Funchal marina

Whale and dolphin watching from Funchal on a catamaran

4.6/5

About 7,900 reviews on GetYourGuide

Three hours from Funchal marina on a big, steady catamaran, looking for dolphins and whales along the coast to Cabo Girão, with a swim stop in summer, from 35 euros. The most-reviewed Madeira trip we compared; sightings likely, not promised.

Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before, with a full refund
Duration: 3 hoursStart times show in the calendar
Live guideEnglish

The trip starts at Seaborn's office in Funchal marina, where you check in 30 minutes before departure and swap your ticket for a boarding card; the operator says the boat leaves on time and a missed sailing is not refunded. Resellers list two sailings a day, at 10:30 and 15:00, each about three hours; your confirmation gives the time. The boat is one of the operator's white sailing catamarans, Sea Born or Sea Born II in the listing's photos, with a shaded deck, front nets to sit on and a bar selling drinks.

From the marina the catamaran heads west along the south coast, past Câmara de Lobos, while the crew look for dolphins, whales and turtles and explain what guests are seeing. The turning point is Cabo Girão, the 580 metre cliff that Visit Madeira, the island's tourist board, calls the highest promontory in Europe. In summer the boat stops beneath it for a swim, with snorkelling gear on board against a cash deposit. Then it sails back to Funchal.

The island's Whale Museum counts 28 species of whale and dolphin confirmed around the archipelago, some present all year, such as the bottlenose dolphin, and some seasonal, such as the common dolphin. Every boat works under a regional law of 2013, Decreto Legislativo Regional 15/2013/M: no chasing, no closer than 50 metres to a whale or dolphin (25 metres to a turtle), no more than 10 minutes in the watching zone for each boat and 40 minutes for all boats together, and no swimming with the animals. That is why the swim stop is away from them.

The operator says it is committed to responsible watching, collects rubbish it finds at sea and cuts single-use plastic. It does not guarantee sightings.

Why this one

On GetYourGuide on 26 October 2026, this trip was rated 4.6 from about 7,900 reviews, from 35 euros: more reviews than any other Madeira activity we compared, and the lowest price of the four Funchal whale trips we compared. A similar catamaran from the same marina (tour 90069) was rated 4.6 from about 1,900 reviews, from 40 euros. A semi-rigid boat run with a marine biologist (tour 160574) was rated 4.6 from about 2,400 reviews, from 48 euros for two and a half hours, and promises a free second trip if you see no whales or dolphins. A luxury catamaran with an open bar (tour 244222) was rated 4.9 from about 3,100 reviews, from 79 euros, and is listed as wheelchair accessible.

Book this one for the lowest price, a big stable deck that suits children and anyone wary of small boats, and a swim in summer. Book the semi-rigid boat if seeing whales matters more than comfort, for its guarantee and faster, closer-to-the-water ride. For an evening sail with the same swim under Cabo Girão and drinks included, see our sunset sail; for a slower trip with a story, the Santa Maria replica tall ship sails from the same waterfront.

Good for

Families who want a steady, roomy boat
Anyone after the cheapest whale trip we list in Funchal
Summer visitors who want whales and a swim in one trip

Not for

Wheelchair users and guests with limited mobility
Anyone who needs a guaranteed sighting
Guests who want food and drinks included

When to go

What the sea off Funchal is like month by month, through the day. Waves and calm days are modelled for the open sea between Funchal and Cabo Girão; water temperature for the same spot; air temperature for the marina at 12:00.

Month	Waves	Calm sea	Water	Air
Jan	1.6 m	43%	20°C	19°C / 16°C
Feb	1.6 m	39%	19°C	18°C / 16°C
Mar	1.9 m	31%	19°C	18°C / 16°C
Apr	1.4 m	57%	20°C	20°C / 18°C
May	1 m	86%	21°C	21°C / 19°C
Jun	0.8 m	93%	22°C	23°C / 21°C
Jul	0.8 m	100%	24°C	25°C / 23°C
Aug	0.9 m	95%	25°C	27°C / 24°C
Sept	1 m	92%	24°C	25°C / 23°C
Oct	1.3 m	72%	24°C	24°C / 22°C
Nov	1.5 m	49%	23°C	22°C / 19°C
Dec	1.6 m	40%	21°C	19°C / 17°C

Waves are the median of each day's highest wave between 10:00 and 18:00 at sea off Funchal; calm sea, the share of days when they stay under 1.5 metres. Sea is the median water temperature at midday. Air temperature is the median at 12:00, with the coldest day in ten after it.

Whales all year; a calm sea in summer

Some whales and dolphins are here all year and others come and go with the seasons, so there is no month without a chance. The sea is the difference: in the four years of data we looked at, the highest waves off Funchal stayed under 1.5 metres on nine days in ten or more from June to September, and on fewer than half the days from November to March. The water is warmest, about 24°C, from August to October.

From our Madeira hotels

Drive times are routed to Funchal marina, where you check in at Seaborn's office. There is no pickup: everyone makes their own way, 30 minutes before departure. From the Barceló Funchal Oldtown it is a 5 minute walk, from Hotel Madeira 9 minutes, and from the Savoy Palace and Reid's Palace about 25 minutes along the seafront.

Barceló Funchal OldtownFunchal4 min by carMake your own way
Hotel MadeiraFunchal4 min by carMake your own way
Reid's Palace, A Belmond HotelFunchal5 min by carMake your own way
Savoy PalaceFunchal5 min by carMake your own way
The Cliff BayFunchal6 min by carMake your own way
VidaMar Resort Hotel MadeiraLido7 min by carMake your own way
Casa Velha do PalheiroSão Gonçalo12 min by carMake your own way
Sentido GalomarCaniço de Baixo15 min by carMake your own way
Estalagem da Ponta do SolPonta do Sol29 min by carMake your own way
Hotel Quinta do FurãoSantana46 min by carMake your own way

The facts

Duration: About 3 hours
Departures: Resellers list 10:30 and 15:00; check in 30 minutes before
Language: English on GetYourGuide; the operator's own listing elsewhere adds Portuguese
Meeting point: Seaborn's office in Funchal marina, where your ticket is swapped for a boarding card
Included: The catamaran cruise and its crew
Not included: Hotel pickup, food and drinks (there is a bar on board), the snorkel gear deposit (cash only)
Swim stop: Summer only, under Cabo Girão
Not allowed: Large bags, coolers, your own drinks, alcohol brought on board, drones, speakers, party groups, unaccompanied minors
Not suitable for: Wheelchair users and people with limited mobility
Cancellation: Free up to 24 hours before; a missed boat is not refunded
Price: From 35 euros on GetYourGuide on 26 October 2026; the calendar shows today's price
Run by: Seaborn Catamaran, Funchal marina

What guests keep saying

Recurring themes in the tour’s reviews, in our words, never quoted.

Praised

A big, steady catamaran that guests rate highly, with room to move about and nets to sit on
Crew who spot the animals and explain what guests are seeing
Good value for three hours at sea, with whales and more than one kind of dolphin on good days

Complaints

A summer swim stop shorter than some expected

The catch

Sightings are likely, not promised
The listing says plainly that dolphin and whale sightings are not guaranteed, and on quiet days the boat finds little. Some species are here all year, so every month gives a chance.
What to do. Book early in your stay so a quiet day leaves room for another trip; if a sighting is essential, book the semi-rigid boat that offers a free second trip.
Time with the animals is short, by law
Madeira's 2013 law allows each boat 10 minutes in the watching zone, no closer than 50 metres, so the boat moves on even when the dolphins are still there.
What to do. Keep your camera ready from the start and stand at the rail when the crew point.
The swim is a summer extra
The swim and snorkel stop under Cabo Girão runs in summer only, and it is a stop on a whale trip rather than a beach session; snorkel gear needs a cash deposit.
What to do. In summer, wear swimwear under your clothes and bring a little cash; for a longer swim with drinks included, choose our sunset sail.
Arrive 30 minutes early
You check in at Seaborn's office in the marina and swap your ticket for a boarding card. The operator says the boat leaves on time and a missed boat is not refunded.
What to do. From central Funchal, walk; from further out, allow for parking or take a taxi to the marina.
The sea is livelier in winter
In the four years of sea data we looked at, the day's highest waves off Funchal reached 1.5 metres on more than half the days from November to March, against fewer than one in ten from June to September.
What to do. Outside summer, bring a layer and take a seasickness remedy beforehand if you need one; the big catamaran is steadier than a small boat.

Questions people ask

Good questions about Whale and dolphin watching from Funchal on a catamaran

Is the Funchal whale and dolphin catamaran worth it?

At 35 euros for three hours on a big, steady boat, with a summer swim under Cabo Girão, yes for most visitors. It was rated 4.6 from about 7,900 reviews on GetYourGuide on 26 October 2026.

Will I see whales or dolphins in Madeira?

Sightings are likely but not guaranteed: 28 species have been confirmed around Madeira, and some, such as the bottlenose dolphin, are present all year. If you want a guarantee, a semi-rigid boat from the same marina offers a free second trip if you see none.

What is the best time of year for whale watching in Madeira?

Whales and dolphins can be seen in any month, but the sea is calmest from June to September, when the highest waves off Funchal stayed under 1.5 metres on nine days in ten in the data we looked at. That is also when the boat stops for a swim.

Is there hotel pickup?

No. You make your own way to Funchal marina and check in at Seaborn's office 30 minutes before departure; central Funchal hotels are a short walk away.

Can I swim with the dolphins?

No. Madeira's law forbids swimming with whales and dolphins; the summer swim stop is under Cabo Girão, away from the animals.

Are food and drinks included?

No. There is a bar on board selling drinks, and you may not bring your own drinks or a cooler.

How close do the boats get to the whales?

No closer than 50 metres, by Madeira's 2013 whale watching law, and each boat may stay in the watching zone for 10 minutes. The animals may choose to come closer.

Whales, on a big catamaran

See dates and prices

If you book through our links we may earn a commission from GetYourGuide. It never affects which experiences we include. Operators cannot pay to be here. · Last checked: October 2026