A Whale watching + Cruise experience by North Shore Catamaran Charters. Back to all Oahu tours.
Tour Summary: Join the only commercial sailing catamaran on the entire North Shore and get up close with breaching whales
Humpback whale breaching the surface. Image: North Shore Catamaran Charters. 
The Ho’o Nanea is the perfect boat for North Shore whale watching. It is just the right size to keep you close to the ocean, but big enough to be a safe and stable viewing platform. Image: North Shore Catamaran Charters. The Ho’o Nanea is the perfect boat for North Shore whale watching. It is just the right size to keep you close to the ocean, but big enough to be a safe and stable viewing platform. Image: North Shore Catamaran Charters. Views of the North Shore. Image: North Shore Catamaran Charters. Humpback whale breaching the surface. Image: North Shore Catamaran Charters. Image: North Shore Catamaran Charters.
2 Tour Highlights:
- Morning, afternoon, and sunset options
- Spectacular ocean views from the North Shore
Important: This is a seasonal tour, only available from mid-December to mid-April
Tour Information:
| Price: | Adult | Youth |
|---|---|---|
| (excluding taxes & fees) | $99 | $79 |
Price note: The child rate covers ages 12 and under. The same boat runs a sunset whale watch at the same price, and a private charter for up to 19 guests runs $1,449 to $1,499 depending on the time slot.
Tour Provider: North Shore Catamaran Charters
Activity: Whale watching + Cruise
Tour start time: 9:30 am, 12:30 pm, 4:30 pm
Duration: 2 - 2.5 hours
Departure from: Haleiwa
Pick-up available? No
Included: Soft Drinks & Water included. Guests may BYOB (we offer a cooler on board).
Cancellations: All cruises and tours have a 24-hour notice of cancellation policy, and there is a 20% fee for rescheduling within 24-hour period. Customers will also receive a full refund in case of operator cancellation due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances (i.e. lack of participation). Weather conditions are decided at the boat dock.
# Read more about this tour
North Shore Catamaran organizes their whale watching cruises on the Ho’o Nanea. This vessel is just the right size to keep you close to the ocean, but big enough to be a safe and stable viewing platform, making it the perfect boat for North Shore whale watching.
There are very few whale watching tours in Haleiwa; as a matter of fact, This is the only commercial sailing catamaran on the whole North Shore. You will not find a gaggle of boats competing for whales.
Morning, Early afternoon, or Sunset whale watching?
You can choose to go on a whale watching tour at 3 different times, and each comes with their own advantage:
- Morning cruises: The early morning is the best time to go whale watching if seeing whales is all you care about. Oftentimes the wind has not yet picked up which means the ocean is calmer, wihch in turn means that it will be easier to spot whales at a distance.
- early afternoon cruises: Are very convenient. They let you have a relaxed morning and come back to shore in time for a quick visit to a nearby beach before you need to start thinking about dinner.
- Sunset cruises: The sunset hours here in Hawaiʻi are magical and I think we can all agree that North Shore sunsets are the best :). If you want to experience the sunset from the ocean while spotting whales, this is the time you should choose.
# Affiliate Disclaimer
Booking through this page costs you nothing extra and is made directly with North Shore Catamaran Charters. We earn a commission from the operator, not from you, and it is what pays for the research that keeps loveoahu.org free and free of paid placement. We only list operators we would send a friend to. Details on our affiliate links are here.