Whale and Dolphin Watching

The seas around Madeira are the ideal destination for whale and dolphin watching.

The island’s temperate climate makes it one of the best year-round locations for ocean wildlife. Sperm whales, common and bottlenose dolphins are resident in the waters around the island and can be spotted throughout the year – with peak season from March through to September.

North-Atlantic Spotted dolphins can also be spotted throughout the year, but sightings can be down in the winter – they also share the bottlenoses’ gregarious nature and are often seen riding on the bow-wave of boats. You might also see loggerhead and leatherback turtles, blue sharks, storm petrels and Cory’s shearwaters.

Whale tourism is key to the ecology of the Atlantic, helping to support cetacean studies and conservation. In the capable hands of our resident marina biologists, you’ll learn about the natural habitats of the Madeiran populations of Sperm whales, the behavioural patterns of dolphins, and how different cetacean species communicate.