Portugal · BOAT TOURS IN MADEIRA
Every trip has one free day too few. These 15 boat tours in Madeira justify the slot, priced and timed so you can decide in minutes and get back to the fun part.
Cruise Madeira’s coast on a hybrid electric catamaran, spot dolphins and whales, swim near Cabo Girão, and enjoy responsible wildlife viewing.
“Great crew. Friendly, knowledgeable and communicative. They did a good job finding some Sperm whales and Atlantic Spotted dolphins. Boat was comfortable and it was a pleasant 3 hours on the water.”
Search Madeira’s coast for dolphins, whales and turtles, then swim beneath Cabo Girão on a relaxed three-hour catamaran cruise from Funchal.
“Really enjoyable experience. Well organised and all the staff were very friendly and enthusiastic. We did get to see dolphins very close to the boat, which was lovely to experience. The boat is an excellent craft, quite exciting to travel on, especially on the rig at the front. Special thanks to the crew member who taught me how to dive off the boat, he was very patient and explained everything really well.”
Cruise Funchal Bay on a small luxury catamaran, watch for whales and dolphins, then swim beneath the cliffs of Cabo Girão.
“Both staff were absolutely quality, good laugh and a great tour! Saw pilot whales and dolphins at first spot and had a great swim in the beautiful waters! All the best with the new baby captain!”
Review of Madeira’s 3-hour eco catamaran cruise from Funchal, with dolphins, whales, coastal views, practical tips, and honest drawbacks.
“I already did the west side but I did not mind doing it again as it was very enjoyable experience, I am also glad visiting the east side asI always wanted to walk above the clouds not just on airplanes! The views were like a dream come true, Both guides were excellent in describing everything.”
Sail from Funchal on a small luxury catamaran, watch for dolphins and whales, and swim beneath the towering Cabo Girão sea cliff.
“This was excellent. Loved every minute. Really chilled out trip. The guides were amazing, made us feel really welcome and looked after. Made us all feel at home. the boat was spacious and plenty of seats anywhere on the boat or under the canopy in the shade if needed. One free drink and then very inexpensive to buy another £2.50 for a beer. The whole thing was great. The guides did their very best to get us to see the dolphins which were mostly quite a few meters from the boat but we got quite close at one point with 3 swimming directly in front of the boat. Actually the…”
Watch for dolphins and whales, swim beneath Cabo Girão, and sail into a Madeira sunset with drinks included on this relaxed Funchal cruise.
“We had a great time on this cruise. we did not see any wildlife, but the captain did his best to try and find some. it is nature, so nothing can be guaranteed. the sunset was beautiful and the views of the shore and the sea were spectacular. it is a relatively small boat that felt private. it has seating on the outside and a some interior spaces, bathroom included. we did have to take off our shoes while on the boat, not to mark up the deck. they served us unlimited drinks and the staff was very attentive. nice relaxing evening sail.Read more”
Sail from Funchal to Cabo Girão for dolphin and whale watching, a swim, snorkeling, coastal views, and drinks on a small yacht.
“Trip was fun, we have been able to observe dolphins. We had a great swim in the ocean. Our guide Bruno was awesome during whole trip:D Thank You”
Cruise from Funchal at sunset, watch for dolphins and whales, swim below Cabo Girão, and enjoy three calm hours on Madeira’s Atlantic coast.
“Tour guides were very insightful and professional and saw lots of dolphins! Overall definitely recommend going! As well as that loads of photo opportunities etc! 30 minutes before hand is a bit of a stretch but if you want to get the best seats then it is definitely worth it! When going against the waves it can make you feel a bit queasy so If you suffer from travel sickness or sea sickness I’d take some tablets before hand! Going with the waves is perfectly fine though!”
Review of Funchal’s two-hour dolphin and whale cruise, with a marine biologist, small speedboat, wildlife guarantee, and practical tips.
“The fantastic crew took us 9 miles out, just so we could try and catch a glimpse of the beautiful wildlife. A few people were sea sick, however they were well looked after! Exhilarating trip back to shore- lots of fun! Highly recommend as we spotted pods of short finned pilot whales.”
Review of Madeira’s 3-hour catamaran cruise from Funchal, with dolphin and whale watching, Cabo Girão swimming, tips, costs, and caveats.
“Calm boat ride, very comfortable, drinks bar and toilets, saw lots of dolphins and whales, lovely swim to finish.”
See Madeira from the sea on a two-hour speedboat trip with Lobosonda, searching for whales, dolphins, turtles, and other wildlife.
“Great. Unfortunately we did’nt encounter a lot of dolphins.”
Sail Madeira’s coast aboard the Santa Maria replica, with dolphin and whale watching, a Cabo Girao swim stop, honey cake, and Madeira wine.
“A chance to see how sailers of yesterday travelled. The crew were very good and stopped to allow us to see the dolphins that were swimming nearby. You can go for a swim if you want, into warm Atlantic Ocean. Approx 3hours duration that went far too quickly. Very relaxing. Would recommend.”
Review of Madeira’s 2.5-hour whale and dolphin speed boat tour, with marine biologists, small groups, coastline views, and a cetacean guarantee.
“My partner and I had an awesome time on our whale/dolphin watching trip! The crew were very informative, friendly and professional, and we saw quite a few pilot whales which was amazing to see! The other reason this trip was so great is that I didn’t get seasick. If, like me, you tend to get seasick on whale watching trips, I’d highly recommend booking this tour and going by speedboat. It is SO much better than the bigger boats that sway side to side, not to mention faster!”
Cruise Funchal’s coast on the traditional Dragão boat, with drinks, music, swimming at Cabo Girão, and a memorable Madeira sunset.
“We loved our trip on the boat! The guides are very friendly and attentive, even sitting with each group and chatting about our stay and giving local recommendations. The views of the islands coastline were amazing, with a great view of the sunset. We had a somewhat windy day so we decided not to swim. Truly bottomless drinks. Some of us got a bit wet while sitting close to the edge, and we noticed the guides offering a towel and change of clothes. Couldn't recommend it more!”
Review of Seaborn Catamaran in Madeira: whale and dolphin watching, Cabo Girao views, swimming, onboard drinks, price, tips, and drawbacks.
“I got to book this excursion very last minute and thankfully it did not disappoint. We got to see sperm and pilot whales but not dolphins but that’s ok. I was visiting from Miami therefore not seeing dolphins was not a total bust and they can’t control wildlife to say the least so please keep an open mind. If you’re looking for a nice scenic trip with friends/family I definitely recommend this catamaran excursion. The crew was very nice, knowledgeable and I loved how they stopped the catamaran to remove plastic/garbage from the ocean that we saw along the way. Give them a try! You won’t be disappointed :)”
Pick a coastline, a cellar or a cave.
