A catamaran takes you along Oahu's west coast to view whales playfully splashing in the warm Pacific waters along the Waianae and Ko Olina coasts. Dolphins reside here year-round, but the arrival of the majestic humpback whales in the winter gives the island its reputation as a whale-watching mecca.

Hawaii is known as one of the best places in the world to go whale watching, as the humpback whales migrate from Alaska to the warm waters surrounding the Hawaiian Islands to give birth. Learn about the whales' unique behavior and why their long journey is so important while watching them fluke, spy hop, spout, and breach out of the water.

With thousands of whales that have all made the 3,000-mile (4,828-km) voyage, you won't have to journey far off shore to find them.