An archipelago of fifty islands, warm sheltered water, and humpbacks who come to give birth and sing. Six of us, together, listening to the guidance of the whale's wisdom.
Vava'u is an archipelago of some fifty islands scattered through turquoise water, its coastline cut into deep, sheltered channels and coral gardens. Every year the humpbacks make the long crossing from Antarctica to these warm, sheltered waters to calve, nurse and sing, and Vava'u remains one of the very few places on Earth where you're permitted to slip into the water beside them their songs carrying for miles through water this clear and this quiet.
This is for visionaries, artists, musicians, filmmakers and change-makers anyone drawn to slow down and build a real relationship with these ancient beings, to be moved and inspired by them, and to carry this life-changing experience back into their world as a positive catalyst of change.
Hosted by a small, devoted crew who live for ethical encounters the week brings unforgettable time with the whales together with waterfront living, thoughtful meals, photography guidance and genuine island culture, alongside reflective sessions whether sharing circles, art classes, ecstatic dance, meditation or movement. Our skipper and guide call Vava'u home; theirs is a family that has fished and swum these waters for generations, and it shows in how they know the ocean as their own relative.
Fewer bodies, more stillness, and encounters shaped entirely around the whale's consent rather than ours more intimate, quieter moments, eye to eye with the whales.
Twin share, per person
Sole occupancy
Couple
Boat details and the full day-by-day live in the dossier — request it below and we'll send it straight over.
Phoebe is an award-winning creative director, underwater cinematographer and visual ethnographer who founded Soulfocus Media to hold space for exactly this kind of encounter where art, presence and the ocean meet.
She has spent years in the water with humpback whales across Polynesia, working alongside marine biologists, indigenous guides and conservation initiatives including 10% for the Ocean, who helped fund David Attenborough's Ocean documentary. Her own film, OSENI, was selected as a winning film for Oceanic Global and featured on the Water Bearer Network.
With Phoebe, you're not just swimming with humpback whales you're travelling with someone who has spent over ten years working alongside indigenous communities around the world, amplifying their voices, and six years leading retreats globally.
Tonga holds some of the strictest whale-swim regulations in the Pacific a maximum of four swimmers plus one guide in the water, and ninety minutes with any single whale.
Curious what this looks like? OSENI, Phoebe's award-winning film.
Planning a trip like this is a big decision. If you'd like to talk it through before securing your place, we're happy to help the itinerary, the accommodation, the encounters themselves, or simply whether this voyage is the right fit.
Tick the passages you'd like to hear about. We'll send the full itinerary, dates, what's included, and a personal note from Phoebe.
We've received your enquiry. If you'd like to add anything, write to hello@soulfocus.media.
We reply within 48 hours, often sooner.
