Our whale swimming operation is run by tourism industry professionals. We operate to the highest financial management standards, which means your booking deposits and balance of payment is protected.
Transparency
When you first book with us, we will take a $0 deposit. This gives you a few days to understand the booking Terms and Conditions before paying your non-refundable deposit.
Hospitality & Service
Hospitality is personally handled by the co-owners and managers of the Tanoa Hotel, part of one of the largest hotel operations in this region of the Pacific.
Financial Security
Your bookings, finance and travel arrangements, are managed by our staff with over 30 years of flight management, cruise, family, luxury, self-drive and other world and all-inclusive travel agency expertise.
You get:
We are Jason and Salome Strickland of Tanoa Expeditions (managers of the Tanoa Hotel) and Simon Mustoe of Wildiaries. Our highly skilled whale swim team is overseen by Kaylie and Tomasi Tongia and our drivers and other in-water guides and trainees.
David Donnelly leads when available and helps maintain the product focus on safety and ethics. Photographer Vanessa Mignon has recently joined us as a co-leader too.
All reservations and travel management is handled by DeluxeLife, in accordance with Australian travel accreditation standards, for financial security (AFTA and ATAS).
Swimming with whales in Tonga began when whale expert David Donnelly contacted Simon Mustoe of Wildiaries.
David told Simon that he had devised a way of doing whale swims that exceeded the local guidelines and, he thought, offered not only a better way to swim with whales but safer and more ethical.
Thus it all began in 2015.
The intervening years between 2019 and 2022 were hard. 2019 saw the collapse of one operator and numerous issue that made that season very difficult indeed. Not least was Cyclone Gita, that devastated the island a few months earlier.
That year we decided to team up with the Tanoa group ( who own Tanoa Hotel and Tanoa Expeditions).
In 2020-2021 COVID dominated.
In late 2021, the Hunga-Tonga volcano erupted just north. This blanketed the island in ash and smoke.
In early 2022, a second eruption struck, and a tsunami wave of up to 15m hit Tongatapu and wiped out many of the coastal and island resorts.
By mid-2022 the country was reopening but this series of events had left businesses struggling. Half of the whale swim operations had shut down. Meanwhile, Tanoa Expeditions had acquired a new vessel and we began plans to restart whale swims in 2023.
We successfully ran three weeks of whale swims in 2023. It's been four years and risk assessments had to be revised, along with standard operating procedures. The new vessel was used and performed brilliantly. Plus, we were able to introduce guests to the Tanoa Hotel.
Now we are ready to continue and invite you to join us on this wonderful journey.