This is my fourth whale tour in just over a year (Hawaii, Alaska, and Costa Rica). There are…read moredifferent types of boats, depending on the type of experience you want. We did the catamaran since we were traveling with a five month old. The whole thing is very well organized and feels very safe. The ocean conditions were not bad at all. I get seasick very easily and felt fine. We saw two different types of whales and a ton of dolphins. Great experience!

We enjoyed a half day tour which was a three hour afternoon tour. On this tour you will either see…read moredolphins or whales. We saw quite a few dolphins. Be sure to wear a light jacket as it gets windy and make sure to wear sunscreen!

Really neat spot we hit while on the west side of the island. The drive down to the parking lot can…read morebe a bit precarious, but once you reach it there is ample parking. I recommend water shoes as the shoreline is all volcanic rock and a lot of it is sharp. You can explore the immediate coastline for some awesome views and then head past the restaurant to the natural pool. There is an indoor and outdoor pool available for use for a fee. The restaurant has a few snack/light options and service was quick and the servers were kind. Restrooms were clean if you need to change on site. The natural pool is free to enter and is at the end of short trail, and during low tide it is warm but not so much during high tide so be mindful if you want a fully warm experience. There are life guards on duty and two ladders available to enter and exit the pool. Not terribly crowded and nice even at high tide. Great way to cool off after hiking around Sete Cidades.

This is my first trip to Sao Miguel and Termas da Ferraria has ensured it won't be my last. We…read morespent the day in the spa, and also venturing down to the thermal pool. We also headed down even further to the natural thermal area surrounded by volcanic rocks. They installed a couple of ladders and ropes so you don't have to fear getting swept out into the ocean. After that we sat outside and had lunch and then headed back into the spa. It was starting to get really busy as we were leaving at 4pm. It was a great find!

Beautiful view. You need a rental car to get here but definitely worth it. It had been to foggy to…read moresee the Lagoa do Fogo, so we were thrilled to get to see these two lakes. I didn't see them as two colored, but the view is great.

A definite must see on Sao Miguel. Beautiful drive from Ponta Delgada, it's otherworldly as you…read moremake your ascent. Recommend renting a car, but the roads are very windy so a confident driver is best. Stunning views, and when the hydrangeas are blooming, it's extremely idyllic. The Miradouro da vista do rei gives you a stunning view of the two lakes and a peak at the village of Sete Cidades. I recommend getting their early to have the view less crowded and it's easier to park. From the parking lot, you can follow a hiking trail that is lined with hydrangeas and cows with stunning views. The whole trail is about 7 miles and goes down to the parish (it is one way). You do not have to hike the entire thing to get great views though, we went out and back and did about three miles total. Not super strenuous and it was well maintained.

Very disappointed. Much smaller than I expected. Very small pools to accommodate the tickets they…read moresell. Lockers are run down and basically wooden boxes some with holes and barely fit a back pack. Very few outdoor changing rooms, which makes no sense, again, for the amount of people that they let in at the same time.

A stunning, magical, green epitome of nature that you must visit in Azores! They told us that you…read morepay the entrance fee of €3, you can go look inside, and if you want to go into the thermal pools, you pay another €5. Because we were with a tour guide, we got a discount, so we paid the bare minimum entrance fee of €1.50, but once we decided to do the thermal pools, there wasn't even anyone around to take our money for the extra entrance fee. So we got to do it all for dirt cheap! I guess you're supposed to give it to them on your way out, but no one does. So just pay the lower amount, because in the end, it doesn't even matter. The trees, moss, ferns, and flowers are majestic. The first two thermal pools you see are the hotter ones, and the one with the waterfall is the colder one. You can take unique photos in all three, but my favorite was the one with the waterfall. Definitely bring a swimsuit you don't care about, because the water will give it a yellow tint. And there are changing rooms and bathrooms, but nothing else, so bring a towel, flip-flops, and water. This was one of the highlights of our Azores trip - make sure to go!

Lagoa das Furnas was one of my two favorite places to visit on Sao Miguel, a huge, calm, gorgeous…read morelake, home to flocks of placid ducks and geese, with excellent hiking trails up the mountains off the main path around the lake. The great draw for me was the quiet. It was possible to find near-total solitude early in the day, to breathe with trees, to listen to bird calls, free from the roar of tour bus engines. There is a small entrance fee -- very nominal IIRC, something like 50 cents for adults and older children, free for very young children. This Lagoa is one of the three larger, better known crater lakes on the island. It's still slightly off the beaten track for international tourists, but is perennially popular with local vacationers, many of whom spend an entire day making cozidas, grilling, picnicking and strolling around it. The hiking trails are well maintained and there's the intoxicatingly sweet smell of Kahili ginger flowers everywhere (those clusters of yellow flowers you see and smell all over the island). The paths the branch off from the main lake trail are cool and dark well into the middle of the day, offering respite from the heat of the sun. There's a lot to explore on these side trails: abandoned buildings, carved wooden statues, an old church, even a waterfall we heard of (but didn't see). The main, mostly flat trail is suitable for even young children, while many of the side trails branching into the mountains can be navigated carefully with an active, energetic three-year old, with some help on the larger steps (and a good carrier for when the baby steam runs out). Our six-year old sprang up them like a mountain goat. Right by the parking lot at the northern tip of the lake, there are fumarolas, where it's a big deal for families and restaurants to cook all-day cozidas (stews) in the hot, bubbling, sulfur yellow mud. There are also restrooms (home to a good number of tiny, slender, beautiful cats), a lovely picnic area set among pine trees, a few vendors selling snacks, fresh juice, and souvenirs. We didn't make it all the way around, but we hear the entire circumference of the lake takes about two hours to walk, with about 1/3 of the way along EN1-1A, a busy main road.

We booked the night thermal and dinner activity and had a great time…read more Guide Paola picked us up at our Ponta Delgada hotel exactly the on time and we proceeded to pick up two other couples. As we drove to Furnas he did a great job pointing out some of the interesting sights along the route and answering our questions. First stop was dinner in a local restaurant with the local volunteers (can't remember the Portuguese name) which included wine and dessert. Around 9 we reached the thermal bath and he helped us get oriented before giving us free time to explore the 5 different baths. While in theory this is something you might be able to do on your own, we were really relaxed and tired after 90 minutes soaking in the steaming water so it was especially great to have a designated driver. Thanks Paolo for a great evening!

Two full days touring the Island of São Miguel with Paulo was not enough. Paulo's energy,…read moreknowledge and love for the Azores made him the ultimate in tour guides. First of all, we were introduced via YouTube to Paulo prior to our trip after a lot of research on the island. We watched a great video on one of his tours posted by YouTube Blogger "Here Be Barr." I recommend you checking out the Azores series by "Here Be Barr." For our first outing with Paulo, he picked us up at our AirBnB in his comfortable Mercedes van for a late day tour of the island. He matched us up with other like minded travelers and we viewed cool places and learned so much about the island through his entertaining tour. Our evening culminated with a delicious dinner in Furnhas and a trip to the Thermal baths. Make sure you have him take you for the special corn that is cooked underground from the volcanic heat. He dropped us off late night right back at our hotel. Our Second Day with Paulo was spent on a more private tour of the island that included rides through the countryside and volcanic mountains and a trip to a beautiful tea plantation. He is a tour guide that makes everyone on the tour feel like they have his undivided attention. We asked so many questions and he entertained us with all the answers through historical facts and colorful stories. We look forward to spending time with Paulo on our next trip to the Azores see more of what Sao Miguel has to offer.

We spent 3 days with Cesar guiding us around Sao Miguel. He made our trip spectacular. We're…read morealready planning to go back and have passed his name, and Carlos', to our friends. Sao Miguel is beautiful, the people are friendly, the food and wine fabulous and Cesar will create wonderful days for you!

We had an amazing tour with Cesar!! He is knowledgeable, kind and accommodating. I would highly…read morerecommend Azorean tours - we had a blast. Thank you Cesar and Gary!!