Last year, we found ourselves in Kona during whale watching season, and we were blown away. We had been to Hawaii a variety of times before that, but never during peak whale season. It was an entirely different experience—one that we will cherish. When we went out on our whale-watching tour, I remember looking at my wife and saying, “We have to do this again.”
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This March, another trip to Hawaii brought us to Maui, right in the heart of whale season once again. Wanting to mix things up a bit, we partnered with Redline Rafting for a different kind of Maui whale watching tour.
We’ve taken a variety of cruises and boat excursions from Ma‘alaea Harbor, including a fantastic sunset cruise just last summer. We’ve also ventured out on smaller vessels, such as our bucket-list trip to the Nā Pali Coast. Each experience has had its own unique highlights, but this time, we sought out Redline Rafting for something new.
The Experience
Unlike many tours that depart from Maui’s main harbor, Redline Rafting launches from the small boat ramp in Kihei. If you’re familiar with Maui, you know that Kihei sits to the south and is home to many vacation rentals and condos. Since we were staying in Wailea, it was a quick and easy four-minute drive to the boat launch. While nothing on the island is really that far away, this convenience was a nice perk.
Another key reason we chose Redline Rafting was the small boat size—it accommodates up to 20 people, making for a more intimate and maneuverable experience. While we do appreciate a good cocktail now and then (we do have a “Kegs & Legs” feature on our site, after all), we also know that free-flowing alcohol on big-boat tours can lead to some pretty rowdy situations. While I’m not above a free mai tai, we really wanted a focused, no-fuss excursion that prioritized the whales.
The setup to get on the boat was simple and straightforward. The boat launch area is small but has plenty of parking, and we easily found the Redline crew and got situated immediately. Unlike tours that navigate through the harbor at a slow pace, we were out in the bay within seconds, maximizing our time on the water.
An hour and a half may seem short for a tour, but given that many whale-watching excursions run around two to two and a half hours (with a significant portion of that spent idling through the harbor), this felt like an efficient, action-packed alternative.
The Crew and Whales
Tours in Hawaii are often defined by the quality of the staff on board. Even if you see every whale in existence, a disengaged crew can dampen the experience. Fortunately, the staff at Redline Rafting were fantastic. They provided a wealth of whale facts, engaging stories, and fun anecdotes that kept us entertained throughout the trip.
One of the highlights was listening to whale songs through their underwater microphones—a truly unique experience. While the whales were a bit skittish (it was the end of the season), we still saw a few surfacing nearby, though not as close as we had hoped. But that’s just the nature of whale watching!
Final Thoughts
If you’re heading to Maui, we highly recommend checking out Redline Rafting for a whale-watching experience unlike any other. In addition to their seasonal whale tours, they also offer snorkeling adventures to famed spots like Molokini and Turtle Town, making them a solid choice for ocean lovers looking to add a little adventure to their trip.
