Madeira Catamaran Tour: Dolphin and Whale Watching

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: 24 hours
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….

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
(617 Ratings)
5 stars
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1 star
Marco
Aug 6, 2025
Dolphins, whales on a fine catamaran with friendly crew - We were DE and fortunate that we were on the catamaran with relatively few people. Free EN urban crew and fine catamaran. Thanks for stretching EN keeping DE with animal welfare and with up to 2 ships at a time for 10 minutes follow the sea animals. We were lucky DE and to have both dolphins by the boat, and to see whales. Nog EN can swim and back to Funchal. All in all a beautiful experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Robertopsrodrigues
Jul 20, 2025
Excellent activity - A tour with family and friends, with an exime organization, having readiness to coordinate everything to the detail before departure. Opportunity to see dolphins and take a fantastic dive in Fajã dos Padres. Recommended!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kris_m
Jul 19, 2025
Great service - We saw the dolphins on the second trip, the operator offered kindly a second trip because we didn’t see them the first time. Great policy!
Review provided by Viator
Johanna_w
Jul 1, 2025
Expectations fully met - Price/performance fits! We saw a lot of dolphins and were able to go swimming at a bathing spot, as promised, from the catamaran. We had our 3.5-year-old son with us, who was also not bored during the 3-hour tour and was thrilled.
Review provided by Viator
Trent_s
Jul 31, 2025
Fun boat ride, not fun whale/dolphin search - It is more of a catamaran cruise than a dolphin and whale watching. It’s fun to be on the water, but don’t expect any education or real focus on finding the animals.
Review provided by Viator
Melissa_b
Jun 30, 2025
Too Packed - Boat had wayyyyy too many people on it so you didn’t have the opportunity to walk around. Unfortunately because it was so packed we were sat at a bench next to the ash tray and smelled cigarette smoke for 3 hours straight (we are not smokers). On a more positive note, we did get to see dolphins which was cool. The swimming stop was nice and the drinks on board were affordable to purchase. Would not recommend nor would I do again.
Review provided by Viator
Laurarm9551ig
Aug 4, 2025
Idea to make the ride more sensible - The catamaran doesn't go too far DA Funchal because at one point it turns towards the coast to give customers a bath. I suggest total cetacean sighting trip without snorkeling (that you can't see anything anyway) because the sense of the three hours for travelers is essentially to spot as many animals as possible. I bathe from the coast.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Charfou2017
Jul 17, 2025
Nothing seen, just a sea ride... - Good frankly well disappointed, we saw nothing no whale, dolphin, just one more sea tour and a 15min swim in the sea for those who wanted it, so yes he offers to offer you graciously a second visit but you still have to devote 3h what, for my part no thank you there are many other beautiful things to see here. but good 40€ it's expensive so for 3h sea walk. Not convinced for my part.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
R33cespieces
Jun 23, 2025
More of a coastal cruise than about finding wildlife - I would describe this trip more as a gentle costal cruise than a whale and dolphin watching experience. The boat we went on was not the small catamaran pictured as other reviewers have also said. We spent 1 hour slowly moving out into open water where we saw dolphins which was great but after ten minutes watching them (which is regulation) it was clear the hunt for any more wildlife was now over as we then diverted straight to the “swimming point” After being there for 15 mins we then did a slow journey back along the coast line where many passengers were clearly bored and on their phones. As a whale /dolphin watching experience I would have expected most of the trip to be about looking for them (I understand they can’t predict a wild animals location, but they we did not search at all where other boats spent more time out in the open water) I would also have expected some explanations from the tour guide about the animals but there was none of this. I’m happy we saw dolphins but overall a disappointing experience incorrectly advertised. .
Review provided by Tripadvisor
K5742bulucyw
Jul 14, 2025
Cash grabbing company - Worst trip ever. They give you a guarantee to see the dolphins that if you don’t see them then you can go again etc. We didn’t see them and when we got off we went to the ticket box. Due to us flying home tonight, we asked for a partial refund. The ladies response was ‘you’ll have to come back to Madeira’. ‘No refunds, it’s wildlife’. The whole conversation she was smirking and looking for an argument. Waste of -€80 and the “cruise” itself wasn’t a worth anywhere near the money spent. It says swimming included when we didn’t even stop once. We were told the cruise would last 10:30-3:30 but we were off the boats by 1:40pm. Total waste of time and money.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $47
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).