Madeira · DOLPHIN WATCHING
34 reviewed
Bottlenose, common and spotted dolphins all work the Funchal coast year round, usually within half an hour of the marina. Below are the boats that find them: sailing catamarans for a calm deck, RIBs for speed and spray, and the small-group operators that stop for a swim afterwards. Sailing times, group sizes and prices for each.
Silent eco catamaran from Funchal for dolphin and whale spotting, 360 views, plus a Cabo Girão swim stop with hybrid electric engines.
“That was very good! We saw dolphins and pilot whales. The guides were excellent.”
3-hour catamaran from Funchal to Cabo Girão to spot dolphins, whales and turtles, with panoramic views and a swim stop.
“We seen sperm vales and pilot vales. No dolphins though. Overall good”
Luxury catamaran cruise from Funchal for dolphin and whale spotting, plus a swim and snorkel stop at Cabo Girão.
“Amazing!! The 2 guides were the best and made the trip that much better.”
Luxury catamaran whale and dolphin watching in Madeira, with unlimited drinks and a swim by Cabo Girão’s 586m sea cliff.
“You a pay a premium but with only a limited number of people in board makes it so much better & relaxing. Best way to see them without a crowd”
Eco catamaran from Funchal spots dolphins and whales with shore spotters, then cruises past Cabo Girão and Câmara de Lobos.
“The guide was very knowledgeable and shared information about both pilot whales and dolphins. We were fortunate enough to see a family of whales as well as several dolphins.”
Funchal’s dolphin and whale cruise on a luxury catamaran, with a Cabo Girão stop for views and swimming when offered.
“We booked this trip it even realising it was the ‘Celebrity ‘ catamaran, which meant there were only a small number of us on it, 16 in total on ours. Excellent day trip. Staff were friendly and knowledgeable. Free drink of your choice included. We had a relaxing sail and sunbathe, filled by a fantastic show by bottles nose dolphins. We then stopped for a dip in the waters, which were a comfortable 21 degrees. A real experience to treasure. Highly recommend and great value for money.”
Sunset sailing from Funchal for dolphins and whales, a swim at Cabo Girão cliffs, and included drinks, guided by a friendly crew.
“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”
3 hours on a Madeira catamaran chasing dolphins and whales, with a Cabo Girão swim stop and a free second trip if none seen.
“We really enjoyed the trip the staff were very friendly and the drinks on board were reasonably priced the catamaran wasn't overcrowded so room to move around and we saw a pod of spotted dolphins so job done... And time for a swim off the boat at the end”
3-hour Funchal sail for dolphins, whales, sea turtles and snorkeling at Cabo Girão, with drinks and small-crew comfort.
“Very friendly crew, good briefing and instructions, very informative, nice animals, landscape and environment. Recommendation.”
Fast RHIB whale and dolphin watching from Funchal with marine biologists, small groups, and a real chance to swim in Madeira waters.
“Beautiful experience. The guides were very caring and knowledgeable. I had many questions and they answered all of them very kindly. We saw dolphins 💚 and enjoyed a lovely speed boat ride along the cost afterwards. Highly recommended!”
2-hour Madeira speedboat tour for whales and dolphins, with high-odds sightings, clear water, and small groups. Possible dolphin swim.
“We got to see a turtle and a group of dolphins! It was really impressive. 100% recommend! Camilla and Vlad were really good guides! Unfortunately we didn’t see anything else, but that was on the animals. The boat ride was funny, just know that your but probably will hurt after this.”
Whale and dolphin watching by RIB in Calheta, Madeira. Land spotters, live English commentary, small groups, 2 hours.
“We really enjoyed this trip and would definitely do it again next time we're in Madeira. The day we booked for was really bad weather. The guides managed expectations, but still took us out on the boat for 30 minutes to see if we could find any wildlife. We did spot a couple of spotted dolphins, but the guides decided the conditions were not good enough to continue. The office booked us onto the next day without stress and we saw a pod of 30+ bottlenose dolphins which was magical, and common dolphins hunting. The guides are very knowledgeable and I appreciated that this tour didn't disturb the wildlife. We…”
Small-group Madeira yacht tour from Calheta. Swim and snorkel, spot dolphins and possibly whales, with drinks included.
“Communication with the company was excellent. They also sorted out our transfer from Funchal to calgheta. Lovely clean boat. Attentive staff. Didn't see whales or dolphins due to weather but the trip was still excellent. Would recommend the company”
Madeira’s Sea Safari from Funchal finds dolphins and whales with a marine biologist onboard, plus 360 views from a fast speedboat.
“It was amazing seeing the whales. Tour guide was so helpful and fun to talk to”
3-hour Funchal catamaran for dolphins and whales, possible Cabo Girão swim, onboard bar, and a free return trip if no sightings.
“Thank you for the beautiful trip. We enjoyed the dolphin watching and the swimming in the sea. Our last day was well spent.”
