Where to Ride: The 2 Best Dolphin Watching Tours Worldwide

1.Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour and Catamaran Whale & Dolphin Watching

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 53 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $55Our pick

Use a flexible bus pass to see Funchal’s Old Town, market, marina, Lido, Câmara de Lobos, and Pico dos Barcelos, then join a catamaran cruise along Madeira’s coast. An audio guide adds context, while Madeira wine and discounts improve the value. Check in for the boat 30 minutes early.

“Fantastic sunny day with yellow bus. I love it. The bus driver was excellent. The panoramic bus was great.”

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2.Funchal:Hop-on Hop-off Bus & Whale & Dolphin boat Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 41 reviews · 2 days · from $54Best value

Spend two days seeing Madeira from two angles. Use the 48-hour hop-on hop-off bus for Funchal and Câmara de Lobos, then join a VMT catamaran for dolphin and whale watching, coastal views, and a swim and snorkeling stop at Fajã do Cabo Girão. Wine tasting and Bordal Embroideries entry are included.

“communication needs to be clearer, we thought start time referred to start of 48 hours but apparently it was the catamaran, so we nearly missed it. but the catamaran trip was lovely and we saw lots of dolphins close up so that was a bonus”

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