Dolphin - Whale - Turtle - Bird Watching

Recommended by 94% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Funchal, Portugal

Great choice

20+ bookings last month.

2 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.8

· David_L ·

May 2025

Very good tour. Smaller boat than the large catamaran tours so it's not crowded with lots of other people. Saw plenty of dolphins, whales and a turtle. Tour operators were very good, and would definitely recommend.

· Matt_T ·

Mar 2026

We had a great experience. Not long after setting off we saw one dolphin. We then went further out and was met my a pod of common dolphins who came up to the boat and swam with us. It was a great experience and the guide was very good. I would recommend this experience.

Explore our promoted experiences

Funchal, Madeira

Sunrise by Madeira Surreal and Paradise Valley 3km Hike

from $59

Pico Arieiro To Pico Ruivo / Highest Peak Challenge

Funchal, Madeira

4.5

(55)

Pico Arieiro To Pico Ruivo / Highest Peak Challenge

from $54

Special Offer

Viator earns higher commissions on experiences featured here

Overview

Discover the abundant marine life near Madeira on this fast-paced dolphin and whale-watching tour. You won’t have to worry about wasting time traveling, as you’ll whizz through the water on a speedboat, and cover large distances. Look out for dolphins and whales, while enjoying guide commentary. If you don’t spot any sea life, you’ll get another free trip.

Spot wildlife like dolphins and whales on a sea safari
Your guide provides insights into the local environment
Guaranteed wildlife sightings or your next trip is free
A small group means more attention from your guide

What's Included

Local taxes including
Live commentary on board
Local guide

Drinks
Food and drinks
Lunch
Hotel pickup
Transportation to/from attractions

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Magic Dolphin Praca do Povo, Av. Do Mar, São Martinho, 9000-900 Funchal, Portugal
Please arrive at the Funchal marina 30 minutes before your scheduled departure time. All guests must check in with our friendly staff at our kiosk for a boarding pass. In respect to all of our guests the boat leaves on time. If you miss the boat, you will be not be issued a refund.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Magic Dolphin (Pass By)

Cabo Girao (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Children must be accompanied by an adult
No high heels allowed on tour
Near public transportation

Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 18 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Matt_T

Reviews

4.8

based on 354 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Magic dolphin was really magic

Matt_T, Mar 2026

Really good boat trip

Kirsty_W, Nov 2025

Really good rib boat trip. We saw pilot whales and dolphins. Lots of good knowledge shared by the crew. Really recommend it.

Incredible

Fay_P, Oct 2025

What a fantastic trip, we saw bottle nose dolphins to start which was nice. Then the real excitement began when we saw a sperm whale breach in the distance, our driver sped in that direction and we were lucky enough to see a breach not more than 3m from our boat which was incredible. Next there was a sperm whale swimming basically under our boat, she came up spyhopping to check us out before her calf came over as well, they were so close we could have touched them, it was incredible. The passion and excitement showed by both our captain and the marine biologist was infectious, they were both so knowledgeable and so in awe of these awesome animals 100% would recommend

Highly Recommended!!

Simon_W, Oct 2025

Great trip - good fun on the rib and we saw lots of the Pilot Whales which are native to the area. Great guide, very knowledgeable.

Excellent!

Andrew_R, Jul 2025

Amazing trip! We were lucky enough to see spotted and bottlenose dolphins. A worthwhile experience with an experienced biologist as our guide.

Spotted dolphins!

Clare_K, Jun 2025

pod of spotted dolphins, which came right up close to our boat! I really liked how ethically this tour was done; only a maximum of 2 boats were allowed around the wildlife at any one time, and each boat was only allowed to stay around the animals for a maximum of 10 minutes. Also, the boat we were in didn't go too fast so it wasn't a rough journey. Also. the company said that if we didn't see any wildlife then we would be able to rebook another tour free of charge - which I think is a great idea!

Very good tour. Smaller...

David_L, May 2025

Very good saw plenty...

Linda_H, Apr 2025

Very good saw plenty wildlife and our guide Clara was lovely , friendly and knowledgeable.would recommend

Good but could do better.

Angela_M, Apr 2025

My family did this activity last April 13. The operators are very kind and attentive to our needs. The boat was sturdy and layout of passengers seats are agreeable. We felt safe the whole time. However the activity fell short of expectations as we weren't able to see (and was hoping to see) whales. I understand that there's no assurance so given that fact - I hope they would have a scheme wherein travelers can get the opportunity to have another ride with them for free in perpetuity in case the creatures being marketed/advertised don't show up. This is how an operator from Vancouver Canada does it. That way it's not so disappointing for travelers and there's something to look forward to in the future. It's also a way to encourage tourists to come back (if that's what the city wants). So we didn't see whales BUT we saw dolphins which is GOOD. We saw some birds too but there was no discussion about them at all. Maybe the operators can improve on that since they included birds as things to see in this activity. Lastly I think it's also important that the travelers make their own research about seasons when whales are mostly active in the area so they themselves can make their own assessment if it's worth doing this activity at any particular season.

Response from Host, Apr 2025

Thank you for sharing your detailed feedback about your experience on April 13th. We’re delighted to hear that you found our team kind and attentive, and that you felt safe and comfortable aboard our vessel. Your positive remarks about the boat and seating layout mean a lot to us. We understand your disappointment in not being able to see whales during the activity. While we strive to provide memorable encounters with marine life, sightings of specific species like whales cannot be guaranteed, as they are wild animals in their natural habitat. However, we’re glad you enjoyed seeing dolphins and birds, and we appreciate your suggestion to include more discussion about the birds observed during the activity. This is a valuable idea, and we’ll explore ways to enhance this aspect of the experience. Regarding your suggestion for a free repeat ride, we’d like to highlight that whale-watching activities in places like Vancouver often cost three times as much as what we offer. Our tours are priced at a very reasonable €50, and within just a few hours, you can often see two or more species of wildlife. In case there are no sightings during a tour, we provide the option to repeat the tour for just €10, which we believe is a fair and accessible opportunity for travellers. Regards

We saw the dolphins and whales

Rawan_K, Apr 2025

The biologist and captain were professional and charismatic and cheerful, we had a great time and were lucky enough to see some dolphins and whales! Trip took 2 hours and it’s truly amazing!

Great Trip

Sharon_J, Apr 2025

It was very informative and Clara was very passionate about her job. We managed to see pilot whales, bottle nose dolphins and even o Portuguese man of war! Obviously there is no guarantee of seeing them but just the thrill of being on the waves - it's amazing.

Excellent tour - thoroughly recommend

Kathy_P, Mar 2025

We had an excellent sea safari experience. We saw two pods of pilot whales, grey dolphins and Spotted Atlantic Dolphins which was very unusual for this time of year (sadly nature is getting confused by warmer climates). Great to see these beautiful animals in their natural habitat, and not in a zoo which is so wrong (*their lives are reduced by half in captivity). It’s a RIB boat which is small and fast so can get to the wildlife quicker than the larger vessels. The crew are extremely knowledgeable and very respectful of the wildlife.

Response from Host, Mar 2025

Thank you so much for your thoughtful review! It’s wonderful to hear that you had an excellent sea safari experience and were fortunate enough to see such a diverse array of wildlife—two pods of pilot whales, grey dolphins, and even Spotted Atlantic Dolphins. It’s indeed rare for this time of year, and your observation about the impact of warmer climates on nature is an important point to reflect on. We’re so glad you appreciated seeing these beautiful animals in their natural habitat and share your sentiments about how crucial it is for wildlife to remain free from captivity. Thank you for highlighting the advantages of the RIB boat and the professionalism of our crew. Their respect for wildlife and knowledge is something we take great pride in. We hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure in the future! 😊

Just do it!

Nadine_G, Mar 2025

It was very nice. The crew told us a lot about the animals we saw and were very nice. Boat was nice and the tour was comfortable. Just do it!

Response from Host, Mar 2025

Thank you for your kind review! We're delighted to hear that you had a wonderful and comfortable experience on the tour. It's great to know that the crew provided you with fascinating insights about the animals and made your trip even more enjoyable. We truly appreciate your enthusiastic recommendation and hope to welcome you back for another memorable journey in the future! 😊🐬

Up close with the dolphins

Colin_C, Mar 2025

What a great morning. We chose the speed boat over the catamaran having seen both and we made the right choice. Professional guides get you up close, but not invading the dolphins territory. They came and swam alongside us, not us chasing them. In 2 hours we saw 5 different pods of dolphins and 3 different species. Fantastic day out.

Response from Host, Mar 2025

Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience! We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed the speed boat trip and found it to be the right choice. It's fantastic to know that our professional guides helped you observe the dolphins without disturbing them, and that you had the opportunity to see multiple pods and species. Your kind words and appreciation mean a lot to us. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back for another fantastic day out in the future! Best regards,

Fabulous experience

Andrew_R, Sep 2024

Fabulous experience! Even though it was windy and we got very wet, it was so much fun! Aside from that, Clara, our guide shared interesting information about the bottle nose dolphins that we saw.

Good company.

heinrich_h, Aug 2024

We saw a whale on the distance but nothing else. Several people were unfortunately seasick. The guide was excellent but sadly there were no pods of dolphins.

Response from Host, Aug 2024

Dear Guest, Many thanks for your feed back. Much appreciate your comments. Hopefully we see you again on one of our boats soon to find dolphins. Best regards Umut

Great experience

Maria_G, Jul 2024

Amazing. We only saw one group of dolphins. But they were so close to the boat. We could see their little eyes looking at us.. We loved it.

Excellent Experience

Jamie_B, Jun 2024

Excellent experience. Super friendly and super simple process booking and boarding. With seeing animals it’s always a bit of a gamble. Saw amazing dolphins and even a baby dolphin. Highly recommend.

Amazing!,

julie_p, Jun 2024

Loved every minute! Marine biologist informative and passionate. We saw a shark, common, spotted and striped dolphins and a man o war jellyfish. Best trip to see the marine life up close for sure! We also booked up Magic Dolphin luxury catamaran and a second sealife safari trip during our stay. Both trips amazing!

Worth a visit if in Madeira

Lawrencenewton, May 2024

Very good experience, saw 2 pods of Dolphins and a Portuguese Man O War. Would do again hopefully see some Whales

Wonderful tour

tamar_h, Mar 2024

We hade a lot of waves and that made the excitement bigger We see just a few dolphins and unfortunately didn’t see whales Nevertheless the tour was wonderful

My teen daughter and I...

Danielle_B, Mar 2024

My teen daughter and I absolutely loved this! One of the best experiences we’ve ever had. Our guides were kind and very knowledgeable. We spotted Bottlenose dolphins, Common dolphins, and Pilot whales. The speedboat was so much fun!

Saw the whales

Louis_F, Mar 2024

The sea was thick with pilot whales this day my friends. Natasha the marine biologist was also very enthusiastic and nice! Whales can get very close to the boat and even swam under it. Good way to see marine life.

Fantastic experience

sarajackson139, Mar 2024

We were lucky to see 3 different pods of dolphins during the experience although I would have loved to see a turtle too. A well organised trip, the speedboat was great fun and no sea sickness!

Amazing sights

Paula_B, Jan 2024

Excellent tour and we were lucky enough to see a pod of sperm whales. I can highly recommend! The guides were very knowledgable and gave us plenty of time to see the Whales in their environment.

Bed

Bruno_V, Oct 2023

Bed expirence withot Whale, Tutles, Birds, with some Delphins and long, long drive across Atlantic. Realy disapointed. We lost a lot of time for nothing.

Wow

Jill_H, Sep 2023

Calf pilot whale , bottle nosed dolphins , we saw more than expected 😁 magic dolphin crew fantastic 👍

Tour started of just fine...

Jan_V, Sep 2023

Tour started of just fine with some dolphins and some info about them right outside the harbour. We didn't necessarily expect to see anything else, since you can control the animals but we literally where on the open water for the remainder of two hours without any sightings but most importantly without any further information about the place and animals. Felt like a quick and easy 50 euros.

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Dear Jan, Thank you for sharing you feed back. Our aim is always to provide you, with good professional service for your money worth. Remind you we are the cheapest company on this kind of boat activity. Our trip is for 2 hours and we do our best to find as much as wild life is out there. Some days we are luckier than the others. Personally I think, experiencing watching wild life in wild is priceless. But that is me:) I am glad you were lucky enough to see Dolphins in their natural envouriment. Regards Umut

Sea, Surf and Dolphins!

Fiona_M, Sep 2023

Expert guide, Clara was super. Our skipper weaved back and forth with ease as the dolphins changed direction. Brilliant experience despite cloudy, rainy weather.

What an experience

Peter_W, Aug 2023

Amazing trip on the sea safari. Great fun for all ages and saw dolphins and pilot whales including babies! The catamaran was great too, probably better view of the animals but not as much fun