Humpback Swims Omdömen 

I'm just finishing up my trip in Tonga for the 8 swim day trip at Mystic Sands.
Nadia and her team have been amazing. We have been having the most amazing whale swims! There is definitely a huge benefit to booking well in advance with Humpback Swims. The best trips book up quickly. They seem to have the best boats on the water, with the best crews(especially Baia and Sione). What I enjoyed most was the small groups on the boat and how sensitive they are to the whales mood. Only four people are allowed to go in the water at a time. There other boats with 12 or so people on them, I can't imagine having to wait on those boats. These guys seriously rock!

I had a wonderful time swimming with the humpback whales in the beautiful island of Vava’u and I owe to Nadia and her team they have been fantastic with organising everything from accomodation to organising the days out on the water and I’m going home full of wonderful memories swimming with the whales from mother and calf to singing males and we even got to see pilot whales and dolphins too

Shout out to Julie, Pake (Tour guide), Waleey (skipper) and Sarah (Caretaker) you were absolutely outstanding and all went the extra mile to make sure we had a good time great addition to Nadia’s team thank you all for a wonderful holiday definitely will be back

Words can’t even begin to explain the experiences you will enjoy on this trip. Experience the amazing world of the humpback whale underwater. A truly moving and life changing trip. Incredible people will help make your dreams come true. From face to face experiences with 40 ton whales to meeting amazing new friends to great food to experiencing a new culture. All in a days vacation on this trip. Anyone who take this trip won’t be disappointed or ever forget it! Thanks for everything, Nadia! Mālō!

My experience with Nadia and Humpback Swims was top-notch from start to finish! We swam with whales for eight days last August and it was AMAZING! There were only four guests plus one guide per whale so we had plenty of up-close time with these gorgeous animals. The drivers and guides were incredibly professional and knowledgeable and were able to get us in the water with whales every single day. Mystic Sands was a great place to stay, super friendly, clean and delicious food. I would recommend this experience to anyone!

I loved our trip swimming with humpback whales in Tonga! Nadia organized the trip beautifully, from recommendations on flight itineraries, to organizing our housing in Vava'u, to choosing one of the most experienced and reputable day boat operators on the island. We had interactions with whales every day! It's a fantastic trip, I highly recommend it.

I waited a year for this trip and it went without a hitch from beginning to end... I am booking the 8 day package as the 5 was phenomenal however I was more time in the water. The owner Nadia is amazing!! The crew above and beyond.. As far as the people from Tonga 🇹🇴 warm and genuine..
I would highly recommend this trip!!!!!!
Out of 10 stars this is a 15

Our experience in Tonga was nothing short of amazing. Nadia arranged everything from our airport pick up, to drop off. Our accommodation was super cute and clean with snorkeling off the dock, our boat captain and guide kept us safe, and there the experience in the water with the whales was OUT OF THIS WORLD!
The resort host owner and family are absolutely the sweetest people that work hard all day to make sure you have anything you need, including accommodating to dietary needs.
There wasn't a time that we felt unsafe while in the water with the whales and these guys had an eye to find them, even when the seas were a little rough. Nothing compares to swimming with these animals, having one on one encounters with them, and at times being a fly on the wall watching mom-baby interactions... it was so incredibly special, we feel fortunate to have experienced it all.
We were sad to leave Tonga, and have a countdown to when we can return and swim again!

“The swim of a lifetime” would not be an overstatement: Nadia Aly and her very carefully chosen colleagues helped us have a trip we never imagined possible. Every detail was thoughtfully anticipated. Nadia never stops working to ensure a phenomenal experience and has an incredible depth of knowledge, savvy to navigate the variability that is inherent in a wildlife experience and in a part of the world that is not always predictable.

Seven hours a day on the water in pursuit of incredible swimming was simultaneously exhilarating and satisfyingly tiring. One day there may be seemingly too many whales to count and another, they may be sparse. Their beauty is also in the unpredictability of their behavior and their willingness to trust you to swim with them. This is the adventure of everything that a manicured, finely orchestrated Disney vacation is not. No 400 channel cable on wide screens, no chain food establishments on every corner, no excess of anything but beauty and true relaxation. There is a peace to the rhythm of Tonga and the warmth of the people that settled over one's entire experience.

The accommodations at Mystic Sands were perfectly delightful with an attentive and caring staff at the that made us feel like we were in their home as cherished guests and family at the same time. Clean and spacious rooms with thoughtful details including light cooking facilities to use as desired, a private pool and dock, great snorkeling right off the shore, and kayaks for use would be a great vacation in and of itself. But the whales are the reason we and many others make the long and occasionally challenging trip here. Well worth it would be the other appropriate understatement. We are grateful to the entire team who gave us such a fantastic glimpse into the world of the humpback.

I spent a lot of time researching swimming with the whales in Vava'u, Tonga. I know from friends who have been, that you can get stuck with awful operators if you don't book your trip ahead of time. Not only that, the good boats and crews get blocked off years in advance. This is why it's important to book with a company like Humpback Swims. My first impression was wonderful, through the timely manner and response rate from Nadia and her team. All my questions were answered in what seemed like seconds after me sending my first email.

Upon arrival I was greeted by a driver and whisked me off to Mystic Sands, the accommodation I chose for my stay. I was very very pleased with this decision. The staff their quickly became family and they took VERY good care of everyone. Mosi makes wonderful food!

We had a welcome briefing from the Humpback Swims team, then relaxation. Sundays in Tonga are rest days, so we were not able to go out swimming until Monday (I arrived on a Saturday).

The whale swims are hard to describe, I don't think it's easy to communicate how amazing it is to swim with whales, it just takes your breath away. Every day, and every encounter, was so different, just like the team said. I was very glad I chose the 8 swim day package. At first I thought it would be too long, but no, no it wasn't. It went by so quickly. It's nature so we had some slower days than others, so keep that in mind when you are choosing what length of trip, don't think 8 swim days is too much. It's also nice having 6 people on the boat, it's clear to see that some boats take 10 or more people, you are only allowed 4 people in the water at a time, I can't imagine being on a boat load of people, it would truly ruin the experience. So glad I chose Humpback Swims with their smaller group sizes.

The crew were OUT OF THIS WORLD! They took such great care of us! They are experts in and out of the water. I think this is this most important thing to note, the crew really made sure that we got to swim with whales, even on the harder days, they kept us in great spirits and even took us to snorkel in some caves.

We got to swim with whales every day on the trip! What else can you ask for? Moms and their calves, a small heat run. Big ones, small ones, shy ones, curious ones, so much diversity in the types of encounters you can have. Every whale has their own personality, that's for sure!

I am 100% coming back with Humpback Swims in the coming years, Nadia and her team did an amazing job! You really can't go wrong!

After 5 days of swimming with the humpbacks in August I am truly the happiest person on the planet! What an awesome experience!! Nadia and her partners are running a 5-star operation, everything is taken care of. Great accommodation, great boat and skipper, and great guides who stick to the rules of max. 4 people plus 1 guide per whale. Lovely evenings out with really good food (loved the Mongolian BBQ!). We saw whales every single day, moms and playful calves, a heat run, encountered an incredible male singer which touched our hearts - a life changing experience, which I highly, highly recommend!! I will be back! Thank you soooooo much Nadia Aly for making it happen and for taking care of everything- loved every second! 😍

The young humpback calf swam by, no more than an arm's length in front of me, and turned away. We were in open water off the island of Vava'u, in Tonga, in August in the midst of her migratory journey. She slid through the water and moved away into the blue depths, then abruptly rolled onto her back, showing me her great white belly, pivoting and turning back toward me, circling closer until she almost touched my camera lens. Then, as she looked directly into my eyes, curious and docile, her massive gray flank within easy reach, her mother loomed up behind her, 40 tons of maternal presence suddenly only feet away, and together they sped away. Enough play, mom seemed to signal. And they were gone.

No animal experience I have had compares with snorkeling with humpback whales in Tonga. Nadia Aly's Humpback Swims is a fabulous adventure. My wife and I traveled there in August, and joined four other travelers for eight days of chasing, watching, swimming with, and getting to know these magnificent humpbacks. The logistics and accommodations were exceptional. Nadia took care of all the details, the Tongan islands were charming and welcoming, the weather was perfect, and the memories will last forever. Or maybe they won't, because we will go back with additional family members in tow and replace them with new ones.

I cannot recommend Humpback Swims with Nadia Aly highly enough: six stars out of five!

I had a wonderful time out with Humpback Swims. Everything was amazing, from the island, to the whales and the friendly locals. It's true that you need to be redundant with your gear, there is nowhere to buy things like gopro batteries or any sort of camera gear. I recommend this company, they did an outstanding job!

We have been working with Humpback Swims and Nadia for years and it has been great. They always focus on quality over quantity and both customers and tour/accommodation providers benefit from this. Keeping the price as low as possible while maintaining a high quality service is an art and they do an excellent job of this.
I would highly recommend it to anyone and everyone.
Happy planning and have a great trip.

Just got back from a 10 day trip with Humpback Swims. The best in-water encounters I've ever had. Swimming with a mother and calf humpback is just extraordinary. Do it!

A very BIG and wonderful thank you to Humpback Swims and Nadia Aly as we had the time of our life swimming with these beautiful, amazing and gentle giants!

I used to think that swimming with whales was something to be done only by people who worked for adventure magazines and all I could do was to dream that someday maybe that would be me. Well that someday came and my dreams became reality in August 2017 when Nadia helped me out of the boat and into the water for the first time to see my first whale in the wild!! A moment never to be forgotten.

Humpback Swims made sure we were taken care of the whole trip from the time we were picked up from the airport, our accommodations and each day on the boat. We chose Humpback Swims because of the small and more personalized groups and more time to be in the water with whales. Humpback Swims did not disappoint - great people, guides and boat drivers.

If you ever dreamed of swimming with whales in the wild - do it! This is the perfect opportunity to visit Tonga and to swim with humpback whales! Thank you Humpback Swims - we hope to be back someday!!

Hi. I recently got back from swimming with humpbacks in Tonga. It was excellent - far better than I expected. I have previously swam with Humpbacks at the Silver Banks. Nadia’s trip was so much better. In Tonga, you see so close to the whales. A few times the young calves brushed us (they don’t seem to know their own size). The Tongan guides are amazing. They seem to know what the whales are going to do before the whales themselves know it. I went to photograph Humpbacks. I got amazing shots.
I’d go with Nadia again in Tonga or on other trips she puts together. Excellent.
I’d go back to Tonga to swim with Humpbacks again too.

This is one of those experiences in life that makes you in awe of the natural world and creates in your heart a fierce desire to protect. The location, while tricky to get to, is raw and gorgeous. The water is clear, and after jumping in the water a few times with these incredible whales the fear slides away as you witness the intelligence in their eyes, their acknowledgement of you, their awareness of you and them as they adjust themselves to swim by or stay and play with your group. It isn't a simple sight seeing tour, you are on a boat daily looking for these wild animals, and then jumping in the water repeatedly to get a once in a lifetime experience. Nadia's enthusiasm is contagious and her own screams of delight in a sighting or an experience are the best, as it truly never gets old, and once you leave, you will forever miss this experience and interaction and ache for it again.

Words and even imagery don’t explain the interactions and feelings you will experience on this trip. The whales are there and Humpback Swims does everything possible to get you in the water to see and sometimes try and avoid the whales.
From booking online you have full service with help on flights, tips and tricks with traveling, and what to pack. Nadia is there with you almost all the time to ensure your questions are answered and you have a clear understanding on what to expect.
The local people are amazing and the accommodations are just the same. Rooms are clean and comfortable and the food is something else.
But all in all the whales are why you’re there and if you want to have an amazing life changing experience, this trip is what you need. I recommend the 8 day trip over the 5. But any time in the water with these creatures is something you won’t forget.

It takes a leap of faith going half way around the world to swim with humpbacks. But it was so worth it! I spent a week in Tonga with Nadia and Humpback Swims. The trip was awesome in every way - both in the water, on the boat, free diving in the occasional cave, and on land at the Vava'u Villas and at the local restaurants. Many hours spent in the water close to mother and calif pairs of humpbacks and the occasional escort. Great food, accommodations and most of all - all the details were taken care of by Nadia. I used to teach research diving and have logged over 2000 dives around the world photographing pelagics and doing research on tiger and hammerhead sharks and just exploring (of course these are swims not dives with humpbacks). I have often served my group of dive buddies (ex instructors) as the organizer. I was quite happy to leave the organizing to Nadia. I did not know Nadia previously so this was an act of faith for me - traveling from San Francisco in hopes of getting in the water with humpbacks. Rain or shine, we had a great time in the water! Nadia handled all the details and set us up for a great outcome: a boatload (5 ocean enthusiasts on our small boat) of us with huge smiles on our faces time after time (on multiple "drops" every day)....

Don't even know where to start. This was my second trip with Nadia, and I'm writing this as I'm sitting in a hotel room about to embark on a third trip with her. Swimming with the humpbacks is something you almost can't even describe and pictures do it no justice.

We had 8 incredible days out on the water with our very knowledgeable crew. Definitely go for the 8 day trip. You never know what to expect day to day. Every day of our trip was different from the previous. Dateline (captain) and Baia (guide) went way out of their way to get us encounters and making sure we were comfortable on the boat. Baia was amazing at being able to find the whales underwater and you had to eventually just trust why you were swimming after him, but everytime he would come up with a whale. We were picked up and dropped off daily at the dock in front of our accommodations at Mystic Sands which was incredibly convenient.

Mystic sands was also an amazing part of the trip. Mosi and her family basically take you in as part of your family for the entirety of your trip. Our first night there she made a huge welcome dinner for us that took up the entire table and was apologizing she didnt have more to cook.

I have been a lot of different places with various animal encounters and this has to be one of my favorites so far. When a baby humpback comes up to you to play, no words can even describe it. Would definitely recommend booking your trip with Nadia and humpback swims.