Where and When to Go Whale Watching in the Caribbean

Winter and spring are peak travel seasons in the Caribbean — and not just because of the magnificent weather. When colder weather envelops the northern climes, hundreds of whales migrate to the destination’s warm waters to feed, mate and give birth. 

With a bit of planning, vacationers can arrange their Caribbean trips around seeing these magnificent mammals. 

"You won't be able to go whale watching just anywhere in the Caribbean, but there are plenty of places to choose from,” said Mathew Bowley, marketing manager for Solmar Villas, a family-run business that works with travel agencies to arrange villa vacations. 

The best months for whale watching in Turks and Caicos are January, February and March, when humpback whales swim through the Turks Island Passage and give birth at Salt Cay, a small island near Grand Turk. For organized whale-watching tours in the archipelago, Bowley recommends White Sands & Crystal Seas Adventures, which offers guided outings from Jan. 15 through April 15 every year. 

“It's a spectacular sight, made even more spectacular by the fact that tour operators will push you to swim among the whales,” Bowley said. 

Travelers looking for “whale adjacent” accommodations in Turks and Caicos may consider Wymara Resort and Villas, where the property’s shoreline sometimes offers views of the marine mammals. The hotel also arranges private charters for closer viewing with Big Blue Collective, a tour operator with a fleet of six boats ranging from 30 to 48 feet in size. 

By far, the Caribbean’s most high-profile destination for whale watching is the Dominican Republic — specifically, the Samana peninsula, where the nation’s Ministry of Tourism estimates that some 2,500 humpback whales visit every year. Hotels in the region are well-versed at connecting guests with up-close encounters. Bahia Principe Luxury Samana, for example, offers excursions led by a multilingual marine biologist who explains the habits of the fascinating creatures, followed by a visit to Cayo Levantado, a sandy island near Samana Bay.  

Private yacht tours are another option for those seeking a more exclusive experience in the Dominican Republic. Bespoke travel and yachting operator Pelorus offers five-day yacht excursions from Puerto Plata to the Silver Bank, one of the primary whale breeding and birthing zones in the North Atlantic. A trained naturalist is on hand to serve as a guide, and a professional photographer documents the experience for guests. 

Another noteworthy destination for whale watching is St. Lucia, where tour operator Island Routes offers a Whale and Dolphin Watching Experience that provides opportunities to see humpback, sperm and pilot whales, as well as multiple species of dolphins. 

In the U.S. Virgin Islands, meanwhile, the best viewing spots are in the waters off St. Thomas, especially near Thatch Cay and Coki Point, on the northeastern side of the island. The best times to whale watch here are March and April, and multiple tour operators offer excursions, including Aquaman Virgin Islands, which operates a 36-foot sailboat named Zulu; VI Sportfish, which offers charters on its 44-foot custom-built aluminum sportfisher; and Seas the Day, which operates in St. Thomas with a fleet of luxury catamarans of various sizes. 

Farther south, in Curacao, visitors can spot both humpback and sperm whales between February and April, and can sometimes view pilot whales in November and December. Irie Tours, which has its own fleet of catamarans, is among the operators offering whale-watching trips in the region. 

Clients who don’t want to restrict their whale watching to just one season will do especially well in Grenada, where some species travel the waters throughout the year — making it possible to view pilot, pygmy, sperm and Bryde’s whales during just about any month. 

December through April are still the best viewing months in Grenada, however, as some 15 species can be found navigating the seas here, including humpback, sperm and Cuvier’s beaked whales, in addition to killer whales (which actually are only distantly related to whales). Silversands Grenada, a member of Leading Hotels of the World, arranges private charters for guests, and First Impressions Ltd. is among the private operators offering year-round tours in the destination.