Humpback SwimsReviews of humpbackswims.com

Best trip ever!! Whales were incredible, life-changing, the phots off the chart and the group was super fun!! We will definitely do it again! Thank you Nadia!

Enjoyed an incredible week, both on the water and on land with Nadia and crew in Tonga. Spending time with the humpbacks in the water was certainly life changing. They are the most beautiful gentle giants. Really hope to go back again soon.

This was my second time coming to TongA to swim with the hempback whales with Scuba Diver Life. It was easy for me to sign up again and be able to come back for this trip. The whole experience was once again incredible! The lodging and service and help with the people working there was so thoughtful and loving. The guides and our daily trips out into find & swim with the whales was fun and easy and they were able to each day give us such amazing experiences with the whales...beyond words! And the food on the boat was delicious and being food sensitive I enjoyed it each day. I look forward to my next trip with Scuba Diver Life and coming to Tomga as it is such a magical place.

August, 2018 INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE!! (wish I could give it 6 stars!) This is an experience of a lifetime, and a “must-do” if you wish to swim with humpbacks. We could not have picked a better operator. We have done other in–water excursions (on snorkel) with marlin, sailfish, whale sharks and sperm whales, so we had a bit of experience and a general understanding of what to expect. This experience BLEW US AWAY in every respect!! Literally, every part of this trip exceeded our expectations. In fact, so much we are discussing a return visit. But the next time, we are inviting friends to enjoy this magical experience with. From the very first contact, Nadia was polite, professional and loaded with details. She responded to e-mail inquiries quickly and thoroughly, which was comforting considering the commitment involved in travelling to Tonga from the US. We were met at the Vava’u airport by Nadia and her team, and transported to our Tongan accommodations after stopping for supplies. We selected the Ocean Song house, which was absolutely wonderful and located right on the turquoise blue water’s edge. Upon arrival, Nadia hit the “do’s” and “don’ts,” and got us fixed up with internet immediately. She also provided a courtesy car for the entire trip! We enjoyed the sunrise every morning with the other guests while enjoying coffee and breakfast prepared by her wonderful employee, Lapola. Our 5 days on the water was spent on a terrific (and safe) boat with a great captain (Simon) and in-water guide (Baia). These guys worked in tandem to drop us near the whales at just the right time and in just the right spots. We had numerous peaceful (and close) encounters with mothers and calves (some with escorts), and we spent a day and a half in the middle of a 10-13 whale heat run!! Just incredible! Virtually every day, there were whales everywhere. Simon and Baia were both experienced and knowledgeable, which is key to getting a great experience. The Tongan people were kind, polite and friendly. Vava’u certainly has a third world feel to it, however, we never felt threatened or uncomfortable. To the contrary, the locals were grateful for visitors, and you could see it by their smiles and “hellos” from both the adults and the children. There are a number of groups offering whale swimming in Tonga and Vava'u, so make sure you hire one with an experienced and knowledgeable team. After 40 years of diving and experiencing many other in-water encounters, I highly recommend Humpback Swims. They know what they are doing and not even the smallest of details was left to chance. Lastly, Nadia is an experience photographer, which is quite an asset for this trip – both for the action above the water and below. With a few suggestions and tips, you’re sure to get some great photos! Be sure to take a dry camera for the boat with a telephoto lens! I used Nikon’s 80-400 for the dry shots on an FX DSLR. A 70-200 is more than enough as you get pretty close to the action. Underwater I mostly used a fisheye on a DSLR (along with an attached GoPro). I found a 16-35mm to be too much, as the encounters can be incredibly close. Scott & Cindy Belt

Absolutely incredible. Truly indescribable. The experience with the whales was everything I dreamed it would be and more. We had great guides who knew how to find whales and interact respectfully, and we were a small group on the boat, so we got tons of time in the water with the whales. (Note: This is not the case with every company, as we saw on other boats!) To top it off, the accommodation was perfect, we even had a car to borrow included with the house, and we had lovely dinners out with wonderful people. I will forever treasure absolutely everything about this experience. Perfect perfect perfect.

Had an absolutely amazing time on my first trip to Tonga to swim with humpback whales. I'm very happy with the entire experience! The days were scheduled very well by Nadia. With plenty of time to look for and swim with whales, while also getting to explore and play in some of the nearby sea caves. Tasty lunches on board each day at gorgeous locations to relax and enjoy. Our skipper and guide worked well together to give everyone on board every chance available to get in the water. The accommodations at Vava’u Villa were great, with a nice restaurant onsite. We also had many opportunities to check out the numerous restaurants around town. My time in Tonga with Humpback Swims was incredible! I had many great encounters seeing mother & calf whales, and singing male escorts. I’d recommend this experience to everyone!

Comfortable hotel and best skipper and guide. Organizing a small group can secure a lot of time for swim. Every day I was able to meet dramatic encounters with whales. It was a wonderful trip.

An absolute life changing experience. We had the most incredible encounters with several mom and calf’s, singing males and even some heat run action. The local guides were terrific, the food was great Nadia was exceptional! 100% recommendation to anyone and everyone!