Fast Raft
Fast Raft
5
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Full view

About
Fast Raft Ocean Safaris are a fun and exciting way to explore the beautiful Monterey Bay Sanctuary! Our low to the water boat, Ranger is comfortable and highly maneuverable, offering an incredible perspective of ocean wildlife and beautiful coastal scenery. With a maximum of six passengers, each Eco-Tour is custom designed to the unique desires of our guests.
Monterey, California
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
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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
5.0
594 reviews
Excellent
568
Very good
13
Average
6
Poor
4
Terrible
3
John W
Detroit, MI3 contributions
Sep 2023
On a recent Anniversary trip to the Monterey/SF/Napa area, we booked Fast Raft for a whale watching opportunity. At 33 feet in length, the semi-inflatable boat is a much smaller craft than traditionally seen on such excursions; that said, the group of six guests plus Captain Marina became close colleagues in short order. The relatively smaller dimensions of the boat versus larger vessels should not be considered as a detriment in any way: we were always safe, we were close to the water, and the many forms of marine life (MANY humpback whales, MANY dolphins, sea lions, birds and otters) were frequently just yards away. The experience is slightly more ‘roughing it’ than a 60-foot boat shared with 50 people you just met, but if you can accept that you might get a bit wet (not much at all on our day out), then this is a really great experience. I have been whale watching in Southern Califonia, Alaska, Maui-Lahaina (best positive thoughts for you there!) and now Monterey, and have adventure traveled Europe, Asia, North America and South America… if your day is like ours was, this is a superior experience. Book with confidence!
Written September 26, 2023
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.
Julie F
27 contributions
Oct 2022 • Couples
So fun to get out on the water even though it was a foggy and chilly day: seeing whales, sea lions, otters, and a seal was a magical experience. I took Dramamine 1 hour before and had absolutely zero problems even though I easily get motion sickness. (A fellow traveler did get sick, so if this is a concern or possibility for you, I recommend Dramamine.) Worth the price: lovely small group; and our skillful and delightful Captain Kate was very informative, joyful, and sensitive to be mindful of everyone’s needs.
Written October 22, 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.
CHERI K
PORTLAND7 contributions
Jul 2021 • Solo
We had a such a nice outing with Captain Kate and First Mate Don. Both took the time to tell us about the Whales, the life style and what was happening with all the sea life we encountered. The Fast Raft is so smooth with the ability of the passengers to see very close to the water. The highlight was a large Humpback that did a full body breach out of the water right in front of the boat. If you want to go on a tour with a small group I would highly recommend Fast raft with Captain Kate. I am a repeat customer and plan to take another tour soon.
Written July 23, 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.
F5757CHkens
1 contribution
Jul 2021 • Family
I can not think of a better way of doing some whale watching and just plain getting in some water time. Our guide put us in the right places to see a good number of Humpback whales. The ocean is big and whales are relatively small and they move around so luck is always involved when you go whale watching, but knowing where the luck is usually best takes experience which she seemed to have in double handfuls. She was knowledgeable and happy to share. Make sure to ask her about the whales' names. They are fun. We got lucky and found other critters too. The thing that really sets Fast Raft apart from the others is the boat. We saw a few other whale watching boats while we were out. They were exactly what you might expect. A decent sized fishing boat with a lot of people on board. Plenty of deck space and probably a decent potty too. The Fast Raft is in a whole different world. It's a large(ish) RHIB with seats for 6 and the quietest big outboard motors I've ever heard. You could practically touch water by kneeling down and reaching over the side. I don't think that there's any experience like it short of being a marine bio grad student doing field research in a little bitty rubber duck boat. If the ocean intimidates you, pick a big boat. If you want to feel the ocean and be right down there with the critters, spend the money on Fast Raft. It's worth every penny and then some.
Written July 12, 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.
Rob F
Michigan8 contributions
Jun 2022
This was an incredible experience with Kate leading our trip. She is so knowledgeable and kind. I would definitely recommend this for people who want a more exciting experience with viewing ocean animals. We saw humpback whales, Rizzo dolphins, sea lions, seals, pacific loons, terns, cormorants, and a friendly group of common dolphins (who put on a SeaWorld show for our group), and many other birds. I especially loved that it was a small group tour experience. Spectacular!
Written June 20, 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.
judith_bellaiche
Kilchberg, Switzerland26 contributions
Oct 2022 • Family
This whalewatching trip was just stunning. It is pricey, but worth every cent, so if one can save any money to spend on this, do it. Skipper Kate is very professional and knowledgeable, too. With her speedy raft, she is able to move quickly and adapt the route to whereever whales were reported. She is also well connected to other operators and thus always on top of things. The raft itself is very comfortable and accomodates only six passengers which gives everybody a great view on the spectacle. This really makes a difference to the other large boats with crammed with people. If there is one thing you do in the Montere region, make it this one.
Written October 22, 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.
James
Frome, UK11 contributions
Oct 2022 • Family
Wow, what an afternoon. Joey delivered and then some, well done. Covered maybe 20 humpbacks one breaching around the boat for 30 minutes, epic afternoon, felt like David Attenborough!! Joey had a lovely pace in communication and clearly still holds both enthusiasm and professionalism in his duty as guide and captian. An intimate experience only 6 passengers max and tailored to your groups wants, certainly didn't need the binoculars as everything was so close up.
Written October 15, 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.
Cathy8312014
Santa Cruz, CA4 contributions
Oct 2021
Fast raft with Capt. Lisa and Don the naturalist/birder was a highlight like no other. The ability to respond quickly and with agility in spotting whales, several types of dolphins, sea lions and the myriad of birds was awesome!
Just being on the ocean and in such a special craft is spectacular. On top of all of the sightings, we felt safe and acknowledged for being stewards of the sea. Many thanks for offering this opportunity and high recommend it to all interested in experiences close and personal 5-10 miles out in the Monterey Bay....
Cathy Stefanki
Just being on the ocean and in such a special craft is spectacular. On top of all of the sightings, we felt safe and acknowledged for being stewards of the sea. Many thanks for offering this opportunity and high recommend it to all interested in experiences close and personal 5-10 miles out in the Monterey Bay....
Cathy Stefanki
Written October 15, 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.
Bubblebart
Christchurch, UK101 contributions
Apr 2023 • Family
We were extremely lucky with the weather and the sightings, especially considering the weather all winter, but it was glorious.
The sun was shining, the sea was calm, a beautiful morning.
Whilst out we saw a pod of orca fresh after a kill, probably a seal, so they were toying with their prey as well as enjoying giving us the run around a little. But in the expert hands of Don the owner and Lisa the skipper we had many a fantastic view.
Then we pootled about the bay a bit and found another four hump backs along with seals and bird life a plenty. Amazing day!
I deliberately picked fastraft for the rib, great views for all passengers, no pushing and shoving at the handrail, and less bad for those in my party who get a bit sea sick - not a problem today though. The max no. of passengers of 6 means personal attention, easy earshot of the commentary and a guaranteed seat.
The team are friendly, informative and respectful of the wildlife and other boats.
This was our 2nd attempt to sail with fastraft, the previous being cancelled due to the pandemic - all refunded without bother.
Can't recommend these guys enough. Thoroughly enjoyable life experience.
The sun was shining, the sea was calm, a beautiful morning.
Whilst out we saw a pod of orca fresh after a kill, probably a seal, so they were toying with their prey as well as enjoying giving us the run around a little. But in the expert hands of Don the owner and Lisa the skipper we had many a fantastic view.
Then we pootled about the bay a bit and found another four hump backs along with seals and bird life a plenty. Amazing day!
I deliberately picked fastraft for the rib, great views for all passengers, no pushing and shoving at the handrail, and less bad for those in my party who get a bit sea sick - not a problem today though. The max no. of passengers of 6 means personal attention, easy earshot of the commentary and a guaranteed seat.
The team are friendly, informative and respectful of the wildlife and other boats.
This was our 2nd attempt to sail with fastraft, the previous being cancelled due to the pandemic - all refunded without bother.
Can't recommend these guys enough. Thoroughly enjoyable life experience.
Written April 15, 2023
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.
Murali S
Antwerp, Belgium173 contributions
Oct 2022
Sensational whale watching trip. Fast raft only has 6 people per boat so it feels like a private boat trip. the captain is always attentive to the needs of his/her clients.
we went at peak humpback whale season. Fast raft posts their sightings on facebook, so if its possible visit when the season is peaking. they are also very responsive on email and offer great advice on when to visit and how to prepare for the trip. the boat was extremely comfortable and spacious and fast, with not even a hint of seasickness but we came pre-medicated!
the sightings were straight out of a nat geo documentary. we started seeing whales within a few minutes of leaving moss landing. the monterey bay is simply spectacular for its sightings. we probably saw around 50 humpback whales in our 3 hour trip. in addition, we spent nearly 30 min with a big group of Rissos dolphins. And we saw 100s of sealions, many of them jumping out of the water and having fun. we observed humpback whales surface feeding (coming out of the water with their mouths opens), breaching (jumping out of water), playing with each other and feeding and swimming. it was incredible to see so many whales in all directions. usually, on whale watching trips you see a few whales from afar but here you were spoilt for choice on which whales you wanted to spend time with. our captain was constantly communicating with other boats and then decided where to stop for sightings. because of the abundance of sightings, there were just a boat or two along with us.
overall, our best whale watching experience ever and i am so excited to go back many times to see gray whales, orcas, sharks and other sea mammals with them.
we went at peak humpback whale season. Fast raft posts their sightings on facebook, so if its possible visit when the season is peaking. they are also very responsive on email and offer great advice on when to visit and how to prepare for the trip. the boat was extremely comfortable and spacious and fast, with not even a hint of seasickness but we came pre-medicated!
the sightings were straight out of a nat geo documentary. we started seeing whales within a few minutes of leaving moss landing. the monterey bay is simply spectacular for its sightings. we probably saw around 50 humpback whales in our 3 hour trip. in addition, we spent nearly 30 min with a big group of Rissos dolphins. And we saw 100s of sealions, many of them jumping out of the water and having fun. we observed humpback whales surface feeding (coming out of the water with their mouths opens), breaching (jumping out of water), playing with each other and feeding and swimming. it was incredible to see so many whales in all directions. usually, on whale watching trips you see a few whales from afar but here you were spoilt for choice on which whales you wanted to spend time with. our captain was constantly communicating with other boats and then decided where to stop for sightings. because of the abundance of sightings, there were just a boat or two along with us.
overall, our best whale watching experience ever and i am so excited to go back many times to see gray whales, orcas, sharks and other sea mammals with them.
Written October 5, 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.
francois p
Guichen, France
3 emails since May 1st to cancel my reservation because of COVID19 and ask for a refund ...
Zero answer to date ...
Besides the disappointment of not being able to sail I add the disappointment of the lack of seriousness of this company at this stage.
3 emails depuis le 1er mai pour annuler ma réservation à cause du COVID19 et demander un remboursement ... Zéro réponse à ce jour ... Outre la déception de ne pas pouvoir naviguer j'ajoute celle du manque de sérieux de cette compagnie à ce stade.
Written June 13, 2020
We have unfortunately had to cancel our trip due to the effects of Covid19. We have tried to contact several times over the last week via calling and leaving a voicemail and emails but haven’t heard back from anyone.
Has anyone else had this problem?
Written May 21, 2020
Literally as I had posted this Kate contacted me and this has now been resolved very quickly. Very happy with the outcome and we can’t wait to book up next year as soon as we are able too
Written May 22, 2020
Would this be money well spent in late November ? Any whales to see?
Written July 9, 2019
I think that there are wales all year round. Why don’t you email Kate and ask? She was quick to respond and helpful before I booked.
Written September 23, 2019
My goal is to see blue whales. I've read that late summer is the best time to see them in Monterey. Can you please confirm that and are we talking August or September? Also, do your boats ever specifically seek out blue whales?
Written June 10, 2019
Captain Kate S.
Monterey County, California
Hi Brad,
We always seek out blue whales if they are in the area or if conditions are right. They're amazing to see! Late summer (July, August, September) have traditionally been the most likely times, though with climate disruption they have become much less predictable. Some recent years we've seen them in May or November. If you're planning a trip to Monterey I would still go with late summer. If you're able to do a short-notice visit, watch our Facebook page for posts that we've been seeing them, and then get on board as soon as you can. They may stay for only a couple days or might be findable for a few weeks. It's impossible to know how long they will stay, because they are very particular about only eating krill -- and krill only becomes plentiful when ocean conditions are just right and can literally change overnight.
Written June 10, 2019
We are planning on doing this late July. Would it be best to do the 8:00 AM tour or the one at noon? Thanks
Written March 3, 2019
We went on the afternoon tour and thoroughly enjoyed it. If the morning tour has found whales, the captain has a better idea where the whales might be found in the afternoon. We saw lots of whales and the seas weren't really rough.
Written March 3, 2019
Captain Kate S.
Monterey County, California
Our age limit is 8 and up for 3-hour tours, and 12 and up for All Day Expeditions. The seats are tall and the sides are low, so it's not safe for smaller kids. Children also don't have the stamina to balance and follow safety guidelines for long periods. The larger whale watching boats are set up for all ages. We love sharing the ocean with children, though, and encourage you to bring them when they're old enough. Thank you for asking!
Written July 13, 2021
Does this need to be booked in advance, or can we turn up on the day? Also, is payment via cash or card? Thank you!
Written November 2, 2018
Please book in advance as they only have 6 seats and it’s quite popular despite being more expensive than the other tours. We booked online & paid by CC. Enjoy the whales :)
Written January 3, 2019
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