Whale Watching and Vila Franca Islet Boat Tour with Biologist Azores

São Miguel and Ponta Delgada

São Miguel is the largest island of the Azores, a Portuguese archipelago of volcanic islands in the middle of the Atlantic, about two hours by air from Lisbon. Its nickname, the Green Island, comes from the pastures, hydrangea hedges and crater lakes that cover its slopes. Ponta Delgada, the regional capital, has a harbour front lined with black basalt and white facades and the triple-arched city gates on the main square.

Most visitors stay in Ponta Delgada, which is why this option includes hotel pickup there. Among the things to do in São Miguel, a morning at sea comes first for many travellers, and the transfer means you do not need a car to reach the south coast. The drive east along the shore to Vila Franca do Campo takes about half an hour.

Vila Franca do Campo, the first capital

Vila Franca do Campo was the first capital of São Miguel, settled in the fifteenth century. In 1522 an earthquake set off a huge landslide that buried much of the town, and the seat of government later moved to Ponta Delgada. The rebuilt town still has a fine parish church, a small harbour and quiet streets of whitewashed houses edged in dark stone.

Today it is a relaxed seaside town known for its small sweet cheese tarts called queijadas, and its marina is the base for this whale watching trip from Vila Franca do Campo. After the boat returns you have a few minutes of free time by the water, enough to taste a queijada or look at the fishing boats before the transfer back to Ponta Delgada.

Whale and dolphin watching off São Miguel

The deep ocean comes very close to the coast of the Azores, which makes the islands one of the best places in Europe to see whales. Sperm whales are resident all year, and common, bottlenose and Risso's dolphins are seen often. In spring, migrating blue, fin and sei whales pass through on their way north, which makes April and May the best time for Azores whale watching.

The method is a local tradition: a lookout on high ground scans the sea with powerful binoculars, as whalers once did, and directs the boat by radio. The boat then travels fast to the area and approaches the animals slowly and respectfully. The biologist explains their behaviour, records sightings for research and answers questions throughout, without a loudspeaker.

Vila Franca do Campo Islet

Just offshore from the town lies the Islet of Vila Franca do Campo, the crater of an ancient underwater volcano whose rim rises from the sea in an almost perfect ring. Inside is a round lagoon of calm, clear water linked to the ocean by a narrow channel, which locals nickname the Princess Ring. The islet is a protected nature reserve, and seabirds nest on its slopes.

On the way back from the open sea, the boat circles the islet for about a quarter of an hour so you can see the crater walls, the channel and the resident wildlife up close. It is one of the most photographed views in the Azores, and the Vila Franca islet boat tour shows it from angles you cannot get from the shore.

The south coast of São Miguel from the sea

From the boat you see the volcanic origin of the island clearly: dark lava cliffs, small black-sand beaches and green slopes rising to the Água de Pau massif, whose summit crater holds Lagoa do Fogo, the Lake of Fire. Waterfalls and terraced fields come into view on clear days, and the town of Vila Franca spreads along the shore.

The rigid inflatable boat is fast and stable and carries between twelve and twenty-eight passengers, so everyone has a good view. On the open Atlantic it can be breezy and splashy even in summer, which is why a full waterproof suit and life vest are provided. The changing light over the coast makes the return trip as memorable as the wildlife.