Responsible tourism in The Azores
There’s also active investment in renewable energy – the islands have generated hydroelectric power for well over a century, there have been wind farms here since 1988 and São Miguel currently harnesses geothermal energy.
In 2013, the global sustainability certification programme Quality Coast compared the sustainable tourism credentials of 1000 island and coastal holiday destinations. The Azores came out top. In 2014, it became the first ever destination to be awarded the Platinum Quality Gold Coast Award.
Our Azores Holidays
Whale watching in the Azores
Classic whale watching trip in the Azores archipelago
Azores tour, island explorer
Dolphins, whales and explore fiery volcanic islands!
Swimming with wild dolphins in the Azores
Live a dream and swim with wild dolphins
Island hopping in the Azores, small group
An easy walking holiday on the Azores
Azores activity holiday, incl swimming with dolphin
Snorkelling with dolphins on São Miguel Island, The Azores
Azores whale holiday, Blue Whale bonanza
Come see Blue Whales in the Azores!
Family swimming with dolphins in the Azores
A family focused adventure and experience of a lifetime.
Azores walking holiday, Portugal
Walk to Cete Cidades and the Fire Lakes
Blue Whale tour in the Azores
Visit the Azores at the best time to see Blue Whales
Blue whale Azores family holiday
Best time to see the Blue, Humpback and Fin Whales
Family whale and dolphin holiday in the Azores
Learn about dolphins, whales & fiery volcanic Islands!
Azores family adventure holiday, whales and dolphins
Learn about dolphins, whales & fiery volcanic Islands!
Whale conservation holiday in the Azores
Help assist in integral whale and dolphin conservation!
Ocean discovery tour of the Azores
Dolphins, whales and fiery volcanic islands!
Blue whale watching in the Azores, Pico Island
Best time to see Blue Whales in the Azores
Azores small group tour
Hot geysirs, rugged volcanoes and a wild natural beauty
Azores whale watching and walking holiday
Explore the hidden depths of the Azores
Azores holiday, Faial and Pico
Responsible travel experience in Faial and Pico, Azores
Sao Miguel tour in the Azores
Small group highlights tour on Sao Miguel Island
Pico Island fly drive holiday in the Azores
Self drive itinerary around Pico Island
Azores tour, volcanic wonderland
Dolphin swimming and whale watching on the Azores Islands
Flores Island self drive holiday, the Azores
Self drive holiday on the island of Flores
Terceira cycling holiday in the Azores
Self guided cycling holiday on the island of Terceira
Azores family holiday, whale watching and walking
Family adventure exploring the Azores' hidden depths
Walking holiday in the Azores
A journey around beautiful Atlantic islands
Azores tall ship sailing holiday
Explore the paradisian Azores on a tall ship
Azores island hopping holiday
Faial, São Jorge and Pico - a three island Azores tour
Azores cycling holiday, São Miguel island
Volcanic island cycling with stunning ocean views
Wildlife & environment in the Azores
Protected landscapes & habitats
The three inland reserves created in the Azores in the 1970s – Reserva da Lagoa do Fogo (São Miguel), Reserva Integral da Montanha da Ilha do Pico and Reserva Integral da Caldeira do Faial – protect deep blue lakes, laurisilva forests, a towering volcano and a pristine crater, two kilometres wide.Further conservation initiatives have followed. There are specific regulations for the licensing of this activity and a code of conduct that defines the rules for how vessels approach cetaceans in order to cause the least possible impact. The department of the University of the Azores dedicated to the study of the sea has carried out several scientific studies on these species, some in partnership with foreign universities both from the European and American continents. All companies that offer this service have a biologist who monitors the activity and a lookout on land who uses binoculars to spot cetaceans and relays the information to the skipper at sea. The biologist also has the function of briefing tourists about this activity, showcasing the cetacean species that may be spotted in the Azores, the most important aspects of their biology, behavior and conservation status. The biologist can also accompany the skipper at sea to provide further information about the species sighted.
Whale watching companies can also contribute to research studies by providing information about the cetaceans sighted and photographs. Each island now has a sizeable nature park covering all the most significant mountain ranges and coastal habitats, and the remote, northernmost islands, Flores, Corvo and Graciosa, have been UNESCO Biosphere Reserves since the late 2000s. In 2013, the Azores joined the European Geoparks Network in recognition of its geological significance.
According to Greenpeace and WWF, it’s crucial that this little-studied habitat and its wildlife are safeguarded from exploitation through deep water fishing and mining. However a proposal to unite the islands’ 11 separate Marine Protected Areas and the 3km-deep waters between them in a new Azores Marine Park is in conflict with deep sea resource mining interests.
What you can do
When hiking or cycling off-road, stick to the trails to minimise soil erosion and damage to native plants.
Plastic bags have long been a blight on the marine environment in the Azores. Laudable efforts to restrict their sale and use continue, but if you can carry your own re-usable bag, and dispose of rubbish carefully, you'll definitely be doing your bit.
Whales, dolphins & turtles
A remarkable 1,883 marine species have been identified in the Azores so far, with many deep sea habitats yet to be fully explored. Five of the world’s seven turtle species are seen here but it’s whales and dolphins which grab the limelight. Almost a third of the world’s 92 cetacean species, 27 in all, are found in the Azores – some seasonally, others all year round.In a great poacher-turned-gamekeeper switcharound, some of the Azoreans who used to earn a living from locating and killing whales carved out new careers in whale watching operations after the hunting ban took hold. Unique to the Azores are the vigias, or lookouts, who play a significant part in the whale watchers’ success rate. They perch in coastal observation towers that have been used for decades, scanning the sea with long-range binoculars and signalling to the boats when they spot something. Before, they’d send up a rocket; these days, they’re in radio contact.
What you can do
Codes of conduct are in place to ensure that whale watching and dolphin watching activities in the Azores are safe for humans and cause little or no harm to wildlife.
There are specific regulations for the licensing of this activity and a code of conduct that defines the rules for how vessels approach cetaceans in order to cause the least possible impact. The department of the University of the Azores dedicated to the study of the sea has carried out several scientific studies on these species, some in partnership with foreign universities both from the European and American continents. All companies that offer this service have a biologist who monitors the activity and a lookout on land who uses binoculars to spot cetaceans and relays the information to the skipper at sea. The biologist also has the function of briefing tourists about this activity, showcasing the cetacean species that may be spotted in the Azores, the most important aspects of their biology, behavior and conservation status. The biologist can also accompany the skipper at sea to provide further information about the species sighted. Whale watching companies can also contribute to research studies by providing information about the cetaceans sighted and photographs.
For general advice about responsible and sustainable approaches, see our whale watching and dolphin watching guides.
Birds
Cory’s shearwaters nest in burrows on the islands and head out after dark on long-distance foraging trips along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Over 6,000 pairs breed on Corvo alone, but they’re vulnerable to predation by cats and rats, a problem which conservationists have tried to address by creating a “shearwater hotel” of artificial burrows, well out of range of the town. Rat predation also threatens rare roseate terns, storm petrels and other seabirds.The poster bird for conservation in the Azores is the priolo or Azores bullfinch, whose habitat is limited to a small patch of laurisilva forest on São Miguel. Farmers used to consider it a pest, but a crowdfunding campaign has helped plant trees in an attempt to reverse its decline.
What you can do
For information about bird conservation in Portugal, get in touch with the Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds, SPEA.