Portugal · DOLPHIN & WHALE WATCHING IN MADEIRA
The 15 best dolphin & whale watching in Madeira you can book today, with what each costs, how long it runs and who it suits. Number one is top for a reason; start there.
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 $93 luxury catamaran tour, with whale and dolphin watching, Cabo Girão, swimming, unlimited drinks, and small groups.
“Excellent staff very friendly and knowledgeable. Great variety of drinks and snacks. Unfortunately no dolphins or whales!”
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…”
Sail from Funchal on a small luxury catamaran for whales, dolphins, champagne, snacks, and a swim beneath Cabo Girao.
“Fantastic afternoon, well worth doing. The drinks flowed the nibbles we're lovely the staff were Fabulous & couldn't do enough & the dolphins were so amazing.”
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”
Search for Madeira’s dolphins and whales on a spacious catamaran, swim below Cabo Girão, and receive a free second trip if none appear.
“Very professional, also, with current Corona crisis. Great boat with enough space for every one. Very much awareness for environment !”
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”
Search for whales and dolphins from Funchal on a fast small-group boat with marine biologists, land spotters, and a free return trip if needed.
“A fantastic trip. So much more informative than previous similar trips. We thoroughly enjoyed it and would go again and hopefully see different species although we understand there is no guarantee as they are wild animals.”
Review of Madeira’s 2-hour speedboat whale and dolphin tour, with small groups, marine biologist guides, wildlife ethics, and practical tips.
“We had an absolutely incredible time on this whale adventure tour. Seeing whales up close was unforgettable, and the tour guide made the experience even better with her deep knowledge and passion for marine life. She not only shared fascinating information but also took great photos and truly cared about the whales’ well-being. It was a fantastic experience, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone visiting Madeira!”
Review of Calheta’s H2O Madeira whale and dolphin tour, with fast RIB boats, expert guides, wildlife tips, costs, and practical advice.
“Absolutely loved this excursion with my wife and two kids. The guys running the trip were genuinely thrilled at the wildlife and seemed to have an absolute ball, as well as being really knowledgeable about the animals. Their joy was infectious and they had as much fun as we did. We also ran over time as there were more animals to see, so no rush at all to hurry you off the boat. We saw dolphins and whales and had a race with a flying fish- it was quite magical. Very highly recommended!”
Review of Madeira’s 2.5-hour whale and dolphin cruise from Calheta, with small groups, swimming, snorkeling, drinks, and honest wildlife advice.
“It was so good....We did it twice in 3 days! We was so impressed by the Crew and our first trip @16:30 pm. We decided to book another trip @10 am two days later. Two totally different experiences but both of them were so special!!! Emanuel the Captain and Thiago the biologists took us 6 on a magic trip and it felt like a private tour. Both times we did see dolphins - calmly swimming by our boat. It was so quiet and peaceful. Thank you guys for all the effort and love you shared with us. We will be back for a 100 %!”
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.”
Pick a coastline, a cellar or a cave.
