Padstow Sealife Safaris offer an experience – not just a trip! Off the North Cornish Coast experience an unforgettable exhilarating chance to view the sea and birdlife in their natural habitats. Each boat is crewed with professional guides with knowledge of the local history and rich heritage and skippered by RNLI Lifeboat crew members for reassured safety. The boats are fully licensed and insured and coded by MCA. Passengers are supplied with life jackets (and reassured that they won’t need them!) and a full safety briefing. Trips are fun for all ages and accredited by the Wildlife Watching Operator – which means they voluntarily adhere to strict guidelines about how to observe wildlife in a respectful manner, causing as little disturbance as possible.
Sealife Safari Boat Trip (2 hours) Review
What an amazing experience – one we would love to do again.
Before we arrived we were sent information including how difficult it can be to park the car at Padstow Harbour and the time we needed to arrive by. Luckily we were early enough to get a parking space nearby and at a reasonable price (for more information about parking at Padstow: http://padstowlive.com/parking/). We were provided with waterproof trousers and jackets if required and helped on with our lifejackets. Here we must note that you do not pull the yellow cord as it is what makes the jackets inflate. My teen accidentally pulled on his but this was not a problem and they provided him with another.
Hands up the boys were complaining before we set out for the day as they were expecting it to be boring! I can safely say they were wrong! The boat ride itself was amazing, as we rode at speed over fairly high waves. Everyone laughing it was such an experience that I cannot put into words how good it was. In fact we weren’t even bothered if we saw any wildlife or not at that point we really felt we had got our money’s worth.
Our guide was fantastic, she was so knowledgeable and very patient answering every question she could (even when The Sensory Seeker was trying to ask things that really did not make sense). Apart from the very beautiful coastline, we first saw some seals. Our guide gave us so much information about them – including why our boat was not getting any closer to where they live/were. She also pointed out birds and answered all the questions people had. Next we were in for a treat as we found lots of playful dolphins and a basking shark! This caused much excitement. It was a wonderful experience and then at the end they sped the boats around making doughnuts!
The things I am most impressed about with Padstow Sealife Safaris is their efficiency (we set off and came back punctually, they were well organised, knowledgeable and everything was in order), their patience (with my son blowing up his life jacket and my son’s questioning in particular) and just their general polite and cheery attitude. I think this experience offers good value for money as well as an amazing and unique opportunity and I would recommend it. I am sorry but my photos do not do it justice – it was all a bit quick!
To see more images of our Padstow Sealife Safari and other Cornwall Adventures check out my Facebook Album
Also available:
1 Hour Seals Cave Experience: A shorter version of the Safari – a chance to find dolphins and grey seals – plus a wide variety of birdlife.
Adults: £22.50 Children: £15.00 Under 5s: £10
1 Hour Coastal Powerboat Tour: An exhilarating high speed powerboat trip out of the Camel Estuary and along the stunning North Cornish coastline.
Adults: £25 Children: £15.00 Under 5s: £10
Pin for later:
North Quay
Padstow Harbour
North Cornwall
PL28 8AF
07754 822404
info@padstowsealifesafaris.co.uk
www.padstowsealifesafaris.co.uk
My family and I were invited to a Smartphone Photography Press Trip to Seaview Holiday Resort. This included some free and some discounted attractions. All words and opinions are honest and my own. No financial compensation has been given.
That sounds wonderful. We’re some way off being able to take Monkey on trips like this but hopefully one day he will be happy to try. Nothing like seeing animals out in the wild is there #CountryKids
That looks brilliant, its so close to your boat! I love these sorts of things and took Poppy on something similar in Canada when she was really young. Photos and video never do it justice though and its hard to explain how cool it really is x #countrykids
Hello Joy,
I much appreciate you for recommending Padstow Sealife Safaris for making our sea trip amazing. It looks fabulous and comes with an amazing feature. I’m sure it will be the perfect choice to select this one for better boating experience. Reading the review of Padstow, I would like to recommend this for everyone who love to experience real fun of boating and travelling.
Glad to hear about its efficiency. Really, this comes with an affordable price and best according to price. I enjoyed lot watching your video with this. My hearty desire is to travel with this. Thanks for introducing about it.
Have a great day.
– Ravi.
wow how fabulous – love the idea of the seals and dolphins, but I’m not too sure about the shark ! #countrykids
We were hoping to go on this safari a coupe of years ago, but the weather was against us. Nice to see what it is like. Oh well, next time. They sound like they are good with children. #CountryKids
I would love to see a basking shark!!! You were so lucky!! We spend a lot of time in Cornwall visiting our family but still haven’t been to Padstow but I might just have to have a look at these sealife safaris.
What an amazing experience! My husband and sons have done these twice now. They all said that the boat ride is so good that they don’t mind if they see any wildlife, but seeing the sea life is a definite bonus.
Parking in Padstow can definitely be a nightmare!
This looks so fun. My littles are too little for this currently but I can keep all these ideas in the file folders for when they are a bit older. We’ve done a few slower, shorter boat rides and it is always amazing to see sea life up close. So glad your family had a great trip! #CountryKids
I really should choose a lovely sunny day and give this a go with my kids too. We have done the blast around the estuary trips but not this one and I do love to see the seals. I bet you all had an amazing time and knowing how fast the boats can go i think you did really well for photos, I’d be worried about dropping or drenching my phone!
Thank you for sharing with me on #CountryKids
This looks just like something I’d enjoy. I’m not sure N would be up for it quite yet – he always tells me he won’t go on boats, but maybe he would once he was there.. Feels like pretty good value as well. #countrykids
Oh brilliant! I love the video of the basking shark! I’m really not a fan of Padstein, but this would make even me venture there!
Nat.x
Oh wow, what a fantastic experience. I’d love to se seals and sharks. Sounds like a wonderful experience for everyone. #CountryKids
How amazing, my son would love this. There is something beautiful about being in the open elements X #countrykids
I am so impressed that you got to take photos! What an exciting experience. I always saw the RNLI practice or save someone in the beach here and they are fast! I cna only imagine how fast and fun this trip is! #countrykids
Wow, I think I might feel a bit icky on that boat, it looks as if it was very fast and exciting, my kids would have loved it. Mich x
What an amazing experience and a wonderful way to see some of the sealife up close in and in their natural environment. Sounds like there was plenty to see and glad that you all enjoyed it. #countrykids
Ooh this looks fab. Really interesting and a great price too. Must give this a go if near by. Love the shark photos x
Oh wow what an amazing trip! I have seen seals many times, but never dolphins or sharks! I didn’t even know you could see sharks around Cornwall! I think your photos are wonderful, considering how fast I imagine those boats go! #countrykids
This looks like an amazing experience and one they’ll remember! We’re at the age when both children are now comfortable with the water and would enjoy something like this, and would be soooo excited to see sharks in their own environment!
#CountryKids
We went on one of these trips a few years ago and found it to be a great experience. Glad the boys were proved wrong.
Oh wow, this looks like so much fun 🙂 I have never tried anything like this before..