Swimming With Whales in Rurutu – a Life Changing Experience!

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Our journey was a complex one—starting in Bali (where we live) and flying onwards to Sydney, Auckland, and eventually Tahiti—taking technically three days as we crossed the international date line.

We had a short layover in Tahiti, which we used as an opportunity to escape to the nearby island of Moorea. It was a peaceful retreat, far removed from the EXPENSIVE, French-infused, tourist bustle of French Polynesia’s most commercialized island.

After some time there, we prepared to board a small and infrequent propeller plane to venture deeper into the archipelagoes.

As it turned out, our flight was delayed… by seven hours. In the small Tahitian airport, it wasn’t hard to spot the five other Inertia members in our group. To pass the time, we all wandered over to a nearby resort.

When we finally arrived in Rurutu late that night, the island’s spell took hold of us instantly.

Pro tip: If you decide to head to Rurutu solo, it’s important to note that there aren’t many places to stay on the island, however, you can find a few goodies on Airbnb if you get in early. My fav is called The Rural Cocoon, it is perfect for groups of 2-5 – right by the main village and the sea, it’s an ideal spot to stay.

Our Fellow Group of Ocean Lovers

I won’t lie—Will and I were a bit nervous about meeting the others on the tour. We have both traveled extensively but haven’t done many organized trips before, and we were anxious at the concept of being wedded to a group of people we really didn’t know on a super remote island of French Polynesia. 

What we didn’t fully realize however was that we were all already united by our shared love, curiosity, and fascination with the ocean and its magnificent creatures.

Each person was unique in their own beautiful way.

Cora, a radiant actor on a journey to reconnect with herself; Klaus, a whale enthusiast with mad scientist vibes on yet another adventure to encounter different species around the world; Dustin, a hilarious Swiss lifeguard blessed with great joint rolling skills who brought the killer playlists; and Antonio and Christina, a newlywed couple celebrating their union by fulfilling Christina’s mermaid dreams.

We were all set to embark on an incredible week together, forging lifelong bonds over endless card games, delicious food, and heartfelt moments as we shed tears and hugged each other lovingly whilst witnessing the pure magic of whales.

As we stepped into the host family’s home, we were surrounded by decorations of coral and shells, with curtains woven from banana leaves and hand-carved ukuleles adorning the walls.

We were warmly welcomed by Teiti, a local from Rurutu whose smile lit up the room. And wowza, let me tell you—this man can cook! We savored every bite of his delicious dinner, our cravings still lingering even as we felt the pull of sleep and excitement for the bucket list adventures coming the next day.

Finally on the Water

In the chilly morning light, we cheerfully geared up, excitement vibrating through the air at the breakfast table. We met our boat captain, Harvey—the whale whisperer. No, really… he could actually converse with the whales. They were drawn to him, and every other captain followed in his wake, knowing he held the secrets of the sea.

As we circled the island, the waves turned rough, tossing us like leaves in the wind. A few group members struggled with their breakfasts, their stomachs clenching in a turbulent embrace. Doubts crept in, and we worried we might not encounter any whales while free diving.

Then, like thunder rolling across the waves, Harvey’s deep, raspy voice echoed through the boat: “Gear up!” Suddenly, everyone scrambled for fins, cameras, and masks.

We plunged into the depths, following our guide for what felt like an eternity. Then, faintly at first, I began to hear the enchanting squeaks, a melody I vaguely associated with whales. Was it real, or was my imagination playing with me?

And then, like a curtain lifting to reveal a hidden treasure, the whales emerged. A mother lay peacefully with her calf nestled in her shadow.

The calf seemed to sense us, perhaps long before we knew it was there, its instincts built to navigate this world under the surface. Rising gracefully from the depths, the baby approached us. Rays of light sparkled off its white underbelly as it spun, a jet of water erupting from its blowhole before it sank beneath the waves, heading straight for me.

The young calf locked its gaze onto mine, piercing through the surface of my being. In that instant, a profound connection formed, and tears of joy filled my mask as my lifelong dream unfolded before me.

Cursing the tears that blurred my vision, I found myself emptying my mask repeatedly to witness the magic unfolding just beyond my reach. The calf danced and rolled, a playful spirit beckoning us to join in its jive.

A few members of the group and I dove beneath the surface, twirling together, and the calf mirrored our movements, a joyful dance.

For hours, we frolicked with this perfect creature, the mother seemingly content to let us be the babysitters while she rested, preparing for her long migration back to the icy waters of Antarctica.

Mindful of the mother and her calf, we kept our distance (as best as we could), ensuring we never positioned ourselves between them. It’s vital to respect their bond, allowing the whales to approach us on their own terms.

The mother only has one year to teach her young everything it needs to know about surviving in the vast ocean, from hunting techniques to understanding migratory routes. This nurturing period is crucial for the calf’s development, as it prepares to navigate the challenges of the deep sea independently.

When the mother felt it was time, she gently nudged her calf to move on, and we watched in awe as they glided through the water, a perfect pair in harmony, seeking their next resting spot.

As we climbed back onto the boat, we all embraced, overwhelmed by the sheer magic of what we had just experienced. It was more than a rare wildlife encounter; it felt like we had touched something sacred, something that would remain etched in our souls forever. My lifelong dream had finally become a breathtaking reality.

Continuing Our Week in the Water…

After our first day on the water being so absolutely incredible, we thought there was no way the encounters could get any better. Walking along the beach later with Will, I shared  “Well, if we don’t see any more whales for the rest of the week, I’ll still be happy.”

But the very next day, we found a very different mother and calf pair and had an even better interaction with another energetic, curious, and playful baby. 

On top of that, we got to experience an array of whale behaviors. One of the most fascinating was witnessing a bubble wall, where a male whale blows a curtain of bubbles to block other whales’ view while mating—a little privacy curtain, of sorts. We also saw breaching, epic and powerful tail slapping, and skyhopping, where a whale lifts its head out of the water to get a good look at what’s happening on the surface.

We even got to witness the baby feeding from its mother, which was heartwarming and adorable to see up close. But one of the most amazing moments of the week came when we encountered a singer. Hearing a whale sing underwater is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. You don’t just hear them—you feel them.

The vibrations from their songs pulse through every part of your body, especially the lower-frequency sounds that can travel up to 10,000 miles through water. Whale songs are often used for communication, particularly during mating season, with males singing to attract females or ward off rivals. They can also vary regionally, like human dialects, which I found super interesting.

If you haven’t yet, check out “Songs of the Humpback Whale” by Roger Payne. An album made in the 1970s recording the bewitching and captivating songs of the humpbacks. It brought attention to the need for whale conservation and contributed to the eventual ban on commercial whaling, transforming public perception of whales from commodities to sentient creatures deserving of protection. An extremely powerful album, and if you listen you can see why.

Witnessing a whale sing right in front of us was a dream.  The songs were so intricate, full of long, haunting notes that seemed to reverberate through the ocean like a language of their own—telling a story we were lucky enough to hear.

Although we wished we could have spent every moment in the water from dawn to dusk, that wasn’t always possible. We did have a few full boat days, but Inertia also planned some wonderful activities around the remote volcanic island.

One day, we took an island tour, visiting taro farms, sampling local fruits, picking coconuts, and exploring the work of local artisans. Unfortunately, due to the weather, we missed seeing the coconut crabs—massive creatures bigger than your head that come to the cliffs at night to feed. My favorite evening, however, was when some of the local women performed a beautiful Polynesian dance for us.

But perhaps the most unforgettable experience was a hike through the dramatic cliffsides. We met our guide, Reiti, a calm and carefree spirit who tackled the hike in flip-flops, cigarette drooping from his mouth. As we looped around to a secluded beach, we thought the hike would be serene, but soon found ourselves climbing, scaling a steep rock face.

We scrambled through deep caves, ducking under stalactites and splashing through mineral-rich streams of water flowing into the sea. Waves crashed below us and I paused on a rocky outcrop with Will and Dustin to share a lil’ smoke as we gazed out across the ocean. And then, as if sensing we were close, two whales breached, blowing jets of water high into the air like a firehose hydrant hit by a car. 

We shared some nuts and oranges and watched the whales for a time before continuing onwards through the caves, assuming the hard part of the hike was over. It wasn’t.

Ahead of us stood an eight-meter sheer face of rock with limited handholds stretched very far apart. One by one, the group gingerly attacked the obstacle, Reiti generously offering his leg and even his shoulder as a foothold to help us scramble up the rock face.

It took a good half an hour for all of us to pass this bottleneck but once up there we were rewarded with stunning views of the coastline. We explored some more caves and then finally splashed our way into the ankle-deep ocean, passing scuttling crabs and fish darting for cover. 

Whilst we waited for the truck to pick us up, Reiti handed me a small and beautiful shell he had picked from the beach. I will treasure it forever.

The time we spent in Rurutu is one of the best weeks of my life and we leave with a heart full of priceless memories and new friends to boot. A big thank you to Inertia for helping put together this experience for us.

As I mentioned previously, Will and I haven’t had much history in organized travel groups, but when we came across Inertia, we realised they are experts when it comes to ethical whale encounters and we discovered their values really align with that of The Broke Backpacker so it was a no-brainer to give them a whirl and see how it went. 

Inertia is an adventure travel tour company specializing in off-the-beaten-path destinations, where you need local contacts to have the best experiences. Inertia trips seamlessly blend raw and authentic travel that takes you out of your comfort zone, with a well-organized and thought-through itinerary that enables you to leverage the passion and knowledge of local communities.

Crucially, Inertia works with local host families in a symbiotic way, it isn’t a company primarily motivated by money, it’s a company motivated by creating opportunities for local people and precious memories for their guests. If you are short on time or just want to visit an adventurous location such as Yemen, Afghanistan, North Korea, or remote Polynesia, we really can’t recommend Inertia enough.

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