How can I choose a good destination to see whales, especially blue and humpback, preferably from a boat?

I am very intrigued by whales. I want see them in their habitat not locked up somewhere in a cage or a facility. I read that you can watch whales in Antarctica in the months of November to February. But that expedition seems to be very, very expensive.
Any other suggestions for places on this earth to see whales?
I live in Bangalore, India. My maximum budget would be 3,000 USD. I would like to have a look at them from a boat and would prefer to see blue whales and humpback whales.
Best Answer
Whale watching is possible in many spots around Australia as well. Western Australia is relatively close to you and they have (depending on the season) both humpback and blue whales.
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Where is the best place to see a humpback whale?
The following are the world's best places to watch humpback whales in their natural habitat.- Saguenay \u2013 St. Lawrence Marine Park, Qu\xe9bec. ...
- Baja California Sur, Mexico. ...
- Bahia De Banderas, Mexico. ...
- Pacific Coast, Colombia. ...
- Hermanus, Western Cape, South Africa. ...
- Kaikoura, South Island, New Zealand. ...
- Disko Bay, Greenland. ...
- Maui, Hawaii.
Where is the best place to view whales?
Top Whale-Watching Destinations- Santa Barbara, California. ...
- Monterey Bay, California. ...
- Kodiak Island, Alaska. ...
- San Juan Islands, Washington. ...
- Vancouver Island, British Columbia. ...
- Virginia Beach. ...
- Long Island, New York. ...
- Cape May, New Jersey.
Where is the best place in the world to see blue whales?
The only place to see them is in the wild. And Dana Point, California, is one of the best places in the world to see blue whales. During the summer months there are more blue whales off our coast than anywhere else in the world. Blue whale watching in Southern California is typically May through October.Where would you go to see a blue whale?
The best chances of seeing them are along the North American East Coast at the Quebec Gulf of St. Lawrence, which is home to a population of 400 animals. In the Eastern Atlantic, blue whales can best be found between the Azores and Canary Islands (in winter and spring) and Iceland (summer and fall).Humpback Whales | JONATHAN BIRD'S BLUE WORLD
More answers regarding how can I choose a good destination to see whales, especially blue and humpback, preferably from a boat?
Answer 2
Baja California is probably one of the best location since the whale migration is very predictable there because the weather tends to be quite consistent from year-to-year.You can get extremely close to the whales and even see new born whales. Check this tour's info for example.
Quebec has a location famous for whale watching called Tadousac. It is about 5 hours drive from Montreal, although if you can land at Quebec City, then its only a couple of hours. You have to time your visit carefully though, I think early August from what I recall. Here is some info.
There are also whales which pass near the coast of Ecuador. I saw a few - but fewer than at the other locations - on a boat trip to Isla La Plata. This is a relatively cheap trip. I don't remember though if the whales there arrive seasonally. Basically our boat went out and the captain went in different directions until we encountered some whales. Seas are rough there though, so I got very sea-sick, but others had no issues.
Answer 3
The gray whales perform their annual migration from Alaska all the way down to Baja California Sur, i.e. along the Pacific Coast.
I had the opportunity to make a trip to San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja California Sur in Mexico several years ago. This spot is well-known to be a "nursing" spot for the gray whales. From January to April you are very likely to encounter one of the newborn gray whales from up-close in their natural habitat.
They took us on a really small boat (like a dinghy) and waited on the lagoon instead of chasing after the whales. Eventually, a small whale approached our boat and actually let us touch it. Meanwhile, the larger mother whale waited patiently from a distance. We got to see and touch at least 3 of these whales.
If you want more information on this specific spot, google "Ecoturismo Kuyima", which is the company from which I booked this trip. They offer eco-tourism style accommodation on the lagoon and handle the boat trips for a really cheap price.
On your budget, I am sure you can find a cheap flight to Los Angeles, and then make a road trip down the coast to Baja. You will get amazing views on this scenic road.
Alternatively, if you prefer blue whales, you have Sri Lanka very close to you. Take a flight to Colombo and then drive down to Mirissa Beach. From there you will be able to arrange a boat trip to see the blue whales, although from a much larger distance (and probably less time) than what you would get in Baja with the gray whales.
Answer 4
Stellwagen Bank is probably one of the best whale-watching locations in the continental United States. Whale-watching tours depart from downtown Boston, as well as from some smaller towns that can be reached easily via public transportation (Gloucester and Provincetown).
The advantage of this location is that it is also relatively close to a major international airport (Boston Logan); while there are no non-stop Bangalore-Boston flights, there are about a half-dozen ways to make the trip using only two flights. It is then relatively easy to reach the embarkation point for the whale-watching without the use of a car.
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