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Fancy floating on the water on a Falmouth boat trip? We don’t blame you. Get up close to the marine wildlife, you may even spot a dolphin or whale, and soak up the scenery – things always look gloriously different from the sea
In Falmouth you are surrounded by water, so why not take advantage? And there are plenty of Falmouth boat tours to embark on. Perhaps you want to catch a boat from Prince of Wales Pier to the pretty village of Flushing, just across the water, or to St Mawes?
Dolphin watching in Falmouth is also a possibility with a sea safari, where you’ll take in plenty of wildlife and nature. Or perhaps you’d like to take a ferry to Truro, it’s a beautiful trip through the waterways of the Carrick Roads.
Here are a selection of the best Falmouth boat tours. Bon voyage!
Try a wildlife cruise to see if they can spot whales, dolphins and other marine life? AK Wildlife Cruises offers a range of wildlife cruises, from a two-hour estuary cruise to an all-day seven hour excursion, where you’ll be taken further out to sea to maximize the chances of encountering dolphins, whales and seabirds.
Or you may want to embark on an underwater journey with AK Wildlife Cruises’ new Snorkel Safari experience. The knowledgeable crew will guide you to two carefully selected locations, known for the marvellous wildlife that inhabits. All cruises are designed to showcase Cornwall’s stunning coastline and its rich diversity of marine fauna and flora surrounding Falmouth.
Six miles outside of Falmouth, Helford River Cruises offer a 90 minute cruise of The Helford and Frenchman’s Creek. Launching from Budock Vean Hotel, you’ll pass the glorious beach at the bottom of Trebah Gardens, the idyllic village of Durgan, and cross the Helford to the Lizard side with great views out to Falmouth Bay, one of the largest natural harbours in the world. It’s a wonderful way to see the surrounding creeks around Falmouth. Bear in mind that departure times change daily due to the tide times.
Choose from a two hour wildlife safari where you may catch dolphins, whales and birds, or hop onboard the shorter trip which will give you more of a taster of the surrounding coast. New for 2023, the sunset safari allows you to explore the coastline and hunt for wildlife in the ‘Golden Hour’, just remember your camera for some incredible holiday photos.
A family business now into its third generation, Cornish Pleasure Cruises offer three main cruise options. The Harbour Cruise takes 45minutes offering a short boat trip around Falmouth Harbour, if you want something a little longer the River Fal and Creeks trip allows you to cruise the beautiful landscape and scenic waters of the River Fal and its surrounding creeks which takes around 1.5 hours, or perhaps you’d like to embark on a fishing trip and try your hand at catching your own dinner? Families can choose from a two hour or three hour fishing trip.
Enterprise Boats offer a selection of trips on the water. On select dates, you’ll be able to cruise along to the city of Truro on one of its high tide cruise. Departing Falmouth Prince of Wales Pier at 16:45, the boat will cruise up the Carrick Roads all the way up the river to the capital of Cornwall, and cruise back to Falmouth. Sailing through an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, this scenic river trip is one of the most beautiful in the world and takes approximately two hours.
Enterprise Boats also connect Falmouth to National Trust’s Trelissick. Along the way you’ll pass Tudor castles, deep sided wooded valleys, and historic houses, this trip is perfect for enjoying the best bits of the Fal River.
The King Harry Ferry was established in 1888, as is one of only five chain ferries in England. Connecting St Mawes and the Roseland Peninsula with Feock, Truro and Falmouth, it departs every 20 minutes from each side, seven days a week. For convenience more than a relaxing trip on the water, it’s only a ten-minute journey across the River Fal, but you’ll certainly enjoy the views.
There’s also the option to float over to pretty village of Flushing or fishing harbour of St Mawes, both taking under 20 minutes by boat. Both routes run all-year round and seven days a week!
Want to book your next getaway in fabulous Falmouth? We have handpicked our favourite self-catering cottages and holiday homes in this stunning Cornish town.
