The first confirmed humpback whale sighting of the 2025-2026 season was off the coast of Kauaʻi on Oct. 14, 2025. Holoholo Charters recorded the sighting at 7 a.m. Captain Kekoa and his crew aboard the vessel Holoholo spotted the whale along the island’s western coast while en route to Niʻihau for a tour. The […]
This story was originally published on Oct. 1, 2020 and updated on in September 2025. Autumn in Hawaiʻi is a subtle season. No golden foliage or snow days or apple-picking (apples don’t grow here). Fall is Hawaiʻi’s shoulder season—and is severely underrated. The weather starts to cool—the wettest months in Hawaiʻi are from November
From stargazing on the tallest mountain in Hawaiʻi to staying at an exclusive, adults-only resort, the Islands offer unforgettable experiences. For anyone planning a trip to the Islands in 2025, these activities and excursions are worth adding to your bucket list. 1. Hike in Haleakalā National Park, Maui Venturing to the highest point on the
The first humpback whale of the 2024-2025 season was spotted off the coast of Kāʻanapali, Maui, on Oct. 8 by Capt. Matt Talbot and his crew. “Our crew and guests were ecstatic to be able to witness the season’s first sighted individual making its way through Maui Nui just a mile offshore, marking the start
We should always be kind to the planet, but April 22 is Earth Day—officially the day we show special appreciation for our natural world. (It dates back to 1970, when Wisconsin Sen. Gaylord Nelson organized a national event aimed at raising awareness around important environmental issues.) And there’s a lot we can do, from volunteering at
This World Ocean Day, join Pacific Whale Foundation as it celebrates visual storytellers who are passionate about protecting the ocean and marine wildlife during the 6th Annual World Whale Film Festival. Presented by the nonprofit ocean conservation organization with funding provided by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority through the Community Enrichment Fund, the film festival lights
Hawaiian monk seals are getting a lot of attention this week—and not because they’re critically endangered. (They are.) Two video clips of visitors appearing to disturb Hawaiian monk seals in Hawaiʻi have gone viral recently, prompting an investigation into the incidents by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and community outrage over the illegal
Maui has long been the favorite of visitors to Hawaiʻi, beloved for its gorgeous beaches, stunning vistas and charming towns. And right now, as the Islands welcome more and more visitors, there are dozens of new (and perpetual) reasons to visit the Valley Isle. 1. Haleakalā National Park Most of the 30,000-acre Haleakalā National Park
November is when the koholā (humpback whales) return to Hawaiʻi to breed, birth and nurse calves. An estimated 8,000 to 12,000 of the protected marine mammals migrate from Alaska to the Islands’ warm, shallow waters through April, when they head back north again. This year, though, the first North Pacific humpback whale sighting was reported on Oct.
Autumn in Hawai’i is a subtle season. No golden foliage or hayrides or snow days or apple-picking. (Apples don’t grow here.) But fall, which started two weeks ago, is argubly the best time to visit the Islands. The weather starts to cool—the wettest months in Hawai’i are from November to March—and, thanks to kids back
Every fall and winter, humpback whales migrate to Hawaii to mate and give birth. Their presence doesn’t go unnoticed. Measuring up to 60 feet in length and weighing up to 40 tons, these marine mammals are hard to miss. And, yet, they can be quite shy when it comes to their reproductive activities in Hawaii
Every winter from November through May, between 10,000 and 12,000 North Pacific humpback whales make the six-week journey south from Alaska to bask in Maui’s warm waters. They’re here to mingle, mate and give birth—and it all takes place just a couple miles off Maui’s leeward coast. It’s one of nature’s most mesmerizing shows, and
