SWIM WITH WHALES IN 2025
Tonga

If you’re an adventurer looking for your next bucket-list experience, or an avid water photographer looking to take things to the next level then our Tonga Humpback Whale Experiences are for you.

Led by internationally acclaimed and award winning photographer Craig Parry, who has over 10 years experience running whale swim experiences and photography workshops in Tonga, each tour offers the chance to get up close and personal with humpback whales as they migrate through the region.

Location:
Vava'u Tonga

Session 1: Available
Saturday 23 August -
Monday 1 September 2025

6 days of whale swims
9 nights accomodation

Session 2: Available
Monday 1 September -
Tuesday 9 September 2025

6 days of whale swims
8 nights accomodation

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ADVENTURE AWAITS!

Staying on the beautiful Tongan Island of Vava'u, Craig and a professional guide will take you out on the water where Craig will provide personalised support and guidance as you swim with the whales and other marine life.

For those that are interested in water photography, Craig will be on hand to provide photography tuition to help you capture the perfect image.

Each trip is strictly limited to a small group to ensure you receive maximum time in the water.

Inclusions

The tour cost includes the following:

  • Whale swims on a chartered boat with a professional whale guide, lunch included
  • Accommodation whilst in Vava'u, single or twin share
  • All snorkelling gear whilst on boat if required
  • Upon request: daily photographic and editing tuition with internationally acclaimed wildlife photographer Craig Parry

Not included in the cost are:

  • Flights
  • Travel Insurance
  • Visas (if required)
  • Photography and editing equipment

Please note that due to a high level of interest we are unable to reserve places without a deposit.

Get in touch

For pricing and booking enquiries relating to our Tonga Humpback Whale Swim Experiences please get in touch.

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Testimonials

★★★★★

Wow, where do I begin!!!..An experience of a life time and just the best person to show us his Tonga. From the moment we met Craig we knew it was going to be a great and very special adventure ..his passion for the whales ,the photography, the people, and the staff ..he had it all in spades. We laughed, we cried and we ate. His master classes at night over dinner and a couple of drinks were the best. Great knowledge of cameras and editing programs not only his Sony collection and Photoshop. Would highly recommend Craig as a tour/photography guide in a heartbeat.

Amanda
Tonga Whale Photography Workshop, 2019
★★★★★

Craig’s humpback whale tour in Tonga was next level —expert guidance, next level encounters, and great photography tips. Life changing experience! Cannot recommend enough! 🐳🐳

Angela
Tonga Whale Photography Workshop, 2024
★★★★★

Swimming with humpback whales has always been on my bucket list. As a photographer myself I had admired Craig’s work & am SO thrilled that I took the plunge (pardon the pun) & made the decision to join one of his workshops in Tonga to swim with these magnificent creatures. It is very rare to meet such an honest person who is willing to share all of their passion, excitement & expertise with you from the word go. Craig does just this and has an ability to put you & everyone at ease. They say ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’ & with tuition from Craig, the ones I captured do just that – a trip of a lifetime!

Trudie
Tonga Whale Photography Workshop, 2019
★★★★★

We’ve just returned from Craig’s underwater photography trip to Tonga and WOW; it was the most amazing experience! The communication was impeccable from the beginning of the booking process and the itinerary was seamless. Great accommodation, a wonderful group and fantastic staff in Tonga. Craig shared his knowledge and helped us become confident with our camera and editing techniques. We learned so much and my husband and I were blown away with the photos that we took during the week. Vava’u is a stunning destination and nothing in the world beats the feeling of swimming with such graceful giants in the wild. Definitely a bucketlist experience, made even more incredible by Craig, Kate, our new friends and photographs that will last a lifetime. A thousand thank yous.

Samantha
Tonga Whale Photography Workshop, 2018
★★★★★

Words can’t describe the experience that I just had on Craig’s Tonga whale experience. It was the most mind blowing experience and I am so grateful I choose to do it Craig and his team. I learnt so much and my experience was something I will never forget. I couldn’t recommend doing this trip with Craig and his team more. I would love to do it again.

Jenni
Tonga Whale Photography Workshop, 2024
★★★★★

Tonga Whale Photography Workshop – Had the most amazing time on Craig’s workshop. From the incredible humpback whale encounters that myself and fellow students got to experience to exploring the beautiful islands of Vava’u. Craig’s knowledge and expertise was extremely useful and his passion for wildlife photography is contagious. Could not recommend Craig’s photography workshops and tuition enough!! Would definitely do it all over again

Amy
Tonga Whale Photography Workshop, 2017
★★★★★

I can say that I learned more in this workshop than any other photography class. With Craig’s help, my photographs got better and better each day as I was finally able to “crack the code” of shooting underwater in a housing in manual mode. Craig generously shares not only his expert shooting skills, but also his best tips for editing your photos in the computer. If you want to photograph whales, you need to start by having talented guides to find them! Craig has teamed up with the best local captains and guides in Tonga. Our group regularly concluded each day’s boat trip with memory cards maxed out with images and videos of whales.If you want to photograph whales, go to Tonga and learn from the best. Highly recommended!

Ray
Tonga Whale Photography Workshop, 2016
★★★★★

My husband & I went on Craig’s whale tour to Tonga and we had a truly amazing time!
As a marine biologist it is important to me that any wildlife trip is conducted with a highly ethical team and Craig delivered by partnering with amazing local guides & operators. He had also organised a perfect little guest house, air port transfers and answered my many questions in the lead up.
He shared his extensive expertise in wild life photography with everyone who wanted to learn and improve on board. And every night when we shared images, his skills to capture the essence of the whales was on full display. Surely, Craig is one of the best wildlife photographers!

Craig’s passion & enthusiasm for wildlife photography is outright infectious and so he turned us perfect strangers into this little passionate close- knit group. We laughed so much and really- saying we had the best time is no exaggeration.

Kirsten
Tonga Whale Photography Workshop, 2024
★★★★★

I’ve been travelling the world as a professional photographer for over 35 years and this was the experience of a lifetime for me. The opportunity to swim with Humpback whales in Tonga with Craig is ‘absolutely’ the experience of a lifetime. His extensive photographic knowledge is coupled with an infectious enthusiasm to share his affinity with the ocean and these magnificent creatures. I say to anyone having thoughts about doing a workshop in Tonga with Craig – DO IT! If you have a bucket list, fill it with this one, it’s exhilarating, you’ll be buzzing and talking about your experience until you can get back to do it again… I am…

Peter Joli Wilson
Tonga Whale Photography Workshop, 2016