Birdwatching · CRUISES & BOAT TOURS

The 15 Best Boat Trips

57 tours  ·  from $38 a head

This is the shortlist you would send a friend: 15 boat trips worth the money, each with its price, its traveller verdict and the one thing to know before you commit.

Reykjavik: Puffin Watching Boat Tour - Lundey and Akurey, two close-up bird-watching stops
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Reykjavik: Puffin Watching Boat Tour

1.Puffin Watching Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,052 reviews · 1 hour · from $64Our pick

Join Special Tours Iceland at Reykjavik’s Old Harbour for a one-hour ride aboard the wooden Puffin Express, Old Skuli. Cruise to Lundey and Akurey with an English-speaking guide, binoculars, and a stated 100% puffin-sighting guarantee. Guides such as Patrick and Joe add humor and bird facts.

“Our trip was excellent - our guide Vera was very informative and interesting. Andreas our Captain was very knowledgeable and helped me onto and off the boat very carefully and attentively for which I was very grateful as I have accessible problems. A great experience thank you so much.”

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From Svolvær: Lofoten RIB Sea Eagle Safari Trollfjord Cruise - The route through Lofoten’s sharp coastal country
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From Svolvær: Lofoten RIB Sea Eagle Safari Trollfjord Cruise

2.Lofoten RIB Sea Eagle Safari Trollfjord Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 908 reviews · 2 hours · from $125

From Svolvær’s main square, your guide outfits you in a flotation suit, gloves, goggles, and life vest before a two-hour RIB ride to Trollfjord. Watch white-tailed sea eagles fly close to the boat, hear stories about Lofoten, and stop for photos among steep mountains, beaches, and clear bays.

“Watching the eagles soaring was truly magnificent and majestic!”

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Newfoundland Puffin and Whale Watch Cruise - The Witless Bay Ecological Reserve and its noisy colonies
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Newfoundland Puffin and Whale Watch Cruise

3.Newfoundland Puffin and Whale Watch Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 837 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $94Top rated

From Bay Bulls, join Gatherall’s 90-minute catamaran cruise to the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve. Expect puffins from mid-May, whales mainly from mid-June to mid-August, icebergs in May and June, live commentary, Newfoundland songs, and an indoor cabin if the North Atlantic turns rough.

“Very entertaining, informative and we saw whales and puffins! Loved all the songs and info along the way!”

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Birding By Boat on the Osprey - Boarding at 1212 Wilson Drive
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Birding By Boat on the Osprey

4.Birding By Boat on the Osprey

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 787 reviews · from $38Best value

Join Captain Bob and a naturalist for a two-hour cruise through Cape May and Wildwood’s coastal salt marsh. The small boat carries up to 20 people, supplies binoculars, and offers close views of ospreys, eagles, herons, shorebirds, and other wetland wildlife.

“The very first bird we saw was a bald Eagle. What a way to start! Then we went on to see so many birds of so many varieties throughout the entire trip. I hardly sat down as Chris kept pointing out the various birds at each point. As a beginner birder I learned a lot! It was a fantastic introduction to shore birds. Now I’m hooked. I am already making plans to do this trip again with cousins who are avid birders and who have done this trip 3 or 4 times already and are eager to do it again. I did the trip with my mother who is 87…”

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From Svolvær: RIB Boat Lofoten Trollfjord Sea Eagle Safari - The RIB ride through Raftsundet
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From Svolvær: RIB Boat Lofoten Trollfjord Sea Eagle Safari

5.RIB Boat Lofoten Trollfjord Sea Eagle Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 754 reviews · 2 hours · from $125

From Svolvær, a bilingual guide such as Jonas takes you by RIB through Raftsundet to Trollfjord. Warm suits, gloves, goggles, and life jackets are supplied. Expect close sea eagle sightings, waterfalls, beaches, Viking stories, and a brisk ride across Lofoten waters.

“This was an amazing experience! The fjord & scenery is beyond beautiful but the star of the show was of course the sea eagles. We got so close & it was amazing looking at these magnificent creatures. The boat goes so close & much better experience than the bigger ships due to how close you can get”

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Whale, Dolphin & Penguin Island Cruise - Searching Algoa Bay for humpback whales
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Whale, Dolphin & Penguin Island Cruise

6.Whale, Dolphin & Penguin Island Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 687 reviews · from $185

Join Raggy Charters at 8am for a four-hour catamaran cruise from Port Elizabeth. With a maximum of 20 people and guides such as Jake sharing local marine knowledge, you search for whales, dolphins, penguins, seals, and seabirds around Algoa Bay and St. Croix Island.

“Jake and his crew shared their expert knowledge of local marine wildlife and went out of their way to make our voyage a memorable one. The highlight of the trip was spotting a mother and baby humpback whale and sailing with the dolphins. Read more”

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Puffin Cruise with Expert Tour Guide from Reykjavik - Guides who make the hour count
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Puffin Cruise with Expert Tour Guide from Reykjavik

7.Puffin Cruise with Expert Tour Guide from Reykjavik

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 636 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $63

Take a one-hour express boat from Reykjavik to Akurey Island, where guides such as Patrick, Peter, and Joe share facts about puffins and seabirds. You will circle the island, use onboard binoculars, and watch for nesting birds, seals, fulmars, gulls, Arctic terns, and black guillemots.

“Great tour. We did see the puffins. Wish we could have seen them closer but we did see them. Glad we got to see them before they leave the area.”

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2 Hours Guided Whale and Bird Boat Tour in Bay Bulls - Puffins, murres, and the best bird watching
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2 Hours Guided Whale and Bird Boat Tour in Bay Bulls

8.2 Hours Guided Whale and Bird Boat Tour in Bay Bulls

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 557 reviews · 2 hours (approx.)

From Bay Bulls, join an English-speaking naturalist crew for a two-hour cruise around Witless Bay Ecological Reserve. Expect huge seabird colonies, puffins, auks, and possible whales or dolphins. Guide Noah has entertained passengers with local songs, while the family-run crew adds fishing and screech-ins on some trips.

“We were accompanied by a knowledgeable guide, Noah, who even sang folk songs. We were blessed to have a sunny day. Too early for whales or Icebergs but just being on the water and observing seabirds in their natural habitat was well worth it!”

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Reykjavik: Whales and Puffins Express Cruise Combo Tour - Puffin watching from Old Skúli
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Reykjavik: Whales and Puffins Express Cruise Combo Tour

9.Whales and Puffins Express Cruise Combo Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 552 reviews · 4 hours · from $153

From Reykjavik’s Old Harbor, you take two separate cruises: a shallow-draft boat to puffin islands and a larger vessel into Faxaflói Bay for whales. Guides such as Patrick, Alex, and Oscar bring useful facts and humor. Choose classic or express whale watching, and borrow binoculars for the birds.

“Great day. Trip was well paced and all the landmarks we visited were we'll worth seeing”

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Big Whales & Puffins RIB boat tour from Húsavík - Puffin Island and the summer bird season
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Big Whales & Puffins RIB boat tour from Húsavík

10.Big Whales & Puffins RIB boat tour from Húsavík

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 501 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $203

Set out from Húsavík Adventures in a RIB boat carrying no more than 12 people. A captain and wildlife guide search Skjálfandi Bay for humpbacks, minkes, dolphins, porpoises, and seasonal puffins. Warm overalls and life jackets are supplied, but bring gloves and a hat.

“They take you on the water, stop to see the puffins home and provide you with some informative information. Then we had a chance to see a couple families of white nosed dolphins, and 4 whales on the trip! One of the best tours I have ever done!”

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Royal Albatross – Sunset Sail Cruise with 5-Course Seated Dinner

11.Royal Albatross – Sunset Sail Cruise with 5-Course Seated Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 467 reviews · from $238

Sail Singapore’s southern islands aboard the four-mast Royal Albatross for 2.5 hours. You’ll receive early boarding, a welcome mocktail, a five-course seated dinner, free-flow soft drinks, live entertainment, and a souvenir mug. Alcohol is available to buy, and the ship returns to Sentosa.

“Excellent food and very tranquil. Great staff, and we would do it again. We were surprised by the food quality and the albatross was a beautiful boat”

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Húsavík: Whale-Watching Cruise and Puffins Guided Tour - Crossing Skjálfandi Bay while the guide reads the water
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Húsavík: Whale-Watching Cruise and Puffins Guided Tour

12.Whale-Watching Cruise and Puffins Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 444 reviews · 3 hours · from $135

Join North Sailing from Húsavík for a 3 to 3.5-hour cruise across Skjálfandi Bay. A live English-speaking guide points out whales, dolphins, puffins, and seabirds from a traditional oak boat. Warm overalls, hot cocoa, and a cinnamon bun help take the edge off the cold.

“We found whales in the third hour of the trip, so we spent only half to an hour with whales, was a pity. We would rather join tours that only go for whales and skip the puffins, the puffins were pretty far away and we had better look at puffins onshore at other places. The guides were OK, but wasn’t very enthusiastic or excited. The full body jumpsuits provided were amazing, kept us dry and warm.”

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Ushuaia: Penguin Watching Tour by Catamaran - From Ushuaia Bay into the Beagle Channel
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Ushuaia: Penguin Watching Tour by Catamaran

13.Penguin Watching Tour by Catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 439 reviews · 5 hours · from $180

Sail from Ushuaia to Martillo Island aboard a comfortable catamaran, with bilingual commentary and an audio guide. See sea lions, cormorants, seabirds, Magellanic and Papuas penguins from the water, plus the Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse and Beagle Channel scenery.

“It was an amazing experience. We got up close to the Penguins and Sea Lions. The scenery was breathtaking. I highly recommend this tour. You see so much.”

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Snorkel - Lobster Lunch Cruise to Bird Island and Paradise Reef - The first snorkel stop, reef life with some uncertainty
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Snorkel – Lobster Lunch Cruise to Bird Island and Paradise Reef

14.Snorkel – Lobster Lunch Cruise to Bird Island and Paradise Reef

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 438 reviews · from $185

Spend about six hours aboard a 55-foot motor catamaran with Captain Damarie and crew, stopping at two snorkel sites before a beach picnic on Bird Island. Grilled lobster is served in season, with chicken or fish available otherwise. Hotel pickup, lunch, and alcoholic drinks are included.

“Everything was amazing! The boat ride, the food and the staff. It was an amazing experience! Highly recommend!”

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Ushuaia: Catamaran Sailing to Penguin Island - Leaving Ushuaia and entering the Beagle Channel
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Ushuaia: Catamaran Sailing to Penguin Island

15.Catamaran Sailing to Penguin Island

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 436 reviews · 5h 30m · from $92

From Ushuaia, you’ll sail the Beagle Channel to sea lion and bird colonies, Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse, and Martillo Island’s Magellanic and Gentoo penguins. An English and Spanish guide provides commentary, while the catamaran offers indoor seating, outdoor decks, bathrooms, and a café.

“Good experience the Ship Captain was excellent in navigating the ship. Once in a life time experience we enjoyed.”

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