8 independent reviews for Azores holiday, tailor made
Reviews for Azores holiday, tailor made
Jackie James review 10 Jun 2026
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
We loved our trip to Cete Cidades - it was even better because of the exceptionally clear weather. It would have been nice to do more of a walk around the craters although it was actually quite a hot day. The best trip was our Dolphin and Whale watching trip where we saw 7 sperm whales and a pod of about 15 dolphins who chose to come to our Catamaran to play and mate with each other! It was quite a long afternoon but well worth it!2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Bring mainly walking clothes to wear and good walking shoes. Some of the terrain can be very slippery and a walking pole is very useful! Not many people dress smartly to go out for dinner but the weather can be very changeable so you will need summer and autumnal clothes. It was never cold but we had a lot of drizzle and fog and therefore the humidity was very high. Furnas is an unusual place and definitely worth staying at the Terra Nostra Hotel amongst it's botanic Gardens and thermal pool. It will however stain your skin and costume orange due to the high concentration of iron in the water! Going to see some of the whales and dolphins is a must.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Definitely supported conservation and the locals are very passionate about their islands. There is a lot of traffic in Ponta Delgada despite the really narrow cobbled streets, and many people drive much too fast and have badly maintained vehicles. Shared vehicles for tourist trips are obviously a good idea.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
We really enjoyed all our experiences as Sao Miguel is a very beautiful island.Philip Neville review 10 Jun 2026
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Seeing Blue Whale from rostrum to tail fluke, with blow holes, back and dorsal fin all coming into my binoculars field of view. The bottlenose dolphins gave a good display and on the last time out, saw Orca, only two doing a swim by, but pretty special all the same. Half day Lagoa do Fogo 4x4 trip was the highlight of land tours. Nordeste day trip was pretty special and had it not been for the weather, the jeep tour of Sete Cidades would have been fabulous.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Give yourself enough time, as the weather can be a little unpredictable, so if whale watching is your thing trips may need to be rescheduled. There are a number of excellent island tours, but pack a rain jacket. The weather can change rapidly through the day.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Our driver/guides for the tours were all born on the island of Sao Miguel and were great.The whale watching is done in a responsible way, so seeing one is not a certainty, but with a number of residents and many migratory whales passing through, along with various dolphin, including orca, there is a good chance of seeing something, without impacting them.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
The holiday was fabulous and well organised from start to finish. Well done everyone involved.Sarah Goodwin review 2 May 2026
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Seeing the power of nature. From the amazing blues of the ocean to the wonderful marine animals to the volcanic craters to the fumaroles to the geo thermal springs.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Get out and walk. There is so much to see and experience. Take your time to just soak up this special place.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
First rate. From initial enquiry to finally booking and then my time here there has been excellent, thoughtful and intelligent customer service.Vicky Bartlett review 22 Apr 2026
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The Whales!! The Whales!!! We saw Blue Whales, a pod of 8 Orcas, 2 species of dolphins and a loggerhead turtle. But the whole of Sao Miguel island was beautiful and definitely worth exploring too.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Book at least 3 whale watching tours because every one is different and it increases your chances of seeing these beautiful and majestic mammals. I also highly recommend the Rib zodiac instead of the Catamaran if you don’t have health issues and also my kids and I absolutely loved the Be a marine biologist for a day.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Absolutely and we were extremely impressed with our host company's approach when out whale watching. It definitely felt that the company and the marine biologists had the welfare of the cetaceans at the heart of everything they did.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It was absolutely incredible and really kid friendly. I also highly recommend the canyoning. We had to make some last minute changes to our trip (due to my husband hurting his back) but the host company were incredible at helping us make the changes and come up with solutions. Can’t recommend them highly enough.Patrick Leahy review 21 Apr 2026
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Brilliant all round holiday.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Recommend booking through you.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
I certainly hope so.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
First class.Fay Chan review 7 Jun 2026
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Interacting with local tour guides and learning about the history and culture of the islands. The friendliness of islanders and their pride in their islands also impressed me.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
They're not kidding when they say the weather can be unpredictable and result in cancellation of activities, so set expectations accordingly.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, I believe my holiday benefited local people, not only from shops to restaurants to lodging, but also from introducing tourists to the islands so they gain an appreciation for the islands. I don't have a feel for how environmental impacts were considered in the tours or the ways in which the tour company supports conservation; however, the tour guides all understood the importance of preserving the islands and were dedicated to maintaining their culture.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Unfortunately, the weather affected almost half of my holiday as well as my journey home. The host company was very helpful navigating me through the last few days of my holiday; in particular, Josie stayed in touch and made sure I was taken care of when the weather resulted in cancelled flights and changes in plans. She made herself available whenever I needed her help and checked in often to make sure things were ok, and to help if they were not. I very much appreciated the care and attention she put into mitigating the impact from weather-related events.Raja-Sri Rutenbeck review 10 Dec 2025
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Working with my guide Samuel. He was fantastic...well-versed in the local flora and fauna and did indeed take me to some hidden gems where I got some wonderful and different images. He was also punctual and very helpful.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Being very specific about your desires, needs. Really think about what it is you want out of your vacation...What is it that you're looking for - is it comfortable rooms, scenic trips, great food, adventure, great photo opportunities, health spas and other amenities? Are you going to relax, get out in the outdoors, enjoy a different culture, climate, sight-see? The clearer you are on what you'd like the better your tour can be customized to your needs and desires.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, I feel that going in the "off season" helps keep people employed while reducing the over population and high impact of high tourist season.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Really pleased with it.Elly Fischer review 23 Jul 2025
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Spending a week discovering the beautiful island of Sao Miguel.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Take every opportunity to explore the whole island. Talk to the friendly locals about living on a small island, ask for recommendations.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes. The host company and fun activities are both local companies working with local people and prioritising the environment and conservation work.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
5 stars. Everyone including teens very very happy. Nobody wants to leave.Holiday Reviews
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