hi guys Whale season are from July to End of November but the chance are lowest at the end of November, the highest chance to see them is August,September and October Sorry about the team didn't communicate good with you. The wave can be rough sometimes and your team was out to the sea to search ing marine wildlife, whales, sharks, dolphins, etc.... Sometimes the Ocean give you everything and sometimes nothing , we can't control nature . Thanks for trying with us.
Must-do snorkeling trip
MALLORY_C, Nov 2022
AMAZING!!! Must do snorkeling trip. We didn't see the best coral if that's what you're in to, BUT we did see a lot of larger wildlife like sting rays, eagle rays, turtles, black tip reef sharks, and A WHALE! We did not think that was in the realm of possibilities. But our guides went above and beyond to defeat all odds and found us a humpback whale to swim along. This tour agency is great. Hard working locals that care about the environment and sustainability and the animals. Would do it again many times.
Response from Host, Nov 2022
Thank you so much guys and we are glad you swim with whales at the end of the season. cheers
Best Tour Ever(beautiful & safe)
Nicole_M, Nov 2022
The whole trip was incredible!! The staff had great energy & were super informative. My mom who was previously scared had the best time in the water. I usually don’t do these but it was the best tour I’ve been on around the world— between the variety of wildlife, great staff & incredible views in and out of the water. From turtles to dolphins, sharks & rays — it was an amazing day
Response from Host, Nov 2022
We are glad you enjoy our tour . Thank you so much to joining us.
Highly recommend this advanced, open-ocean expedition!
KelleyH, Nov 2022
Moorea Moana Tours is fabulous! They provided a taxi that picked us up from the dock where our cruise ship tenders dropped us off and drove us to the beach where their boat was waiting. As we motored out of the lagoon, the dive master briefed us on what he planned and what he wanted us to do. It was a windy day with about 5 foot seas as the captain searched for Humpback Whales. He spotted a Mom and calf so we quickly got into the water and swam very quickly, trying to catch up to them. Unfortunately, one of the guests was not prepared for the rough water swim in very deep water. Our dive master got all of us safely back on the boat and resumed the search for whales. When we found more whales, we got into the ocean again but another guest was not doing well with her mask and snorkel. He ended up towing her for a very long time just to make sure that the rest of the group had a good experience. As we kept a safe distance from the whales, our encounters were absolutely amazing! This dive master and captain went over and above the call of duty to give us the Ocean Wildlife Expedition we paid for! We motored back into the lagoon for a smooth-water snorkel with rays and black-tip reef sharks. This was a very advanced snorkel and swim in rough, deep, open-water ocean. We highly recommend this excursion to anyone comfortable with these conditions.
Response from Host, Nov 2022
Thank you so much for this amazing review, we hope to see you again. cheers
Turtles, rays, sharks, whales...this tour has it all.
Gillian_C, Nov 2022
We loved our adventure with Moorea Moana Tours. From the snorkeling with fish and turtles, to hanging out with rays and sharks, and finally the excursion to find a whale. It was so much fun. Although our hopes weren't high for a whale, we found one and were able to get into the water and she swan under us. So cool. Thanks guys!!!
Response from Host, Nov 2022
Thank you for your time, we are glad you enjoy our tour.
Fantastic tour, highly recommended, it won’t disappoint
Ross_F, Nov 2022
Excellent trip, we really didn’t expect to be swimming with whales, but up close and personal with a humpback and calf. The crew were very knowledgeable and respectful of the whales. A bit of open water swimming was required to get to the whales but well worth the experience.
Response from Host, Nov 2022
we are glad you get a great experience. Thanks for joining us cheers
Possibly the best experience ever
Kevin_J, Oct 2022
Crew were excellent. Educated us well on what to expect, and how to respect the wildlife in THEIR habitat. Had a wonderful close-up encounter with a baby humpback, with mom immediately below us. Crew placed safety first, equally as important as respecting the wildlife, we felt safe and comfortable the whole time. Thank you Hereria and Yo
Response from Host, Nov 2022
thank you guys for joining us that day. cheers
Amazing
Erin_S, Oct 2022
Fantastic experience. We were with Lana and Tui and their expertise was amazing. Highly recommend this group for an amazing and respectful experience viewing whales.
Great afternoon encounter
Scott_L, Oct 2022
Had a fantastic time. We did an afternoon tour (2:30PM) in late Sept. Capt Robert and Keanu were great and very accommodating. ~90% of the people onboard (mix of fairly novice to fairly professional "snorkelers") were English speaking (as well as us) and it was great that the tour was given in English. If this was done in French it would have made things a little more hectic and difficult. Some whales were eventually tracked after an early sighting sent us on a 1hr unsuccessful track. We were asked to get in the water and saw ~3 whales quickly from a distance. Many people saw 2 at a distance as one other quickly swam by us. There was some time remaining so another larger & more active pod was spotted and we were asked to get back in the water. After some very quick swimming to intercept, we had a great encounter with 5 or so humpbacks that swam around & under us in very close proximity. It was a phenomenal experience. All attendees were blown away by the 2nd encounter and i'm glad we got to get in the water a 2nd time. Endorphins were high and rum punch was then handed out on the return to shore. It was a very memorable experience. I would recommend this to anyone. You cannot guarantee what type of whale encounter you will have (they are wild and in their environment) but ours was certainly a memorable one.
Response from Host, Oct 2022
Hi Friends,, Thank you for your review, Cheers
They find the whales
Daniel_D, Aug 2022
Great Captain and guide. Made my wife feel comfortable swimming hard in open ocean. Not for the tame at heart swimmer
Response from Host, Aug 2022
Thank you to join us that day cheers
1 traveler found this review helpful
A Must-DO
Julius_F, Aug 2022
We got and early start at 7.30 so we managed to beat the crowds with skilled and amazing crew who manages to find whales and get pretty close to them. It's a chance with whales but our crew did their absolute best to keep us entertained while on the move to see those precious creatures!
Response from Host, Aug 2022
We are glad we enjoy your tour thank you
Best experience of the trip!
JennyPaul, Aug 2022
Our guide was amazing and knew exactly what he was doing. He stressed patience and we ended up seeing a mom and baby! We traveled with our kids (8 and 7) and were unsure if they would be able to participate and even prepped them if they didn’t want to swim that far they could stay in the boat but it was no problem! Manu had a “buddy board” where they could hold on to the handles and pulled the kids behind him so they got to see the whales as well. It was incredible. Highly recommend!!
Response from Host, Aug 2022
Thank you so much guys for your feedback. cheers
10/10 Experience
Brooklynne_B, Aug 2022
We loved this experience! Viator made it so easy to book our excursion and we had the best tour guide and experience in Moorea.
Response from Host, Aug 2022
Thank you for joining us!
Incredible experience!
Averil_C, Aug 2022
The day started off very rainy and rough, but it was so worth it once we got to jump in the water and see the whales in the ocean! It was such an incredible experience. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and I felt safe being in the open water with him. We ended the tour with a swim the stingrays and sharks in the bay. 10/10
Response from Host, Aug 2022
Thank you so much for your message We really appreciate it !
Great Trip with a really fantastic Crew!
DIANE_D, Aug 2022
Manu is a consummate professional. Fantastic crew with great knowledge. We found 2 sets of whales. I swam with the sharks and rays and watched the whales from the boat. Highly recommend
Response from Host, Aug 2022
Thank you for your feedback and hopefully see you again.
Honeymoon whale watching
Erika_V, Jul 2022
Had a super fun time watching the whales from above and below the ocean surface! The guide and the captain are hospitable, fun and are able to provide an adventurous yet safe excursion.
Response from Host, Jul 2022
Hi guys, Thank you for your feedback ! Cheers
Fabulous
Melissa_E, Jul 2022
Amazing day with sharks and stingrays, snorkeling in deep crystal clear water and watching humpback whales breach!
Response from Host, Jul 2022
thank you guys for time! cheers
What a day it was!!
Meena_R, Jul 2022
My kids and I were super happy with this tour. We had an excellent guide [Clement - hope I spelt the name correct - its a French name]. He is a marine biologist so was very knowledgeable about the various species. Prior to the trip we got a notification on where and what time we would be picked up and the pick up person was on time as well. Clement made the trip enjoyable with his jokes and funny commentary. He knew where to go and find the marine life we wanted to see. Most of all he was very helpful and attentive to everyone. What impressed me most was his special care he took for me as I am not a good swimmer when in ocean. He kept me close to him and safe and made sure that I actually got to see the exotic marine creatures and not be stressed about anything. We were all blessed to see turtles, have close encounters with sharks, beautiful colorful fishes and yes - the sharks as well. The trip itself was pretty satisfactory time wise - we got spend enough time in each place - ending the trip with a nice cocktail! Its an absolute must do trip and if you get Clement as your guide then its all good! Thank you for a wonderful wonderful day.
Response from Host, Jul 2022
Thank you guys for your great review, Cheers,
Great experience and tour
MattSasso, Feb 2022
Pierrick and his captain were very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. They go above and beyond to make sure the tour was great
Response from Host, Feb 2022
Thank you guys for joining us
Breathtaking experience
Joshua_C, Nov 2021
We were so so sooo lucky to have not one but three opportunities to swim with a humpback mother+baby this late in the season (as little as 1 in 5 days has a sighting in the second half of Nov). Our guide (Manatea) and captain (Iotua) did a phenomenal job orchestrating our approaches and tracking them as they migrated west across the island in front of the hilton. Be prepared for intense open-water swimming as the boat cannot approach without scaring them off. However, the reward is more than worth the effort. As an added bonus, we even saw dolphins too!
Response from Host, Nov 2021
Thanks guys for choosing our ecotourism business . We hope to see you again
Swimming with the sting...
Katie_T, Nov 2021
Swimming with the sting rays and sharks was amazing. We almost got to swim with a whale, but some other boats scared it away. The singing the male does under the water is an awesome sound.
Response from Host, Nov 2021
Thank you guys for your review. We are at the end at the season and the number of animals getting lower around the island who’s not permit us to be often alone in the water with whales and we have to deal sometimes with boat who approaching whales with no respect . We are glad you enjoy the other amazing marine animals Cheers
Incredibly beautiful
David_E, Oct 2021
Absolutely incredible experience seeing a whale and her calf. The team seemed very knowledgeable, respectful of the waves and super friendly. If you’re in Moorea this is a MUST do!
Response from Host, Oct 2021
Big thank you from the team !!! Hope to see you again, Cheers
Best Humpback Tour in Moorea
Micheal_A, Sep 2021
Amazing tour with an amazing company - if you want to swim with whales in Mo'orea, you can't go wrong with Moana Tours. They give their customers the best experience while still being extremely respectful of the animals.
Response from Host, Sep 2021
thank you so much guys
Magical Experience
Kirah_O, Aug 2021
Sharing the same space as a whale in their natural habitat is truly a magical experience <3 We were lucky to hear a male "singer." Hopefully he found the perfect mate :)
Response from Host, Aug 2021
thank you guys
Great guides, don’t forget your towels.
karina_j, Jul 2021
The captain and guide were terrific and very knowledgeable. The boat was nice. We didn’t bring towels though as there were no notes on what to bring so that was a huge bummer.
Response from Host, Aug 2021
Thank you for your response. On our website under the FAQs for Tour Information it suggests bringing the following: "What should I bring? If you have your own snorkeling or dive equipment, feel free to bring it along! If you do not have equipment we can provide it for you. We recommend bringing any camera (especially underwater equipped setups) that you may own to capture your experience. We highly suggest bringing reef safe sunscreen and towels for ultimate comfort during expeditions. Beverages, light snacks, and dry storage is provided onboard. Don't forget your sunglasses!"
Lucky encounter with Humpback whales at the end of whale season!
Krissy_E, Nov 2020
Pick-up at our hotel dock was right on time. Our two guides were great--they gave us great information about whales and sharks. First stop was to swim with black tip sharks, stingrays and fish at a sandbar, then we set off around the island for the chance to spot humpback whales to swim with them. Even though it's the end of the whale season (our tour was 16-Nov), we were lucky to spot two groups of whales. The first group were on the move, so we weren't able to swim close to them, but some time later, we found a duo of two adult humpback whales that swim right by us in the water! What an incredible experience! The peak season for swimming with whales is Septmeber/early October, but we took a chance and so glad we did! We recommend Moorea Moana tours.
Response from Host, Nov 2020
Thank you guys ! Happy you get an amazing encounter🤙🏻
Once in a lifetime
Diana, Oct 2020
It was an unbelievable experience swimming with a whale and her calf. Guide and the crew were very kind and well prepared. Nice to see that these people really respect mother nature. We saw ‘everything’ during to tour what was promised even turtles and spinner dolphines from the boat.
Response from Host, Oct 2020
Happy you got a great experience !! Cheers🤙🏻
Whale of a tale...
Rudy_v, Oct 2020
Guides Guile and Teddy were awesome! We not only saw several whales but did get the opportunity to swim with an adult male and adopted baby (which will likely not make it they said, so sad)! They were determined and really went out of their way to ensure we were comfortable and to find whales. Highly recommend!
Response from Host, Oct 2020
Thank you guys🤙🏻 Hope to see you again!
...

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Product code: 51487P2

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