November 19th, 2008

It’s that time of year again and I’ve already heard reports of whale sightings from Maui. From November to April every year the Hawaiian islands serve as the home to the incredible Humpback Whale. These massive sea creatures migrate to the warm tropical waters of these islands where they mate and give birth to their young. Maui whale watching is the epicenter for this activity in Hawaii and the Humpbacks are so loved by the Maui people, they dedicate a whole month to them with their Maui Whale Festival, centered on Wailea’s gorgeous coast in South Maui.

This year, I have friends from Oregon who will be migrating themselves to the islands just in time to catch some of this festival and see these rare mammals in action. They’ve done some research already on Wailea vacation rentals and were able to find a Wailea condo where we all can stay. I’ll be flying out to Maui to meet them.

At first it was hard to decide when in February we wanted to visit Maui because of the Run for the Whales event happening at the beginning of the month on the 7th. Participants can run a half marathon, 5K or 2K. They even have a children’s race. The entire distance spans from Wailea to Makena. I’ve always wanted to run a marathon and what better place than in the beauty of Maui in honor of ancient cetaceans. Everyone that signs up gets a free t shirt commemorating their efforts.

Instead, however, we opted to wait to come to Maui a little later in the month so we could catch the huge Whale Day celebration in nearby Kihei on February 21. The day’s festivities begin with a massive parade that brings thousands of residents and visitors out to celebrate. From 9 to 10am a parade of marchers, floats, musicians and merry makers wind along South Kihei Road toward Kalama Park. At the park, the party moves into full swing with live musicians, environmental booths, children’s activities and over 100 local artisans with their works on display.

This celebration of the Humpback has been taking place on Maui for 28 years. The major organizing force behind the festivities is the Pacific Whale Foundation located on the island. They offer various whale watching eco-tours too, with all proceeds going to benefit their non-profit’s efforts to research and protect the whales. We will definitely take a boat tour to get a closer view of the Humpbacks while we’re on our Maui vacation.

We’re also going to check out Pacific Whale Foundation’s ‘voluntourism’ program. Looks like you need to fill out an application, but it’s a way that visitors can have a hands-on experience with the community and make a difference in helping the incredible and majestic Humpback whale.

If you’re ready for a whale watching experience in Maui, you can stay at any of the Maui vacation homes or condos offered on island. But I would recommend staying in a Wailea or Kihei vacation rental near the festival. It will keep you close to the events and eliminate unnecessary driving time on your vacation.