Whale Watching Trip – The Maui Way
I know that when kids are asked:
What’s the biggest mammal on earth? Most (if not all) of them would answer an
elephant. Well, my 7-year old boy begs to differ. He would always say a
somewhat peculiar answer – a whale. Technically, he’s right because it was
neither specified if the mammal lives in land or water. But the point is –
aside from him being a really bright fellow – he had the biggest fascination
for whales. And as his mum, I just couldn’t stand back and watch him dream of
them. So I decided to take him where he can see the biggest whales his eyes can
ever set upon – Hawaii.
Oh, what a place. When our plane
landed on Kahului Airport, a sunny, tropical paradise greeted our arrival. I
made sure to bring my camera at the time (can’t waste any picture perfect
moments). It was April and the island was just so alive with tourists like us.
But despite the happy, outgoing aura, I noticed my son turning all silent. At
first I thought that maybe it was because his dad could not come along due to
work demands so I tried to give him a pat on the shoulder and said we’d come
again together the next time. But to my surprise, he turned his head down and
became all teary-eyed and I was like “Uh-oh. Maybe I did the wrong thing
booking this trip.” But then, he clasped my hand and told me he can’t contain
how happy and excited he was for his whale watching trip in the afternoon. That
really pulled on my heartstrings.
We made reservations in advance.
We booked for 2 Whale Watching Passes via Stardust Hawaii
as per my good friend’s recommendation. It was surprisingly affordable! The
prices varied according to the number of hours you’d like to watch. They have
it for 90
minutes (an hour and a half) for only $39.99 – trip to the mall even
costs more sometimes. But knowing that my son is a young enthusiast, I figured
he’d want more time. So, I booked for a 2-hour
watch and luckily got a nice discount! We only paid around $69 each
(normally $80).
And lo and behold it was a great
deal indeed. The experience made my heart jump a bit. It was terrifying and
amazing all at the same time. We were super close (I swear) and every time the
whale jumped out of the water it would tower several feet above our heads. Rest
assured the boat
was perfectly safe (and comfortable). Plus, it was not too crowded
(around 40 people max) so everyone got to enjoy the amazing creature in
close-view.
Best part is when I saw my son’s
eyes shining with astonishment. That’s when I knew the trip was worth it.
Although, I did embarrass myself (a bit) when I got told off by my young kid
that I was wrong for telling him that it was a blue whale. He was like “Mum,
don’t you know a Humpback when you see one? I seriously thought he had an early
onset of his rebellious stage for that.
Two hours went by so fast but the
memories (and awesome pictures) will be with me forever. It was a fun,
educational, and happy experience the whole family can enjoy. Don’t forget to
check it out for your next family trip!
