Every year, gray whales make a 2- to 3-month journey for their southbound migration, which starts from the Bering and Chukchi Seas and ends in the lagoons along Baja peninsula. Traveling day and night, they sleep on the move to cover around 10,000 km (6,200 mi) of ocean between their Arctic feeding grounds and their Pacific breeding grounds.

The first whales to arrive in Mag Bay are those who are ready pop, along with single gray females looking to hook up. The rest of the gang are not far behind. At the end of the season, the unlucky ones in love leave the mating grounds first. Lactating mothers are the last to depart with their babies in tow, only after making sure that the newborns are strong enough for the journey.

Once called “devil fish” by early whalers due to their violence when protecting their young, grays are now considered the friendliest of whales.  Enjoy the privilege of interacting with these amazing animals when they approach your whale watching boat. if you’re lucky enough, they’ll let you to touch them or observe them from a distance when they roll, blow off steam, or launch themselves out of the water. They might also watch you watching them by doing a spyhop.

What We Recommend

If you are coming on your own, we suggest spending the night in town and then heading out on an early-morning tour the next day. On the other hand, arriving in the morning and going whale watching at noon would be more cost effective if you’re renting a vehicle.