Beluga Whale Sanctuary is a rescue and care site in Vestmannaeyjar, South Iceland, run by the SEA LIFE Trust. It looks after two beluga whales brought over from an aquarium, and it takes in puffins. The draw is watching the animals; the exhibition beside them is small, with few exhibits. The site is set up for children, and payment is not cash-only. The nearest car parks are a walk away, and the ferry stop is about 1.3 km off.
Beluga Whale Sanctuary
Local name: Sea Life Trust Beluga Whale Sanctuary
Two beluga whales retired here from a Shanghai aquarium, into the same bay that once held Keiko, the orca from Free Willy.
- Parking
- Nearest car parks about 700 m and 900 m from the sanctuary.
- Transport
- Herjólfur ferry stop about 1.3 km away; the stop signed Vestmannaeyjar is about 1.3 km.
- Address
- Heimaey harbour, Vestmannaeyjar
What makes it special
Two rescued beluga whales are the point of the visit, and people stay to watch them. The site also runs a puffin rescue, so whales and birds come in one stop. The exhibition around them is small, with few exhibits — come for the animals and for the account of the rescue work, not for a museum. Beluga Whale Sanctuary is run by the SEA LIFE Trust and sits in Vestmannaeyjar, above Klettsvík bay, the same water that held Keiko, the orca from Free Willy, after he was flown back to Iceland.
Good to know
- A small exhibition — few exhibits, and the two rescued belugas and the puffins are what the visit is really about.
- Cards are accepted — the sanctuary does not work on cash only.
- Children are catered for — the site is set up for family visits, and the animals hold their attention.
Getting there
The Herjólfur ferry stop is about 1.3 km from Beluga Whale Sanctuary, and the stop signed Vestmannaeyjar is about the same distance. Drivers do not pull up at the door: the nearest car parks are roughly 700 m and 900 m away, and the last stretch is on foot. A tourist information point stands about 700 m from the sanctuary, on the same walk in.
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Frequently asked questions
What is there to see?
Two rescued beluga whales and a puffin rescue, plus a small exhibition on the rescue work. The animals, not the display cases, are what fills the visit.Is it worth bringing children?
Yes. The sanctuary is set up for family visits, and watching the belugas and the puffins works for children.How do you reach the sanctuary?
It stands in Vestmannaeyjar, about 1.3 km from the Herjólfur ferry stop. The nearest car parks are roughly 700 m and 900 m away, so the last part is walked.Where did the belugas come from?
Both were brought from an aquarium in Shanghai and moved to Iceland in 2019. They are cared for here rather than displayed as a show.Can you pay by card?
Yes. The sanctuary does not operate on cash only.