Can you see orcas in Maui?

Orca sightings in Maui are extremely rare. Hawaii's whale watching season is dominated by North Pacific humpback whales, which migrate from Alaska each winter and breed in the warm shallow waters between Maui, Molokai, and Lanai from December through April. Orcas (killer whales) occasionally pass through Hawaiian waters but are not a reliable sighting — maybe a handful of documented encounters per decade. If you want guaranteed large whale sightings, book a humpback whale watching tour with Pacific Whale Foundation ($90–170) or Ultimate Whale Watch ($77–195) during January–March. Spinner dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, and occasionally false killer whales are more common year-round sightings on whale watching excursions. Humpback whales are what Maui is truly famous for.