Testimonials - See what people are saying about us

We have met some amazing people over the years and made a lot of friends along the way. Check out some of the comments people have made about our tours.

Nick Scott

I want to say that swimming with whales is a once in a lifetime opportunity but I can't because I've already done it two years in a row, and plan on doing it for many more years. It is an amazing and humbling experience to be in the presence of these enormous, peaceful creatures.

Without a doubt the most memorable experience I had was when an adult male was floating lazily beside our group and gently turned over, his pectoral fin outstretched and seemed to reach over to me and give me a friendly slap. It was incredible!

An unforgettable experience - something everyone should do at least once in their life.

Rebecca Chalmers, Senior Producer

I had heard about the adventures of swimming with humpback whales in Tonga numerous times over the years from Scott and this year I thought, right, it’s time for me to experience this unique opportunity!

Whilst the stories, the photographs I had seen prior to my trip gave me some insight into what to expect… absolutely nothing can even come close or describe what it is actually like to be right there in the water with a whale first hand and the beauty of a mother nurturing it’s calf.

If you want to do something that will remain with you forever and encounter these amazing creatures, Swimming with Gentle Giants can take you there. Indescribable!

Natascha Leitermann

So, I should see whales! My dream- of which I thought might never come true is becoming reality. And I wasn't nervous at all. Jump into the water: I can't see anything. The guide is grabbing my hand and shows me where the whales are.... right underneath ME!

My heartbeat is running and I can't breathe anymore. (Without a snorkel I would've drowned or at least drunk 1000 litres of seawater.)

There is only one thing I can hear and that is my own-heavy- breath. IT IS AMAZING, AWESOME, INCREDIBLE, FANTASTIC, SHOCKING, CHRISTAMS AND BIRTHDAY AND...Much much more. It's a feeling you can't describe!

There were 3 adult Humpback whales plus a calf and they aren't small at all. Back on the boat I had a little shock: I neither could speak (in any language) nor cry; I never felt like that before.

The next week in Vava'u was awesome; I had such a beautiful time. Every day we found whales who wanted to hang out with us. They shared a tiny little part of their lives with us and didn’t have a clue how they made us feel.

One special thing about them was their look: when they look at you, they see you, like you see them. They don't know what we are, but they can definitely see us as we see ourselves in the mirror. And that is just amazing. I love whales.

Peter McGee, HR Manager and SCUBA Dive Master

Imagine if there was a tropical island paradise where the people always smile, the ocean was a beautiful azure blue, the water was warm and clear, and you could swim peacefully alongside the largest and gentlest animals to ever inhabit the earth. Just a dream? Well think again. There is a place....Vava'u Tonga, and Scotty can take you there.

My first day on the water I will never forget. I shared the water with a curious baby humpback, mother and male escort. All three were relaxed as I floated above them, while I was so excited I had to keep reminding myself this was really happening. Then the humpback calf surfaced, approaching like a playful puppy, bouncing by and checking me out at close range. So close in fact my camera could only fit half of his oversized baby's body in the shot. I wondered what he would tell his mum as he dove down to be back by her side. Moments later the family slowly rose, peacefully surfacing beside me like huge submarines. They allowed me into their space. They nuzzled and touched lovingly as I floated close by. An unbelievable privilege to be in their presence.

The following days were filled with similar wonderful encounters. One day we floated 20m above a male humpback while he sung his original whale song hoping to attract a mate. Our chests reverberated like we were at a rock concert as he hit the deep base notes.

Scott and his team know and respect the whales. They ensure encounters are safe and on the whales terms, and the whales open their world to him. This really is an experience of a lifetime.

Pamela Martin, Graphic Designer & Photographer

2009 will be my third year travelling to Tonga with Scotty as my photography guide and whale guru. I used to be the type of traveller that couldn’t imagine going back to the same place twice as it’s a big world out there with unlimited experience to be had. Since going to Tonga and meeting Scotty and the whales I can’t imagine not making Tonga part of my yearly travels. I have had the most amazing and varied experiences that words cannot really describe, you just have to go and experience the whales for yourself.

One of my most cherished experiences with Scotty was getting in the water and just floating above a mother and her calf while she was feeding, the calf was inquisitive and swam right around us before heading back down to the safety of it’s mother, to my amazement it continued to do this for the rest of the time we were in the water. The heightened understanding I received that day of how very gentle, beautiful and intelligent these creatures are was a gift I am blessed to have experienced and will never forget.

Scotty is an amazing guide that makes the whole trip incredibly enjoyable from his local knowledge of the area and Tongan people, his amazing affinity and love for the whales we encountered and his genuine wish to make every trip fun, exciting and unforgettable.

Thanks Scotty, I’m hooked!

Peter Evans

You have probably seen videos of whales and you may even have been lucky enough to get out on a boat and see whales up-close, but Scotty and his team can take you one step further and get you into the water up close and personal with these gentle giants; and you will never ever ever forget the experience.

If a picture is worth a thousand words then a thousand pictures will still not explain what it is like to be alongside a whale in its own environment, where they choose to spend time with you. You are eyeball-to-eyeball with one of the most astonishing creatures you will ever see and you will have feelings you never had before … and you will never be quite the same again. Treat yourself while you can, you will not regret it.

Rebecca Hayter

When you spot the first sign of a whale for the trip, the blow, the very reason why I came to Tonga became very clear- I was going to swim with the humpback whales! After the excitement of spotting a whale's blow, we were then informed by our guide, Scott that we had to get our fins, masks and snorkels on...the time had come! The first time you slip into the water and see these amazing, majestic mammals 'dancing' as it swims right by you, sometimes rolling onto it's side to satisfy their curiosity and take a look at us, I couldn't believe what was happening, that these 15m animals could be so graceful, so curious and yet so comfortable with our presence.

On other sightings, lone males blow and the show their flukes as they dive deep for many minutes at a time. This provided an opportunity to hear Humpback whale song first hand just by bring in the water. Hearing this unique singing was incredible and feeling the vibrations passing through your body is indescribable. For those people in our group who didn't want to get into the water didn't miss out as a hydrophone was placed into the water (but when the water is a beautiful 25-27 deg cel, I couldn't help but jump in the water at every opportunity!).

Another day we had a calf repeatitively breaching within about 30m of the boat and just when we thought it couldn't possibly get any better, the mother breached...we were speechless! the calf finished off the 'show' with another breach and then they continued swimming by.

I've been fortunate to have seen the humpbacks numerous times along the NSW coast, but to have an experience like this, there is nothing like it! Thanks Scott and the experienced Tongan skipper and crew for enabling me to experience these amazing mammals and the other marine animals we came across (pilot whales, spinner dolphins and common dolphins and a manta ray) and great snorkelling locations for our lunch break. I can't wait to travel back to Tonga and do it all over again!