Be a Marine Biologist for a Day

A day entirely dedicated to leraning and practical experiences in which you will be the star! Under the guidance of our biologists, you will live the day-to-day of a marine biologist working in an area where 29 species were scientifically identified in the last few years.

Thanks to identification techniques and acoustic apparel that capture sounds that are unheard by humans, be a direct correspondent of animal behavior and of its integration within the communities.

Difficulty

Languages

Transport Type

BOAT

Tour Starts

Ponta Delgada

Minimum Age

6 on Zodiacs

Season

Availabe in high season

Transport Type

BOAT

Tour Starts

Ponta Delgada

Languages

Minimum Age

6 on Zodiacs

Season

Availabe in high season

Trip Overview

Share with Darwin, Pasteur, and other known scientists the mysteries of the revelation of life and of nature.

Thanks to identification techniques and acoustic apparel that capture sounds that are unheard by humans, be a direct correspondent of animal behavior and of its integration within the communities.

Be a Marine Biologist for a Day

Price

118€

Duration

Full day

Become Part of Our Team

Contribute to Scientific Investigation

For Whale & Dolphin Lovers

Free Cancellations

Gallery

Itinerary

Harbor of Ponta Delgada +

This great adventure starts at the Marina of Ponta Delgada, in our shop. Our staff will welcome you for the check-in.

At sea +

In this fantastic experience you will enjoy a scientific whale and dolphin watching trip, but not only! Out in the ocean, observe nature at its purest. You will be able to register some of the species you will see during the boat trip thanks to photo identification.
You can also listen to cetacean sounds thanks to our directional hydrophone. It allows us to hear sounds emitted by sperm whales, dolphins, and other toothed cetaceans, audible to the human ear.

In the office +

Once back on land, you will be invited to our biologist’s office. All the data collected out in the ocean will be incorporated into the database. We will inspect what we brought back from the trip.
During this tour, you will learn a lot about the cetaceans of the Azores! You will live a full day with our experienced marine biologist team.
You will learn first-hand how the data collected is being used, understanding the latest research carried out by our team, and why the link between Tourism and Science is essential to enhance conservation efforts. Especially in a unique location like the Azores.

Select your departure

118€ per adult + 7.08€ Online Fee

Why Futurismo

Leaders in Whale-watching

1st whale-watching Company in São Miguel (1990) and largest tour operator in the Azores.

WCA Certified

We are certified by the World Cetacean Alliance (WCA), the world’s largest marine conservation organization.

Marine biologist guides

All our sea tours are operated by experienced Marine Biologists who also participate in scientific investigations.

MORE ABOUT US

118€ per adult + 7.08€ Online Fee

Premier Whale Watching Operator

Experienced. Passionate. Respectful.

WCA Certified

Our ethical tourism practices recognized worldwide

Cetacean Sighting Guaranteed

98% chance of spotting whales or dolphins. Didn’t see any? Join another tour for free

21.000+ Sighting Records

30 yrs of scientific research. Collabs with 20+ universities

Top-notch Vessels

Best and biggest Whale Watching fleet in the Azores

KNOW MORE

100% stays in the local community

20% to local small companies

Full time, year round, employed guides

What people think about

4.9

16 reviews

lukas lang 05/09/2026

(Translated by Google) A very beautiful and exciting whale watching tour. We saw a Bryde's whale… Read more

loekie 21/08/2025

(Translated by Google) We booked the tour: "Be a Marine Biologist for a Day." It was amazing! They… Read more

D. M. 05/08/2025

We did three tours with futurismo (two morning tours by zodiac and the "marine biologist for a day… Read more

Kay Horlacher 30/07/2025

Whale watching and the way they handle it was great. I definitely recommend doing it with them. But… Read more

Cornelia Kirchgatterer 01/11/2024

(Translated by Google) For an extra dose of fun, definitely take the Zodiac tour instead of the… Read more

GravitationPicture 30/10/2024

(Translated by Google) The Azores' "Big Five" Travel Planning and Booking: In May 2024, we… (Translated by Google) The Azores' "Big Five" Travel Planning and Booking: In May 2024, we fulfilled a long-held dream: to experience and photograph whales in their natural habitat. After some research, we came across Futurismo Azores Adventures and were impressed by their diverse range of whale watching tours, both in small Zodiac inflatable boats and on catamarans. Ultimately, we decided to book four Zodiac tours to maximize our chances of seeing whales. Booking was smooth and straightforward via their website – simply select the date and time, pay by credit card, and everything was taken care of. Customer Service: Since the weather in the Azores can be very changeable, we were advised to book the tours on-site. This proved to be a valuable tip, as our first tour had to be postponed due to the weather. Email communication with the Futurismo team was very helpful, and the thoughtful telephone support from a staff member enabled us to reschedule the tour smoothly. The service was first-class, consistently friendly, and well-organized. Tour Preparation and Briefing: Before each tour, a detailed briefing was held in which the staff shared interesting information about the Azores and the history of whale watching. In addition to safety rules, there were practical tips for whale watching, and we were provided with life jackets and, upon request, rain jackets, as the excursions could get quite wet depending on the weather. The organization was exemplary: tickets were exchanged for wooden tokens assigned to the respective boats, ensuring a seamless process. An Unforgettable Experience on the Water: We sped out to the open sea in Zodiacs equipped with 500-horsepower engines. Even on the first tour, which took place in changeable weather, we were incredibly lucky to see rare sei whales – a moment that exceeded all our expectations. Dolphins accompanied us for a while, providing further impressive nature experiences. The other three tours were also professionally guided and successful, allowing us to almost see the "Big Five" of whales: sei whales, sperm whales, humpback whales, and finally, even two blue whales right in front of the harbor – an absolute highlight. Guides: High praise goes to the Futurismo guides, all of whom were young biologists and shared valuable knowledge about whales and marine life during the tours. The use of a hydrophone to locate the clicks of the sperm whales was particularly impressive. This environmentally friendly method, based on research in Ponta Delgada, demonstrates the expertise and love for nature that the Futurismo team brings to their work. Conclusion: Our experience with Futurismo Azores Adventures was positive in every respect. From booking to the final tour, we felt exceptionally well looked after, and the whale watching tours were an absolute highlight. The professional and friendly service, the informative guidance from the biologists, and the incredible wildlife sightings made our stay in the Azores truly special. Futurismo Azores Adventures comes highly recommended for anyone wanting to experience whales up close. (Original) Die "BIG FIVE" der Azoren Reiseplanung und Buchung: Im Mai 2024 erfüllten wir uns einen lang gehegten Wunsch: Wale in freier Wildbahn zu erleben und zu fotografieren. Nach einigen Recherchen stießen wir auf Futurismo Azores Adventures und waren beeindruckt von deren vielfältigem Angebot an Walbeobachtungstouren, sowohl im kleinen Zodiac-Schlauchboot als auch im Katamaran. Letztlich entschieden wir uns, vier Touren mit Zodiacs zu buchen, um eine möglichst hohe Chance auf Walbeobachtungen zu haben. Die Buchung lief reibungslos und unkompliziert über die Homepage – einfach Datum und Uhrzeit auswählen, per Kreditkarte zahlen, und schon war alles vorbereitet. Kundenservice: Da das Wetter auf den Azoren sehr wechselhaft sein kann, wurde uns empfohlen, die Touren erst vor Ort zu buchen. Dies erwies sich als wertvoller Tipp, da unsere erste Tour wetterbedingt verschoben werden musste. Der E-Mail-Kontakt mit dem Futurismo-Team war sehr hilfreich, und die umsichtige telefonische Unterstützung einer Mitarbeiterin ermöglichte uns eine reibungslose Verschiebung der Tour. Der Service war erstklassig, stets freundlich und gut organisiert. Tourvorbereitung und Briefing: Vor jeder Tour fand ein ausführliches Briefing statt, in dem die Mitarbeiter interessante Informationen über die Azoren und die Geschichte der Walbeobachtung teilten. Neben Sicherheitsregeln gab es praktische Hinweise für die Walbeobachtungen, und wir erhielten Schwimmwesten sowie auf Wunsch Regenjacken, da die Ausfahrten wetterbedingt recht nass werden konnten. Die Organisation war vorbildlich: Tickets wurden in Holzmarken umgetauscht, die den jeweiligen Booten zugeordnet waren, sodass der Ablauf reibungslos verlief. Ein unvergessliches Erlebnis auf dem Wasser Mit Zodiacs, ausgestattet mit 500 PS starken Motoren, ging es mit hohem Tempo aufs offene Meer hinaus. Schon bei der ersten Tour, die bei wechselhaftem Wetter stattfand, hatten wir das große Glück, seltene Seiwale zu sehen – ein Moment, der uns alle Erwartungen übertraf. Delfine begleiteten uns zeitweise und sorgten für weitere beeindruckende Naturerlebnisse. Die weiteren drei Touren waren ebenfalls professionell geführt und erfolgreich, sodass wir fast die „Big 5“ der Wale erleben durften: Seiwale, Pottwale, Buckelwale und zuletzt sogar zwei Blauwale direkt vor dem Hafen – ein absoluter Höhepunkt. Guides: Ein großes Lob gilt den Guides von Futurismo, die allesamt junge Biologen waren und während der Touren wertvolles Wissen über Wale und das Meeresleben teilten. Besonders beeindruckend war die Nutzung eines Hydro-Phones, um die Klicklaute der Pottwale zu orten. Dabei handelte es sich um eine umweltfreundliche Methode, die auf Forschung in Ponta Delgada basiert und zeigt, wie viel Fachwissen und Liebe zur Natur das Team von Futurismo in ihre Arbeit einbringt. Fazit: Unsere Erfahrung mit Futurismo Azores Adventures war in jeder Hinsicht positiv. Von der Buchung bis hin zur letzten Tour haben wir uns bestens betreut gefühlt, und die Walbeobachtungstouren waren ein absolutes Highlight. Der professionelle und freundliche Service, die informative Begleitung durch die Biologen und die unglaublichen Tierbeobachtungen haben unseren Aufenthalt auf den Azoren zu etwas Besonderem gemacht. Für alle, die Wale hautnah erleben möchten, ist Futurismo Azores Adventures eine uneingeschränkte Empfehlung. Read more

Susan H. 05/09/2024

(Translated by Google) Absolutely recommended. Not only did we see dolphins and whales, but the… Read more

Sandra B. 29/07/2024

(Translated by Google) An incredible adventure for us! The team (both on land with the lookouts… Read more

Yair Gonen 18/07/2024

(Translated by Google) It was a great experience. We participated in the full day (marin biologist… Read more

Karin Bint 10/07/2024

Our family of 4 did the Marine Biologist for a day tour with FuturismoAzores and we could not… Read more

Patricia Ramaekers 04/10/2023

Booked with Futurismo, got a confirmation in August for a day later with Fun Activities. All good.… Read more

JA N 26/09/2023

Did two tours with Futurismo as we did not see anything the first time. The first time in the… Read more

Maik Müller 16/09/2023

(Translated by Google) We booked a whale-watching Zodiac tour a day in advance. Backpacks can be… Read more

Marie Bobytas 14/08/2023

(Translated by Google) A superb tour! We saw two groups of common dolphins, two sea turtles (one of… Read more

Jessie C 10/08/2021

The tour was postponed for a day due to bad weather conditions, and they called us the morning to… Read more

Frank V 08/06/2018

The great team in Pico gave us an awesome experience! We accidentally booked a whale watching tour… Read more

What people think about

more than 15.000 reviews

I completely recommend this company. They were efficient, kind, and helpful. All our guides were amazingly gracious and interesting. Their understanding of the marine world was humbling and we learned so much. Brilliant, my daughter and I had the best time. Thank you.

Carol, France

Essencial Trip Information

What's Included

Pre-tour briefing
Boat tour about 4h
Raincoat and pants (if necessary)
Life jacket
Marine biologist guides
Light meal
Regional tea after the boat trip
Insurance (personal accident and liability)

Why this Tour

This is an exclusive tour where you will deepen your knowledge about cetaceans. In addition to seeing whales and dolphins in their natural habitat, you will collect data useful for research, which could later help to preserve and protect those animals.

You will spend some time on the boat, but also in the biologists’ office to get information from the pictures taken and other possible samples and data might have been collected. This is a unique experience, a day like no other.

Departure and Return

Departure Point

Portas do Mar, Shop 26, 9500-771 Ponta Delgada.
There are two paid parking facilities, both accessed via the same entrance ramp.

Departure Time

Please select a date on the calendar and arrive at the meeting point at the scheduled time for check-in and a short safety briefing.

Return Point

Returns to original departure point.

Are the Azores a good whale watching destination? +

The Azores are a great whale watching destination, probably one of the best in the whole world. We have sperm whales all year round. Being in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, lots of cetacean species pass by our islands during their annual migration.

What if the weather isn’t ok? +

If the weather doesn’t allow to do this activity safely, we will cancel it and suggest na alternative date.

What if I get seasick? +

We advise to avoid eating anything overly spicy, acidic, fatty, or dairy before the boat trip. Don’t overeat but come well-fed. Once on the boat, look at the horizon and get fresh air. If you feel bad, the staff on the boat will help you.

Cancellation +

Cancellations up to 48 hours before the tour, no penalties are applied
Cancellations up to 24 hours: 50% of the total amount will be charged
Cancellations less than 24 hours or no-show: full amount will be charged
If the weather conditions do not allow the activity to be done safely, we will cancel it and contact you to suggest an alternative date or provide a full refund.

Booking Confirmation +

You will receive a confirmation email within 24 hours of successful booking.

What to bring? +

Comfortable clothes and shoes
Warm sweater or jacket
Sunscreen, hat, and backpack
Water and snacks (we do not sell food aboard)

Advisory +

Babies: 0-5 years old – free of charge | Children: 6-12 years old 50% discount
Light meal: sandwich, cupcake or cereal bar, fruit, water, and juice
Vegetarians: vegetarian meals on request within a maximum of 48 hours before the tour
This tour is available for children above 8 years old for safety reasons
If you have any food restrictions, please inform us at least 48h before the tour
We don’t recommend this tour for people with back problems or pregnant women