Baltimore Sea Safari
Baltimore Sea Safari
4.9
8:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Full view
About
Baltimore Sea Safari is a family run boat trip business from Baltimore in West Cork, Ireland, providing coastal sightseeing tours, with whale, dolphin, porpoise, seal and wildlife watching. Our aim is to introduce our passengers to the outstanding beauty of the West Cork coastline, while looking out for the wildlife that may be in the area. The waters off Baltimore offer the perfect environment to see whales, dolphins, porpoise, basking shark, seals and a wide variety of seabirds. We operate in an area of exceptional unspoiled natural beauty within Carbery Hundred Isles, Roaringwater Bay (which is a designated Special Area of Conservation SAC) and the Ilen River, which are home to the most diverse range of sea and bird life to be seen anywhere in Ireland. During our boat trips we provide an informative commentary on the sights of interest, and on the fascinating history of the area and its wildlife. We visit seal colonies on all of our boat trips, and the shallow draft and high manoeuvrability of unique boat allows us to take passengers into sea caves previously used by smugglers and pirates. During all of our boat trips we collect data on the wildlife that we encounter, logging times, numbers, behaviour, positions and take photos for photo ID where ever possible. This data is shared with other agencies, groups and universities to help develop a better understanding of the whales, dolphins, porpoise, basking sharks, seals, ocean sunfish and other wildlife that frequent the waters around the West Cork coastline. We also have an onboard Hydrophone for listening to the sounds of the sea. Even though we have a good record for whale, dolphin and wildlife sightings, they are not guaranteed.
Baltimore, County Cork, Ireland
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Baltimore Sea Safari
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.9
184 reviews
Excellent
171
Very good
11
Average
0
Poor
1
Terrible
1
Emily S
Skibbereen, Ireland1 contribution
May 2024 • Couples
such a lovely experience, we went on the 2 1/2 hours and saw so much wildlife and the bay!
the boat is comfortable and feels safe and there is a screen so the splash is limited.
my tips would be to bring more layers than you think as it can get cold especially after a while offshore & wear lots of spf even if it is overcast !
we saw a minke whale, so many common dolphins including a baby one! and so many seals!
I loved all the ocean facts and local knowledge and you can really tell that Michael respects and appreciates the area and the wildlife too! i think there is a lot of merit in going to see these mammals with someone who is experienced and licensed so that we can experience their beauty without too much disturbance.
i would recommend for anyone coming to Baltimore or even someone like ourselves who are not on holiday its so special to see baltimore and the coast from a different perspective.
the boat is comfortable and feels safe and there is a screen so the splash is limited.
my tips would be to bring more layers than you think as it can get cold especially after a while offshore & wear lots of spf even if it is overcast !
we saw a minke whale, so many common dolphins including a baby one! and so many seals!
I loved all the ocean facts and local knowledge and you can really tell that Michael respects and appreciates the area and the wildlife too! i think there is a lot of merit in going to see these mammals with someone who is experienced and licensed so that we can experience their beauty without too much disturbance.
i would recommend for anyone coming to Baltimore or even someone like ourselves who are not on holiday its so special to see baltimore and the coast from a different perspective.
Written May 16, 2024
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.
margo
Clonmel, Ireland1 contribution
May 2022 • Friends
We are just back from Baltimore, this was really the highlight of our trip. We saw basking sharks, dolphins, puffins and seals. Micheals knowledge of the wildlife and the geology is amazing. It was great value for 2.5 hours and myself and my five friends who were with me would recommend to anyone.
Written May 2, 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.
Venture18243477541 Thanks you for reviewing your Sea Safari boat trip and for the recommendation. It was a pleasure having you aboard on our trip. It's really pleasing to hear that you enjoyed your time out with us and that you got to experience so much great wildlife on your trip.
Hopefully we will see you on a Baltimore Sea safari boat trip again sometime in the future.
Regards,
Mícheál
Written May 6, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mary B
1 contribution
Jun 2022
Having been on the Baltimore Sea Safari trip on Thursday 23rd June I'm happy to say that any misgivings I might have had about heading out to sea in a rib were soon allayed by the very evident competence of our Skipper and guide, Micheal Cottrell.
Micheal's in-depth knowledge of the wildlife which we were able to view at quite a close range was impressive. He was also very careful and considerate about them in his approach.
At each stop along the way, we were treated to interesting historical nuggets of information on how life was lived along this coastline spanning many centuries as well as the geological features of the shoreline.
It was an unforgettable experience and one which I hope to repeat.
Micheal's in-depth knowledge of the wildlife which we were able to view at quite a close range was impressive. He was also very careful and considerate about them in his approach.
At each stop along the way, we were treated to interesting historical nuggets of information on how life was lived along this coastline spanning many centuries as well as the geological features of the shoreline.
It was an unforgettable experience and one which I hope to repeat.
Written June 25, 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.
Fearless641114 We greatly appreciate your review of Baltimore Sea Safari. On all of our boat trips we aim to treat our passengers to the best possible experience that we can deliver, and its great to see that you enjoyed all aspects of your trip.
Thanks again for your kind review and hopefully we may get to see you on a Baltimore Sea Safari again in the future.
Regards,
Mícheál
Written June 26, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Susan M
34 contributions
Jul 2021
I couldn't be more enthusiastic about the amazing experience that we had with Baltimore Sea Safari. We brought our three children with us on the boat.
Michael the owner of the business is very knowledgeable about the history and wildlife of the area. We saw sunfish, dolphins, minke whales and fin whales - Michael even went the extra mile, communicating with the other boats in the area and bringing us out a bit farther to see if he could find whales feeding. The boat ride itself was enjoyable, even without the wildlife, and Michael's stories about the landmarks and pirate raids painted a colourful picture of the area's past.
All this is very reasonably priced - and I have to say that we were elated throughout and afterwards. My children are still saying - 'I can't believe that we saw whales!'
Would wholeheartedly recommend, give this company a go, it's very worthwhile. Wear your coat, it gets cold and wet out on the ocean, even if it's hot on shore. Sunscreen too! Safety precautions are observed and Michael wore a face mask the whole time while on the boat. One item crossed off my bucket list!
Michael the owner of the business is very knowledgeable about the history and wildlife of the area. We saw sunfish, dolphins, minke whales and fin whales - Michael even went the extra mile, communicating with the other boats in the area and bringing us out a bit farther to see if he could find whales feeding. The boat ride itself was enjoyable, even without the wildlife, and Michael's stories about the landmarks and pirate raids painted a colourful picture of the area's past.
All this is very reasonably priced - and I have to say that we were elated throughout and afterwards. My children are still saying - 'I can't believe that we saw whales!'
Would wholeheartedly recommend, give this company a go, it's very worthwhile. Wear your coat, it gets cold and wet out on the ocean, even if it's hot on shore. Sunscreen too! Safety precautions are observed and Michael wore a face mask the whole time while on the boat. One item crossed off my bucket list!
Written July 11, 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.
SusieChopstick Thanks for the amazing review of our Sea Safari boat trip. We set out to deliver a boat trip that has something in it for everyone who travels with us. I am so glad that we managed to deliver a trip full of adventure for you and your family and that you experienced so much of the fantastic wildlife that frequent our coastline.
Thanks again for taking the time to review your trip.
Mícheál
Written July 29, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Martin J
2 contributions
Jul 2022 • Family
A little disappointed not having seen whales BUT amazing experience having seen dolphins and seals in their natural habitat. Also saw spider crabs, urchins, and numerous birds: cormorants, puffins, oyster catchers, sea gulls. Fantastic to see all this wildlife in its natural unspoilt environment. The rib was great because it “immersed” you in the environment, especially when we entered the sea cave. Being on the open water was an experience in itself and contrary to expectations the ride was not rough or wet. The two and half hours spent on the boat was just right. Highly recommend it and Micheal was a fantastic guide with in depth knowledge of the wildlife and the areas history which made the experience that much more enjoyable.
Written July 7, 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.
martinjN3060VO
Thanks for you review of our Sea Safari boat trip. We greatly appreciate your kind words and we are delighted to see you experienced so many great sightings on our trip. Sorry we didn't find some whales for you, but unfortunately there was a long period in June and into July when whale sightings were very scarce all along the coast.
Hopefully we will see you on a Baltimore Sea Safari boat trip again in the future, and that we will deliver on the whale sightings.
Mícheál
Written July 20, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Murt P
Carlow, Ireland2 contributions
Jul 2020 • Couples
My girlfriend and I went on the sea safari on the 25/07/20 and to be honest, having been on similar things abroad and been sorely disappointed we weren't to expectant of seeing anything bar some birds and different coastal erosion features. We were wrong. From the get go our guide (Micháel) was knowledgable and very informative. We got to see many different wild ocean animals with the highlight for me being the dolphins and minke whales engaging on a feeding frenzy. Highly recommend this tour for anyone into their wildlife and for €30 per adult its ridiculously cheap.
Written July 25, 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.
murtp2019 Thanks for taking the time to review our Sea Safari boat trip. It is great to see that you had such an enjoyable time out with us and that you enjoyed all aspects of our Sea Safari experience.
Hopefully we will see you on a Baltimore sea Safari trip again in the future.
regards
Mícheál
Written August 25, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Tobias A
Zurich, Switzerland1 contribution
Apr 2024 • Family
We had decided spontanously to book a whale watching trip with Michéal and were lucky to find free seats for the whole family. He was even kind enough to push the starting time forward because we had a long car journey afterwards. The trip was a great experience and a great success. We saw plenty of dolphins, seals, birds, and even two whales! Michéal has a lot of experience, knows the area like the back of his hand and told us a lot about the animals, geography and history. He adapts the tour flexibly to the current conditions in order to offer guests the best possible experience. We will definitely book a tour with Michéal again when we are in the area.
Written May 3, 2024
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.
CasScotland
Dublin, Ireland33 contributions
Aug 2021
This was just great! We saw three Minke whales and several pods of dolphins, including one where the dolphins were jumping up and splashing on the water to scare the fish. The Atlantic grey seals at the end of the trip were almost an after thought.The weather was perfect and the boatman knew his stuff.
Written September 2, 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.
CasScotland Thanks for reviewing our Baltimore Sea Safari boat trip. Its great that you got to experience so much of the fantastic wildlife that the waters off the West Cork coast are famous for.
Hopefully we will see you on a Sea Safari trip again in the future.
Mícheál
Written September 7, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Pippiphooray
7 contributions
Oct 2020 • Couples
We had an amazing time with Micheal and baltimore sea safari. We had many sightings of humpback and minke whales and tonnes of dolphin. We booked last minute after another tour group annoyingly let us down and Micheal was very helpful and responsive to any questions we had. We were so thankful that baltimore sea safari saved the day and allowed us to accomplish a life long dream to see these amazing whales and at half the cost of the other company. Great value, highly recommended tour!
Written October 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.
Piphiphooray
Thank you so much for reviewing your Sea Safari boat trip with Baltimore Sea Safari. We were delighted to accommodate you on our boat trip. It's so special to be able see these wildlife in their natural habitat, it's even better when you manage to accomplish your life's dream by seeing them. You can happily strike that off the bucket list!
Hopefully we may see you on a Sea Safari boat trip again in the future.
Regards,
Mícheál
Written October 21, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ado R
1 contribution
Jul 2020 • Family
Micheál was an excellent guide. We learned about the local history, lots of nature and anecdotes. Boat is extremely safe & dry. Ireland had just come out of lockdown after Covid 19 & Micheál wore a visor while we wore masks. I saw him wipe his boat down afterwards too. We had plenty of time on the water & at a v.reasonable price. Have been on other trips in this area & this was the best tour we have done. Highly recommend.
Written July 3, 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.
Thank you ador106 for your kind review of our Sea Safari boat trip. We are delighted that you enjoyed our trip so much and that you felt so safe during the trip.
Mícheál
Written July 24, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hello,
I was wondering would it you likely to see whales in the middle of October?
Written January 24, 2020
Baltimore Sea Safari
Baltimore, Ireland
Yes, in October, weather permitting, we would expect to see Minke whales, Fin whales, Common dolphin and Harbour Porpoise, along with Bluefin Tuna and seals.
Written July 24, 2020
Ewh5663
Alexandria, Virginia
Do you operate in late November? If so, what can we expect to see?
Written August 2, 2019
Baltimore Sea Safari
Baltimore, Ireland
We only operate late in November if the weather permits, if we get a prolongued period of bad weather in early November we may call an end to our season and remove our boats from the water.
Written September 11, 2019
Baltimore Sea Safari
Baltimore, Ireland
Our Sea Safari boat trips cost €25 per person.
Written May 19, 2016
Bonjour, je voudrais savoir si juillet est une bonne période pour voir les baleines?
Merci
Written November 23, 2015
Baltimore Sea Safari
Baltimore, Ireland
July is a good time to see Minke whale off Baltimore, we also see Common dolphin and ocean sunfish inshore during July. We visit seal colonies during all of our trips.
The wildlife we that we seek on our boat trips are free living wild animals, and sightings can never be guaranteed, but we have a very good sightings record and the boats locally operate a group sharing of sightings information so the chances of seeing any whales or dolphins that are in the area is very high.
Mícheál
Written May 19, 2016
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.