“This was a trip of a lifetime. We booked an 11 night / 8 swim day trip and every day in the water with the whales was different and epic! Our whale experiences far exceeded anything we could ever have imagined. Nadia runs a first class operation with the best boats on the water, incredible boat captains and guides, super organized and she is super fun and knowledgeable. We really enjoyed staying at Mystic Sands which is on the water and opted for the bento box meal plan which was perfect after all day on the boat. We highly recommend booking with Nadia.”
“So hard to find the words to describe the experience, but epic, majestic, magical and breathtaking all come to mind! Our captain and guide were top notch and made sure we had the best experiences with the whales while keeping us safe and knowing our abilities. Nadia came by Mystic Sands every day to check on us and made sure we had dinner plans if it wasn't a bento box day (those bento boxes - OMG! If you're at Mystic Sands, definitely get them!).
Swimming in such close proximity to such massive creatures was absolutely incredible, and the small group configuration gives each swimmer such an intimate experience with the whales. We hope to be back soon!”
“Our boat and guides swimming with whales are the best offered in Tonga. Nadia has done a masterful job of bringing in Mystic Sands resort and prepared food for an epic adventure. If you want to have the best whale experience in Tonga hire Humpback Swims. We came all the way from Nantucket for our family journey and enjoyed every minute.”
“Humpback swims, is absolutely amazing. Nadia and her team are fantastic. Very knowledgeable, very thorough and took care of everything we needed. I would, without a doubt, book with them again. We stayed at Mystic Sands and could not have been taken care of any better. Anything we needed they were on it. For Nadia and her team to do what they do when traveling halfway around the world and to make things so smooth is Phenomenal. We had originally booked in 2018 for the 2020 slots... Well with Covid shutting everything down we were very concerned about how everything would work out. Nadia stayed in touch and gave updates when anything changed or came up. We finally were able to take the trip this September. The whale swimming experience was so extremely magical and life-changing. After going and seeing the other options of companies and lodgings I am very pleased that we used and stayed with Nadia and the people of Mystic Sands. They have the best boats and guides. I could go on and on about how great our experience was. If you are questioning to book this trip, just do it, you will not regret it..... I would also only ever book with Nadia. She will make sure you have everything you need to have an epic trip!”
“This was my SECOND trip with Nadia Aly, and this is because she is not only a great human being (and quite fun!) but she also has one of the smoothest operations in this field out there. You MUST know who you are traveling under and MUST know their ethics. Some people just want to cash in on people signing up and have a poorly run trip. Others will jump in right in front of you and use the trip to get their own photos at your expense. And some pay no attention to/enforce the local rules and do not respect the wildlife. You need this to matter to your organizer because when systems flow well and properly, your trip is enjoyable. Nadia is on top of her game, on top of the local rules, on top of the local culture and doesn't tolerate anything aside from professionalism w her crew and honestly, from her customers. She chooses great captains and guides, solid boats and excellent (no scary surprises ever--and thank you Nadia for this) lodging. The food is always tasty and the water always safe. If you have questions pre or post trip--she responds ASAP. And she will always help make your trip smoother if something arises. She's got you. She always does. Trust me. And if you have questions regarding photography, she is a baller photographer--and an excellent resource. You are covered all around always w Nadia and your money is well-spent. I loved Vavau. And I loved the humpbacks. My wish is that in the future the boats are staffed with only 4 people instead of 6 bc Tonga only allows 4 at a time in the water (but I think that may be the 2024 plan ). She pays attention to all of her customers and is really excellent at what she does. When I had a travel issue, she troubleshot the issue for me and made it all seamless. I pretty much feel like if you book a trip w Nadia, you will get results and you will get quality. Every single time. You rock, lady.”
“Best trip of our entire lives!!! Nadia runs an extraordinary program! Her team is the finest in Tonga and she has thought of everything. Don’t miss the chance to swim with these gentle giants. Their song, gaze and playfulness are hypnotic… memories to last forever”
“Wish I could rate this higher than a 5. Humpback Swims is a breathtaking, once-in-a-lifetime adventure that exceeds expectations from start to finish. It is clear Nadia has gone the extra mile to arrange the best boats, crews, and support staff to enhance the experience and everyone I interacted with was beyond friendly and accommodating. Thank you Nadia!”
“Truely Awesome, I went on an eighth day whale swim with Humpback Swims hoping that I would get two or three good days, but all eight days were awesome. The crew were friendly and professional. Great food and fantastic accommodation. I loved every minute. Thanks Nadia”
“Without a doubt, one of the most memorable, exhilarating and inspiring trips of my life! Nadia's organization and care throughout were faultless, the crew on the boats and the staff at the hotel were very professional and lovely and the island is beautiful.
I've traveled almost all my life and the experience of swimming so close to humpback whales and observing their behaviors and interaction is one of the most soul-stirring things I'll probably ever do. There were tears on the boat... I cannot recommend it enough!”
“From beginning to end the experience was outstanding !! Nadia offers great video’s and information to prepare you for the trip, what to expect in Vava’u, Tonga, what to expect on the Whale swim days, information about the boats and how to swim with Whales. This information is truly valuable and leverages the extensive Whale swim and Tonga experience Nadia has.
We stayed at Mystic Sands which was awesome, gorgeous place, run by incredibly hospitable, friendly, and professional people. Wonderful experience !!
Now what we were there for…. Whales… absolutely incredible encounters !! Our captain and guide were brilliant, friendly, skilled and worked hard to find the Whales and wonderful experiences for us. The weather was a bit rough and windy on some days and this all part of the experience, while Nadia and her team delivered amazing outcomes, they can’t control the weather : )
If you have ever wanted to swim with Humpbacks, then I would highly recommend HumpbackSwims… Nadia and her team are incredible and made sure we were well looked after and had incredible encounters with these amazing, majestic, magical, awesome creatures.
Unforgettable experience !!”
“Best Accommodations, Best Boats, and Best Crew!
This is a trip of a lifetime! Go to Tonga and swim with whales! You will not regret swimming only a few feet from majestic humpback whales and their curious calves.
We can recommend booking with Humpback Swims without hesitation. Nadia, the owner is focused on her guests having an incredible experience. We booked the 8-day trip and are glad we did the longer stay. We had multiple close whale encounters on 7 of 8 days. The one day we didn’t have many swims we found a “singer” whale so I wouldn’t call it a disappointing day.
The land arrangements made by Nadia of Humpback Swims were comfortable and the best you can find in Tonga. Remember it is a remote and poor country so you will not find 5-star resorts. We found the locals to be extremely nice and genuine with their kindness. We were well taken care of by the owners and staff at Mystic Sands. They provided breakfast every morning and would take any shopping requests for items needed from town. We loved the delicious Bento box dinners that made it so easy to stay on the property and eat dinner at Mystic instead of having to travel to town. If we needed to go to town, they would drive us 15-20 min to go to a restaurant, pharmacy, or bank.
With Humpback Swims, the boats were practically new, all aluminum purpose-built for whale swimming. With only 6 guests per boat, we were not crowded. Lunch was prepared and packed for us every day on the boat and was usually very tasty. We were very pleased to have our boat captain and guide for the entire trip and we became very close to them. They went out of their way to find good whales for swimming opportunities. It was a bit sad to say goodbye on that last day.
There were great photo & video opportunities every day. If you don’t have an in-water camera, I recommend getting one for this trip so you can capture some of these moments. I captured some incredible images on a GoPro.
We have no regrets about booking our Tonga trip with Humpback Swims. Nadia was a great host and an excellent tour operator. She has the best accommodations, the best boats, and the best crews available. You will not be disappointed!”
“To say this was a trip of a lifetime would be an understatement! Nadia was beyond amazing with travel plans, any snags we ran into, and had everything coordinated in such a way that everything we did was top notch! Nadia and her team made us feel like family and while we were there to swim with ocean puppies (humpbacks) the team of amazing staff around the house, the dock, on the boats, etc created an all immersive experience that made it extremely hard to head home. Regardless of the ever changing weather, we saw and swam with whales each and everyday! There are no words to express how magical this was!!!! THANK YOU HUMPBACK SWIMS! We will be back again!”
“Most amazing experience everrrrr! From start to finish the entire adventure is a must! Nadia will look after you the entire time she has the answers for everything. The best boats. The best team and THE BEST whales. It’s a must do and I can’t wait to go back again next year!”
“This was one of the most spectacular experiences of my life. I thought it would be good, but it surpassed all expectations. I love the Tongan people's hospitality. Such wonderful, loving people. That same loving attitude extends to their whale residents and you can feel it when you're out swimming with them. I felt a warm, personal connection with the whales. The whales know they are in safe harbors with the Tongan people and their friends. I highly recommend this trip to anyone who's thinking of going. There's no place like it. Thank you Tonga and Humpback Swims for dream like experiences!”
“Thank you Nadia and team for organizing the best trip of our lives! Our trip was delayed for 3 years due to COVID but the wait was so worth it! We got to spend quality time with whales everyday in a safe environment. The hospitality that Nadia and team have provided made us feel like home (even made sure we had reservations for dinner every night!). Amazing trip, thank you so much.”
“Humpback Swims provided an above and beyond experience! Everything, from pre-trip communication, pick up, accommodations, scheduling, standard of quality, reasonable requests, and overall experience was exceptional and exceeded all expectations. Everything within their abilities was addressed with care, genuine interest/concern and attention. It felt as if our needs were met even before they were needed. Even the part that is left to Mother Nature, the whales, provided the most perfect week we could have ever dreamed of. We had quality swims every day, which is not always the case, but we were very blessed for the opportunity. The guides and captains work so hard to spot and assess the whales, providing safe, ethical, and entertaining swims for us, but also deeply considering the animal’s well-being. They’re quick to acknowledge when a whale is unwilling to interact, and they are very respectful of the decision. In moments of difficult swimming, the guides were always very close and attentive to be sure that everyone was safe, a very reassuring feeling.
We made life-long friends from this trip with the crew and other guests, and it was absolutely heartbreaking to finish the week and head home. Tonga is beautiful, the people are warm, Nadia and company provide exceptional care, and the whales are nothing short of pure magic.”
“I just returned from an amazing adventure in Tonga with Nadia and her amazing staff and crew. If feelings can be put into words they would be Amazing, Epic, Life Changing. Made friends and memories for life. Thank you Nadia and I look forward to future adventures with you!!!”
