Reviews of Bird Island Boat Tours (Travel Agency)

Nolan Evans

Fantastic tour. The crew did everything they could to find us puffins VERY late in the season. Entertaining and informative and great photo opportunities.

Tom Eijkelenberg

We had a great tour. The captain told gave a lot of information about the birds and the seals we came across. We had all the time to see the birds and seals. There were so many animals to see on this tour. The time flew by. I can recommend …

Krzysztof Bobnis

Not only the tour has very good price for the amount of time spent on a boat, but during the trip we learn about the birds and local history. The family approach to the business is an excellent mix. After the cruise everyone was invited for a complimentary hot chocolate.

Ted T

Even though it was raining for our tour, it was great to see puffins. BTW, this captain doesn't like eagles...he'll mention it quite a few times to remind you. Bring a camera and possibly some binoculars to get really good close ups of eagles and puffins.

Olivier L

Really good, lengthy and interesting birding tour. A must for photographs!

Terry Reincke

Vincent and Ian are top notch

Devon Kane

Amazing experience. The Captain was very knowledgeable. Unbeknownst to him, he had two wildlife biologists on board. His facts were spot on, he was upbeat and entertaining, and you can tell he is seasoned in the tour business. Puffins were spotted! As well as many other species!

JP Wolf

Best expérience ever, went there with my wife, Capitain and his daughter have been so accommodating considering my wife has a disability limiting her walking, they made sure she could see everything, helped her up hill after the ride she enjoyed it and thanks a lot for that. I want to do the trip again, we saw so much things, looots of birds and the seals, this trip was entertaining, educative and really fun. The highlight of my whole trip in Nova Scotia, thanks a lot!

Trevor West

Great tour! Great knowledgeable guides!

Diane Ernst

Had a wonderful tour. Thanks to Captains Ian and Vince, I managed to get quite a few great pictures. Very informative tour.

Amber Ruddick

Beautiful spot and super hospitable hosts. Thank you for a great place to relax!

Colin Sun

Very professional operation, knowledgeable captain & first mate made the voyage extra enjoyable. It was nice to hear the history of the place and boy did they deliver when it came to the birds! Thanks for a great time, my son and I loved it.

Mr.T

Great tour, lovely campsite. Beautiful oceanside camping, friendly hosts and informative comfortable puffin tour. It doesnt get better than this, check it out.

Adam Bebko

Great value and very educational. This is a bit of a tough review. Because it was as if you get a whirlwind 3 hour lesson in biology while seeing it all play out in front of you. You get up close to the very species you’re learning about. A …

Bernie Connors

Took several people including my elderly father. There are a few steps to board the boat so it is not wheelchair friendly. We saw many types of sea birds including puffins. Also saw bald eagles, seals, and a brief glance of a whale. The rocky cliffs of the Bird Islands were also very scenic.

Kidomi Puff

The campgrounds make the place loose a star. The area is beautiful (4/5 stars) and feels semi private, it's nice and clean, except for the bathrooms. The bathrooms were terrible (0/5 stars), one person in my group went to take a shower. They said it felt dirty and as they were showering a leech fell off the shower curtain or something. The bathroom was covered in cobwebs with spiders everywhere. If they were cleaned thoroughly I would give this place a 5/5 The tour was amazing 5/5 stars. The captains know a lot, are fun and will ask any questions you may have. They also will help people with seasickness.

Shelley Luddington

Family owned, super friendly and knowledgeable about the birds and other marine life in the area. Very entertaining!

Phillip D

The campground and scenery was very beautiful. But they said there was a rocky beach to walk on. It was only about 30 feet long. Some cabins were nice but the one we stayed in was a build on to the back of the main cabin. VERY small and musty smelling. The also said cabins were air codition ed. Ours was not. We were there 2 days and they didn't change the bed and only fresh towels every three days. So 2 night stay we didn't get fresh towels. I will only rate thus as 2 stars. Not worth 74 a night

Barry Redden

Large comfortable boat, variety of sea birds eagles and seals. Knowledgeable Captain & tour guide

Pat Guerard

Stunning birds, great captain, clean and cost campground.

Ry Curran

You really see amazing birds!!

Mackenzie Grenier

This was a great tour! We saw so many birds and learned a lot along the way.

marianna armata

THE WORST! possible boat to take if you want to take decent photos of birds along the way. The boat is completely closed in, there is no seating on the deck, and the tiny narrow windows are very high up off the floor, with a bench at your knees so you can't even stand up straight. If you're less than 6 ft. tall forget about it. I had to kneel on the bench for the entire duration of the trip to try to get some shots, but paid for it by severe pain in my knees after. The captain and his son are bizzare. I definitely do NOT recommend this boat for photography.

Amy Eileen

We had a fantastic time with Bird Island Boat Tours today! The Captain and his son were very nice, informative and entertaining. We learned a lot and had a great time.

Joyce Kaye

Wonderful day and enjoyed it very much

Chris Busse

Great tour. We enjoyed this 3 hour journey out to bird island. We saw a lot of birds including 13 bald eagles in one spot! The captain doesn't like bald eagles as they scare away the other birds but they are pretty cool to see. Lots of puffins everywhere and tons of razorbills (they look like little penguins). The captain and his son were amazing guides on our tour and were very informative. I recommend sitting at the back of the boat outside of the covered part. You might not see everything first but you can get the best pictures and your view isn't limited.

Peggy Ed Gravis

Had a wonderful time. Great cottage, kitchen well stocked with a coffee maker, and a great view of the ocean from our kitchen table. Hosts with the most delightful people thank you for making our road trip the best one ever.

Jon Pye

The great, knowledgeable captains of this family-owned business will help you sight all the native birds of the Bird Islands, and give you a history of the coastal communities around Bras D'Or. My kids loved the species checklist and the illustrated fact sheets, and were happy to be sent home full of hot chocolate. Great for building little bird watchers!

Denise McCallum

Family owned and run. The trip was great. The wildlife was amazing.

Ryan Sobel

My family of 5 recently traveled on holiday Nova Scotia. During our time in the Cape Breton Island area we joined their Bird Island Boat Tour to see Atlantic puffins, seals, and a variety of other avian life. in short, we had a fantastic time! Even my siblings (who are not nearly as enthusiastic about birding as myself) thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Captain Vince was a great guide. We really appreciated the local knowledge he shared, information about the wildlife, and his passion for the business, which was evident from his tales. I would definitely recommend them!

Brenda Lee

Exceptional family run boat tour operation. Great service, great explanations and most importantly, lots of time on the Birs Islands to see multiple species of birds. I would highly recommend to any nature enthusiast out there, and to bring your long lens!

Dwight A. Ernest

Very good interpretation of the area, the birds, and the wildlife. We took a photographer's tour, and they made it very easy to get some great photos of puffins, eagles, and seals. They were quite knowledgeable about the ecology of the area as well. The boat was clean, well appointed, comfortable, and skippered well.

Shannon McPherson

What a great tour! Super informative and the captain has a great personality! We saw seals, puffins, and so many birds!! We learned about all of them and I left feeling so happy!! Definitely check this out, it's worth every penny!!

John Pawling

Captains Vince and Ian were tremendous! Their knowledge of the bird and aquatic life was extensive and deep. Their rapport was fantastic as we spotted the first birds on the islands.

Mike Morash

Must do when in the area of Bras Dor lakes. Reserved seamlessly with credit card on Aug 3 Photographers Cruise via the internet several weeks in advance. Recommended to arrive 30 minute's in advance of cruise to check in. Check-in was easy. If you are booked later in the day you may want to bring your own drinks. The canteen in the office had sold out of almost all drinks when we arrived and needed restocking. We had a beautiful evening for the cruise with sun, mild cloudy conditions, calm waters out of the bay and little swell in and around the islands. If you are at all susceptible to sea sickness you may want to take a gravall or dramamine pill in advance as I could see how it could be very wavey in open water to the islands. The crew (captain and first mate) go through a safety briefing enroute to the islands and cover off likely all provincially and federally mandated safety topics for a cruise operator. They also give an excellent overview of what birds you will likely see the day of your cruise with pictures. For the uninitiated budding bird enthusiast this is awesome and worthwhile to pay attention. The interior cabin is outfit with padded bench seats around the sides of the cabin which were spacious and comfortable. You were able to store knapsacks and purses under the bench. Being a photographers cruise we really liked how they took great care in positioning the boat allowing for optimal exposures of the birds and animals. On this evening there were about 10 customers which allowed e as a access to great site lines either from the open deck at the back of the boat or through one of the many open picture windows on the sides of the boat. There is a bathroom onboard. The added bonus was that we had such a gorgeous evening for light. We also appreciated the knowledge of the crew in Identifying the birds and provide some very interesting facts. The cruise lasted about 3 hours. My wife and I clicked off approx. 1500 shots (action and static) of puffins, bald eagles, great blue heron, great and double crested cormorants, a wide variety of gulls, razorbacks, northern gannet, grey seals and more. This is an outstanding opportunity to see and photograph some amazing wildlife in their natural habitat. The team at Bird Island Boats Tours did an great job . Their regular tour would be great for young and old alike.and would be a great way to spend a morning or afternoon for families. We would do this tour again without hesitation and recommend Bird Island Boat Tours.

Scott Patterson

Excellent tour of Bird Islands. I highly recommend this tour. Great campground and cottages.

Dianne J. Vincent

Educative, enjoyable tour

Mimi Kue

Went on this tour on July 6th. Saw tons of sea birds, puffins are plentiful, so are the seals. The captain and his son Ian were wonderful guides.

Farhan Sadiq

Great ride, superb commentary to match the excellent tour. They are great and very friendly tour operators. Keep it up Captain and crew ????????????

rob fraser

Didn't want it to end was totally awesome all together

Catherine Kuwertz

This is a family run business and both Father and son have great knowledge and understanding of the birds in the local area. Very informative.

Chuck Barksdale

Excellent boat ride out to several small islands that are bird sanctuaries. Learned a lot and had a great time on this excursion.

Eric Ruff

We wanted to see Puffins and this tour delivered! Captain and son both friendly and informative. Beautiful island background, tour didn’t feel rushed at all. Several other birds besides Puffins including bald eagles. Bring your best telephoto lens!

Paul McAviney

Puffin island need I say more?

Neil Guerrero (Jamey)

A family run business for over 45 years. They take pride of the work they do. The captain is knowledgeable of the area, the local bird population, and guarantees that you'll see a puffin. Highly recommended!

Heather Black

Loved it. Beautiful day at sea, lots of birds of many types, seals everywhere, and very informative captain and crew. Nice touch to include free hot drinks on return to shore.

A.S. Beaumarchais

Best experience I had in Cape Breton, Captain, son and daughter were very friendly, so passionate and funny. Did see a lot of birds learn a lot about the birds living in this area. Would recommend it anyone/any family visiting Cape Breton.

Mihai C

great tour

D K

Puffins are very elusive.

Shane

We took a tour with our kids, we really enjoyed it the captain and his son where very knowledgeable. We highly recommend taking this tour.

Linda Morrison

Great location, very relaxing, great staff

James M

We saw puffin, although only two... Be aware that they are gone from mid August! The tour is a 40 min boat ride each way to the bird islands, with about 1.5hours out at the islands. There are plenty of seals, bald headed eagles and other wildlife to see, but the tour seems too long to me. The enthusiasm of the captain and his son towards the birds is, ummm, unbridled. The boat is good - protected from the elements (unlike other boat tours we considered) and has a toilet on board too - good for a 2h45m tour.

Jenn Lenahan

Great tour! Nice boat with good narrators. I learned a lot about birds and saw many, many puffins and other birds and wildlife. Great experience.

Martin Lau

This boat tour was very enjoyable! We loved seeing the puffins, seals and many seabirds. The guides were very knowledgeable and the boat was comfortable. The scenery was stunning. A wonderful family activity! I would definitely recommend this if you happen to be in Cape Breton.

Sonja and Dieter Fischer

Very informative tour! Learned lots about the area and the wildlife.

Jordan Foster

It was ok a lil long gotta really be into birds

shaun thorne

Fun time

Lakshman Prabhakar

Tour was fantastic, there were plenty of puffins and eagles. Our tour had to be rescheduled so we had a rare evening tour. We were surprised to have a father son duo. Both were incredibly informative, and they put in extra hours preparing the facts and figures for you. Dad reminded his son, who is still figuring out the intricacies of the business. Overall, it is a great family business that will provide an exciting tour that always provides entertainment. P.S. Remember the sexy red legs and alcidae family for the pop quiz! Edit: Our evening tour was NOT rare, they are actually held quite frequently in June, July and August, thank you to the good people at bird island for clearing that up.

Rick Gauthier

Great tour lots of birds seals bald eagles and info!

Cyril Kerr

Great family run business, very knowledgeable!!

Bonnie LE MAIRE

The Best, well worth the cost!

Arkadi Toritsyn

Amazing and unforgettable experience ! Professional tours guide!

Karen Macleod

Loved the comfy boat, scenery, birds and history. Captain is super knowledgable but loves the sound of his own voice. Bryce was awesome.

Granviaje

Great tour with tons of birds to see and great information provided by the captain. I had a great stay!

Morgan Fox

Very friendly and very informative.

Derek Lauzon

Awesome bird island tour, I would definitely recommend going if your in the Cape Breton area.

Evan Francis

Amazing boat ride. Rich history with very experienced crew and staff. Would go again

Dan Q

Great tour, very informative and interesting. Do this tour, you will not regret it.

Jena Clattenburg

Great tour. Very informative and interesting. We were too late in the season for puffins (we were warned in advance of booking) but saw lots of other birds and seals.

Ted Meyer

Can't find a better tour

Patricia MacDonald

This was a great tour. Seen many birds and seals while the friendly crew provided info. Will do again next summer.

Michael Richards

The tour was interesting and fun. Got to see lots of birds and landscapes.

David Duggan

Lots of birds, and some seals. My partner really enjoyed the experience. Decent price for the length of the trip. Would be good if they allowed customers to borrow binoculars. The captain portrayed that he was happy but he seemed grumpy and an introverted.

Nicholas Wasko

Easily one of the best boat tours I have ever taken. Staff were professional, engaging, and extremely informative about the species sighted on the tour, the surrounding area, and the history of Bras D'Or and Cape Breton Island. The ticket …

Robyn Goodhart

Beautiful views, nice wild life. Excellent tour guides.

Deborah Jean

This was an incredibly enjoyable experience. I'm not all that interested in birds but learned a lot today . The scenery is great. The ride was pleasant. The crew were knowledgeable. Saw many birds including 10+bald eagles. Lots of seals. Definitely worth the $$. It was a great choice on this rainy day. Thanks Captain Vince.

Megan Landes

Wonderful tour. Very knowledgeable tour guides and great bird watching.

Joe Sullivan

Okay, so I've thought a lot about this review before writing it. I wanted to be fair and give an honest complete review. I had a long discussion with my wife who also went on the tour. This is my fair and honest opinion. You will see all of the birds and seals that you could imagine. However, the tagteam of father and son bantering is way over the top. Each climbs all over the other to try and top the other. This is bad enough, but then add severe lack of social and people skills and this tour quickly becomes annoying. At times, it felt like father and son hate their job. People asked questions and received snide comments back. A woman attempted to ask a question multiple times and instead of going over to her to hear her better (or telling her to stop closer) the son curtly said, "I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" A small child went through a door that was tough to close and the son remarked, "That's why I said to use the other door." There were times that they would be interrupted by something when talking and lose train of thought and go back and start all over again; going back several minutes. It was tedious to sit through at times. Remember though, all this time they are taking you to see the things you paid to see... which was amazing! The down side is that you are trapped on a vessel without an escape from the annoying banter. I like being educated about things I know little to nothing about but i wanted it to stop about 30 minutes in. Maybe bring your headphones? One thing that solidified the experience for me was when I handed the guestbook back to the captain as he was talking to his son about the neighbors in town. I said thank you as I handed it back. The captain took the book from me and gave an annoyed/bothered look. To sum this up, bring your camera and someone to talk to when/if you are done listening to the commentary. Be prapared for a 3 hour trip with mostly smooth seas. There were times of small wave boat rocking. Be ready for a quiz about the things they are teaching you. Be prepared for awkward silence if everyone is tuning the info out and can't answer the questions. Be ready with your camera and have lots of room for great pics. Try and have fun!

Lorna Doone

We had a wonderful tour. Saw many birds and seals and loved the Puffins.

Jeffrey Lam

Best boat tour to see puffins and other seabirds! Captain Vince and Ian provided an awesome experience with their expertise (and sense of humour!) about the wildlife and stories regarding the area! A must see if you are travelling to the Cape Breton area.

Jenn Abram

We stayed in 6B. Hosts were super friendly. Only stayed 1 night and wish we could have stayed longer...next time!

nathan hayes

I learned a lot from the captain about birds. The boat was pleasant. I saw all types of birds I never saw again. A+

Jesse Chaschowy

Caption was fantastic and helpful. Saw lots of birds and seals.

Ann Ashcraft

Awesome