CW Azores

We had an incredible experience in November and saw so so many dolphins. We didn’t get to see any whales but instead spotted a super rare leatherback turtle and sharks in a distance. The staff were extremely knowledgeable and let you know that their whale spotters did not spot any whales but did see dolphins so you could make a choice whether or not to take the tour! It was honestly so magical to be so close to the wildlife.

Definitely pick this one! I had such a great experience at CW. I did shark dives, whale watching, and local dives. They are true professionals. I always love when the dive guides are just as excited as the guests about animal encounters. This is THE place to dive with blue sharks, these guys are pioneers in the area and very good at ensuring the experience is safe, respectful, and rewarding. Also had my first experience with whale watching here. The guides are knowledgeable marine biologists, and and they work with spotters on land to find animals and have great encounters. The coordination was great, from booking to departure. I can’t wait to come back.

Excellent whalewatching tour... lots of information in the pre-departure-briefing. Excellent guides. We saw lots of dolphins and 2 or 3 Sei whales.

We did the swimming with dolphins. Luckily only 4 tourists including us.

All in all: it is expensive but it‘s worth the money!! Awesome trip.

They have spotters at land who announce dolphin sightings. If no dolphins are spotted, the tour is canceled and you are refunded. In our case, we found some.

The dolphins are not forced to interact with the people in the water. Many were interested and played/jumped infront of us. Thanks for this experience!

We did a Whalewatching-Tour in the afternoon. The guide and skipper were very nice and took their time to explain everything. We saw dolphins and sperm whales. They did not go too close to the animals nor did they follow the dolphins. Further, on the way back, they even showed us some very nice spots along the coast of Faial island. It was a superb experience. Highly recommend!!!

There was a bit of confusion about our booking, as someone had put us down for the morning tour when we'd actually booked the afternoon one, but the staff quickly corrected this. Our tour was almost canceled due to lack of whale sightings, but at the last minute, the spotters found a pair of sei whales. In addition to spending some time with the whales (which turned out to be a mother and a juvenile), we also saw small pods of common and bottlenose dolphins and a loggerhead turtle. We didn't see as much as we have on some other whale watches - Neptune can be fickle like that - but we still enjoyed the trip.

We had an amazing time watching dolphins feeding and a rare blue whale in January. Their skipper did an awesome job. The cherry on the cake was a hell of a ride through a natural arch on the way back that barely fit the boat. I‘d give 10 of 5 stars if Google let me.

We went scuba diving in March and had a super experience especially for the beginners. On the next day we did whalewatching too and saw 3 blue whales. All in all 5/5

From the start, the people at CW were welcoming and educational. We started out with a short lecture about the whales commonly seen around Pico and what types of cetaceans are currently in season. Short lecture over, they geared us up with ponchos and life jackets and we were away!

Note: Coming in May and not in their hotter summer months, I would recommend a sweater cause the ride gets a bit chilly due to the wind whipping around you.

The whole experience was great though! We saw a group of fin whales, a Minke whale, a Blue Whale, and even a turtle and shark! The staff on the boat were super friendly and outgoing which made the stretches of waiting for whales to resurface pass quickly. I can’t believe we were so lucky to see so many of these amazing creatures, even if it is only their backs and cute dorsal fins.

My only complaint/note is not service or knowledge but rather due to the fact that being in Madelena on the north side of the island, the boat ride is a bit longer since whales tend to stay on the south side of the island. Which can be a bit painful on the choppy Spring waters. So tip, if you stay in Madelena, these guys are great. If you are already near Lajes (spelling?) then pick up a watch down there.

But seriously, loved my first whale watching experience!

Very professional company. They have a heart for sea wildlife and a lot of knowledge about it. They only go out to see whales when there are sightings.

Marty, Mauro and Mona were the best team to dive and snorkel with. Super organized, very safe, incredible experiences (probably best diving in Europe) and a lot of fun. Recommend 100%. Go and check it out if you wanna have a great time and learn about the ocean. Thanks for hosting, it’s been a pleasure!!

CW Azores had been our marvellous provider of our Whale watching and snorkeling with the dolphins- tours.
The entire team (Skipper, Guides, Back Office) are passionate about the sea & their jobs as well as very respectful towards the beautiful nature around the Azores. Great captains, who are getting you smoothly through the rough sea, Guides, who are literate about the Ceteans and other spezies, humorous and very supportive. The back office staff, who is very friendly, giving good advice and are optimistic but honest about the likelihood to see whales and dolphins. Thanks also to the spotters and their excellent eyes.
We had one whale watching tour and three snorkeling with the dolphins - tours.
We had unmatched experiences beyond our expectations. High „addiction“ factor. We took brilliant pictures in our mind home with us, way better than on our GoPro. Special thanks to Katharina, Leonie, Francisco, Bernardo & Matthieu. We will come back, for sure. Katharina & Lars

The only company that does whale whatching tours on pico over the winter. As at least four people were needed we just left our contacts and got a message when there were enough other people. We did the tour in january and got to see a blue whale and some Dolphins. The staff was very nice and knew really much about the whales. They did a really good job to get us a nice view on the animals without bothering them at all. I would really recommend this company for whale whatching! Thanks for the great tour!

I am so happy I found these guys!
When every agency refused answering or claimed to be closed during the winter, this agency managed to be flexible and organise a tour. They even called me back by themselves while others didn’t bother to answer my emails and calls.
The outcome? 15 spermwhales, flock of curious dolphins and an amazing team!
Were we happy? To say the least! What an amazing experience!

Experienced company doing some research next to their commercial activities too. Owner told us interesting facts upfront. Very nice girl on the actual boat trip. Have seen multiple whales.

Amazing experience. As for the weather, it wasn’t the perfect day (it had rained a lot in the morning and the sea was quite rough), but the crew managed to make us have a wonderful time anyway. All members of the crew were super professional! Because of the weather we didn’t have many expectations, but in the end we saw more than 10 whales and a big pod of dolphins. 10/10

This place was amazing. We were a group of 9 and had a private tour to Princess Alice to see the mobulas. Our guides; Chico, Mona, and Rita were outstanding. Don’t miss this and be sure to book with this crew. They made us feel like family and we had the best day.

Amazing diving school, with one of the best dive guides I ever dived with (Marty)! Also big thanks to Mauro, the great skipper, always motivated and in a great mood!
... besides, amazing dive spots, can only recommend the blue shark dive and Princess Alice Bank

I honestly cannot recommend this company enough. Incredibly accommodating, professional and passionate about what they do. The snorkeling with dolphins trip was a once in a lifetime experience, and I can't wait to return to go on some diving trips with them!

I don't write many reviews but this team deserves praise. We took our daughter out with CW Azores for her 8th birthday this morning to swim with dolphins and not only did she and her 5 year old sister both get the joy and thrill of jumping off the boat to snorkel with these "majestic" (their words, not mine) creatures, but we also saw a family of sperm whales and a large pod of pilot whales. Our guides Francisco and another young man were enthusiastic, inspiring and above all extremely careful and safe with our family and the animals. We could have reached out to pet the pilot whales on several occasions. Obrigado CW Azores, you made a memory for our family that we will treasure forever.

If you're in Pico, plan ahead and book with this team, you definitely won't regret it!