Tonga:
snorkeling and freediving with whales on Uoleva island
snorkeling and freediving with whales on Uoleva island
2024
31 July - 07 August
06 - 13 September
31 July - 07 August
06 - 13 September
- 8 days
- Freediving with whales (7 days), lost island, eco-hotel
- easy
- 5600 EUR
Highlights
- 1We are going to snorkel/freedive next to humpback whales in the ocean and live on uninhabited island UolevaWhat makes Tonga special is that this is where the humpback whale migration route from Antarctica is pumped up. Here females give birth and raise their cubs, and here you can swim with these giants at a distance of five meters right in the open ocean - Tonga is considered the best place for this in the world!
This program is very different from all you can find: we are going to live in an exclusive Serenity eco-hotel on a small desert island, it's difficult to find any people living here - this place is so unique that it is impossible to book anything here in years! That means there will be only us in the ocean with the whales.The island of the Uoleva Haapai Archipelago is located away from the popular tourist islands of Tonga, so we will hardly meet other boats.
Our guide will be Erez Beatuz (famous freediving instructor and underwater photographer): Erez is very careful with whales, which is why we work with him
In the morning you will be able to take a Yoga session from Erez or his wife Allegra.
Itinerary
main Itinerary
Day 1
Flight from Tongatapu to Ha'Apai by local airlines. We meet you at Ha'apai airport. Transfer from the airport to the marina (20 minutes).
Once we arrive to the place, we go straight to our boat and immediately to the whales! So get your masks and flippers ready! After great encounters with the whales, we get back to our island by 16:00 and check in to the hotel. In the evening we will have dinner, discuss our plans for the week and impressions from the first encounters with whales!
The plan of this day may vary depending on the time of the domestic flight.
Once we arrive to the place, we go straight to our boat and immediately to the whales! So get your masks and flippers ready! After great encounters with the whales, we get back to our island by 16:00 and check in to the hotel. In the evening we will have dinner, discuss our plans for the week and impressions from the first encounters with whales!
The plan of this day may vary depending on the time of the domestic flight.
Days 2-3
Every morning at 07:30 our guide Erez or his wife Allegra hold an easy yoga session (participation is optional).
At 08:15 we have breakfast (you can order granola, fruits, eggs, pancakes or all together).
At 09:15 we gather at the beach and get on our boat to spend all day in the ocean searching for whales. We divide into two groups of four and dive to the whales one by one, as we try not to disturb them with large groups. Local laws do not allow to be in the water with whales in a group of more than four people (plus a guide).
Around 13:00 we have a small lunch on a boat or on a desert island.
At 16:00 we return to the hotel, take some rest and have a dinner at 19:00. In our eco-hotel electricity and Internet are available just for some time during a day, so we can charge the photo cameras and laptops only in the morning, before dinner, and in the afternoon, leaving the spare batteries for charging while we are at the sea.
At 08:15 we have breakfast (you can order granola, fruits, eggs, pancakes or all together).
At 09:15 we gather at the beach and get on our boat to spend all day in the ocean searching for whales. We divide into two groups of four and dive to the whales one by one, as we try not to disturb them with large groups. Local laws do not allow to be in the water with whales in a group of more than four people (plus a guide).
Around 13:00 we have a small lunch on a boat or on a desert island.
At 16:00 we return to the hotel, take some rest and have a dinner at 19:00. In our eco-hotel electricity and Internet are available just for some time during a day, so we can charge the photo cameras and laptops only in the morning, before dinner, and in the afternoon, leaving the spare batteries for charging while we are at the sea.
Day 4
Sunday is an official holiday in Tonga and working is prohibited. That's why we're resting too. But only from whales. We are going to explore the island!
In the morning everyone can join the hotel staff and go by boat to the neighboring island to the Catholic or Protestant church to listen to the delightful chants of the parishioners. We'll also have lunch with the locals.
After lunch, we will go to the jungle of the island, where we will get discover the legends of the ancient local buildings - pyramids.
In the morning everyone can join the hotel staff and go by boat to the neighboring island to the Catholic or Protestant church to listen to the delightful chants of the parishioners. We'll also have lunch with the locals.
After lunch, we will go to the jungle of the island, where we will get discover the legends of the ancient local buildings - pyramids.
Days 5-7
Every morning at 07:30 our guide Erez or his wife Allegra hold an easy yoga session (participation is optional).
At 08:15 we have breakfast (you can order granola, fruits, eggs, pancakes or all together).
At 09:15 we gather at the beach and get on our boat to spend all day in the ocean searching for whales. We divide into two groups of four and dive to the whales one by one, as we try not to disturb them with large groups. Local laws do not allow to be in the water with whales in a group of more than four people (plus a guide).
Around 13:00 we have a small lunch on a boat or on a desert island.
At 16:00 we return to the hotel, take some rest and have a dinner at 19:00. In our eco-hotel electricity and Internet are available just for some time during a day, so we can charge the photo cameras and laptops only in the morning, before dinner, and in the afternoon, leaving the spare batteries for charging while we are at the sea.
At 08:15 we have breakfast (you can order granola, fruits, eggs, pancakes or all together).
At 09:15 we gather at the beach and get on our boat to spend all day in the ocean searching for whales. We divide into two groups of four and dive to the whales one by one, as we try not to disturb them with large groups. Local laws do not allow to be in the water with whales in a group of more than four people (plus a guide).
Around 13:00 we have a small lunch on a boat or on a desert island.
At 16:00 we return to the hotel, take some rest and have a dinner at 19:00. In our eco-hotel electricity and Internet are available just for some time during a day, so we can charge the photo cameras and laptops only in the morning, before dinner, and in the afternoon, leaving the spare batteries for charging while we are at the sea.
Day 8
Swimming with the whales until lunch. Flight to Tongatapu Island.
Price: 5600 EUR per person
Dates:
31 July - 07 August, 2024
06 - 13 September, 2024
Dates:
31 July - 07 August, 2024
06 - 13 September, 2024
- Included:
- Domestic flight from Tongatapu to Ha'apai and back
- Boat hire, swimming with whales
- Certified local guide and freediving instructor
- Whale Watching Expedition guide
- Island tour
- Breakfast and dinner at the hotel
- Lunch on small islands or on the boat during your time on the ocean
- Morning Yoga
- Accommodation (double occupancy - unfortunately due to the exclusivity of the hotel, single occupancy is not possible)
- All transfers
- Not included:
- International flight
- Medical Insurance
- Snorkeling equipment (mask, tube, fins and wetsuit (could be rent by request)
Additional information:
- The Weather
- Water temperature 24C
- Surface temperature 28C
- Local currency: Tongan Pa'nga (TOP)
- Electric socket: Type I (photo), 240V
- To-pack list
- passport, plane tickets
- sun cream
- hat
- fins, mask, snorkel, wetsuit 3mm or 5mm
- mosquito repellent
- GoPro or other underwater camera
Serenity Eco-hotel
It's easy to book with us!
The process of booking becomes easy with Whale Watching Expeditions
- 1Contact usHowever you like: email info@whale-expeditions.com, using Facebook, Instagram or fill the application form below
- 2We will call you backOr write a message. We will answer all your questions, explain all the details and discuss your personal wishes
- 3Deposit paymentWhen you are ready to book expedition, we would ask you to pay the deposit, usually it's 50% of the price. You can pay the rest later, the last payment day is 60 days before expedition start.
- 4Done!You got your space on the trip, it's time to buy plane tickets! By the way, we can help you with tickets and visas if needed.
Your journey starts here!
Just give us some info and we'll contact you shortly.
Contacts
info@whale-expeditions.com