Tuesday, June 29, 2010

The Hotspots for Whale Watching Tours?

Whale watching tours offer glimpses of the largest mammals to inhabit the Earth. Whether it's a humpback's tail or a fin slapping on the surface of the water, a gray's big solemn eye gazing up at you or an orca breaching out of the water like an acrobat, you won't soon forget your first encounter with a whale.

A whale-watching cruise can depart from nearly any ocean in the world, but there are some places that are better than others. You also have to know when the "whale watching season" begins and ends in certain regions, as whales are largely migratory opportunists. In this article, you will learn more about how to plan the best whale watching excursion.

Visit Iceland, Britain, Norway or the Arctic Circle to take whale watching tours based out of Europe. Grays, humpbacks, orcas and minkes are the most common varieties found regionally, but you will also see puffins, harbor porpoises, white-beaked dolphins, Arctic terns and giant fish as well. Hvalalf based out of Reykjavik, Iceland is one of the more popular operators of whale watching cruises in European waters, with a 100-person restaurant boat renowned for its fresh-grilled cod.

Hawaii is the most popular playground for more than 6,000 humpbacks from November through May, so check out operators like the Pacific Whale Foundation, Aloha Hawaii Vacations or Hawaiian Discount for more cruise information.

The Eastern United States is world-renowned for their whale watching tours off the coast of Massachusetts, New York, Maine, Rhode Island and New Jersey. Here you can see humpbacks, blues, rights, seis, grays, minkes and pilot whales.

Keep in mind that the tour operator you choose should be a member of the Whale Watch Operators Association Northwest (WWOANW), which means the company adheres to the guidelines mandated by the whale watching industry.

About the Author

Whale watching cruises offer travelers the opportunity to observe whales in their natural environment. Click here to discover some of the best places to go on a whale watch cruise.

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