The 7 Sao Miguel Island Dolphin Tours People Actually Book

1.From Ponta Delgada: Whale and Dolphin Watching Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 4,109 reviews · 3 hours · from $82Our pick

Spend three hours off São Miguel searching for whales and dolphins with Futurismo Azores Whale Watching. A marine biologist explains local species, safety, and respectful viewing. Choose a steadier catamaran or an exciting Zodiac, with a second trip offered if no animals are seen.

“The tour was amazing. Because I captain decided not to stop at the dolphins we got the chance to see a curious sperm whale up close all by ourselves. The male came to about half a meter to our boat and looked at us curiously. What a thrill. After that we saw two more sperm whales, one sei whale, Atlantic spotted dolphins and common dolphins.”

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2.São Miguel: Swim with Wild Dolphins in the Open Ocean

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 369 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $176

Join a small group of up to eight at Marina Pêro de Teive for a 2.5-hour open-ocean trip with Picos de Aventura. After a safety briefing, trained guides such as Ines, Veri, and Fatima have helped visitors spot dolphins, enter the water in pairs, and enjoy several brief swims near wild pods.

“The tour was amazing, maybe once in a lufetime experience. Ines, the guide, gave us lots of info about the dolphins we saw. we felt safe at all times and amazed by mother nature. Also, it was the first all girls crew I had the priviledge to sail with. Kudos to you, ladies!”

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3.Terceira: Whale and Dolphin Watching in a Zodiac Boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 230 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $82

Set out from Angra do Heroísmo in a fast zodiac with a skipper, marine-life guide, and radio help from a spotter on Monte Brasil. Look for dolphins, sperm whales, and other cetaceans while learning about their behavior. The tour costs $82 and runs about 2.5 hours.

“It was awesome. Guide was friendly and informative and we saw sperm whales and lots of dolphins! We would def do this again”

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4.Terceira: Half-Day Dolphin and Whale Watching Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 219 reviews · 3 hours · from $70Best value

Set out from Angra do Heroísmo for three hours of whale and dolphin watching with Picos de Aventura. Guides such as Luis, João, Joanna, and Francisco explain cetaceans and safe viewing practices while you search for up to 27 species. Sightings can include sperm whales, dolphins, turtles, and seabirds.

“Marvellous Tour with Luis as our guide. We saw lots of different dolphin species. Behavior was respectful towards the animals. And don't miss the speedboat curves and turns, it is just fun! Thanks for this beautiful experience with Picos de Aventura.”

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5.Azores: Swim with Dolphins Atlantic Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 29 reviews · 3 hours · from $136

Meet Terra Azul at Vila Franca do Campo for a three-hour outing with a biologist or naturalist guide, skipper, and small group of up to 10. After a safety briefing, you may swim with wild dolphins in open water, then snorkel near the coast and Vila Franca islet.

“Ha sido genial, hemos visto delfines en varias ocasiones y hemos nadado con ellos 2 veces. No sabemos inglés y la guía que era española ha tenido la amabilidad de ir traduciendo lo que iba explicando. Tienen muy en cuenta tu seguridad en el mar y por ello te explican bastante previamente. Luego buceamos por el islote unos minutitos. Por poner un pero… estaría bien que pudiésemos nadar más de dos veces con los delfines. Pero por el resto, genial, una experiencia emocionante!!!”

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6.Terceira: Boat Tour and Swimming with Dolphins

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 8 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $147Top rated

Join Water4fun in Angra do Heroísmo for a 1.5-hour boat trip and guided swim with dolphins in their natural habitat. A marine biologist explains dolphin behavior, while a group of up to eight uses provided safety equipment and stays connected to the boat.

“A great experience! Turned up 30 mins early which was a good idea as a bit tricky getting into the provided wetsuit but once ready, went on on the fast boat and very quickly found a pod of common dolphins. We had several opportunities to get into the water and got to see the dolphins passing close by the boat. All felt very safe and really enjoyable see these beautiful animals from the boat and in the water.”

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7.São Miguel: Whale Watching & Wild Dolphins Swimming Full-day

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 6 reviews · 6 hours · from $247

Join Picos de Aventura from Marina Pêro de Teive for morning whale watching and afternoon dolphin swimming. Marine biologists guide both outings, with up to 24 people for whale watching and no more than 8 in the water. Lunch, wetsuit, mask, snorkel, coat, and life vest are included.

“We hebben een geweldige dag gehad. In de ochtend hebben we de whale watching gedaan. We hebben de Sei whale en twee verschillende spermwhales gezien in het gezelschap van een groep spoted dolphins welke met ons mee zwommen en speelde in de golven van de boot. Daarna kregen lunch en konden we op adem komen. S middags zijn we met een select groepje wezen snorkelen met de bottlenose dolphins. Op de terugweg naar de haven werden we nog ingehaald door een vliegende vis.”

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