On the Water
3–4 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 96% of travellers
96% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
R 1 547
per adult
Discovery Whale Watch
Discovery Whale Watch
5
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Full view
About
Whether as an individual, family, group charter, corporate event, or just plain fun – there is something for everyone. A day from which wonderful memories and tales are made! Our daily fishing trips depart from Monterey Old Fisherman’s Wharf.
Monterey, United States
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2023
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Improve this listingTours and Tickets by Discovery Whale Watch
Wildlife Watching
3 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 94% of travellers
94% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
R 1 354
per adult
On the Water
3–4 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 94% of travellers
94% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
R 1 354
per adult
Eco Tours
3 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
from
R 1 354
per adult
Travellers talk about
(150 reviews)
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
2 382 reviews
Excellent
2 126
Very good
162
Average
46
Poor
22
Terrible
26
kolbylong120603
1 contribution
Dec 2023 • Family
Wonderful! Thank you for all you do!
Entertaining, fun and educational! We saw many humpback whales and learned so much.
Entertaining, fun and educational! We saw many humpback whales and learned so much.
Written 6 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Paul G
1 contribution
Nov 2023 • Couples
Isaiah and team were a very capable crew and obviously experts at finding the whales. We saw tons of humpback whales (20+) and even experienced a few “feeding frenzies” as the whales, sea lions, and seabirds fed on a school of anchovies. I would highly recommend the tour to anyone interested in seeing some marine life in the fantastic Monterey Bay.
Written 1 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michelle M
1 contribution
Nov 2023 • Family
My son and I blessed with a fantastic show of nature with the Monterrey humpback whales and the providers of a unique experience: Discovery Whale Watch and J&M Sport Fishing. Thank you to a fantastic crew who made the experience all the better possible: the stellar crew of Capt Andrew and Kevin, our charismatic and funny tour guide and commentator! They went above and beyond to ensure time was well spent and enjoyed by all. If you are considering this trip, I highly recommend choosing this company and its fantastic crew! Michelle Maloy visiting from San Juan, PR!
Written 29 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LanceAA
Angleton, TX1 contribution
Nov 2023 • Family
Capt Danny, Guide Izaha, and Deck Hand Johann are true professionals with years of experience. Capt Danny's command of his vessel and crew were well above expectations. His knowledge and confidence of his craft evident in every action. Ture professionalism in action.
Guide Izaha was a pleasure to listen to and his love of the whales was evident. He freely shares his professional grade photos! So put your camera away and enjoy the true beauty of the moment.
Simply put, don't go anywhere else. This operation is the best in Monterey.
Sincerely, Captain Lance Aasletten- USCG Unlimited Master/ Master of Towing and Offshore Instillation Manager. Dynamic Positioning Offiicer, LT USNR Retired.
There are many Whale Whatching
Guide Izaha was a pleasure to listen to and his love of the whales was evident. He freely shares his professional grade photos! So put your camera away and enjoy the true beauty of the moment.
Simply put, don't go anywhere else. This operation is the best in Monterey.
Sincerely, Captain Lance Aasletten- USCG Unlimited Master/ Master of Towing and Offshore Instillation Manager. Dynamic Positioning Offiicer, LT USNR Retired.
There are many Whale Whatching
Written 29 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Footprints598303
1 contribution
Nov 2023 • Family
Great company -- they're experienced, knowledgeable, friendly. Showed us a great time. Would highly recommend to anyone wanting to whale watch in the Monterey area.
Written 28 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Angelee K
3 contributions
Nov 2023 • Family
What a wonderful trip! It seems as if we couldn't have gotten any closer to the whales without actually touching them! We saw otter, sea lions, whales, and many birds. Many opportunities for amazing photography of whales (flukes, breaches, and general frolicking). Great guide with a lot of experience understanding and working with whales/sea life. It was approximately 3 hours, which, prior to going, I thought might be too long. In actuality, it was perfect! A lot of fun, and good energy! The shape of the bay, as our guide described, lends itself to really great whale viewing. Overall great experience.
Written 27 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jan
Indianapolis, IN8 contributions
Nov 2023 • Solo
Isaiah was very knowledgeable and catered to your interest such as birding as well ass whale. At one time there were 3 groups of whales around us.
Written 27 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Simon G
1 contribution
Nov 2023 • Solo
Went there 25th Nov, saw a lot of whales and a few dolphins. Guides very helpful. Would definitely recommend
Written 25 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
w2562023
1 contribution
Nov 2023 • Family
We went in early November, there were few whales and they were far away. the boat is not very chatty - very seasick
Written 24 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jan-Jorrit
Leeuwarden, The Netherlands34 contributions
Nov 2023 • Solo
A great experience overall. The guarantee we would see whales didn’t disappoint, the crew was genuine and very enthousiastic. You could tell this wasn’t just a job for them. The level of service was great and they responded to the needs of the passengers with a refreshingly pragmatic attitude.
In one word: great.
In more words: A must do!
In one word: great.
In more words: A must do!
Written 20 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
plumM4
Paris, France126 contributions
hello, is reservation required for an afternoon excursion?
do you have a store?
There’s a small store/lobby with an ATM, snacks, and other odds and ends. The boat is located at the end of Fishermans Wharf which is a great shopping area with plenty of stores (clothing and souvenir) along with plenty of snack/lunch/dinner options.
Cat Nguyen
Belmont, CA4 contributions
Hi, are pets allowed during your whale tours?
william c
1 contribution
Great question. They were pretty chill. Probably should ask. Service dog I would say yes, Ask.
Michael Hoag
Los Angeles, CA2 contributions
What’s the best time of year to go whale watching?
Lorraine J
Bend, OR519 contributions
It depends what you want to see - Monterey bay has year round whales. I like the spring or fall to catch the migrating whales.
Andrea E
Merricks, Australia1 contribution
Can anyone tell me if there are advantages to going at different times (increased chance if sightings) earlier or later in the day. Or does it make no difference at all. Thank you.
luvtravlin53
Phoenix, AZ33 contributions
I think the morning cruises are longer. Typically if you're having a good day they might stay out a little longer. You do get back in time to do another activity, possibly kayaking.
leanneware16
Wolverhampton, UK61 contributions
How long is the whale watching trip, we are driving down from San Francisco so just deciding whether to do a morning or afternoon trip. Thank you
Karen Guse
Indianapolis, IN5 contributions
The total time is closer to 3 hours. Amazing experience.
mattali
Los Angeles, CA
We’d like to visit Monterey bay in late December. Is there a better type of boat or cruise for whale watching from Monterey bay for people who have motion sickness, that is, are there better types of whale watching boats that have a smoother ride that would prevent motion sickness? Does your company offer that? If not, do you know a company has it? Thank you.
Valerie C
1 contribution
My experience was on a fishing boat operated by this company. The water roughness varied throughout the trip, from mild to moderately rough. Two passengers were sick the whole trip. The boat was small. The weather was perfect. Fishing boats go a long way from shore.
Brad E
2 contributions
My goal is to see blue whales. I've read that late summer is the best time to see them in Monterey. Can you please confirm that and are we talking August or September? Also, do your boats specifically seek out blue whales?
Pioneer27438095925
San Francisco, CA1 contribution
September is better they are closer to shore they seek out any whale off the coast
Hi, I’m considering doing a whale watching tour. when are the chances of seeing them close up the best? thx in advance
DiscoveryWhaleW... W
8 contributions
We have guidelines to maintain a distance of 100 yards at all times. Sometimes the whales choose to come closer to us, but usually we maintain a 100 yard distance during the tour. The morning trip typically has the calmest sea conditions and is our most recommended departure for that reason.
923marie2018
Pacific Grove, CA
Is there a bathroom on the ship?
DiscoveryWhaleW... W
8 contributions
Yes there are two restrooms on every vessel we operate.