Turns out that whale scene in Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams’ hilarious 2020 movie, “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga,” may not have been so overblown, after all.
We chalked up the scene of two massive humpbacks breaching in breathtaking unison to cinematic magic. But the little Icelandic town of Husavik is considered not only the whale-watching capital of Iceland, Lonely Planet calls it likely “the best whale-watching hub in all of Europe.”
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Now, we’re perfectly happy going whale watching in Monterey Bay or gawking at gray whales or humpbacks from the Mendocino headlands. But if you’re interested in going cetacean spectating further afield, Lonely Planet recently ranked the planet’s top whale watching destinations.
A whale watching boat heads out near Husavik, Iceland. (Getty Images)
Husavik tops the list, but you’ll find plenty of other tempting places, from Antarctica to Baja California, Kauai and Tasmania. Here’s a peek at the top 10. Find the full story at www.lonelyplanet.com, including recommendations on when to go, what to see and which tour company to book with. (Psst, there’s even one called Friends of Moby Dick.)
10 best whale watching experiences in the world
1 Húsavík, Iceland
2 Antarctica
3 French Polynesia
4 Churchill, Manitoba, Canada
5 Nuuk, Greenland
6 Tasmania
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7 Kauai
8 Madeira
9 Newfoundland, Canada
10 Baja California Sur
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