Blog — humpback whales

Whale season in Maui is back! Hawaii’s beloved humpback whales, or koholā, have recently been spotted offshore during their annual trek to the Islands. Maui whale-watching season is typically from December through April, usually peaking in February.

Here at Wings Hawaii, we’re endlessly inspired by these majestic creatures and love watching them every year. So we’re sharing our staffers’ best tips on how, where, and when to spot whales on Maui in this 2025-2026 season, either by land or sea. We're also excited about Tara Timpone's newest whale photography prints! She shares the amazing stories behind her magical encounters. 

At Wings Hawaii, “for real life mermaids” isn’t just our tagline, it’s our whoooole actual lifestyle. Take Tara Timpone, for example, our assistant jeweler and in-house photographer. When we asked her what a real-life mermaid means to her, Tara replied: “Someone who loves and appreciates the ocean, and cares about preserving and protecting it, and all the creatures that call it home.”

That perfectly describes Tara, a lifelong waterwoman and animal lover who calls the ocean her happy place. An avid freediver, longboarder, and kayaker, Tara has also been photographing and swimming with whales since 2019, with treks to Tahiti, Tonga, and the Cook Islands to do so.