Tours and Tickets
Whale, Dolphin and Turtles Watching
5

Whale, Dolphin and Turtles Watching

By Oceansee
Recommended by 96% of travelers
96% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
About
from
$54.30
per adult
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 6-75, max of 14 per group
Duration: 2h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Features animals
Live guide: Portuguese, English, French, Spanish
More


  • windbreaker coats
  • Bottled water
  • Photo report


Departure details
  • People’s Square, Av. Do Mar 4, 9000-900 Funchal, Portugal VipDolphins Marina Kiosk. Praca do Povo 9000-900 Funchal
Return details
  • Returns to original departure point

  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Near public transportation
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 74691P1

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • Not recommended for travelers with back problems
  • Most travelers can participate
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
  • This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 14 travelers

  • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

How much is Whale, Dolphin and Turtles Watching?
Whale, Dolphin and Turtles Watching price starts from $54.37. Discover and book Whale, Dolphin and Turtles Watching on Tripadvisor
What is the Whale, Dolphin and Turtles Watching cancellation policy?
Whale, Dolphin and Turtles Watching cancellation policy: For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience. Discover and book Whale, Dolphin and Turtles Watching on Tripadvisor
Which company provides Whale, Dolphin and Turtles Watching?
Whale, Dolphin and Turtles Watching is hosted by Oceansee. Read reviews, discover additonal experiences or contact Oceansee on Tripadvisor. Discover and book Whale, Dolphin and Turtles Watching on Tripadvisor
How much time do I need for Whale, Dolphin and Turtles Watching?
On average, this experience will take approximately 2h. Discover and book Whale, Dolphin and Turtles Watching on Tripadvisor

If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 74691P1

Reserve your spot

Similar experiences

Itinerary
  • You'll start at
    People’s Square
    Av. Do Mar 4, 9000-900 Funchal, Portugal
    VipDolphins Marina Kiosk. Praca do Povo 9000-900 Funchal
    See address & details
  • 1
    Oceansee
    Stop: 2 hours
    On the 2h trip During the first hour we ride into the ocean to find some dolphins and whales. In our program, there are many chances to experience the encounters with several species during the same trip, as we have a lookout on the land that tell us where the animals are and guide us to them. After you have the opportunity to enjoy views of the West coast of Funchal. You will be able to see Cabo Girão(582m) – The second highest sea cliff in the world and is the highest in Europe. During the summer we take a 20 min stop for a swim next to Fajãs do Cabo Girão. On the way back we will sail closer to land in order to enjoy the view while soaking in interesting information from our biologist.
    Read more
  • You'll return to the starting point
+
About the operator
Oceansee
234
Funchal, Portugal
Joined in December 2017

#7 of 60 Boat Tours & Water Sports in Funchal
  • GrandTour815224
    GrandTour815224
    0
    0
    Excellent
    Excellent hosts, we did a private excursion for six of us and it worked fantastic. We were joined by a family of dolphins on more than one occasion and see a whale sighting from quite a distance. An excellent two hours , great boat and hosts!
  • palaurao
    palaurao
    0
    0
    If you’re number one goal is to see wildlife, this company is #1
    Staff was amazing and going private with just my group of 6 was amazing. This particular company has spotters on land to help find dolphins and whales. To that end, we were able to have three amazing interactions with four species over the course of a mere two hours. We saw spotted, common and bottlenose dolphin as well as pilot whales! We were warned upfront that we would only be allowed to stay with any group of animals for a specific period of time. I love that because you aren’t there long enough to stress them out. And then you move on to find something else. With that said, the amount of time we spent with each group was ample and I just love that they care so much about animals that they don’t hang with them for an exorbitant amount of time. We were unfortunately unable to swim with any of them because of the presence of babies and feeding time but it was amazing just the same. Our guide Margarita was very knowledgeable i’m just fun to be around! She took lots of pictures and said she would email them to us to remember the trip. I highly recommend this group if your main goal is to see wildlife.
  • marloesb525
    marloesb525
    0
    0
    Speedboat tour
    We did the speedboat tour! Great combination of some action by boat and watching whales and dolphins. We saw 2 different types of dolphins and we saw a whale really close. Great time!
  • Tash E
    Tash E
    0
    0
    Don’t opt for a speed boat tour
    Went in the speed boat which was ok but uncomfortable seats and it didn’t go any quicker than other boats so wasn’t too much fun or any excitement. Saw some pilot whales and a couple of dolphins but they were so far away that you could just make out their fins - a speed boat is not the best angle to see the animals as being high is much better so I’d recommend a different vessel if you’re interested in seeing the animals. After we’d seen them, the crew seemed to give up on finding any other animals and took us along the coast. It wasn’t the whale and dolphin sightseeing that I’d hoped for.
  • Catalincaragea
    Catalincaragea
    0
    0
    Dolphins and whales seen and nice boat and crew
    Excellent service and experience. Recommend For kids and adults No 1 in all things done in Madeira Try also de jumps with the boat :)
  • ivanbres
    ivanbres
    0
    0
    Great custom-tailored experience guided by expert skipper and guide
    We had a wonderful day out, snorkeling with spotted dolphins on a private trip with captain Rubens. He's done a great job approaching and staying with dolphins without harassing the animals and giving us the best chance of observing them underwater. Both Rubens and our guide Dominique were great and I strongly recommend taking the private tour - it's well worth the money.
  • Derv22
    Derv22
    0
    0
    Just amazing!
    We went on the speed boat dolphin and whale watching tour this afternoon and weren’t disappointed! We saw bottle nosed, spotted and rough tooth dolphins. To top it off we then saw three sperm whales! My boys (12 and 8) were so excited and the two ladies leading the tour were fantastic and so knowledgable. Finished off with a quick dip in the ocean on the way back. We had a great afternoon. If you are thinking of booking this tour.... do it... you won’t regret it.
  • U240WXanaa
    U240WXanaa
    0
    0
    Amazing boat tours
    We booked three private tours with Oceansee and were not disappointed. Super accommodating with our last minute requests. They definitely go the extra mile and we had a once in a lifetime encounter with a beaked whale!
  • white_shadow7
    white_shadow7
    0
    0
    Nice trip in the afternoon with dolphins
    We booked the afternoon trip with Oceansea, because we read many good reviews here. And we have not been disappointed! The crew had been very nice and told us many facts about the seacreatures living around madeira and answered every question patiently and kind. After about 15min we found the first of many dolphins. The crew never "hunted" them but let them come to us instead. Some of them came really close to the speedboat, so I'm very happy we booked that trip and not the catamaran trip instead. We found many common dolphins and some spotted dolphins. I had a feeling that the crew loves what they are doing and on the same time shows much respect to the animals. I would definitely book another trip!
  • Evgeny B
    Evgeny B
    0
    0
    Exciting and interesting
    Nice and friendly crew, interesting and competent explanations. These guys do love sea creatures:) We enjoyed a lot
  • NorthExplorers
    NorthExplorers
    0
    0
    Excellent Value.
    We did the two hour trip yesterday on the Rib. Saw so many dolphins and a sperm whale. The staff were so passionate about the sea life and informative throughout the trip. Worth doing the trip and would recommend.
  • Q5077KSadamc
    Q5077KSadamc
    0
    0
    100% satisfied
    The guides were very kind and friendly. We've seen 3 kind of dolphins and a whale. Used the speedboat which is fun as well. I can fully recommend this company. It is also a bit cheaper than competition.
  • 759jitkal
    759jitkal
    0
    0
    Great experience
    We took a ride on a speedboat (there was only 8 people within a driver and a biologist on the boat) and saw 2 pods of spotted dolphins, 2 bottlenose dolphins and couple of whales. The driver and the young marine biologist were great and they told us a lot about animals.
  • Claus M
    Claus M
    0
    0
    Great boat trip watching cetaceans
    Excellent trip on a speedboat! But watch out - you will possibly get a bit wet. Great fun for kids and adults...
  • gen262
    gen262
    0
    0
    Great trip
    Booked the RIB boat trip. The booking process online was very easy and the staff very efficient and friendly. We managed to briefly see a small pod of dolphins and a turtle.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions

5.0
136 reviews
Excellent
127
Very good
4
Average
3
Poor
1
Terrible
1

burygirlkeeper
Bury, UK416 contributions
We did not see any whales or turtles which my bf was unhappy about, however we did see two separate groups of different species of dolphin which was good. We picked this company as they claim our guides are marine biologists and they don't throw bait into the sea and the money helps with conservation. We went on a speedboat not a catamaran as catamaran was unavailable when we wanted to go, may be worth paying a little extra for a little longer and including free alcohol.
Written October 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Camelia M
4 contributions
An amazing experience. We were able to see several groups of spotted dolphins. Some of the people on the boat also chose to swim a bit with them. We also saw a beaked whale. There are strict rules: no more than 2 boats can stay next to a dolphin group and no more than 10 minutes, in order not to stress them. Also, you can only stay for few minutes in the water. I strongly recommend this trip.
Written July 26, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Alcofrolic
Glasgow, UK430 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
I booked this trip for my birthday hoping upon all hope I got to see whales (no offence to the cute dolphins) but seeing whales would have been an absolute dream. There were only us and another couple booked on the 9.30am trip which was nice and plenty of room on the speedboat. The driver and marine biologist were great, very friendly and continued to communicate with us. Not far off the shore we were informed there were some Spotted dolphins, the rules are only 2 boats at any time so we waited but I was so pleased that they had these rules and you know that the conservation is priority. One boat moved off and we were able to move closer for a real close up photo opportunity, it didn’t disappoint, they swam around the boat playfully which again was great to see. Another rule is only 10 minutes at a spot so we moved on to leave the dolphins in their own habitat. We sailed for a while round the east coast of the island which had lovely views. Just when I thought the dolphins were the only wildlife we were lucky enough to see we cane upon a family of pilot whales which was perfect. They swam around in their own without being distracted by us being there (we kept enough distance). It was so surreal I burst into tears. I loved the experience and thanks for delivering my birthday dream. 🐳🐬🐋
Written February 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SAust
Melbourne, Australia68 contributions
We did the 2 hour whale spotting trip by speedboat and had the best time. We spotted three different kinds of whales near Funchal in just two hours. The captain & marine biologist on board were both excellent, the boat is comfortable and the trip was a blast. Highly recommended.
Written August 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Melissa nadir
1 contribution
Aug 2021 • Couples
Amazing experience, I recommend 100% !! A wonderful 2 hours trip on a speed boat. The crew was super nice and helpful. Special thanks to the captain, the super drift driver !! We had the chance to see three big groups of dolphins, including babies ! It was magical.
Written August 7, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Thijs M
Santa Cruz, Portugal2 contributions
Sep 2021 • Family
Very nice trip and we saw many folding and also little Wales. The speedboat was a goed choice then we could hardly embrace the animals.
A good boat and very nice and friendly crew. We enjoyed the trip and recommend Oceansee.
Written September 24, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sarah W
Wilberfoss, UK54 contributions
We’ve been on a number of whale and dolphin tours around the world and this trip was up there with the best of them. The staff were great - very knowledgeable and keen to share their knowledge and very respectful of the animals. We saw three different dolphin species (spotted, common and bottlenose) and a rare sighting of 3 juvenile sperm whales frolicking on the surface. The strict laws in Madeira mean the animals are completely respected and it shows. They were totally comfortable and I don’t think the whales even knew we were there! We can totally recommend Oceansee in every aspect of the trip. It didn’t feel like a tourist trip it felt more like an opportunity to join marine biologists in their work. Thank you.
Written June 16, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ocean_see17
Dear Guest (s), Thank You for choosing OceanSee for your dolphin and whale watching tour! We are happy that you were satisfied with your trip. We deeply appreciate you taking the time to write us a review. Hope to see you again! Kind regards, OceanSee team
Written November 5, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Sharonoberg
Kingston-upon-Hull, UK1 contribution
Jun 2018 • Couples
This boat trip did not disappoint. Our guide Alex was very knowledgeable about the island and wild life. We were given life jackets and offered waterproofs (not needed as it was not raining). We saw large groups of spotted dolphins, common dolphins which were alongside our boat (the boat is able to get very close)and a couple of young turtles.
The ride out to sea was fast and fun. A great morning out. Thanks x
Written June 16, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello good afternoon, Thank you very much for your comment and for your evaluation. It is a pleasure for us your satisfaction. Essentially, we cherish respect for both the customers and all the marine species sighted. The comfort and safety of our passengers are our priority. What we aspire to is that they end up traveling satisfied and have memories for life. We hope to have you aboard our boat next time. The OceanSee Team. José Miguel
Written June 17, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

TraveliteNY
NY, NY30 contributions
Knowledgeable, wonderful Captain and co captain! We saw schools of Dolphins! Once in a lifetime opportunity! Ocean see is just wonderful
Written July 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nim
Staines, UK8 contributions
Overall the trip was lovely and the hosts were so nice. We only saw dolphins and the likelihood of seeing turtles and whales is pretty low and even dolphins you only see a few of but in general it’s a smooth ride and nice when/if you do see dolphins.
Written June 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Whale, Dolphin and Turtles Watching provided by Oceansee

Product Overview: Whale, Dolphin and Turtles Watching

Prices From

$55

Number of Reviews

136

Number of Photos

111

Duration

120 minutes