Amazing whale Watching in Faial – Azores
If you are wondering whether whale watching in Faial is worth it, let me tell you, it is. I have been whale watching multiple times in Pico and São Miguel, and this year, I decided to try and go whale watching in Faial, and it was one of my best experiences overall.
I couldn’t believe how much we were seeing and, most of all, how close the whales were to us. We have even seen sperm whales, which are usually very shy, hanging out near our boat for such a long time.
So much so that our tour lasted 4 hours instead of the usual 3. And I appreciated the enthusiasm of the guide and the captain, who were not so strict with time and let us stay there for longer admiring these graceful creatures.
So in this post, I will tell you all about it, where to book, and how whale watching in Faial is organized.
Whale watching in Faial: best time to go
Whale watching in Faial and in the Azores overal is possible all year round, but the best season for whale watching is the summer because you get more chances to have relatively calm sea and good weather.
I traveled to the Azores twice. In 2023 it was April and May, but in 2024 I was there from April to July so I have experienced the hot season as well, with warm days and blue skys. I realized that the chance of seeing whales and having good weather are much higher during the summer, that is July and August and it was not so crowded as I was expecting.
However, if you are traveling in the summer, make sure you book way in advance so that you have more accomodation options to choose from.
Where to book whale whatching tours in Faial
There are different companies that offer whale watching so you have a lot of options. I booked with Peter whale watching tours, because it was the first company I checked, just by passing by their shop, It’s located near the iconic Peter’s Cafe Sport in Horta right in front of the Marina.
Please know that this is not a paid partnership; they didn’t pay me to promote them. Also, you should know that I haven’t tried the other tour companies so I cannot compare. I am just excited about the amazing experience I had, and I am happy to share it with you.
One of the reasons I chose this company immediately is that they don’t use the Zodiac but a regular boat, which they don’t even fill up. So you have much space to walk around, and you are not stuck in your seat like in the zodiac.
If you want to compare and check out other companies, they are all located in the marina, by the docks. You can have a walk around and ask information so that you can decide where to book. I don’t think there is need to book in advance, unless you only have one or two days in Faial, in which case I would recommend booking in advance to make sure you find availability.
But also be ready to get cancelled if there is bad weather. If it’s the company to cancel they would give you the money back.
What I loved about Peter’s tour was that they didn’t make us pay until the last minute when they were sure they found whales but also they told us that the sea was pretty rough and we were free to cancel the tour without any cancellation penalty.
The cost was 75 Euro that you can pay in cash or credit card but only once the tour is confirmed.
How the Whale watching tour works in Faial
You meet at the shop during your tour, and you wait for the captain to let the guide know if and where they have seen wildlife activity. The captain receives information from the spotters, who are people scattered around various points of the island with powerful binoculars in charge of looking for whales and dolphins.
During that time, you will receive a brief on the species you may see and about the marine life in the Azores in general.
Once you get the green light, you pay, and off you go to the boat, which is anchored in the marina right in front of the shop. There you will meet the captain and board.
While you leave the marina, your guide will brief you on safety measures on the boat and other important detials. And then the fun begins.
During the tour the guide will tell you what you are seing and will share information on that paarticular species behaviour and you can ask all the questions you want.
I loved this tour with Peter’s tours because besides being in a very comfortable boat, we stayed longer than the scheduled time because we saw a couple of sperm whales that were super friendly and sticked around ofr a long while.
Like our guide told us this was unexpected because sperm whales they are usually very shy and don’t get close to the boat. Not these guys. They were so friendly and super chill, and kept playing around near the boat. It was fascinating to watch.
Although I have to be honest, I was feeling very sick because of the rough sea. The sperm whales were in a location where the sea was particularly rough and the guide asked us if we wanted to go anyway. I was already sick but I couldn’t say no to this. And everybody on the boat agreed to go.
I would do it over again, regardless of how I was feeling. The joy of seeing these graceful animals was definitely bigger than my nausea.
However, there is a trick that you can do to avoid seasickness, and I forgot to listen to my own advice.
Further below this article I will share what you need to bring on a whale watching trip in Faial, on this kind of boat.
At the end of the tour Raquel, our guide, was so kind to send us the photo and video footage she took during the trip, including an underwater footage that she took which you can see in my YouTube Video.
What to bring for a whale-watching tour on a regular boat
I have specified that’s a regular boat because if you are on a Zodiac you may need a different packing list. On a boat like the one we used, we were very comfortable, and we could pack what we wanted because of the abundance of space we had. Also the stuff was safe because we were repaired from water sprinkless and we had a roof on our head in case of rain.
So I would say, dress comfortably. A T-shirt or tank top is ok, but bring a rain jacket just in case. A sunscreen is always a good idea, also because when the boat is not moving you can go in front for a better view where there is no shade.
For seasickness, I usually wear a specific wristband that creates pressure on the wrist. This method is based on acupuncture pressure points. It works, but you need to wear the bracelets at least three hours before. That is why it didn’t work this time for me, because I forgot to wear them before boarding.
You can bring your camera and if you have more then one as they are safe on the boat.
Whale watching in Pico or Sao Jorge is different because you have many more options and you can check out my other blog on whale watching in the Azores where I talk about it.
Other than that, enjoy the tour!!
More pictures of the Whale watching tour in Faial
