Best Dolphin Encounters and Marine Parks — Our Top 12

1.Dubai: Dolphin Encounter & Aquaventure Waterpark Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,269 reviews · from $197Our pick

At Atlantis the Palm, a marine mammal specialist gives you a 15-minute briefing before your 30-minute shallow-water dolphin encounter. Trainers such as Julia, Warwick, Ryan, and Alexandro have been praised for clear instruction. Your ticket also covers Aquaventure Waterpark, including Leap of Faith and Kids Splashers Zones.

“We done the Dolphin encounter as a family of 6. It was incredible. The guides (Warwick was one of the guides) were very interactive and taught us a lot about Tina the Dolphin. Tina was so social with humans too. would love to do the swim with the dolphin next time. Photos are quite expensive but was cheaper for me to purchase the lot on digital which was 1275 AED and we had around 58 photos in total. other wise it is 150 AED per photo.”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Dubai: Dubai Dolphinarium Dolphin, Seal & Bird Show Tickets

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,020 reviews · from $25Best value

Watch Dubai’s first and only dolphin and seal show, then see parrots, falcons, toucans, and other birds perform tricks. Choose standard or VIP seating, exchange your voucher at Creek Park Gate 1, and remember the AED 5 park entry fee is separate.

“Asiff Abbas was our tour, such a lovely man very well taking care of from pick up to drop off. A wonderful afternoon spent with Asiff, the quads, camels and bashing was brilliant highly recommend great value for money”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Ultimate 4 Hour Lanai Snorkel and Dolphin Encounter

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 927 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $175Top rated

Leave Lahaina at 9 a.m. for two snorkel stops near Lanai and Maui, with a chance to see spinner dolphins, turtles, reef sharks, and whales from December through April. Captains Jill, Casey, Lexi, and others provide gear, flotation aids, snacks, drinks, and reef-safe sunscreen for a group of up to 26.

“The tour was wonderful. Great snorkeling, dolphins galore and the crew was exceptional. Would do it again, especially during whale season.”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Port Stephens: Dolphin Discovery Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 926 reviews · 1h 30m · from $28

Join Moonshadow TQC Cruises at Nelson Bay for a 90-minute Port Stephens dolphin cruise. The captain points out bottlenose dolphins, marine life, Tomaree and Yacaaba Headlands, and local beaches. You can stay dry on deck or use the boom net, with snacks and drinks available from the licensed bar.

“Excellent activity! Boat was clean and huge! Staff were friendly and knowledgeable. Saw loads of dolphins and had a great great time!!”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Costa Adeje: Aqualand Water Park Ticket with Dolphin Show

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 887 reviews · 1 day · from $42

Enter Aqualand Costa Adeje for a full day of water rides, children’s splash areas, the Lava River, heated pools, and an included dolphin show. You can tackle Kamikazes and Cyclones, relax in the Vulcano Spa, or let younger children play at Isla Pirata and Puerto Pirata. Parking is included, but food and lockers cost extra.

“Four generations went today and we all had a fantastic time, loved the dolphins”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Port Stephens: Dolphin Discovery Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 401 reviews · from $32

Join Moonshadow-TQC Cruises at Nelson Bay for a 90-minute search for wild bottlenose dolphins in Port Stephens. Your all-weather boat offers indoor and outdoor seating, commentary on marine life, views of Tomaree and Yacaaba Headlands, and a boom-net ride. Dolphins are wild, so sightings are never guaranteed.

“My wife and I had a great time. The captain made an announcement to welcome us on board as we celebrate a special event. Thank you.”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Wild Dolphin Encounter & Snorkeling Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 147 reviews · 4 hours (approx.)

Set out from Marina Vallarta with a biologist guide such as Maggie, Michael, or Margarita to look for wild dolphins, whales, turtles, and rays. You may enter the Pacific near the dolphins, then snorkel at Los Arcos de Mismaloya. The four-hour trip includes lunch, drinks, gear, and a maximum of 10 people.

“We had a great time on this tour. We saw many dolphins and swam with them - an extraordinary experience. Our tour guide Megy is very knowledgeable and provides a lot of interesting information. The snorkeling wasn't as great as we've had in Hawaii - not so much diversity of fish and the water was blurry, but still, it was pretty good. After all, it was a great experience, considering also that it was just 2 couples all together and we felt very comfortable.”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Cancún: Dolphin Encounter on Isla Mujeres with Buffet

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 56 reviews · 8 hours · from $95

Meet dolphins from a standing underwater platform at Dolphin Discovery on Isla Mujeres. You will learn about dolphin behavior, diet, and care programs, then enjoy a buffet, soft drinks, pools, and lounge chairs. The 9:00 AM ferry from Playa Langosta returns around 5:30 PM.

“Was fun getting so close to the dolphins, definitely memorable but the cost is not worth what you end up doing. I picked encounter, cheapest level, and it was about 30-40 minutes. But it’s spread amongst the group you’re in, so you maybe get 5-7 minutes. Cost if photos is crazy, and you can’t take your own or bring a go pro. I can’t say anything about the buffet, I missed it, was my own fault. You do get free time on the island but transportation to the centre is not included. The instructor was knowledgeable though.”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.Dolphin Discovery

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 55 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $54

Set out from Portimão at 11:30 a.m. for a two-hour English-language speedboat cruise. Your trained skipper searches for dolphins offshore, then takes you along the coast to Benagil Cave. The boat holds no more than 14 people, with optional pickup from nearby resorts for an extra fee.

“Was an amazing experience…we were able to see a lot of Dolphins…the guide and the captain were really good…it took us a while to find the dolphins but they were very persistent and did not give up”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Fort Walton: Dolphin Discovery and Snorkeling Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 23 reviews · 3 hours · from $67

Set out from Fort Walton Beach with Captain Eric and First Mate Bailey, when scheduled, for a three-hour cruise through Destin Harbor, Okaloosa Island, and Gulf waters. Look for dolphins, search for shells, and snorkel with provided gear. English guidance and wheelchair access are available.

“the whole trip was great , the crew was awesome. wished i could have found shells on Shell Beach.”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Dolphin Watch & Snorkeling at Kisite Marine Park & Wasini Island

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 11 reviews · from $100

Spend about nine hours traveling from Mombasa to Kisite Mpunguti Marine Park and Wasini Island. Cruise by dhow, look for dolphins and whales, snorkel with provided gear, eat a local seafood lunch, and add a village walk, mangrove boardwalk, or Shimoni Slave Caves visit.

“It took a long time to get to the island, both by van then by boat. We spent five hours getting there. We did not see any dolphins on the way, coming or going. The snorkelling was fantastic, but we only got about 45 minutes of it before we had to leave for lunch. The lunch wRead more”

Check availability →Read our full review

12.Cancun: Dolphin Encounter on Isla Mujeres and Garrafon Park

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 8 reviews · from $103

Sail from Cancun to Isla Mujeres for a hands-on dolphin encounter, conservation talk, reef snorkeling or kayaking, a buffet lunch, one zipline ride, and hammock time at Garrafon Natural Park. English- and Spanish-speaking guides lead this nine-hour outing.

“A lot of time was really planned for us to meet the dolphins. We were often allowed to stroke the dolphins, try out a trick with them several times and even swim with them twice. Simply fantastic!!!”

Check availability →Read our full review