Humpback whales and dolphins, Hawaii, USA

Humpback whales and dolphins

Thousands of humpback whale families, like the one seen in this photo, make an annual winter visit to the waters off Maui in Hawaii. These whales belong to one of at least four populations of humpbacks that live in the North Pacific. This group spends winters breeding and resting in Hawaii's warm waters before making a summer migration to their feeding grounds in the chilly depths off Alaska. If you visit Hawaii during February, you'll have one of the best opportunities anywhere to spot these majestic marine mammals – and as we see here, maybe you'll spot a few dolphins too!