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Swimming with orcas, humpbacks or whale sharks has gone from a specialist niche to a bucket-list item in a few years, and the number of operators offering it has grown with it. Quality varies enormously. Some put the animals and the guests first. Others fill boats and cut corners.
We run small-group ocean expeditions, so we have strong views on this. Below is the checklist we would use if we were booking with someone else: what to look for, the red flags, and the questions to ask before you pay anything.
Most people start with the destination. Start with the animal instead, because the animal sets the calendar. Orcas in Northern Norway follow the winter herring into the fjords. Humpbacks gather in Tonga to calve and mate during the southern winter. Mantas and whale sharks pack into Hanifaru Bay in the Maldives when plankton blooms in the monsoon months. Arrive outside those windows and no operator can fix it.
A good operator plans around the animal, not around a convenient holiday week. Ask why they run when they do. A clear answer about feeding, migration or breeding behaviour is a good sign. A vague one usually means the dates were picked for the brochure.
Also look at the number of days actually spent with the animals. A single day out is a lottery. Several full days on the water let the weather and the wildlife average out. On our Whales of Tonga expedition there are five whale days, and our Orca and Lyngen Alps expedition has three dedicated orca days before moving on to the mountains.
Group size affects everything: time in the water per person, deck space, how quickly the boat can react to a sighting, and how calm the animals stay. "Small group" has no definition. Some operators mean 8 people, others mean 18. Ask two numbers: how many guests on the expedition, and how many in the water at once.
For in-water encounters with whales, orcas or whale sharks, look for small numbers in the water at the same time. In Tonga the law caps it at four swimmers per whale, and serious operators stick to that. Once a group grows much past twelve, an expedition starts to feel like a tour. You spend more time managing people than watching wildlife.
Then ask the question almost nobody asks: who are the other guests? On a week in a remote place, in close quarters, the people matter as much as the animals. Most operators fill places on a first-come, first-served basis. If you can book an expedition the way you book a hotel room, nobody has thought about the group.
This is the part we care about most. Every Maui guest goes through a free application and a short call before a place is offered. Not to exclude people, but to make sure the group fits: curious, respectful of the ocean, happy to be present. Our groups stay small, with a maximum of 8 in Norway, Tonga and Raja Ampat and up to 12 in the Maldives.
Guides make or break a wildlife expedition. A good guide reads the water and the weather, positions the boat respectfully and knows when to stay out. There is a real difference between someone who knows where the mantas feed and someone who can tell you why they are there, what their behaviour means and how to approach without disturbing them.
Ask about the people, not just the company:
Guides who have spent years in one area know local patterns and the small cues inexperienced crews miss. Good guides also teach. They brief you before you get in and explain what you saw afterwards. If a guide cannot answer basic questions about the species you came for, that tells you a lot.
On every Maui expedition there is a Maui expedition leader with the group, working alongside local crews who know their waters.
An ethical operator follows the local rules and recognised codes of conduct: minimum approach distances, no touching, no feeding, no chasing, limited numbers in the water and respect for resting, nursing or breeding animals. Ask them to describe their approach protocol. If they cannot, or if it sounds like "we get as close as we can", walk away.
Watch for signs of an operator that puts the photo before the animal: boats racing towards whales, crowds around a single whale shark, flash photography close to marine life, guests encouraged to dive down onto animals. Look instead for proper permits, protected-area rules followed without complaint, and a wildlife briefing before every encounter.
The rules also shape what you can do. In Tonga, swimming with humpbacks is snorkelling only, with no scuba or freediving, and that is how it should be. The best operators also cancel or cut an encounter short when an animal is stressed or conditions are wrong, even if that disappoints the group.
In-water encounters happen in open ocean, sometimes in cold, dark water. Ask what gear is provided and whether it suits the conditions. In Norway, for example, we provide 9 mm wetsuits with hood, gloves, boots, fins and mask, because winter fjord water is no place for a rental shorty.
Ask what is on the boat (oxygen, first aid, communication equipment), what training the crew has, and how emergencies are handled far from shore. Boat type matters too. Small boats are agile but rough in swell, larger vessels are more stable but slower to reposition.
A responsible operator will also ask about you. Can you swim comfortably in the open ocean? If they never ask, they are not thinking about your safety or anyone else's in the water. We do not accept guests who cannot swim comfortably in the ocean, and on the day the crew decides who gets in based on conditions.
"Prices from" with a long list of exclusions is a pricing tactic, not transparency. Gear rental, park and marine fees, transfers, domestic flights, meals and tips can add a large share to a base price. Compare the total cost, not the headline number, and ask for an itemised list before you commit.
Things worth checking line by line:
On Giants of the Maldives, for example, the domestic flight from Malé, daily boat outings and snorkel gear are included. On our Raja Ampat liveaboard the dive gear is included and the marine park fee is paid locally. Whatever operator you choose, you should know these details before you pay, not on arrival.
Cheap expeditions save money somewhere: bigger groups, less experienced guides, fewer days on the water or worn gear. Paying more for half the group size often buys twice the experience.
Most of these come up in the sections above, but they are worth having in one place:
Send these to any operator you are considering. The answers, and how quickly and honestly they come back, will tell you most of what you need to know.
Be wary of anyone who answers the encounter question with a success rate of 100%. Trust the operators who are honest about the uncertainty.
We built Maui around the checklist above, and we try to be straight about what that means. Every guest is hand-picked through a free application and a short video call. Groups stay small. A Maui expedition leader is on every expedition. We run each expedition in the animals' season and we are honest that wild animals do not keep appointments.
We are not the right fit for everyone. If you want a quick day out, or you are not comfortable swimming in open water, a large day-boat operator or a different kind of holiday will suit you better. If you want a week with the animals and a group you are glad to share it with, have a look at our ocean expeditions, from orcas in Norway to the reefs of Raja Ampat and Fiji.
Applying is free. Pick the expedition that fits you on our expeditions page, send a short application, and we will set up a call to see if it is a good match.
