A whale of a time

Chances of seeing a whale during a whale watching trip largely rely on one's luck and the weather conditions. Photo: Courtesy of Song Feifei

More Chinese are embarking on trips to see the world's largest mammal

In a small sea boat rocked by the Pacific Ocean swells, 39-year-old Xu Fei stood on the deck watching in amazement as a humpback whale leapt out of the water before crashing down with a thunderous splash. It was a moment she and her family would never forget, and the highlight of their holiday to Hawaii in the US.

"Compared with taking a trip in a glass-bottom boat to see ocean creatures, or going snorkeling, whale watching was the most exciting activity during our trip to Hawaii," said Xu.

Often referred to as the gentle giants of the sea, whales are mysterious creatures that are rarely ever seen. "Of course people are interested in whales, the largest mammal in the world, but they rarely ever get to see one," said Zhang Jian, the general manager of hawaii188.com, a travel website which mostly caters to Chinese tourists traveling to Hawaii.

"Now an increasing number of Chinese tourists want to experience whale watching, as the highlight part of a trip to sea," he added.

The busiest time of year is between November and the next year's March, when Hawaii sees thousands of humpback whales coming to give birth in early November and returning to Alaska in March, explained Zhang.

"The number of Chinese whale watchers with us has increased from around 80 people in early 2012, to around 390 people in early 2014," he said. "Hawaii is one of the three most popular whale watching spots in the world, after Alaska in the US, and Okinawa in Japan."

Xu and her family took a 20-seater boat from Maui Island out to sea for 918 yuan ($150) per person. "After traveling for an hour to an area where whales were more likely to appear, the captain turned off the boat's engine and we waited quietly, worried about not being able to see them," she said.

"Suddenly, we saw the black fin of a whale emerging from the water. It was amazing," said Xu, who added that the captain also put electronic devices under water to play sounds that attract whales.

Xu was very lucky in her trip to sea, as not all whale watching trips are that successful. "Not every time you go to sea will you encounter a whale," said Zhang. "The weather and sea conditions are influencing factors, and almost all our companies promise refunds if you can not encounter whales."

During the National Day holidays, Xu Ran, 32, from Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, organized a trip among her friends to Sri Lanka, with whale watching as their prime objective.

"We set off on our whale watching trip from Mirissa, an island in the Indian Ocean," she said. "At first we were a little disappointed at not seeing anything for over an hour. Eventually though, we saw a distant blue whale gradually swimming towards us until it was only four or five meters away from the boat."

Xu Ran experienced the highs and lows on her whale watching trip. She got to see her first whale, but had to endure bouts of seasickness for nearly two hours. Yet, Xu Ran said it was worth it.

"If you suffer from seasickness, it is better to choose a cruise," said Zhang, "but if you can endure it, you can choose a smaller boat which will make you feel closer to the whales."

Jean Wang, 30, an IT consultant who has been on numerous whale watching trips around the world, offered the same advice. "Take small boats and turn down the motors, so the sound won't irritate the whales. That way, the whales get really close," she added.

The best time to watch whales differs according to the seas the tourists choose. For example, Wang said the golden whale-watching season in Alaska is from May to September.

Some visitors are concerned about their safety, but Wang assures that whales are very friendly if not threatened, and are more than willing to play.

"However, Chinese visitors need to remember not to feed them like animals in Chinese zoos. It is illegal in most foreign countries," added Wang.