Tonga Whale Swimming - DIY or Package ?

Hi,

I'm so excited, I've recently found out about the whale swimming in Tonga-it just has to be done!!!

There seems to be alot of pre-bookable packages, for example, 9days 10nights August 2010 around Aussie$4,800 = UKpounds £2700 = US$4300 which includes all accom and food for 10 days, internal flights and boats and buses and whaleswimming for 7 days - I just have to get there from UK (International flights not included)

What about just turning up and arranging it all when I get there ? Would it be significantly cheaper that way and is it realistic to turn up in august or september and expect to be able to find spaces available on the whale boats, or am i going to end up frustrated wasting loads of time waiting for just a few vacancies?

Any tips much appreciated,

Thanks a million in advance,

Didne xxx

The firms that operate out of Va'vau are reliable, so I suggest that you email them and find out availability and price.

DIY often gives you more leeway in your holiday.

Tonga on U.S. $430 a day????

Yeah it would be significantly cheaper to just turn up. You could also make your own arrangements online.

Cheaper in person and tourism everywhere is down so you should have little trouble.

Don't expect cut-rate pricing though-boats/diesel cost money/ lots of money.

We were there in August-September this year. I don't think you'll have any problems booking your whale trips when you get to Vava'u. I don't know if it will be significantly cheaper since those boats tend to be expensive but you should get better pricing than you would with a packaged trip. You'll be there at the same time as all the yachties (like me) but I think we only had 9 or 10 friends that went out on those tour boats. Other than that, it didn't seem like there was all that many tourists around.

Here's a blog post I wrote about "running into" a couple of whales while snorkeling in Tonga.

Accidently Swimming with the Whales

Drew

You can also swim with whales in Ha'apai. It is a good deal cheaper there - as is the domestic flight - and there are only two boats compared to 26 plus all the yachties in Vava'u, which means no queueing up to see the whales either. Ha'apai is still off the beaten track with beautiful white sandy beaches, nice coral reefs and just as many whales as Vava'u, so it might be worth having a look at that place, too.

Thanks for the info guys #4 that sounds like an amazing day out you had, and # 5 thanks for you info perhaps i'll end up in Ha'apai with you - I hadn't known that was an option before , so thanks ! luv Didne xxx

The Whales are amazing. I didn't get to va'vau when I was in Tonga (too busy working), but I did have the pleasure/honour of watching a whale and her baby swim closely past Fafa Island.

They are majestic.

Hi,

So, DIY or a Package?

Well, like some others have said, DIY gives you alot of freedom.

But a Package, if you go with the right people, offers you a fully guided tour so that you can benefit from all that Tonga has to offer.

I went to Tonga in 2006 to swim with the whales, and next year I'm taking three tours over there, 11 days, ten nights.

On the upside, its fully guided, and is organised to optimise your experience with the whales. you are also guaranteed to have a place on a whale boat (we go with Beluga dive centre)

Downside: I live in Australia, so the price for my tours are ex sydney. Also, we only do 5 whale days, the other 5 days you can do extra whales, or snorkelling, yachting, sea kayaking.

Whatever you decide to do, I can thoroughly recommend Beluga Dive Centre, in Vava'u, Neifu, their "whale woman" Moa, seems to have a sixth sense, and, just like all Tongan people, is an extremely likable well natured woman.

Also, those tours you have seen/ mentioned, they seem to want a lot of money. Be careful, because Tonga is in no way that expensive, and in comparison to the price of the one i'm taking, it seems to be rather steep.

Anyway, now that I've had my little rant, I would just like to say that Swimming with the Whales in Tonga was one of the best experiences of my life, and, if you choose to go DIY, i wish you all the best in Tonga in 2010.

:-)

p.s. Go in late August/ Early September.

Ha'apai or Vava'u for the Whales?
I hear that Ha'apai has as many whales as Vava'u and is easier to get to so why would one choose Vava'u over the other?

Thanks in Advance

"so why would one choose Vava'u over the other?"

Vava'u is much bigger (in Tongan terms) much more to see/do-choice of accommodation/restaurants.

Ha'apai is just a large sandbar while Vava'u is an archipelago.

Also the same plane lands in both places one is not easier to get to than the other.

... but it´s a very pretty sandbar :o)

"... but it´s a very pretty sandbar..."

Yes outstanding in fact-beaches are much easier to access than Vava'u.

please keep your political views to yourself.

getting on a boat in Vava'u was easy - - - my biggest gripe on the whale watching business in Tonga is the tour operators do not take a stand on whaling - - I think they should require all customers to write to the Japanese & Icelandic Governments and to the Whaling Commission asking for stoppage of 'scientific' whaling.

The tour operators seemed reluctant to show any sort of support for the whales - - or were worried about offending customers from whaling countries or bringing the whaling issue up in context of Japanese-Tongan relations.

Grab the money while its there - - guess that is the philosophy these days

"I think they should require all customers to write to the Japanese & Icelandic Governments and to the Whaling Commission asking for stoppage of 'scientific' whaling."

In polite terms that is codswallop.

"please keep your political views to yourself. "

Words for all travellers to live by.