14 independent reviews for Blue whale watching in the Azores, Pico Island
Reviews for Blue whale watching in the Azores, Pico Island
John Forster review 2 Jun 2024
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Seeing the whales and dolphins.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Make sure you have adequate clothing on the boat, as it was cold and wet at times.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent.Rosemary Evans review 25 May 2024
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Beautiful islands and of course seeing the whales and dolphins2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Pack plenty of warm clothes, I didn't really have enough. It's not a glamour holiday!3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
I think the tour operator where very good and environmental as much as possible. Hopefully the tourism is beneficial to the islands.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
10/10 definitely!Pat Pitt review 15 May 2024
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
30 striped dolphins jumping out of the water parallel to the boat2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Boat is very bumpy, do not go with bad back. Do not expect whales to leap out next to the boat like wildlife documentaries, you usually just see their backs!3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Definitely helped local people as boat skippers, restaurant staff, shop people all had employment. We all flew to the Azores so carbon footprint was high. Good to educate visitors about cetaceans but there were 5 or 6 boats around the whales sometimes and we felt that made them dive. The host company seemed to be the only company to go away if too many boats.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Had great time. Lyn and Russel were excellent knowledgeable guides. Pico Island was stunning. Boats were fun. But it's rare to see blue whales so this should not be the title of the tour, many people were not happy about that. Also there is no chance to help with research, this is definitely a tourist tour.Read the operator's response here:
Dear Pat,
I am so glad you enjoyed your holiday in the Azores.You mentioned that you did not think the holiday description should include Blue whale. We call the holiday Ocean Giants of the Azores, Blue whales, Fin Whales and Sperm whales. We do not guarantee sightings of Blue Whales, only giving you great opportunities to see them when they migrate pas the islands with best sea conditions. Blue whales were seen by our boat company the day before you arrived and I just had the sightings report for the week after you left and Lynn, the Marine biologist had 2 sightings a few days ago! I am sorry your week was unlucky. Also on our Ocean Giants tours from Sao Miguel Island you will see many reviews published on Responsible Travel from guests who saw Blue whales this year during the time you were on Pico Island as well as breaching humpback whales. It has actually been an exceptional year for sightings!! You had a beautiful encounter with 2 huge Fin whales (the s largest whale) and you saw several giant sperm whales who are resident in the Azores a well as 5 species of dolphin, turtles and other marine life as you mentioned. We've arranged the program so you could take all your prebooked trips to sea and an extra trip. Blue whales are critically endangered so there are less of them than the other species around the Azores. I am so glad the "flying" striped dolphins were so thrilling and hope the memories stay strong, wishing you the very best experiences on future holidays.
Jacki Leighton Boyce review 25 May 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Seeing blue whales!2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Bring some waterproof clothing and sunscreen for the boat trips.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes all of the above.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
I loved it. It was fantastically organised and the team were so informative and friendly.Benedikte Rathmann review 22 May 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The whale watching, but also the kindness of the people of Pico. They have a gentle spirit and are very friendly even though they work long hours.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Go eat fish at the Ritinha restaurant3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
It benefited local people. They explain how tourism has improved their wealth. I guess it also supported conservation. However, I am quite sure the boats must be polluting quite a bit.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
If you had not contacted me, I would have contacted you anyway to thank you for a very well planned trip. I received valuable information without being overloaded. The email that you, Amanda, sent me just before I arrived in Pico with tips on where to eat and whom to contact was so very kind. We have never met, but I have felt so well taken care of all the way. I will definitely consider booking a holiday with you again. Thank you. BenedikteJohn Davies review 18 May 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Seeing the Sperm whales, I think.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
At least two pairs of trainer shoes and trousers, to allow for getting wet if sea rough. Put good skin protection on and re apply; you get reflection off the water.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Benefiting the local economy, absolutely; the additional income for the Island people by tourists visiting to see the wildlife, getting educated about the environmental effect from climate change on individual species, and in the process supporting the specialists involved in research.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Total success; well organized, super specialists, Amanda great with us visitors; already thinking of going again; I have friends who are likely to want to go.Kate Zebidi review 14 May 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
No one particular event ....as Every Day, was a Joy to be out on the water, what ever the conditions. The Mama Finn Whale, seriously shaken her tail in the Surf, was ...1 of the highlights, dreamy encounter with relaxed dolphins, an inquisitive Sei Whale, sun?? encounter, sun bathing lizards, Cory's shearwater at night.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Be prepared for Dynamic & contrasting weather. Sea gear ...is provided & Essential, salt ruins outdoor jackets. Cotton layers & shorts for the afternoons & eves, can get pretty warm. Tis a special location & is Not ritzy & developed the vibe is Maritime & verdant flora on the cliffs. So Bino's & Easy goin & sociable attitude an Asset .... Oh definitely swim wear. As there is A local sea pool & shower facilities.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yup, cetaceans & verdant richness of birds & flora a joy. Cetaceans are the Main economy....So the knock on effect is Cafes & accom demands from Clientele, which provides employment. All 3 , companies practice wot they Preach, planting trees, educating locals & working with schools & offering internships.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
I would like to ....Hope to return, next year for another Azorean Adventure. Nuff Said ....Had No Expectations ....Just Hoped There would be some Magical encounters.Leslie Lanphear review 7 May 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Seeing the whales, and meeting other cetacean enthusiasts!2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Be flexible. You are in the middle of the Atlantic, and on the Azores, the common saying is that you will have 4 seasons in one day. Weather may cause your whale watching trips to be cancelled, but enjoy the rest of the island, and your fellow travelers. Nature cannot be ordered on demand - the surprise is what makes it worthwhile!3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes. We were offered opportunities to interact with locals, and support artists, local winemakers, cetacean scientists, and small businesses - including a whale watching company that clearly is passionate about conservation through science and research.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Best vacation I have had in a long time. I feel sad for my future holidays, as it will be hard to match!Alison Sowerby review 15 May 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The sea life!2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Be prepared for bad weather which can be unpredictable.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
a) yes - very beneficial to local people b) probably not as there are a lot of boats potentially changing animal behaviour c) however, our interest in these creatures means help with conservation and a wider understanding4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Fantastic. A privilege to observe an abundance of sea life.Sandra Burton review 8 May 2022
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Seeing the whales, Hump back, Sperm Whales, Sei whales and Fin Whales.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Be prepared for any kind of weather. It’s very changeable and can go from extremely wet to hot and and sunny in a short space of time3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Supported conservation and benefitted local people4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Absolutely loved itJulie Smith review 14 May 2022
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Exciting - the daily encounter with whales and dolphins are memories I shall carry with me always. Thanks go to the whole team in enabling us to see so many animals each day. Memorable- the trips out to sea were exciting in themselves! Suddenly a call from a spotters tower, or one of us would spot a ‘blow’ from a whale or dolphins playing ahead, or suddenly a whale would be seen surfacing after a long, deep feeding dive that was a chance find and we would rush, bouncing over the waves, to try to share some time with one of these magnificent animals ! Thank you. Memorable- the learning from Rui about whales and dolphins was second to none, from such a wonderfully knowledgeable specialist in his field. Sincere thanks. Memorable - the B&B being part of the local community and once the hosts grandfather’s house. Memorable - my adventures in the hire car on the Island of Pico. Loved the freedom to explore where I wanted and access the hyper-market for a wonderful variety of foods, including Azores cheese and wine.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Take sea sickness prevention with you even if you think you are going to be fine. Pico is a wonderful small island, upholding the importance of Sunday as a day of rest and /or religion. Largely it is to be expected the shops or petrol stations you may see, will not be open on your first day at sea, so make sure you buy water or more provisions if you are self catering.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Undoubtedly it supported a wide variety of local people, the whale/ dolphin team - surely the best in the business, the hotels, B&B, local shops, local places to eat, petrol station. There’s absolutely no question that the knowledge being gathered over years, supports the conservation of the species. Further, those once involved in whale hunting, bring their knowledge to bear in the spotting towers, supporting the recreational relationship with these wonders of the ocean’s4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Absolutely wonderful in every respect. Do itRead the operator's response here:
Dear Julie
Thank you for your review and so glad you had such a wonderful holiday with spectacular sightings and leant alot from the expert guides and whale
researchers. The cost of the holiday contributes to the whale and dolphin conservation work as well as funding the guides and researchers and rewarding
their amazing service.
I am aware you were not so impressed with the restaurants. It is a small Island and they lost a few restaurants due to the pandemic, so things are in a
recovery stage with some aspects of tourism. We are already hearing of new restaurant ventures as numbers of tourists is almost back to pre pandemic
levels! We are working with locals to encourage this "Bounce back "
Wishing you more amazing wildlife holidays in the future and hope the memories of close encouunters at sea with mighty whales will stay with you for a
long time!!
Clare Bates review 9 Jun 2022
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Getting to ride in the RIB (so much fun!) and seeing plenty of whales and dolphins. Sadly didn’t see the big Blue which was the main aim of the trip, we just weren’t in the right place at the right time!2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
I don’t suffer from sea/travel sickness at all but the first trip out on the RIB got me and several others! I would definitely recommend patches/tablets even if you don’t think you’ll need it…you just might! Also for any persons with limited mobility, this trip is doable and still very enjoyable but make sure you’ve arranged assistance at the airports and that the tour company you’re booking with listens to your needs.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, benefits to the local restaurants and shops, it’s not as touristy as Sao Miguel so not as busy/crowded, it’s good to contribute to the smaller places. Really respectful to the whales, some boats were trying to chase or crowd but our guide gave them space and was considerate.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Overall I had a great time and would love to do a similar trip in the future. Very organised with trips and the guide was great, so knowledgable and respectful. Not perfect though…considering the company were informed of my mobility issues at the time of booking and again after, they weren’t really listened to or advice/information offered around suitability. The land based trip wasn’t suitable for a person with limited mobility so I think there should have been some provision for that or an alternative option, even if I’d been able to pay for an extra boat trip instead. I ended up waiting at the coach with the driver until the group returned. Also my hotel room was on the top floor of a building that had no lift so that was an unwelcome struggle as a solo traveller. I would have rated this higher had the above issues not been a problem but that aside, the trip really was great and being part of a small group tour made it better for people on their own, the group got on really well. I’m just gutted that the Blues were there but we were out on the morning trip - they were spotted on the afternoon trip on at least 2 occasions! That’s just the chance you take.Read the operator's response here:
Dear Clare
We are delighted you had such amazing sightings and thanks for a wonderful review. It is very important to us to ensure guests who have mobiity needs are given what they ask for. I am so very sorry this did not happen. Your request for a ground floor room was missed and therefore was not on your accommodation voucher. If you had brought this to our attention we would have certainly arranged this as a priority for you and sincere apologies for the isunderstanding.
Kind regards and wishing you holidays in the future that ensure your accommodation and tours are adapted to suit your needs.
Lilith Hausherr review 11 May 2021
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Seeing a blue whale for the first time in my life - and then for the second time and the third time and so on. Because there is more than one boat trip, you really get the chance to encounter them many times. Some were fluking, one changed direction and came towards the boat - it was absolutly fantastic.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
the weather is crucial for the trips and since it can change quickly - be open and flexible. If you are vegetarians: as most islands, the menus contain lots of fish and other seafood - we can recommend the local restaurants which offer a daily changing vegetarian dish.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Sleeping in the hotel and eating in the restaurants benefits the locals; going with a motor boat on the ocean is not going to reduce environmental impacts, but the skipper and the rest of the team try not to disrupt the animals as good as possible (not going to close, only approaching from behind, not staying to long with the animals) and collect plastic in the ocean when they spot something. Them being able to collect data for scientific studies hopefully helps to conserve the habitat of the whales and dolphins.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
From 1 to 10 we would give it a 12 - it is truly an amazing and breathtaking experience. The partner organization is very helpful and navigated us through all the obstacles due to covid-19. The scientist who acted as our guide is super friendly and he really knows a lot about the whales, the history of the island and patiently answers any question. From his presentations we learned so much about the evolution of the whales and the latest scientific findings and ongoing research.Richard Christie review 19 May 2018
Im not normally inclined to book group holidays because I’m not really the sociable kind although in fulfilling my wife’s long held dream to go Whale Watching I had little choice given how everything is structured. After some research I decided the Azores was the place to go therefore I booked one weeks holiday through Amanda finally settling on Pico Island as the destination. Whale researcher Rui is the man on the ground working full time gathering data about the Azorean whales in order to collaborate with other researchers around the world for the enrichment of wider knowledge. This passionate, hard working, sharing and kind approach sums Rui up to a tee. He is literally the nicest guy you will ever meet and if you ever fancy learning what Rui doesn’t know about whales, forget it because you will discover it to be a minuscule amount of knowledge. His care of our group together with handling the individuals within was a lesson in itself, all very polite, calm and done with caring humour although he ensured any jokes were always on him. Rui’s assistant Maria could be similarly described and was always caring, smiling and super enthusiastic. The 3 hour trips out to sea were truly amazing with many sightings of Blue, Sperm and Fin Whales together with several dolphin and turtle species. There were numerous other creatures to be expertly described by Rui ( the mans knowledge is unbelievable) therefore these trips were simply out of this world and went by like a flash. We were also educated as to the role of the spotters (and were fortunate to meet one spotter) who guided us to the animals, again learning how all this is achieved was a real pleasure. Regarding going out on the boat, I was very worried about getting seasick as I’m not good on the water, however just taking some travel sickness pills sorted that out and I didn’t have any issues at all. Rui also conducted short seminars after the trips recapping on what we had seen and allowing us time to consider and ask questions. These were activities Rui didn’t need to undertake, however his passion and enthusiasm won’t let him pass on the opportunity to share his fascination for these animals and all things nature in general. We had two group meals with Rui, one at the outset and one at the end which again were great company and great food together with more opportunities to ask questions if we wished. Our hotel was the the 4**** luxury upgrade option which occupies a stunning location together with very good accommodation although I would recommend hiring a car for the week as we did, thereby providing a much greater ability to get about the island during the afternoons. We also had a really good island tour which was very informative together with a trip to the lava tubes which again was awesome. Having read the above I’m sure any reader can now understand why I have taken the time to write this appraisal of our holiday, in short it was amazing and my thanks go to everyone involved with putting it all together and Rui & Maria in the azores for their hard working diligent attention to detail in order to ensure everyone had a great time therefore I wouldn’t hesitate to book with you guys again. Regards Richard ChristieHoliday Reviews
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