Freebird isn't the most intimate trip or the quickest out to the pilot whales, but it's a very good answer to a family morning out from Costa Adeje or Las Américas: a roomy boat with a bar, toilets and drinks included. And if you want a day on the water with a swim and the cliffs, its long trip is one of the most complete in the south.
Who Freebird are
The brand belongs to Funcat Primero S.L., with an office at Local 227B in Puerto Colón. Bookings on freebirdone.com or on +34 922 716 864, every day from 09:00 to 19:00. The company talks of more than 25 years' experience.
One detail that causes confusion: Freebird One isn't the company, it's one of its boats. The commercial fleet has three catamarans:
- Freebird One: 28 × 20 m, built in France, with a bar, a disco, a second deck and 18 double sunloungers. The company bills it as the largest excursion catamaran in the Canary Islands.
- F13: a 22 m Fountaine Pajot Tahiti 75, with two toilets and 12 double sunloungers.
- F24 "One4You": another 22 m Tahiti 75, with a VIP area in the bow for 24 people.
The official whale-watching register also lists Freebird Tercero, Freebird Cuarto, Fun Cat, Maxi Cat and Mustcat in Puerto Colón. The capacity of each boat isn't published. Freebird is on Tenerife Tourism's Sustainability Charter, the industry's only public (and voluntary) label, reviewed every year.
Trips, prices and what's included
| Trip | Adult / child (4–11) | Includes | Transfer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 h Costa Adeje | €30 / €15 | beer, soft drinks, water | no |
| 3 h | €47 / €23.50 | sandwich and drinks | from hotels in the south |
| 4.5 h Masca and Los Gigantes | €62 / €31 | lunch, beer, soft drinks, sangria | from hotels in the south |
| 4.5 h with pick-up in the north | €69 | the same, from Puerto de la Cruz | yes |
Under-4s go free. Lunch on the long trip is simple (chicken meatballs with rice, bread and a banana), with a vegetarian or gluten-free option if you ask. The swim stop is near Diego Hernández beach on the 2- and 3-hour trips, and near Masca on the 4.5-hour one.
Extras paid on board: photo (€10), ice cream (€3) and sunloungers (€10, €15 or €25 per double lounger depending on the trip). Sunloungers can't be booked in advance: they're handed out first come, first served on the day.
Direct or through a platform
The prices in the table are from its own website. On the platforms there are lots of catamaran trips from Puerto Colón and the title doesn't always say who runs them: if you want Freebird, check the provider on the listing before paying. More options from this harbour in whale watching from Costa Adeje.
GetYourGuide3 - 5 hours
Costa Adeje: Whale & Dolphin Eco-Cruise with Snacks & Drinks
4.6 (5,829 reviews)
from €47Check availability
GetYourGuide2 - 3 hours
Costa Adeje: Whale-Watching Catamaran Tour with Drinks
4.7 (4,210 reviews)
from €31.50Check availability
GetYourGuide3 hours
Tenerife: Marine-Life Tour with Transfer, Buffet and Drinks
4.8 (2,221 reviews)
from €63Check availability
See all options on GetYourGuide →
Cancellation, bad weather and sightings
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours beforehand.
- If the sea doesn't allow it or the minimum number of passengers isn't reached, you're given another date or a full refund.
- Boarding: pontoon 10 or 15 in Puerto Colón, Avenida de Colón 11. The exact number is on your booking.
- Mobility: you need to be able to get on board unaided.
Freebird doesn't promise in writing that you'll see whales or dolphins; no operator does. Pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins live here all year round, but from Puerto Colón it takes longer to reach deep water: a third-party estimate puts it at about 36 minutes, against 12 from Los Cristianos and 9 from Los Gigantes. That's why the short trip here is 2 hours.
What the ratings say
Freebird makes a point of its TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice award, a detail supplied by the company itself. Its strengths can be checked before you book: the size of the boats, the bar and the drinks included. So can what might frustrate you: sunloungers cost extra and run out, pick-up doesn't run every day and on a big catamaran you share the deck with a lot of people.
Score
- Respect for the animals
- 4/5On the Sustainability Charter. Big boats in the harbour with the most whale-watching boats.
- Boat and comfort
- 4.5/5Roomy catamarans with a bar and toilets. Sunloungers cost extra.
- Price
- 4/5€30 with drinks is a good price; the 4.5 h trip at €62 with lunch and transfer is reasonable.
- Guide and commentary
- 3/5Doesn't say which languages the commentary is in: ask when you book.
- Booking and cancellation
- 4.5/5Free up to 24 h, a refund for bad weather and a phone line from 09:00 to 19:00.
The good
- Drinks included even on the cheapest trip.
- Spacious catamarans with a bar and toilets.
- 4.5 h trip with Masca and Los Gigantes, lunch and a transfer.
- Pick-up from the north as well.
The not so good
- Large groups; it isn't an intimate trip.
- Sunloungers cost extra and can't be booked ahead.
- Free transfer only four days a week and never on the 2 h trip.
- Doesn't publish capacity or timetables outside the booking calendar.
Who it's for and who it isn't
It suits families staying in Costa Adeje or Las Américas, groups who want a boat trip with drinks and anyone who prefers a big boat to a speedboat. The 4.5-hour trip shows you the Los Gigantes cliffs without driving across the coast.
It doesn't suit you if you're after a small group (look at Bonadea II–Diomedea, six places in the same harbour), if you want the shortest run out to the pilot whales (Travelin' Lady, from Los Cristianos) or if you're staying on the west coast, where Flipper Uno shows you the cliffs in two hours.
The full picture is in whale watching in Tenerife and, for other things to do on the water, boat trips.
Frequently asked questions
Where does Freebird leave from in Tenerife?
From pontoons 10 or 15 in Puerto Colón, Avenida de Colón 11, Costa Adeje. The exact number is on your booking.
How much does the Freebird trip cost?
The 2-hour trip costs €30 per adult and €15 per child aged 4 to 11; the 3-hour trip €47; the 4.5-hour trip to Masca and Los Gigantes €62. Under-4s go free.
Does Freebird pick up from hotels?
Only on the 3- and 4.5-hour trips, and in the south only on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. The 4.5-hour trip also has pick-up in Puerto de la Cruz for €69.
Is Freebird One the company?
No. Freebird One is the largest of its three catamarans; the company is Funcat Primero S.L.
