With travel restrictions slowly easing and WAHI ready to reopen on the 1st of August the list of reasons why it’s the perfect time to plan a visit to the Whitsundays is truly endless. Yet if it's even possible we have one more item to add to the “pro” column. It’s our favourite time of the year... whale season!
There are few sights as breathtaking as a whale breaching. No matter how much you think you can imagine what it would be like, you’re never really ready for the sheer enormity and magnificence of seeing the creatures in the flesh. If you are working your way through your travel bucket list, seeing a whale is an incredible experience not to be missed.
Lucky for you, not only is Australia lucky enough to be a migratory destination for several whale species but as one of the top whale-watching spots in the country, the Whitsundays has even been coined the Humpback Highway. From June through to September, the sheltered and warm waters of the Whitsundays offer safe refuge to thousands of migrating humpback whales and their offspring. The calm waters make for the perfect place for mother whales to teach their calves how to swim, slap their fins, use their blowhole and even breach. Watching a baby whale learn to breach… sign us up! Humpback and pilot whales are the most common species sighted. Plus, Migaloo the famed white humpback whale has also been spotted in the Whitsundays for the last few years.
Yes, this means that if you are staying with us during this period, you might be lucky enough to spot a pod of whales. As whales are wild creatures, there's no way to guarantee where they will be on any given day. But for your best chance make sure to keep your eyes peeled on the water during the season. Guests have recorded whale sightings from Catseye Beach, Passage Peak and even their WAHI balcony—it doesn’t get more special than that! If you are extra keen to see a whale up close and personal, the tour operators working from Hamilton Island are happy to share a whale spotting with guests when they can.
The more you know...
- Whales like to travel in groups, and will likely have other whales with them when migrating. If you spot one, make sure to keep looking for others!
- It still remains largely a mystery as to why whales breach, there are many theories from scientists, with it even being suggested that they might just do it for fun.
- Each whale tale is unique just like a human fingerprint, which is how scientists and whale watchers often tell whales apart.
- Whale song, an otherworldly melody which can travel more than 15,000km, is considered the most complex form of non-human communication in the entire animal kingdom.
If you are in need of a winter escape, whale be here ready and excited to once again share the Whitsundays with guests again from August 1st. To book in your WAHI adventure you can book directly here or email our friendly reservations team here.
