Unbelievable experience! If you go to Tonga, you need to do this. The only negative is that it leaves you wanting more time swimming with the whales! I can see why people book a whole week now. Also, Dolphin Pacific was a pleasure to deal with. Nice, professional ownership and great, personable, and knowledgeable guides. We had a blast. Once in a lifetime experience.....or more than once if you book a few days or a week.
My partner and me went diving with Dolphin Pacific last year during the whale season. I am a dive instructor and my partner is a rescue diver, so we expect a fair bit from a paid-for dive. Our expectations were more than met. The dive sites were stunningly beautiful- pristine clear water, beautiful corals and great variety of marine life- the dive master (Claudia) was one of the best dive masters I have ever had (funny, easy going, but thorough and safe at the same time as well as humble and lovely). The boat was excellent, lots of space to gear up.
And where to start with the whale-trip... Just amazing!
We did 2 whale swims plus a day of diving snorkeling with Dolphin Pacific. We actually got in with the whales both times and had a great experience. Claudia was really knowledgeable about the whales. We stopped for a snorkel on the way back and she found starfish and other items for my children to hold.
Enjoyed an awesome week diving with the Dolphin Pacific crew (especially Claudia and Langi), they were 100% professional and it felt extremely safe diving with such experienced guides. We dived 10 different sites and they were all amazing, with clear water and masses of marine life - perfect for the underwater photographer. Loved the relaxed pace on the boat - there was never a rush to get back to shore, which allowed us to chill out between dives. We also spent a day whale watching/swimming, this was such a thrill - every one of us were in awe of these massive creatures. The crew were very respectful of the whales and ensured we stayed a safe distance and were well briefed before entering the water. Had a fantasticly awesome time and hope to go back for more soon.
We were in Vava'u 6years ago for our honeymoon and we went diving with Dolphin Pacific, and needless to say, we had a fabulous time! we are planning to visit again early next year,as it has been far too long! We look forward to seeing you!
We visited Vava'u Tonga a few weeks ago. We arranged a whale watching trip with Dolphin Pacific and had the most unbelievable experience. Truly a once in a lifetime experience snorkelling with these mammals. We had over 2 hours in the water watching Mom nursing and cuddling her one month old calf 20 feet bellow the surface. At first I was so nervous, but the staff on the boat made us feel comfortable, as did the whales. They whale continued to become more comfortable with us and swam very close to our group of 4 in the water as they surfaced. A truly unforgettable day. Worth every penny we spent!
