“One of the best trips of my life, everything was just perfect and way better than I expected.
I never imagined I was gona see so many whales and have the crazy encounters I had! The crew was amazing, Nadia is the best and Tonga is the best place to be!
The hotel (Mystic Sands) was amazing! The food was incredible and also the staff, everything was perfectly explained before the trip and the team was always checking we were doing okay.
I really recomend doing it, it’s a unique life experience :) 🙏🏻🐋”
“WORTH EVERY PENNY! This trip was incredible and extremely well organized. Nadia was very responsive to questions we asked while planning our trip and then helped coordinate rides from the airport and dinners after we got there. We stayed at Flying Annie and the rooms were clean and the ladies greeted us with lots of smiles and great food. The boats, captains and guides were top-notch. They always worked to make sure we had a great day. The whales were SPECTACULAR and getting to see them was a dream come true. This was a trip my daughters and I will never forget. If you're hesitating, DON'T. You won't regret it. It's incredible.”
“Visited Tonga for the second time in July 2023, with the first being in 2019. Such a truly amazing experience and booking with Nadia was so convenient. Nadia knows her stuff! Everything is so organized and thoroughly planned out. I look forward to booking other destinations with Nadia in the future.”
“Nadia's operation was absolutely top-notch. On arrival, we could tell she had the best boats, captains, and crew. A one-of-a-kind experience swimming with humpbacks and we are planning our next trip with Nadia.”
“This experience blew away our expectations. Our crew and hotel staff went out of their way to ensure amazing experiences, both on the water and off, rain or shine. The hotel staff took wonderful care of us, from great food to personal requests, and the captain and guide made sure we had fantastic encounters with the whales. On top of it all, Nadia works very hard to make sure everyone has everything they need!”
“I'm at a loss of words for how spectacular this trip was. Nadia was able to organize my 3-day swim trip just a few weeks before I was due to land in Vava'u. Moreover, she made sure that everything was taken care of and provided me with important information around flights, insurance, gear, etc. Nadia is a true professional who runs arguably the best humpback swims in the world. I've been buzzing since my first swim and am already planning my sperm whale trip (in Dominica) with Nadia next year. All in all, I give Nadia and her trips 10/10 in every aspect. Thank you, Nadia!!”
“July 2023 Trip: Originally booked my trip in 2019 with another vendor. When everything reopened they bailed on me last minute and Nadia saved my bucket list trip. I reached out to her since she had so much experience and is very knowledgeable and responsive. She made very thoughtful recommendations and videos that helped me know what to expect in Tonga and during whale swims. She covers equipment, accommodations, what to bring and they best way to swim with the whales. She also connected me with an agent that specializes in Tonga/Fiji to save me on my last flight time and cost. I added on Fiji scuba and shark dives which I also recommend.
During our stay Nadia made my group arrangements for several dinner reservations and helped us prepare all our camera equipment with ideal settings to maximize our experience. Our boat crew was great and the staff at Mystic Sands was so kind. Don’t miss the fruit smoothies at the t-shirt print shop, they have great gifts as well.
Whales were nothing short of amazing especially the babies and playful juvenile whales.
Thank you Nadia for making my dream a reality, hope this will be a first adventure of many with you!
Many Thanks,
Gina- San Francisco, CA”
“Whale swimming has been a dream trip for years and the dream finally came true. Whale watching went off without a hitch. The captain and guide were fantastic. Nadia hosts a wonderful event. She organizes group dinners to share experiences with others on the trip. She is very attentive to the details. Loved staying at Mystic Sands for the island ambiance. Flying Annie is nice if you prefer an in-town walking experience. We had unique whale encounters. No two trips see the same thing. Great to be open to what the wildlife has in store for you! A trip of a lifetime.”
“It had always been a dream of mine to swim with whales, and I can’t be more happy that I took the leap of faith to do this trip! Absolutely life-changing, you will not regret it👍”
“Thank you Nadia!!
Six independent single travelers came together at Mystic Sands for the 11 day/8 snorkel days trip. None of us knew each other before but parted ways as great new friends. Wonderful whale encounters, great boat staff and wonderful hotel owners and staff. DO the BENTO box dinner!! Adriana is a marvelous chef! Very glad I did this option.”
“This trip was truly something I will never forget… from all of the locals we met on the island, to the captain and guides on the boats, and above all else the whales. Our guide, Matta, was so kind and was able to guide us to swim with whales multiples times on each day. Our Captain was so kind and always made sure we had a great day before going back in to dock. The lunches each day were absolutely delicious and is just what you need when out swimming with whales all day! The organization of this trip was amazing and it lead to making the best memories.”
“Unreal, amazing, perfect!
Thank you so much for setting the scene and creating the best circumstances for this experience. Prior to the trip, both the booking process and guidance upon arrival (and support when our plane got canceled and plans changed) was 10/10 and made me feel secure and well prepared. During our stay, everything went smoothly. Staying at Flying Anniemoa was a great experience with good rooms and very open and heartwarming hosts. The boats were spacious with both inside and outside space (good for us that normally gets seasick), and everything just went smoothly in terms of lunches, pick up etc. BUT, the best part was the crew! Our skipper and our whale guide were AWESOME and truly committed and experienced - providing us with so many unbelievable whaleswims. Also, humpbackswims truly sticks to the regulations of for example not duck diving, keeping a fair distance to the whales etc. And this is just so great to see and support! I felt that everything was done with the whales well-being as the top priority and that is just awesome and so so important. We had so many great encounters and respecting the whales really pays off in some unforgettable experiences. For example, our guide Sifa took the time to let a mom and calf get used to our boat for some time. When showing signs of being ok with us being there, we got in the water and kept a good distance and let them feel safe. Suddenly, the calf and mom came closer all by themselves and it was a truly precious moment with a sleeping mom who trusted us completely and a calf that started to play around us. This is just one example of many unique encounters we had during our trip.
Nadia has been super helpful the whole way in guidance, advice, reminders etc and acted as an awesome host while we were there! Giving us a quick guide to the town etc etc 🙏🏻
I had dreamt of doing this since I was a little girl, and I had a much better experience that I could have ever dreamed of. Thank you to everyone who was part of making our stay and experience a once in a lifetime and one to remember forever. I really hope to be back one day and do it all over! Nothing else compares to being in the water with these gentle and beautiful giants❤️
I can only recommend humpbackswims (and Nadia, I hope to join one of the other SDL tours in the future)
Thank you for this experience - I’ll never forget this trip!!!!!!”
“Our family (kids 12 and 14) LOVED our Humpback Swims tour! Nadia covered every detail with care, speed, and precision. The operators she works with at the hotel and on the boats are excellent - friendly, professional, responsive. We have dietary restrictions and she didn't hesitate to accommodate them. The meals on the boat were delicious! Travel to and from Tonga is not easy but Nadia helped us navigate it smoothly and was ready and willing to troubleshoot when needed. We saw whales every day we went out! Can't exactly give Nadia credit for that, but she set us up for success every step of the way.”
“Swimming with Orcas’s was amazing! Nadia and her team were 5 ⭐️! Accommodations 5star also! From the moment we were picked up from the airport to our return we were treated with so much care. They went the extra miles to get us to the orcas 2 days in a row and afterward the retreat back at the house couldn’t have been more relaxing. First couple of nights we had a private chef which he was fantastic then the next few nights Nadia shared her local favorite restaurants and again 5 star ⭐️!
Thank you Nadia and her team for one of best wildlife experiences.
Ann L”
“Divemaster/trip expedition leader Nadia Aly is one of the most competent people I've encountered in organizing & running dive trips (and I've been taking such trips for +40 years). She thought of everything:
great accomodations, food, and a very experienced boat captain, as well as her own considerable experience leading such trips. I rate her as five stars, and would recommend her to anyone thinking of joining her on one of her trips.
--Ken Howard”
“What a life-changing experience!!! I've always dreamed to swim alongside humpback whales but this exceeded every expectation. We had countless different interactions with mom and calves, male heat runs with more than 15 whales in one frame and possibly the most profound of all the experiences was hearing the whales singing and feeling the vibrations in your bones! I got so much incredible footage, the topside scenery was beautiful and all in all the expedition was seamless. Hands down one of the best trips I've ever been on and I hope to be back someday for round 2!”
“I went out swimming with the whales in 2022. It was amazing! I am going back next month and can’t wait! Nadia puts on amazing tours and is there with her team to help out! I stayed at Mystic Sands and will stay there again!
The whales were amazing! I can’t wait to see them again and again and again!”
“It has been a dream to swim with the orca in the wild. I could not believe that this was possible anywhere outside of Norway. I was excited to see that Nadia started offering Orca/Mobula trips with air support. I just finished a trip with her and we had 3 days of amazing in-water encounters! It was hard work, but well worth it! Nadia took care of every single detail, she had everything organized to the best of her ability to make sure we were getting the best wildlife encounters each day. The house we stayed at was beyond amazing, probably the nicest place I have ever stayed on any dive/snorkel trip. I can not wait to go back next year!”
“Swimming with sperm whales was a lifetime dream come true. My experience would not be possible without Nadia and her team.
Thank you Nadia, thank you, thank you!”
