The 15 Boat Tours in Madeira That Earn Their Price

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 8,204 reviews · 3 hours · from $41Our pick

Funchal eco catamaran dolphin and whale watching with hybrid-electric quiet sailing, land spotters, and 360° views along Madeira’s south coast.

“Lovely crew on boat. Delighted to see pod of pilot whales …a real treat. Thank you team. Be warned, it’s gets ve dry chilly out there, on way out to observation area. Bring layers!”

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Funchal: Dolphin and Whale Watching Catamaran Cruise

2.Dolphin and Whale Watching Catamaran Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 5,697 reviews · 3 hours · from $41

3 hours off Madeira from Funchal in a stable catamaran, searching for dolphins, whales, turtles, plus Cabo Girão swim time.

“We were lucky to see both dolphins and whales. Staff were great! ,they interacted with everyone, pleasant, friendly and very informative about the sea life.”

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Funchal Bay: Dolphin & Whale Watch Luxury Catamaran Cruise

3.Funchal Bay: Dolphin & Whale Watch Luxury Catamaran Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 2,684 reviews · 3 hours · from $47

3-hour luxury catamaran cruise from Funchal with dolphin and whale spotting, plus a swim and snorkel stop at Cabo Girão.

“Here is the revised version without the part about needing anything: ⸻ My mother and I had an absolutely amazing catamaran trip in Madeira! The skipper was incredibly friendly and made the whole experience unforgettable. He even sang along to the music, which created such a fun and relaxed atmosphere on board. His positive energy really set the tone for the entire trip. The combination of beautiful views, great music, and his fantastic mood made this one of the highlights of our stay in Madeira. It was such a special experience for both of us, and we truly enjoyed every minute. Highly recommended – we would definitely do it again!”

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Funchal: Sunset Sailing Tour

4.Sunset Sailing Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 2,144 reviews · 3 hours · from $58

Funchal sunset sailing in Madeira with unlimited drinks, a swim at Cabo Girão, and real chances to spot dolphins and whales.

“Everything was great! The guide was super nice and chatty, the experience was amazing.”

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Madeira Dolphin and Whale Watching on a Ecological Catamaran

5.Madeira Dolphin and Whale Watching on a Ecological Catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,957 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $42.33

Eco-friendly catamaran whale watching from Funchal with land spotters, hybrid-electric quiet cruising, and scenic passes like Cabo Girão.

“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.”

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Funchal: Dolphin and Whale Watching by Luxury Catamaran

6.Dolphin and Whale Watching by Luxury Catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,709 reviews · 3 hours · from $47

Funchal dolphins and whales on a luxury catamaran to Cabo Girão, with onboard guide, comfort, and a summer swim option.

“Absolutely loved this trip, the chap speaking to us about the wildlife found off the coast was incredibly knowledgeable. Really good value for money. And we saw a group of dolphins up close! You also get a free drink included which was a nice touch. Would definitely go back to this company again!”

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Funchal: Dolphin and Whale Watching Sailing Trip

7.Dolphin and Whale Watching Sailing Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,325 reviews · 3 hours · from $47

3-hour Madeira sailing from Funchal to Cabo Girão for dolphin and whale spotting, swim and snorkel, plus drinks onboard.

“Everything was great! Super relaxing experience! The crew was super nice and accommodating and we saw like twenty dolphins, would recommend this excursion over any other!”

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Madeira: Funchal Sunset Tour by Catamaran

8.Funchal Sunset Tour by Catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 1,200 reviews · 3 hours · from $47

3-hour Funchal catamaran at sunset with dolphins or whales, a warm-water swim at Cabo Girao, and a free second trip option.

“Did this on our first day and honestly one of the best excursions I’ve done I would highly recommend this”

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Funchal: Dolphin and Whale Watching Cruise

9.Dolphin and Whale Watching Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 844 reviews · 2 hours · from $58

Funchal Sea Safari from Magic Dolphin: 2-hour dolphin and whale watching with a marine biologist, small boat, guaranteed sightings.

“Our guide was informative and funny. We had an amazing time watching the spotted dolphins swim by our boat. I’m very grateful for the whole experience and definitely recommend it! 10/10”

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Funchal: Sunset Tour on Traditional Madeiran Boat w/ Drinks

10.Sunset Tour on Traditional Madeiran Boat w/ Drinks

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 767 reviews · 3 hours · from $47Top rated

Sunset on Madeira aboard a traditional boat near Cabo Girão, with drinks and optional swim plus snorkeling gear.

“This sunset boat cruise was absolutely great. Captain Pedro and First Mate Claudio are professional, friendly, and knowledgeable. Drinks were served throughout the cruise and the views from the boat were stunning.”

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Dolphin and Whale Watching Catamaran Cruise from Funchal

11.Dolphin and Whale Watching Catamaran Cruise from Funchal

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 645 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $48.27

Enjoy a 3-hour catamaran cruise from Funchal to spot dolphins and whales, plus possible Cabo Girão swimming, with a free repeat if no cetaceans.

“Lovely Catermeran, not too busy. Plenty of space aboard up or downstairs. Shame the wildlife never showed up but that's nature. Plenty of great scenery on the sail back to port, swimming if you wanted too at a well no beauty spot under the cliffs. Bar sold draught beers €4 a pint & cold/nice flavour. Overall good value excursion.”

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From Calheta: Madeira Whale and Dolphin Watching Boat Tour

12.From Calheta: Madeira Whale and Dolphin Watching Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 573 reviews · 2 hours · from $67

Calheta speedboat whale and dolphin watching in Madeira. Quiet engines, expert crew guidance, and stunning sea views for about 2 hours.

“An unforgettable experience - the boat tour was absolutely amazing, we saw dolphins, whales, a sea turtle and a flying fish. Huge shoutout to the guides: super friendly, knowledgable and clearly passionate about what they do. We felt welcome and well taken care of from the very beginning - highly recommended!”

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Madeira Pirate Ship: 3-Hour Boat Trip

13.Madeira Pirate Ship: 3-Hour Boat Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 528 reviews · 3 hours · from $54

Sail the Santa Maria pirate ship in Madeira. Watch for dolphins and whales near Cabo Girao, swim, then enjoy honey cake and Madeira wine.

“It's a fabulous boat and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves...the Madeira cake and wine and added bonus!”

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Funchal: Whale and Dolphin Watching Speed Boat Tour

14.Whale and Dolphin Watching Speed Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 526 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $56

Fast RIB whale and dolphin tour from Funchal with a marine biologist, land spotters, and small groups. 2.5 hours in Madeira.

“Francisca, Filipe, and the spotter (I can’t remember their name!) were all excellent. We saw a few different species of animals and multiple spottings. Francisca talked us through the animals, about the species, what they looked like, any special features to look out for, and (most importantly) which direction to look at. The team seemed to care about the animals and the ocean - we stopped for a minute to collect a large piece of garbage that was floating. Depending on the animal, some may be further away from the boat and some may get up close. Either way, I recommend trying to watch the animals with your eyes vs…”

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Seaborn Catamaran trips

15.Seaborn Catamaran trips

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 432 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $42.24

3-hour Madeira catamaran from Funchal with Cabo Girao views, an onboard bar, and respectful wildlife watching for dolphins and whales.

“The staff was very friendly and professional, as well as respectful of the ocean wildlife. The boat trip was very pleasant. We saw 2 different species of dolphins and a whale!”

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