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Ocean Calling

Ocean Atlas · Europe and Mediterranean

Europe and Mediterranean

Monaco

A tiny harbour city at the edge of the Pelagos Sanctuary, where whales and dolphins live far offshore. We share the story only.

Striped dolphin
Striped dolphin, found in the waters of the wider region · Photo: Lucas Benaiche, iNaturalist, cc-by-sa
Story only

Story only, for now. We love learning about this place and its ocean, so we share its story here and do not sell trips yet. Checked by Ocean Calling on 6 Oct 2026. Sources: High Quality Whale Watching, Pelagos Sanctuary; Cetaceans of the Cote d'Azur, Monaco Tribune; Monaco travel advice, UK FCDO (gov.uk).

Why: Monaco lies inside the Pelagos Sanctuary, an 87,500 square kilometre marine protected area shared by France, Italy and Monaco where fin whales, sperm whales and several dolphin species are regularly seen offshore. The sanctuary's code of good conduct, and the High Quality Whale Watching label built on it, ask boats to stay 100 metres away in French waters, go no faster than 5 knots, keep each watch to 30 minutes, and never touch, feed or swim with the animals. That is exactly how we like to watch: slowly, from a respectful distance, leaving the whales in charge.

🧭 Travel advice, checked 30 Sep 2026. The US State Department covers Monaco within its France advisory, which is Level 2, exercise increased caution. Australia's Smartraveller does not issue separate advice for Monaco. Sources: US State Department travel advisory, France and Monaco Advice differs by passport: check your own government before you plan.

WhalesDolphinsWildlife watching

Why Monaco

People come to Monaco for the casino, yachts and the Oceanographic Museum. The whale and dolphin sanctuary begins a long way past the breakwater, about 20 to 50 km offshore. Striped and bottlenose dolphins are reported all year, and fin whales most often from mid June to mid August. The sanctuary code is to stay 100 m away and never touch, feed or swim with the animals. We offer no trips here.

Conservation-led. Ocean Calling guests never chase, touch or bait animals.

KazakhstanRussiaNorwayGreenlandFranceIsraelLebanonPalestineTunisiaAlgeriaJordanIraqIranSyriaArmeniaSwedenBelarusUkrainePolandAustriaHungaryMoldovaRomaniaLithuaniaLatviaEstoniaGermanyBulgariaGreeceTurkeyAlbaniaCroatiaSwitzerlandLuxembourgBelgiumNetherlandsPortugalSpainIrelandItalyDenmarkUnited KingdomAzerbaijanGeorgiaSloveniaFinlandSlovakiaCzechiaSaudi ArabiaN. CyprusCyprusMoroccoEgyptLibyaBosnia and Herz.MacedoniaSerbiaMontenegroKosovoPort Hercule and the Pelagos Sanctuary, Monaco

When to go

Jun-Aug. Timing changes by place and by animal, so check each place below.

We share this place as a story so you can learn. There is no Ocean Calling trip.

Our ethics check

Can we travel here ethically?

Story only

We tell the story. We do not sell a trip here.

Checked 6 Oct 2026. Places change, so we look again every year.

Sources for this check
The story

Where in Monaco

We share these places as stories and research notes. We do not offer or sell trips here.

Port Hercule and the Pelagos Sanctuary

Story only

The harbour of Monaco, with the Pelagos whale and dolphin sanctuary far offshore.

Also seen: Striped and bottlenose dolphins (offshore, from a boat), Fin whales (offshore, seasonal, never certain)

When: Jun-Aug. Fin whales are most often reported from mid June to mid August. Sightings need a boat trip of 1 to 1.5 hours.

Animals

Animals recorded in Monaco

Tap an animal to learn how it lives, where it travels and how to meet it respectfully.

Striped dolphin leaping, dark flank stripe clearly visibleStriped dolphinStenella coeruleoalbaSeen in 43 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernCommon bottlenose dolphin swimming over a seagrass bedCommon bottlenose dolphinTursiops truncatusSeen in 89 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernFin whale surfacing, showing its white right lower jawFin whaleBalaenoptera physalusSeen in 37 countries in the AtlasVulnerableBump-head sunfish swimming in blue water off Nusa PenidaOcean sunfish (mola)Mola molaSeen in 29 countries in the AtlasVulnerableDusky grouper underwater at Cabo de Palos, SpainDusky grouperEpinephelus marginatusSeen in 40 countries in the AtlasVulnerableGreat cormorant perched on a branch, with white head plumes and a glossy blue-black backGreat cormorantPhalacrocorax carboSeen in 90 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernEuropean shag sitting on its nest of dry grass, dark green-tinged plumage and yellow gapeEuropean shagGulosus aristotelisSeen in 31 countries in the AtlasLeast Concern
Curious?

Why this is a story, not a trip

Read our ethics check above. If you would like to talk about it, Rocío is happy to explain.

Ask RocíoBack to the Ocean Atlas

Also in Europe and Mediterranean
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