Responsible Whale Watching

AZORES
AZORES
Whale watching in the Azores, both by boat and from land, has flourished since
1989, two years after whaling finally came to an end. The waters around the
islands offer an astonishingly wide variety of cetaceans due to the islands’ central
Atlantic position on the mid-Atlantic Ridge and the sheer drop-off close to shore.
Country or region
Portugal, Azores
Location:
Lajes de Pico and Madalena on Pico Island,
Ponta Delgada and Vila Franca do Campo on
Sao Miguel Island, Horta on Faial Island
Best time to visit: J F M A M J J A S O N D
Main species seen:
Sperm whale, common dolphin, bottlenose
dolphin, Risso’s dolphin (year-round)
Blue whale, fin whale, sei whale (in
springtime)
Species occasionally seen:
Types of whale watching on
offer:
Atlantic spotted dolphin, short-finned pilot
whale, striped dolphin (mainly in summer)
Minke whale, humpback whale (in
springtime)
Various beaked whale species, orca, false
killer whale
Mainly half-day trips
© Associacao de Turismo dos Acores
Any concerns?
Added value:
Tourists may visit small watch
towers called “vigias” in the
mountains on the coast
Many operators offer swimming with
dolphins. Please note that WDC does not
encourage people to swim with any species
of cetacean. For more information please see
page 66 of this brochure.
Museu dos Baleeiros (Whalers’ Museum) in
Lajes de Pico
A 3-hour walk for whale watchers includes
the Vigia da Queimada, the whaling museum,
the old whalers’ boat house and the whaling
factory
e Bottlenose dolphin | Looking for whales and dolphins, with Pico Mountain in the background | Sperm whale diving
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