Whale watching

35 + Years of Experience at Sea from the Azores

We’ve been out in these waters for more than 35 years.
The team has its roots on Pico, but over the years Dutch, German, English, French, Brazilian and Spanish people have passed through. On board we speak a bit of everything, and the sperm whales have never complained.

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One of the 10 Best Whale Watching Spots in the World

Lajes do Pico, on the island’s south coast, is one of the ten best places in the world for whale watching and, without false modesty, the best in the Azores.
Little mass tourism, few boats around the animals and plenty of species. In the background, Pico Mountain, which insists on being in every photo.

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Right-Sized, Low Impact

We have 12-passenger and 24-passenger semi-rigid boats. Most days we go out on the bigger one: more people on the same trip, for the same impact on the sea. When demand is high, the smaller one goes out too, so nobody is left on shore.

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Briefing and Debriefing

Before every trip there’s a 15 to 20 minute multimedia briefing: biology, behaviour, the history of whaling in the Azores, ecology and the law that tells us how close we can go.
Back in port, over a drink, we talk about what we saw and answer questions. The hardest ones usually come from the children.

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The Queimada Lookout – Exclusive to Espaço Talassa

Our trips are directed from the Vigia da Queimada, an observation post like no other in the Azores.
Up there are always at least two lookouts, guiding a maximum of four boats. They find the animals, tell the skipper where to go and how fast, and make sure nobody gets too close.
It’s a job built on trust between those on land and those at sea, as in the whaling days.

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Frequently asked questions

When can I see whales in the Azores?

Our season runs from mid-March to late October, and we see whales and dolphins in every month of it: from 2023 to 2026, 99.9% of our trips had cetacean sightings. Sperm whales live around Pico and are seen on 7 out of 10 trips, rising to 9 out of 10 in July. Blue, fin and humpback whales pass by in spring: in March we saw blue whales on more than two thirds of our trips.

What is the best month to go whale watching?

It depends on what you want to see:

• March to May – the great whales: blue whales (69% of trips in March, 48% in April), fin whales and humpback whales, with common dolphins on almost 9 out of 10 trips in April.
• July and August – the most species per trip (4.7 on average in July), sperm whales on 85–90% of trips, Atlantic spotted dolphins on 8 out of 10 trips, pilot whales on more than half, and the best chance of beaked whales.
• September and October – still sightings on every trip, fewer boats on the water, and the best chance of Bryde’s whales.

Is whale watching worth it in the Azores?

Yes. From 2023 to 2026, 99.9% of our trips found cetaceans, with almost 4 species per trip on average and up to 10 on a record day. Around Pico we have recorded 28 of the 29 cetacean species known in the Azores. Trips are guided by marine biologists, and Espaço Talassa has more than 35 years of experience in these waters.

Where is the best place to watch whales in the Azores?

Lajes do Pico, the old whaling village where Espaço Talassa has run whale watching since 1989. Deep water close to shore puts the observation areas on average 10 minutes from the harbour (30 minutes from busier ports such as Horta, Madalena or Ponta Delgada), and land-based lookouts guide the boats to the animals. Fewer boats mean calmer, more natural encounters.

Figures from our sightings records, 2023–2026 (1,429 trips). See the full data, month by month and species by species, on our Sightings & Statistics page.