São Miguel Dolphin Swim: Small Group Experience

A Responsible Ocean Encounter in the Azores

Your experience begins at the marina in Ponta Delgada, where your expert team provides a detailed safety and environmental briefing. You’ll learn how to interact respectfully with dolphins in the wild, ensuring both your safety and the animals’ well-being.

Once ready, you’ll head out into the Atlantic Ocean, guided by a professional crew and supported by a land-based spotting team that helps locate dolphins responsibly. The Azores are one of the best places in Europe to encounter species such as Atlantic spotted dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, and common dolphins.

When conditions allow, you’ll enter the water in small groups, always maintaining a respectful distance and following strict guidelines to ensure minimal impact. This is not a show; it’s a natural encounter, where dolphins choose how and when to interact.

Between swims, you’ll return to the boat to rest, observe, and enjoy the stunning volcanic coastline of São Miguel. Each moment is different, making every experience unique and truly authentic.

A Once-in-a-Lifetime Wildlife Experience

Swimming with dolphins in the wild is one of the most memorable experiences in the Azores. The combination of deep blue waters, volcanic landscapes, and the presence of these intelligent marine mammals creates a powerful connection with nature.

Unlike captive environments, this experience takes place entirely in the dolphins’ natural habitat, where their behavior is respected and never controlled. The result is a more meaningful, ethical, and unforgettable encounter.

Meeting Point

📍 Marina Pêro de Teive, Ponta Delgada – São Miguel, Azores
 Please arrive 20 minutes before departure.

Important Information

• Participants must be comfortable swimming in the open ocean
 • Not recommended for pregnant travelers or those with serious medical conditions
 • Weather and sea conditions may affect the activity
 • Dolphin sightings and interaction cannot be guaranteed (wildlife experience)
 • Please arrive 15 minutes before departure

Sustainable Characteristics

This experience is operated by Picos de Aventura, a company committed to sustainable tourism in the Azores.

• Wildlife-first approach: no disturbance, no feeding, no forced interaction
 • Small groups to minimize environmental impact
 • Collaboration with marine research and conservation initiatives
 • Continuous monitoring and improvement of sustainability practices 
 • Commitment to protecting marine ecosystems and raising awareness among visitors 
 • Activities designed to balance tourism with preservation of natural resources 

By joining this experience, you contribute to responsible wildlife tourism in one of the world’s first certified sustainable archipelagos.