Lying in the middle of the mystical Atlantic Ocean, the wonderful Azores islands are a permanent home or point of passage for more than a third of the entire world’s whale and dolphin species.
Dive into this lifetime adventure with ancestral creatures where science and emotion come together at their highest level!
This may be the best place on earth to observe these magnificent animals.

Explore, Love & Protect

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Impactful & unforgetable experiences

Get to know why you should book these tours with us

World-class operator

We are internationally certified by WCA as a Responsible Whale Watching operator and are globally renown for defining the standards for this activity.

98% sighting chances

We don’t stop at a 98% sighting success rate. Additional tours will be offered until you see a cetacean

A marine wildlife oasis

Raised from the deepest waters of the Atlantic Ocean, the Azores is the home of big families of Sperm Whales and three dolphin species!

Jaw-dropping moments

Experience face-to-face encounters with astonishing creatures from the deepest waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

Best fleet in the Azores

Experience a once in a lifetime adventure at high speed in our Zodiac boats or great visibility and comfort on our stable catamarans.

Face-to-face encounters with astonashing creatures

Big blue whales, jumping bottlenose dolphins, or breaching humpback whales, each day brings a new surprise and nature is very generous here!

Mysterious underwater world explained

Get to know every detail about the incredible marine wildlife and their hidden secrets thanks to our team of knowledgeable and qualified marine biologists.

Leaders in Whale Watching

1st Whale Watching Company in São Miguel (1990) and largest tour operator in the Azores.

Marine Biologist Guides

95% of our sea tour crew are marine biologists actively involved in scientific research.

Free Cancellations

You’ll receive a full refund if you cancel at least 48 hours in advance

Multicultural Team

Our guides speak several languages, including English, Spanish, French and German.

Investigating the Atlantic for 30 Years

With over 21.000+ cetacean sighting records, we collaborate in investigations for 20+ international universities

What people think about

4.8

5623 reviews

Sarx Bel 22/09/2026

We had an absolutely wonderful experience with Futurismo! The whale and dolphin watching trip was… Read more

Sabrine Petrie 22/09/2026

(Translated by Google) Wonderful trip! Saw a blue whale (very exceptional in September), dolphins,… Read more

Helen Drawbridge 22/09/2026

Very friendly and knowledgeable crew. Took us out a long way to see a female sperm whale and her… Read more

simons ben 22/09/2026

(Translated by Google) Very skilled and enthusiastic guide! Great attention to the well-being of… Read more

Andrew Newbigging 21/09/2026

Helpful staff, nice boat, ran on time. Wet, wavy and no whales but plenty of dolphins and beautiful… Read more

Jamie Crosswell 21/09/2026

An amazing trip! The tour guide was so friendly, helpful and knowledgable. We managed to see so… Read more

Léo Vicente 20/09/2026

Amazing experience with Futurismo! We were lucky enough to see dolphins, which was absolutely… Read more

Marina Galañena 20/09/2026

(Translated by Google) An absolutely magical and unforgettable experience! We were lucky enough to… (Translated by Google) An absolutely magical and unforgettable experience! We were lucky enough to go on a catamaran trip to see dolphins around São Miguel, and we loved it. Seeing these magnificent animals in their natural environment was truly exceptional. The crew was very friendly, professional, and attentive, providing plenty of information throughout the excursion. We particularly appreciated their respectful approach to the animals and the fact that the experience was primarily about discovering marine wildlife. The catamaran was very comfortable, and we were also able to fully enjoy the scenery and the beauty of the ocean. We were accompanied by our 6-month-old baby, and everything went very smoothly. The crew was attentive, and we felt comfortable throughout the entire trip. We 100% recommend this activity if you're visiting São Miguel! A wonderful way to discover the island from a different perspective and leave with incredible memories. (Original) Une expérience absolument magique et inoubliable ! Nous avons eu la chance de partir en catamaran à la découverte des dauphins autour de São Miguel et nous avons adoré cette sortie. Voir ces magnifiques animaux évoluer dans leur environnement naturel était un moment vraiment exceptionnel. L’équipage était très sympathique, professionnel et à l’écoute, avec de nombreuses explications tout au long de l’excursion. Nous avons particulièrement apprécié l’approche respectueuse des animaux et le fait que l’expérience reste avant tout une découverte de la faune marine. Le catamaran était très agréable et nous avons également pu profiter pleinement des paysages et de la beauté de l’océan. Nous étions accompagnés de notre bébé de 6 mois et tout s’est très bien passé. L’équipage a été attentionné et nous nous sommes sentis à l’aise pendant toute la sortie. Une activité que nous recommandons à 100 % si vous êtes de passage à São Miguel ! Une très belle façon de découvrir l’île autrement et de repartir avec des souvenirs incroyables. Read more

Mascha Schreurs 20/09/2026

(Translated by Google) We saw 2 types of whales and 2 types of dolphins. It was a super trip. They… Read more

Jennifer Rausch 19/09/2026

The staff was amazing. Waters were rough. We loved it - others in the group got sick. The staff was… Read more

Kuhhorn Carooo 19/09/2026

The team on Pico is just great, we had an amazing experience! Lynn, the guide, she is extremely… Read more

Patrícia Romeiro 19/09/2026

(Translated by Google) It was an incredible experience! We had the opportunity to see Atlantic… Read more

longgrey R 18/09/2026

(Translated by Google) Fantastic trip of over 3 hours. Saw a great many dolphins and a family of… Read more

J. K. 18/09/2026

(Translated by Google) We were absolutely thrilled with Futurismo! We booked two tours in total –… Read more

J Khiroun 18/09/2026

Fun experience on the zodiac. Saw lots of dolphins. No whales. It wasn't their season I'm guess. It… Read more

Harald Buck 17/09/2026

(Translated by Google) A fantastic whale and dolphin watching tour. The group size was manageable,… Read more

Alexander Pichler 17/09/2026

(Translated by Google) The staff were very friendly and helpful. Unfortunately, we didn't see any… Read more

Melissa Dawn Brown 17/09/2026

Dolphin and whale watching in Ponta Delgada! So… we saw a school of common and a school of… Read more

ariane Girard-lamontagne 17/09/2026

(Translated by Google) Wow, what an adventure! 🐬 From the moment we arrived, we received a warm… (Translated by Google) Wow, what an adventure! 🐬 From the moment we arrived, we received a warm and enthusiastic welcome. We were given some explanations about their approach to animal welfare, as well as small actions we can take to reduce pollution, such as picking up litter. I really loved this initiative and I hope it will encourage others to do more! The pre-departure briefing was clear, especially regarding the fact that it would be rough on the boat… after all, we were in the ocean! We were given raincoats for those who wanted them, as well as a life jacket. At this time of year, our windbreakers were very welcome, as the raincoats would probably have been too hot. In fact, we barely got wet during the entire adventure. Before setting off, we were clearly instructed to raise our hands if we weren't feeling well. On several occasions, they also warned us that the sea would be rough for those prone to seasickness. And what an experience it was! Even the guide was filming because the scene was so impressive: over 200 dolphins were jumping around us! 🐬 A truly magical moment!!! Despite the numerous warnings, some people got seasick. Perhaps they simply didn't realize they didn't tolerate waves well. The team paused the adventure to allow some people to disembark. Some hesitated and ultimately stayed, but didn't seem to enjoy what followed: nausea, vomiting, and even tears… If you're hesitating, don't stay and don't take the risk! 😅 We then continued our journey in search of whales, but unfortunately, we didn't see any. The weather wasn't in our favor, and we had also lost some time. However, we were lucky enough to see some older dolphins, some of whom looked to be around 30 years old. They were larger and had several scars, which was truly impressive to see. The boat was comfortable despite the bumps in the waves. I can confirm one thing: it's a wonderful experience… but yes, it's a bumpy ride! 😂 And the impressive number of dolphins we saw will certainly remain one of the most magical moments of our trip. A truly unforgettable experience! 🐬❤️ (Original) Wow, quelle aventure ! 🐬 Dès notre arrivée, nous avons eu droit à un accueil chaleureux et dynamique. On nous a donné quelques explications sur leur façon de respecter les animaux, ainsi que sur les petits gestes que nous pouvons poser pour réduire la pollution, notamment en ramassant les déchets. J’ai vraiment adoré cette initiative et j’espère que cela encouragera certaines personnes à en faire davantage ! Les explications avant le départ étaient claires, notamment sur le fait que ça allait brasser en bateau… après tout, nous sommes dans l’océan ! Nous avons reçu des imperméables pour ceux qui en voulaient, ainsi qu’une veste de sauvetage. À cette période de l’année, notre coupe-vent a été très apprécié, car l’imperméable aurait probablement été trop chaud. Nous avons d’ailleurs été à peine mouillés pendant toute l’aventure. Avant de partir, on nous a bien expliqué de lever la main si nous ne nous sentions pas bien. À plusieurs reprises, ils nous ont également avertis que la mer allait être agitée pour les personnes qui ont le mal de mer. Et quelle expérience nous avons vécue ! Même la guide filmait tellement la scène était impressionnante : plus de 200 dauphins sautaient autour de nous ! 🐬 Un moment plus que magique !!! Malgré les nombreux avertissements, certaines personnes ont été malades en bateau. Peut-être qu’elles ne savaient tout simplement pas qu’elles toléraient mal les vagues. L’équipe a fait une pause dans l’aventure afin de permettre à certaines personnes de débarquer. Certaines ont hésité et sont finalement restées, mais ne semblaient pas vraiment apprécier la suite : nausées, vomissements et même des pleurs… Si vous hésitez, ne restez pas et ne tentez pas votre chance ! 😅 Nous avons ensuite poursuivi notre route à la recherche des baleines, mais malheureusement, nous n’avons pas pu en voir. La météo n’était pas en notre faveur et nous avions également perdu un peu de temps. Par contre, nous avons eu la chance d’observer de vieux dauphins, dont certains semblaient avoir environ 30 ans. Ils étaient plus gros et portaient plusieurs cicatrices, ce qui était vraiment impressionnant à observer. Le bateau était confortable malgré les impacts des vagues. Je peux vous confirmer une chose : c’est une très belle expérience… mais oui, ça brasse ! 😂 Et cette quantité impressionnante de dauphins que nous avons vue restera certainement l’un des moments les plus magiques de notre voyage. Une expérience tout simplement inoubliable ! 🐬❤️ Read more

Andrea Ahrens 16/09/2026

Many thanks for this afternoon. Especially to Lynn, we feel that you really love what you are doing… Read more

What people think about

more than 15.000 reviews

The whale watch was beyond our expectations. The boat was fast and stable, the crew helpful, friendly, and professional. We saw over a dozen of sperm whales, a pair of fin whales, and a blue whale.

We also did a really excellent walking tour of Ponta Delgada and two excellent jeep tours. All were excellent and were well worth the time and the price. Futurismo delivered 110%.

Richard, USA

Plan your visit

FREQUENT ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the best season to do Whale Watching in the Azores?

All year-round, we have sperm whales and several dolphin species. If you want to see the biggest whales in the world, the best season for whale and dolphin watching in the Azores is Springtime – March to June.
During this time of the year, baleen whales are migrating and passing by our waters. Thus, it is possible to see blue whales, fin whales, and sei whales among others.
The summertime is also ideal to spot pilot whales, beaked whales, or spotted dolphins for example.

How do you locate the whales and dolphins in the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean?

Futurismo has more lookouts than any other tour operator in the Azores so we always know where the animals are. Lookouts are people on the coast looking for cetaceans with binoculars.
Apart from this ancestral method, we can locate the whales and dolphins based on acoustic data thanks to our directional hydrophone which will allow us to hear and record sounds emitted by cetaceans audible to the human ear.

I travel with children and elders, is this activity indicated for familes?

The catamarans are recommended for elders and children under 6 years.

What to wear on a Whale Watching tour?

You can wear comfortable light clothes with a vest in the summertime, and a warmer coat and waterproof raincoat for the wintertime.

Is there anything I need to bring with me for this tour?

Please check the “What to bring” section on each tour program. There you’ll find all the recommendations we have for you, specifically for that program.

What airlines fly to Sao Miguel, Azores?

Flying to São Miguel Island is quite easy and a good deal! There are low-cost companies such as Ryanair offering trips all year round. The easiest way to come, besides direct international flights, is through Lisbon (2h flight) and Porto (2h30 flight). Check the Getting Here page to learn more.

What to do in Sao Miguel when raining?

What is the best season for bird watching in São Miguel island?

Quick Facts

ABOUT SÃO MIGUEL ISLAND

Language

The native language is the Portuguese, although the accent differs from between islands according to the cultural roots of the first settlers on the island.

The Azoreans easily master the English, French and German.

Currency

The currency unit is the EURO (€).

Only banking institutions exchange money, which are open from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm, except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.

The visitor can use credit cards, usually with the establishments that accept them affixed stickers that indicate it.

Transportation

Air: All the islands of the Azores are connected by air, through the operator Sata Regional – Air Açores.

Sea: Maritime connections between all the islands are provided from May to October by the shipping company Atlânticoline, and the islands of Faial, Pico and São Jorge have connections throughout the year by Transmaçor and Expresso do Triângulo.

Land: On all islands there is a network of bus, taxi and rent-a-car services.