whalefocus runs small-group photography and freediving expeditions to swim with humpback whales in the warm breeding waters of French Polynesia — Mo'orea, Rurutu and the Austral Islands — and the Vava'u archipelago in the Kingdom of Tonga. Each passage is limited to six seekers, by application only, and is led by award-winning creative director, underwater cinematographer and visual ethnographer Phoebe Maria of Soulfocus Media.
Our passages run between September and October, when southern hemisphere humpback whales migrate to these waters to breed, calve, and sing. Encounters are by snorkel and freediving only; no scuba certification is needed. Each expedition includes accommodation, all meals from a local Tahitian chef, daily boat charter, guiding by Phoebe, somatic and sound practices, and a curated digital album of your photographs.
Public passages for 2026 and 2027 include Mo'orea, French Polynesia (October 2026, September 2027), Rurutu in the Austral Islands (September 2027) and Vava'u, Tonga (early October 2027). Private bespoke whale charters for family, partners and small circles are available by arrangement. Request the dossier or write to hello@soulfocus.media.
We enter these waters knowing that the ocean is alive, living and breathing — this is where the whale meets us as kin, not a spectacle. What passes between us is a conversation, a meeting, where we come to listen.
Guided by Phoebe's perspective as a psychosomatic practitioner, visual ethnographer, and sound healer — all held within the care of trauma-informed facilitation — what unfolds here is a sanctuary for transformation. Here, where ancient mountains rise over crystal-clear waters and humpback whales sing beneath the surface, we gather ocean lovers, artists, and visionaries to create, remember, and rise together.
Imagine entering a world where you swim alongside humpback whales in shallow coral gardens — eyes meeting, breath slowing, the rest of the world dissolving as their graceful presence moves through you.
Each year from July to October, the southern humpbacks come home to the warm coral waters of Mo'orea, Rurutu, and Tahiti to birth, to nurse, to sing. They are tupuna — ancestors, messengers between worlds. We do not come to take. We come to listen, and to give back what we are given — this is reciprocity: every encounter an exchange, every image a way to further protect the oceans.
A gathering of visionaries, cinematographers, musicians, ocean lovers, and change-makers those drawn to meet these sentient beings and be changed by them. We come to be still in their presence, to listen, and to let something ancient move through us. What passes between us in the water rarely stays there; it returns home in the work we make, the way we lead, and the way we move through the world.
Only six operators work these waters, so the ocean stays quiet. The whales come in slowly over the shallows, and you see them suspended above the coral bed — a perspective almost nowhere else offers.
Tonga holds some of the strictest whale-swim regulations in the Pacific — a maximum of four swimmers plus one licensed guide in the water at any time, and no more than ninety minutes with any single whale. Fewer bodies, more stillness, encounters shaped entirely around the whale's consent.
Our private, high-end voyage — your own villa on the beach, five days on the water with the whales, and cultural experiences woven through the eight days. Shaped entirely around your circle, your rhythm, your dates.
A simple, well-loved vessel with everything we need for a comfortable seven to eight hours on the water. No frills, no charter polish — just space to be present with the ocean.
Our local guides were born on the island and are part of the ocean. Their ancestors have been connected to these waters for hundreds of years; they hold a deep knowing of the whales and the currents.
Yoga, meditation, journalling prompts, photography editing workshops, sharing circles, anthropology — a quiet menu of practices to help the day move through you.
Three meals a day from a Tahitian chef. Reef fish, breadfruit, fresh tropical produce. We happily cater to any dietary requirements.
A curated digital album, delivered for your whale integration — the images that capture a pivotal moment of evolution and change in your life.
Phoebe Maria is an award-winning creative director, cinematographer, and visual ethnographer whose work lives at the intersection of empowerment, indigenous wisdom, and environmental preservation. Her creative practice bridges the worlds of culture, ecology, and consciousness — amplifying diverse voices, honouring ancestral traditions, and revealing the intricate connection between humanity and the natural world.
Over the past decade, she has dedicated her career to documenting remote communities, sacred ceremonies, and wildlife with a distinctive sensitivity and depth. Her work, featured in Condé Nast, reflects a profound commitment to authenticity, cultural integrity, and purposeful visual storytelling.
She is an award-winning creative director and underwater cinematographer who has collaborated with 10% for the Ocean — funders of David Attenborough's Ocean documentary. Her film OSENI was selected among the winning works for Oceanic Global.
Alongside her artistic work, Phoebe is a sound healer, vocal coach, somatic therapist, and retreat leader. Her offerings invite women into transformation — awakening creativity, reconnecting with ancestral wisdom, and deepening attunement to the natural world.
“Those moments of waiting are when you meet your new best friends, when the deep realisations come. The light shifting, the ocean breathing, the slow moments in between — and then a whale rises, and everything you thought you knew goes quiet.”
— Phoebe
You need to be a confident, comfortable swimmer in deep open water with a mask and snorkel. You don't need to be a freediver — encounters are slow and patient, often within a few metres of the surface. We breathe up together and read each whale's pace; nothing is forced.
If you can swim 200m unaided and feel calm in 30m+ of clear blue water, you're in the right place. If you have any concerns, write to us — we'll talk through fitness honestly before you commit.
No. All whale encounters in French Polynesia and Tonga are by freediving and snorkelling only — scuba is not permitted with whales, and bubbles would scare them away. We swim quietly on the surface or hold a single calm breath if we descend a few metres.
No certification is needed. If you'd like to learn breath-hold technique before you arrive, we'll send guidance.
Early breakfast, on the boat by sunrise. We move with the local skipper and a marine guide, scanning for blows and flukes. When we find a respectful approach, we slip in two at a time — never crowding the whale.
Days are governed by what the whales offer; sometimes hours of waiting, sometimes a single transcendent encounter that justifies the trip in its first ten minutes. Lunch is always on the boat; afternoons may be a second outing, gentle yoga, sound work, or simply rest.
The ocean decides. We build a contingency day into every itinerary and use it if a front grounds us. If we lose multiple days, we shift the schedule rather than push into rough conditions — your safety and the whales' welfare always come before getting in the water.
We don't issue refunds for weather, but no passage has yet ended without meaningful encounters.
Comprehensive travel insurance is required, including medical evacuation, trip cancellation, and explicit cover for freediving and snorkelling in remote locations. We recommend World Nomads or Battleface for policies that include Polynesia.
You'll need to send proof of cover before the final balance is paid.
Included: All on-island accommodation, transfers, daily boat charter and crew, all expeditions, all meals, guiding by Phoebe, somatic and sound practices, and a curated digital album of your photographs.
Not included: International flights to Papeete or Tongatapu, internal flights to Rurutu or Vava'u, travel and dive insurance, gratuities, and alcohol.
Bring: Your own mask, snorkel, and fins, a 1.5–3mm wetsuit if you prefer warmth, reef-safe sunscreen, modest clothing for villages, an open camera, and an open heart.
On a public passage, no — the six who travel together are the ones who go in the water; that's the container. If you'd like a non-swimming partner, family, or friends to join, please enquire about a private bespoke charter, where the rhythm can be shaped around your circle.
If something in you has stirred reading this — trust it. Write to us. We'll send the full dossier, the application form, and a personal letter from Phoebe.
Request the dossier →Tick the passages you'd like to hear about. We'll send the full dossier, dates, what's included, and a personal note from Phoebe. Replies usually within 48 hours.
We've received your enquiry. If you'd like to add anything, write to hello@soulfocus.media.
We reply within 48 hours, often sooner.