Wildlife

Swimming Beside Giants Tonga Humpback Whales

To be honest, the major reason I went to the South Pacific Kingdom of Tonga—one of the few places on Earth where it is possible to swim with humpback whales—was the possibility of seeing them up close. It's the primary reason most travelers come to this far-flung nation, and I had to do it after spending a year in New Zealand. Every year, humpback whales pause in the warm seas around the islands of Tonga between July and October to give their newborn calves time to develop and learn before making the arduous trek back to Antarctica. Because of this, mothers and calves are nearly usually the whales that are seen on whale swimming excursions. Every now and then, there's another female or male around serving as an escort. The whales are remarkably serene. Regarding human involvement with these gentle giants, the Tongan government has severe rules. There is a limit