Whale watching and swimming in Moorea
Recommended by 96% of travelers
Moorea, French Polynesia
- 4 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Many people come to Moorea to snorkel in the coral gardens but if you travel here between July and November there’s the chance to see whales on their seasonal migration. With a small group and dedicated guides who follow all whale-protection regulations, head out into the ocean to spot the amazing creatures. If conditions and whale behavior allow on the day, over-15s may even swim and snorkel with the whales.
- As well as whales, look out for dolphins, sharks, and turtles
- Make the most of this seasonal activity in French Polynesia
- All necessary snorkeling gear is provided so you don’t need your own
- Receive personalized attention and commentary in a small group
What's Included
- Coffee and/or TeaCoffee, fruit juice, water are included
- Use of Snorkeling equipmentFins, mask, snorkel and neoprene suit
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Quai des croisièresG56J+9VV, Moorea, French Polynesia
Meet on the quay, our guide will come to meet you
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
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a strong physical fitness level
- Being comfortable with fins and a snorkel mask is necessary for launching into the ocean.
- Being able to climb back up the boat ladder is necessary for ocean and lagoon launches
- Be over fifteen years old for ocean launches
- Good physical conditions for launching into the ocean
- Be able to palm 300 meters autonomously for launches in the ocean
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 6 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Emily_D
I booked this excursion last minute because the first snorkeling with whales excursions I had booked ended up being a flop due to inclement weather and lack of whale sightings. Ivy and Christoph were truly amazing guides. Ivy’s energy was infectious and you couldn’t pick truly see her passion for the whales. She was informative and so driven to get us up close and personal with the whales. We had to work hard to see them but with the help of Christoph she made sure to make it happen. We were in and out of the water three times and had to swim quite a distance to track and find the whales but we did it and it was magical!! I would highly recommend booking this company for your whale watching experience while on the island!!
Reviews
4.9
based on 82 reviews
Sort by: Most recent
Amanda_P, Aug 2026
Once in a lifetime experience! Our group was lucky & able to actually swim with the whales! We saw several above water behavior like blows, breaching, & head slaps. We also saw a group of dolphins on our tour. Heads up, boat sitting idle may cause sea sickness depending on choppy water. Also, be patient. We saw most activity during the last half of tour. ; )
Johnny_M, Aug 2026
A dream came true!! First of all, Ivy and the Captain were amazing and incredible professionals. I loved that they respected all the rules to be able to swim with whales. We waited patiently until two huge humpback whales showed up in front of our boat and it was time to jump on the water to swim with them. So beautiful. Ivy was great guiding us through the swim. It was a windy day and still the captain was able to navigate in a very smooth way. I would repeat this tour with them 1000 times. Thank you Ivy and Captain!
Tristan_G, Aug 2026
Great experience, we were able to swim with a pair of whales twice at the end of the tour. Make sure to take sea sick medicine if you get seasick as even on a calm day the waves can be rocky.
Yacob_g, Aug 2026
It was a magnificent experience. After some searching, we spotted and saw whales up close, and it was thrilling.
The captain was excellent, and our guide, Ivy, was outstanding—courteous, polite, and very knowledgeable. She explained everything we needed to know and made the experience safe and captivating.
Christine_H, Aug 2026
Ivy and the Captain were AMAZING! We were able to see several whales and swim close to them. She is very informative, knowledgeable and great personality. 10/10 recommend this tour!
Kya_G, Aug 2026
my best friend and I went and had the most incredible experience! we saw many whales and got to swim alongside one. The guides were very kind and fun as well as knowledgeable. They made the experience better than imagined and with the small number of people on our group we had a greater experience on the water and got to see and swim with turtles as well. Would definitely recommend:)
Jennifer_H, Jul 2026
Was a nice experience and we did see whales but didn’t get chance to swim with them. Ivy and Christophe were great guides nonetheless, gave us lots of fun facts, and took us to a great snorkelling spot where we saw rats and sharks when we realised the swimming wasn’t happening.
Jake_L, Nov 2025
Ivy and Kristof (sp?) were very passionate and motivated to get our group a worthwhile whale watching and swimming experience. The day before our trip, they saw 0 whale activity, not even a sighting so we were very fortunate to see a bunch of whale activity. It took 3+ hours of navigating until we found one chance to go in the water and see them. We lucked out and got to see the mother whale and her calf in the water during a 20 minute swim! At this point, most other boats gave up and turned around, but we had this wonderful experience thanks to the determined nature of our guides. All provided equipment, including wetsuits and snorkels, functioned well. The boat ride was pleasant and not very choppy even during the storm on the way back to the quay.
Cotter_W, Oct 2025
Ivy and Christoph were amazing hosts and very knowledgeable. Knew exactly where to be and how to interact. While you can’t guarantee what you’ll see we saw a mom and calf and got amazing pictures. Highly recommend!
Of note: they provide wetsuits so you don’t need to rent any
Also if you’re not a great swimmer don’t hang on to the life ring Ivy has for safety. She’s not your personal tow float.
Ingemar_K, Oct 2025
I had Ivy as a guide, and she had no problems identifying the whales under water. Fantastic trip with fantastic whale experience...
Raffaella_M, Oct 2025
This was the best whale swimming tour I have done in Moorea. The team was prepared the boat comfortable and only4 people which is good for an intimate experience and no turns! We swam 3 times and also found dolphins and turtles!
Nicole_S, Oct 2025
I had an amazing experience seeing and snorkeling with humpback whales. You don’t have to get into the water if you don’t want to. If you do get in the guide swims you over to the right spot and makes sure you get a good view. We went out on a rainy day with choppy waters but our guide was so incredibly patient when people got sea sick and she was professional yet friendly. I would definitely recommend this company.
Emily_H, Oct 2025
This was one of the most incredible experiences of my life - thanks to Ivy and Captain Christoph and the whole Lagoon Vibes team for making it possible. Pickup was on time, instructions for what to expect in the water were crystal clear, and I especially appreciated Ivy's passion and guidance.
We spotted 3 whales, including a calf, and waited on the boat about 30min before it was our turn to get in. We swam trying to catch up to whales but fell too behind so had to get back in the boat to try again. The second time in the water was a huge success, and we were observing them for about 40min. We kept a respectable distance, but a few swam up very close to *us* to check us out!
A warning to those who are not confident swimmers in open ocean - conditions were relatively calm the day of our tour, and it was *still* exhausting with fins and a snorkel mask. Lagoon Vibes also provides a wetsuit.
If you are prepared for the conditions and have the stamina, this experience is *not* to be missed!
Roland_D, Oct 2025
Very good experience, we loved it. The whale calf played in front of us. When suddenly the parents passed just a few meters from us.
The chaperone was really cool !
We recommend.
Blake_G, Oct 2025
The team at Lagoon Vibes was fantastic! They were friendly and knowledgeable and provided all of the gear that we needed. My wife and I were able to get in the water and see the whales at two different locations. Thank you for a wonderful experience!
nigel_H, Oct 2025
Fantastic, experience. Lagoon Vibes have a great and knowledgeable team, expertly guided us to meet a family of whales. With full respect for the whales, distance, number of boats etc. Lagoon Vibes also gave us an unexpected bonus videos of our experience, who’s quality was must better than mine. We fully recommend Lagoon Vibe.
Tim_S, Oct 2025
Super friendly guide. Saw whales, dolphins, and a sea turtle. Great sites of Moorea! Provided all gear (wet suits, snorkel gear) plus drinks.
Emily_D, Sep 2025
I booked this excursion last minute because the first snorkeling with whales excursions I had booked ended up being a flop due to inclement weather and lack of whale sightings. Ivy and Christoph were truly amazing guides. Ivy’s energy was infectious and you couldn’t pick truly see her passion for the whales. She was informative and so driven to get us up close and personal with the whales. We had to work hard to see them but with the help of Christoph she made sure to make it happen. We were in and out of the water three times and had to swim quite a distance to track and find the whales but we did it and it was magical!! I would highly recommend booking this company for your whale watching experience while on the island!!
Andrew_Y, Sep 2025
If you are a strong swimmer and don't get seasick (or have motion sickness remedies ready), this is definitely worth it. Seeing the humpback whales up close was an unforgettable experience even if we had to go through the rough waves
ConnorBalint, Sep 2025
My wife and I had a good experience with the guide and while we didn't get to swim as close to a whale as we would've liked, we still got to see one in the water and several from the boat
Thaily_S, Sep 2025
The guide and caption were such lovely people. They told us a lot of facts about whales and made us feel safe throughout the whole trip. We were able to see two amazing humpback whales and get into the water with them. Totally recommend.
Malcolm_A, Sep 2025
Thoroughly enjoyed this trip from start to finish, lasted over 4 hours, travelling along the coast to find the whales.
Hosts very experienced made us feel at ease throughout.
Saw male humpback singing whale, and we were able to swim with him and hear the awesome songs, also saw and swam with two more whales on the trip.
Recomended A+++
Francesca_H, Aug 2025
Ivy and Christof were a great team; Ivy had so much energy and shared loads of information about the whales and the island. We had a beautiful day on the water and spotted several whales from the boat, some breaching really close and swimming alongside us for a while which was pretty special. We jumped in to swim and from the water got a glimpse of a tale ahead but didn’t see any whales up close in the water - they were likely around but due to the swell the underwater visibility was not great. But it was still an incredibly special experience to be swimming out in open ocean and sharing the water with the whales. We also spotted some spinner dolphins and a turtle. A huge bonus of Lagoon Vibes was the small group and longer time at sea - only 6 people (compared to 12 on a lot of the others available) and 4 hours long where others are only 3. This meant that we had plenty of time to look for whales in different areas and we also all got to jump in the water together on sighting a whale with no need to wait and take turns. Great chats and snacks with the team on the way back too. Thanks for a brilliant experience! Highly recommend :)
Daniela_M, Aug 2025
One of the best experiences in my life!
Amazing crew!
We had the sweetest and most amazing guide.
I didn’t want it to end!
Francesc_V, Sep 2024
I ended this dream adventure with a smile in my face and a bigger one in my soul. What an incredible experience! The staff was a huge part of this amazing time. I can't thank enough Christophe, Flo, Marie, Arnaud and Julien for this. Singing male, mothers and calves... I could have never expected what we saw, even in my biggest dreams. Thanks forever
John_B, Sep 2024
Excellent tour with Flor and Christophe! Both were very welcoming and friendly. We were fortunate to see whales and sharks. Definitely the memory of a lifetime!
Neil_M, Aug 2024
Experienced and professional captain and guide. The boat ride along the coast may be the most beautiful thing you experience here. The sea was rough but we still got us to some jumping and fin-flapping whales. It turns out that it is really hard to get the boat in the right place while trying to predict the whale's behavior. Their priority is safety for the guests and the whales. Conditions didn't cooperate for us (or for any of the other companies) for getting in the water that morning. They know you want to swim near the whales and they honestly do their best to make it happen. I would absolutely choose this company again.
Response from Host, Aug 2024
Thank you Neil for your comment and especially for your enthusiasm despite difficult weather conditions.
Laura_B, Aug 2026
The tour with Ivy and the captain from Lagoon Vibes was truly incredible! 🐋💙 Both were super friendly, and you could immediately tell how much experience and knowledge they have about the creatures in the sea. We found it especially great that they always made sure not to stress or chase the animals. They know exactly what they are doing and gave their all to make an unforgettable experience with the whales possible for us.
In the end, we were allowed to get incredibly close to the whales, and this moment was simply magical. We were all so happy and could hardly believe our luck. 🥹🐋 As an absolute highlight, we were even able to hear the whales singing!
We can truly recommend Lagoon Vibes 100%. If you have the opportunity to go out to sea with them: Do it! It was definitely one of the most beautiful experiences of our trip. 💙🌊
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guillaume_h, Nov 2025
Very good team listening and friendly, looking and correlating with other boats. not seen whales unfortunately, but it is the game, nature is unpredictable
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PIERREYVES_A, Oct 2025
You have to know how to swim well, with fins and snorkel. We're diving in the open sea.
Christophe, the driver, and Ivy, the guide, form an excellent team! I recommend!!
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