On the Water
4 hours
Free cancellation
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Recommended by 98% of travellers
98% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
C$202
per adult
Ocean EcoVentures Whale Watching
Ocean EcoVentures Whale Watching
Ocean EcoVentures Whale Watching
5
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Full view
About
Ocean EcoVentures' whale watching excursions depart daily from the seaside village of Cowichan Bay.Our Whale Watching tours focus on the Southern Resident Orca Whales, Transient Orca Whales, Humpback Whales, Grey Whales and Minke Whales. You will also encounter Sea Lions, Bald Eagles, Harbour Seals, Dalls and Harbour Porpoise.A small, owner-operated family business, Ocean EcoVentures is committed to providing you with an intimate and informative whale watching tour.
Cowichan Bay, British Columbia, Canada
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
1,172 reviews
Excellent
1,106
Very good
44
Average
7
Poor
9
Terrible
6
Janet G
Mississauga, Canada4 contributions
Sept 2021
What an amazing experience! Five family members went out on the Salish Sea with Captain Gregory on September 8, 2021 to celebrate two birthdays. Our adventure began with a welcoming greeting from EJ in the tour office. She is personable, professional, very helpful with all our questions and got us outfitted in our survival suits. (Which by the way ARE very necessary for warmth and flotation.) Then we met our jocular Captain Gregory; a great guy who must have been a pirate in a former life. He is very knowledgeable and well-spoken about the whales and sea lions, and many other Secrets of the Salish Sea. We got quite close to a total of 5 humpbacks, watching them shallow dive and deep dive, all the while respecting their environment. On the trip back Gregory took us by a small island to view the sea lions lounging in the sun. The Zodiac boat was very safe and comfortable.
A whale watching tour with Ocean EcoVentures is an awesome adventure which I would recommend very highly and look forward to experiencing again!
A whale watching tour with Ocean EcoVentures is an awesome adventure which I would recommend very highly and look forward to experiencing again!
Written September 12, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Culture16278039666
2 contributions
Aug 2020 • Couples
Our experience with ocean ecoventure was great!
Tasley is an amazing guide with 11 years of experience, and during winter she also works for Fisheries and Ocean Canada to identify whales by picture. She knew almost every whale by heart when they showed their tale. And she spotted them right away, even before the other boats ;)
Just the beautiful boat ride was worth it! A big plus was to see humpback whales :)
Their measures for covid were also very safe. Masks worn at all times and social distancing when possible. They do take security measures seriously, unlike previous comments.
Tasley is an amazing guide with 11 years of experience, and during winter she also works for Fisheries and Ocean Canada to identify whales by picture. She knew almost every whale by heart when they showed their tale. And she spotted them right away, even before the other boats ;)
Just the beautiful boat ride was worth it! A big plus was to see humpback whales :)
Their measures for covid were also very safe. Masks worn at all times and social distancing when possible. They do take security measures seriously, unlike previous comments.
Written August 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chocolate Tofino
Tofino, Canada11 contributions
Jul 2022 • Couples
Perfect solitude and so many Humpback Whales! Every day on the water is different but Captain Simon and Captain Shaun team up to bring you the best wildlife in the area, departing from French Creek, near Parksville and Qualicum. They took us out for a 4 hour tour and put us in the middle of a huge group of whales. There were whales in every direction! It was dead silent except for the powerful breaths from the whales surfacing. A beautiful, calm day and more whales than you could watch at one time. Mothers with their calves, big tail flukes, distant breaches, it was all there. This was truly a magical experience and was tailored for comfort and excitement. This was one of the top whale watch adventures I’ve ever been on - and is definitely a special spot on Vancouver Island. Thank you for the wonderfully memorable adventure!
Written July 14, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
djz_bucket_list
17 contributions
Aug 2021 • Couples
We had a great and successful day out with Jane and Lawren! Both shared information about the whales in the area, their habits and history. We saw four humpback whales and scouted for orcas but they had moved on. Well worth your time and investment if you are also a whale nerd!
Written September 2, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dan m
Windsor, UK19 contributions
Jul 2024 • Family
I did the sunset trip from Parksville with my daughter, which was fantastic. They have a fast boat for 12 people, the journey out to where the whales are was quite long, but once there and the whales located it was great. The helm/host was very knowledgable and enthusistic. We saw humpbacks swimming about, and as an encour, qute a few breaching and 1 surfaced a few meters from the boat. I woiuld have loved to have seen Orcas as well, but very happy with "just" humpbacks.
Written July 16, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Info K
1 contribution
Aug 2021 • Couples
My wife, son, his girlfriend and I took a fabulous trip on Saturday August 14, 2021 on this whale-watching tour.
Despite us being late (completely our fault), the staff were gracious and helpful. Our tour guide was a well-seasoned pro.
We had a remarkable boat ride (amazing boat) through the inlets and around the islands. We saw Humpback whales as well as the rugged beauty of this coastline.
This experience was a highlight of our trip out here.
I recommend this tour company to anyone looking for a better view and a more exciting adventure.
Despite us being late (completely our fault), the staff were gracious and helpful. Our tour guide was a well-seasoned pro.
We had a remarkable boat ride (amazing boat) through the inlets and around the islands. We saw Humpback whales as well as the rugged beauty of this coastline.
This experience was a highlight of our trip out here.
I recommend this tour company to anyone looking for a better view and a more exciting adventure.
Written August 15, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Srikant
Calgary, Canada65 contributions
Jul 2020 • Family
Had an excellent time on the 4-hr boat ride looking for whales. Had the pleasure of seeing a small family of orcas and also some bald eagles, not to mention the amazing island scenery that can be seen almost the entire time.
Inspite of the rainy windy weather, it turned out to be great trip!
Inspite of the rainy windy weather, it turned out to be great trip!
Written July 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anita W
Wales, UK29 contributions
Jun 2023
We did a sunset whale watching tour from Parksville - oh my, what an unbelievable experience, Captain Shaun was ace, experienced, friendly, knowledgeable and funny. We had a fantastic evening, watching humpbacks and orcas - it was truly amazing!!
Written June 28, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Patricia
Red Deer, Canada528 contributions
Aug 2022 • Couples
We did the whalewatching tour from French Creek in Parksville! It was so awesome! Would highly recommend it if you are even considering a whale tour! We saw humpbacks and a pod of killer whales. Stayed with both groups for at least an hour each. Saw a hunt and kill really close to shore! Water was like glass today! Beautiful trip! The first group of whales was 10 minutes away!
Written August 16, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Darlenebee
Red Deer, Canada3 contributions
Sept 2021
We went on a whale watching tour with Gregory. Very skilled badass man of the ocean. Well-spoken tour guide with a wealth of knowledge to share. Upbeat and made it fun. The boat was safe and very comfortable. We got to see whales up close, while still respecting their environment. If I am ever back in the area I will gladly go on this tour again.
Written September 10, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are considering booking the 5 pm tour in July. Is there an advantage to doing the 5 pm over the 12 pm? Does it cool off by 9 pm? Is there a bathroom on the zodiacs (kids will be 8, 10, 10 & 12) so 4 hours is a lot to ask of them without a btharooom ;o)
Written February 20, 2020
All of our vessels now have small onboard washrooms! The 12pm is warmer than the 5pm. On the 5pm the sunset is awesome!
Written March 3, 2022
HI,
Your site looks awesome.
I am very interested in the full day tour but have a few questions.
(1) I take it you have toilets, what are they like (do you have a photo of perhaps a reference that I could google). I get the feeling if I do a full day tour I am going to need to use it :-)
(2) Can I ask what is the real benefit of the 8 hours, would I not be better off just booking 2 separate days (I have the time). Perhaps that will be easier?
(3) Are you on the boat for a full 8 hours, it seems like a long time to be sitting on a zodiac boat? Do you come ashore at any point or is there a way to stretch the legs?
Many thanks, as I say, it looks awesome on your website.
Written January 1, 2020
Hello Pete,
Thanks for the inquiry!
All of our vessels that we use for our Full Day Tours have a small onboard washroom. If you email us from our website we would be happy to email you and image of the onboard washroom.
The benefit of the full day tour is it gives you more time on the water to spend with all the whales and wildlife of the Salish Sea. It enables us to travel to areas that other whale watching vessels don't go as we are looking for those intimate encounters with. Also often we have more than one group of whales within our range so the full day tour enables us to have multiple encounters with different groups of whales when possible. The full days also give us the opportunity to choose our scheduling time with the whales to ensure there are fewer boats viewing the whales while we are on scene with the whales and avoid the peak times when it gets busy with other boats viewing.
We suggest planning on being on our boat for the full eight hours, the time goes quite quickly. There are some days when we do stop on a Canadian Gulf Island to stretch our legs etc but this is dictated by the whales locations and travel patterns as the whales we view can travel up to 100 miles in a 24 hour period.
I hope this helps and feel free to email or call us if you have any further questions.
Written January 14, 2020
How is the sea sickness with this trip? We are very keen to go but my 21 year old daughter does suffer from sea sickness sometimes. Thanks.
Written February 24, 2019
We went in August and the sea was very calm. The boats that Ocean EcoVentures uses are inflatable zodiac type boats with a rigid hull. These make for a very smooth ride. This part of the Salish Sea is protected and, in general pretty calm. I wouldn't expect sea sickness to be a problem.
Written February 25, 2019
How far in advance do you need to book for the 3 hour your?
Written July 8, 2018
It would depend on the time of year and weekends always get booked up quicker. We went in May and booked about a week before. There were three full boats on our trip. I would book as soon as you can if you want a particular date.
Written July 9, 2018
Hello, I'm going in September 18 and want to do this excursion more than anything lol but can you explain me the real difference between : Vancouver Island Whale and Wildlife Tour and Vancouver Island's Ultimate Full Day Whale and Wildlife Tour.
Furthermore I would like to know, it seems that we have to book it in advance, but we will do a kind of road trip around Canada, so may we can book a day and easily modify it? thanks a lot
Written June 7, 2018
Bonjour! The main difference is how long you stay out. The full-day trip gives you a longer time to search for and be with wildlife. If I were you, I would book directly with Ocean Eco-ventures through their website, or call or email them. Tell them of your need for flexibility and stay in contact as you near Cowichan Bay. They are great people and will accommodate you if not fully-booked. Mid-September should be flexible. Bon voyage!
Written June 7, 2018
daniellescott914
San Francisco, California
Do you guys have Uber, and lyft? Also what Airport would i fly into? I’m coming from California
Written February 2, 2018
The Victoria Airport code is YYJ ; you can fly non-stop from San Francisco (SFO) on United or Air Canada or save some dough by stopping over in Seattle (SEA) with Delta. Then, as others said, no Lyft or Uber, but you can rent a car and the drive to Cowichan Bay is easy. Ocean EcoVentures is awesome. Have fun!
Written February 2, 2018
Hi there! I am from Dallas and staying in Vancouver, BC in mid August. I want to go on this tour SO BADLY but am confused about getting there and the ferries. Could someone advise?!
Written July 29, 2017
Hey Abigail-- so it's not too difficult, it's more of the timing and having the time. My husband and I initially thought this was a day trip but we turned it into an overnight excursion to Vancouver island-- which was well worth it!! From Vancouver mainland you drive south (about 35 min) to tsawwassen ferry terminal. It's then about an hour and 30 minute ferry to Swartz bay. Definitely look at the ferry schedule ahead of time and book a reservation. The ferry ride is gorgeous! From there we drove-- we had rented a car upon landing in Vancouver. It's probably an hour drive from Swartz bay to cowichan bay. If you can spare the time, definitely add a day and stay on vancouver island-- we opted for outside of the city at oak bay beach resort on the eastern coast- it was fabulous! If you can make it work, do this whale watching tour. It will exceed any expectations you have.
Written July 31, 2017
We will be traveling with my 84 year old mother (who is spry for her age). Is there a level of physical agility or exertion that might be difficult for somebody her age? And is there some seatbelt-type mechanism to help her feel secure in the boat?
Written May 18, 2017
HI Kathleen,
Thanks for your enquiry. We actually have two zodiacs but we also have a fibreglass boat which also hold 12 people. That is the one we typically recommend for older people. We have taken many people before in their 80's and even last week had someone in their 90's with no problem whatsoever. We do have full body anti-exposure suits that we put people in but they are fairly easy to get into.
We don't have seat belts but the boats are very secure and safe. In response to the comment Klaus left, he has been spreading false info and trying to attack us for the past few weeks. His tour was cancelled due to a mechanical issue, which is very rare. He was very hostile about the situation and has been ever since. He never took the trip with us.
Written May 26, 2017
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