Dolphin and Whale Watching Catamaran Cruise from Funchal
4.3
544 Ratings
Funchal

Commence a soothing journey along the southern coast of Madeira aboard our cozy catamarans. This trip offers you the opportunity to observe dolphins, whales and sometimes turtles. In the summer season, if weather and sea conditions permit, you might even have the chance to take a dip in the pristine waters beneath the Cabo Girão sea cliff.

Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights

Experience a 3-hour trip by catamaran along the south coast of Madeira Island. We depart from Funchal Marina, giving a quick briefing about the trip and safety matters on board. The crew then starts their search for dolphins and whales, and any other marine wildlife, using binoculars equipped with a compass, doing their best with their experienced eyes. During the summer months, there is the possibility to swim in the crystal clear waters below Cabo Girão if the conditions are good, one of the highest sea cliffs in the world at 580m (1903 ft) in altitude.

During the trip, our qualified crew will give you detailed information about the species of cetaceans you are seeing as well as other technical and historic information to ensure a complete and unique experience.

Since we are dealing with wildlife, there are times that you could end up the trip with no sightings. In the event of no sightings of cetaceans (dolphins or whales), you will be offered with a complimentary trip to go again on an alternative occasion (valid for 1 year since travel date).

Points of Interest

  • Praça do Povo
What's Included
  • 3-hour dolphin and whale watching tour
  • Friendly and knowledgeable guide
What's Not Included
  • Food and drinks
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
Additional Information
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • We always recommend to bring: Sunscreen and windbreaker. For the summer months you could add a towel and bathing suit.
  • In the event you did not see any cetaceans, you will be offered the same trip again on an alternative occasion (valid for 1 year)
  • Swimming is subject to favorable weather and sea conditions
Location
Praça do Povo
Avenida Do Mar
VMT Madeira Kiosk - Funchal Marina. Check-In: 30 minutes before departure
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.3
(544 Ratings)
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Ulrike_k
May 30, 2024
Manta Cata Tours - The trip was a blessing, we saw orcas, dolphins and on the way back to the coast ., a manta ray approached the catamaran, wich is not happening very often on the coasts of Madeira. Captain and team are a perfect match and they did a great job. I would do the trip again, right away. Thanks for everything and stay calm with the crazy tourists. Muito obrigado Thanks a lot villmols Merci Dankeschön
Review provided by Viator
Climber32070582941
May 26, 2024
Friendly crew - Friendly crew, plenty of time to look for the dolphins. Saw many dolphins! Possibility to take a swim and see the coast.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Chrispb2892rx
May 23, 2024
Great trip out - This company are superb, they always try their very best to get you on spot with the Whales and Dolphins, they are very knowledgeable and the boats are very well equipped and safe. Proficient crews and just really nice folk - Highly recommended without question
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gordonwalsh
Apr 14, 2024
Half day dolphin spotting - Great little trip out with the family. Make sure you get to the front of the boat, worth getting there early. Kids loved it
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Stacee_h
Mar 29, 2024
Dolphin watching - Boat ride was lovely. Saw some dolphins. We visited in March and recommend layers and windbreaker/coats because it does get a bit chilly. We were lucky enough to get spots up front which I would also highly recommend!
Review provided by Viator
Sue_m
Mar 24, 2024
Fabulous catamaran trip - Fabulous catamaran trip so wonderful to Bottle nose dolphins in the in the wild they also took us to Cabo Girao & stopped to have a swim too
Review provided by Viator
Fayeb144
May 26, 2024
Nice crew, dolphins & swimmimg - The crew were friendly, we got to see two species of dolphins but unfortunately no whales. They made a surprise swim spot which I was really pleased about.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cruiser31835067045
May 26, 2024
Killer whales en too much alcohol - On our trip we saw a family of Orcas (killer whales) after 1.5 hours of sailing. Was nice After that, the crew lost interest in spotting more whales or dolphins. There was one man on board who had drunk too much alcohol It was clearly visible that he had consumed too much alcohol, but sales to him were not stopped. He was always sold a new glass of beer, which was a shame
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Northstar14454911554
Apr 17, 2024
15 minutes dolphin watching, 20 minutes swimming, 2 hours 25 minutes drive - We were really looking forward to this tour (my companion loves dolphins). The trip was scheduled for 3 hours. As a reminder: it is called a "dolphin and whale watching boat tour on a catamaran from Funchal". We were told right at the start that we were only allowed to stay in the area where there might be dolphins for a short time. We initially drove east for about 40 minutes. When we saw a few smaller dolphins, the journey slowed down and everyone on board was able to take up position. After about 15 minutes, the catamaran turned and the trip continued west for about 65 minutes. Always close to the coast. We anchored in a cordoned-off area near the beach. Anyone who wanted to could then swim around the boat at a maximum distance of 10 m. After about 20 minutes, everyone had to go back on board to start the return journey. This lasted about 40 minutes. All in all, we spent 15 minutes sightseeing, 20 minutes swimming and 145 minutes driving. Very disappointing.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
T0art
Apr 24, 2024
Disappointing - 3 hours, had the impression that no attempt was made to find dolphins. We were only near the coast. As promised, swimming was offered and only a few people took advantage of it. Instead of the announced 10 minutes, it lasted almost 30 minutes. 90% of the participants had to wait. All in all, very disappointing.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 15 guests
1 Adult
June 2024
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