15 Best Places To Swim With Dolphins Across The World

Swimming in many places around this little planet of ours is such a treat, whether that is the crystal-clear waters of a Caribbean island or the many breathtaking destinations where you can swim with turtles. Even more exciting, perhaps, are the places where dolphins are present. Seals are sweet, and whales are certainly impressive, but does any sea creature capture our hearts quite like the dolphin? With their playful nature, incredible intelligence, and undeniably graceful movements through the water, it's hard not to be smitten with these marine mammals. 

Seeing dolphins in the water — especially when they travel in large pods — is a thrilling sight in itself. But being able to swim alongside them is an even more special experience. From within the sea, travelers can really interact with them, watch in awe as they mimic the swimmer's motions, or zip close by as if playing a game of chicken. There are many waters all over the globe where dolphins live, but some of the destinations stand out. Using blogs and personal experience, we've sourced the best of the best.

This archipelago — which includes the unique island of Terceira — is a great spot for swimming with wild dolphins. Part of the reason might be thanks to the Azores' remoteness, as the islands sit stranded far from Portugal in the blue yonder of the North Atlantic Ocean. Consisting of nine islands, the Azores are known for their abundant nature, not just on land (the hiking is fabulous) but also in the water. That's where visitors will be able to spot whales and swim with dolphins. Operators like CW Azores take adventurers out for trips that last up to four hours. 

During an excursion, snorkelers might have the chance to swim with dolphins on multiple occasions. Furthermore, each swim could offer some variety from the previous one, as there are five species of dolphins that roam the waters of the Azores. Among them are the Atlantic spotted dolphins — which swim with their young at the beginning of the summer — and the Risso's dolphin, most easily identified by its rounded snout, which makes it look a little like a beluga whale.

There are many places around Baja California where dolphins swish wild and free, but one location tops them all. Cerralvo Island — shaped like a shard of broken glass — sits east of La Paz, an underrated, beautiful beach city in its own right. Cerralvo is special because it has five different types of dolphins wandering in its waters, and this is where to spot varieties like bottlenose, rough tooth, and spinner dolphins in pods speeding through the Gulf of California or slowly winding their way close to boats and snorkelers. 

Cabo Private Guide takes travelers out on trips to Cerralvo Island, departing from Cabo San Lucas during the April to October season. The entire excursion lasts for about six hours and includes a stop at a beach and many chances to get into the water when these magnificent creatures are present. Visitors might also see turtles, orca whales, and rays, while coral is also a common theme of trips to this part of Baja California.

A part of the North Island that encompasses both an area of the land and a grand body of water, the Bay of Plenty was named by the British explorer Captain James Cook in the 1700s. Its moniker refers to the fertile land that Cook saw, though those native to the land know it as Te Moana-a-Toitehuatahi. The Bay of Plenty is a popular summer destination for many New Zealanders and international visitors drawn by fine beaches, opportunities to engage in some water sports, and the many festivals staged during the warmer months of the year (December through March). 

One of the Bay of Plenty's most marvelous attractions is the chance to swim with the many dolphins living in the more than 60 miles of coast. Dolphin Blue is among the companies offering trips out to see marine creatures, which not only include dolphins but also whales, seals, and plenty of seabirds. The season coincides with New Zealand's summer, giving travelers even more reason to visit during that window.

It might be hard to believe, but this cluster of Bahamian islands is only 50 miles away from the shores of Florida. They supply travelers with plenty to keep them entertained, from large resorts to quiet villages, and there is also beautifully clear, warm water filled with marine life. Some disciples of lore believe that Bimini is closely linked to the fabled underwater city of Atlantis. Divers throng to Bimini for some of the best snorkeling in the Bahamas, which includes a dive to the shipwreck "Sapona." 

For fans of large marine animals, Bimini offers the chance to see sharks and dolphins. You can get a better handle — and connect with the dolphins in the water — during a trip with the organization WildQuest. Not just a tour operator that takes travelers out on daytime excursions, WildQuest is a retreat where visitors spend a week. During that time, guests frequently go out in the water to find dolphins and swim with them, forging a special connection through repeated interactions. If you love dolphins and feel like you can never get enough of them, this might be the perfect vacation for you.

A port city on the west coast of Australia, Bunbury is a fantastic base for trips to wineries, farms, hikes, and adventures in the water. Thrills in the sea include the chance to swim with bottlenose dolphins in Koombana Bay. About 50 of these marine mammals reside in the bay all year, while more come and go throughout the seasons — at most, there may be 150 dolphins in the bay. The Dolphin Discovery Centre is one of the most well-known outfits taking visitors out in the water to swim with dolphins. 

All trips are led by guides and feature volunteers who ensure the time in the water is rewarding and safe — for both the swimmers and the animals. Excursions last about four hours, and if you don't see any dolphins, then the next trip is free. While dolphins live in the bay all year, the swimming option is only available from November through April, and children must be aged 8 and above to take part. Statistics are maintained to show how many dolphins visit the waters right by the center so you can see how your specific trip measures up against others.

Travelers who like a healthy dose of sun, sea, and sand will find it hard to resist the sumptuous charms of this archipelago. Located in Pernambuco, the 21 islands of Fernando do Noronha pull in visitors for surfing, hiking, diving, and sunbathing on some of South America's best beaches, before sliding into crystal-clear waters packed with diverse marine life. As most of the islands sit within the boundaries of a national marine park, a level of protection ensures that nature remains in prime condition. 

One of the areas where dolphins are known to congregate is Baía dos Golfinhos, also known (aptly) as Dolphin Bay. Many tourists come here expressly to see the marine mammals, either from the coast or from boats plying the waters of the bay. Spinner dolphins live here most of the year, but swimming with them at this location isn't allowed. For that experience, visitors head to Baía do Sancho, which has been voted the best beach in the world on a number of occasions. In the immaculate waters, tourists can swim with dolphins, as well as sharks, turtles, and hundreds of different types of fish.

If you want to get the most from your first trip to the Galápago Islands (hundreds of miles off the coast of Ecuador), swimming with dolphins needs to be at the top of your to-do list. The marine animals are — as many people will know — just one of the species that visitors will see in this natural wonderland. The Galápagos archipelago and the surrounding waters host one of the richest, most unique ecosystems in the world, with flora and fauna found there that doesn't exist anywhere else on the planet. It is a truly remarkable place.

It is such an incredible destination that it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Come to this place, and you'll see marine iguanas, giant tortoises, blue-footed boobies, and flightless cormorants. You can also get into the water with the resident dolphins through SwimTrek. The company specializes in vacations centered on swimming, offering seven-day trips to the islands with plenty of open-water swimming opportunities. Guests get to paddle and kick alongside turtles, manta rays, and dolphins, and even swim in the crater of an extinct volcano.

For fans of dolphins, the beauty of visiting Hawaii — where you can find hidden lava pools with unmatched views — is that there are so many different species there. Across the surges and stills of the Pacific as it winds its way around the islands, at least 10 varieties of dolphins can be spotted. These range from the spinner and bottlenose to the short-beaked and pantropical spotted. Considering how beautiful Hawaii is, you can't blame the dolphins.

One of the places where swimming with dolphins is well-established is off the coast of Oahu, an island home to an incredible amount of unique experiences. A three-hour trip with Iruka Hawaii Dolphin (available year-round) is pitched at seasoned swimmers and explores the deep waters off the island's west coast, accessed via a speedboat transfer. Swimmers less comfortable in the water should consider the catamaran tour, which is available only from April to October. That option is ideal for families with younger children, and guests might also spot turtles during their snorkel.

This is possibly the most famous place in New Zealand to swim with dolphins, and as something we have been lucky enough to experience, we can confirm that Kaikōura pulls it off with aplomb. Operators like Dolphin Encounter allow swimmers to interact with the dusky dolphin, a variety that seems to be especially fascinated by humans. While dolphins shimmy up and down the coast of the South Island all year, the months from October to May are when they congregate closer to the Kaikōura Peninsula.

Some of the dolphins will swim incredibly close to snorkelers, but participants are expected to refrain from reaching out to touch the animals. In addition to the dusky dolphin, visitors might spot Hector's dolphins — which have an arresting black dorsal fin — or the common dolphin, the most populous species of dolphin on the planet. The lucky few might also spot an orca, the giants of the water that weigh thousands of pounds. Did you know that orcas are the biggest members of the dolphin family? You do now.

Travelers might already be aware of Sharm El-Sheikh, a destination where beachfront lounges come with fantasy views, but Marsa Alam — some distance to the south — might not be as famous. Unless you are a big fan of dolphins, of course, as Marsa Alam is home to Samadai Reef, also known as Dolphin House. The coral formation, shaped like the letter U, helps to keep the waters tranquil and welcoming to spinner dolphins that frequent the reef. 

Excursions — like those offered by Marsa Alam Tours — typically include a hotel pick-up and drop-off, one or more snorkeling stops at the reef, and some food and refreshments. The waters are enviably clear, and sometimes hundreds of dolphins can be spotted swimming together in the Red Sea. In addition to dolphins, the waters by Marsa Alam teem with coral, multi-colored reef fish, turtles, and rays. If you love sea beasts, you'll love Marsa Alam.

A breathtaking island nation that is more budget-friendly than you might think, Mauritius is a fascinating destination. Set in the Indian Ocean (east of Madagascar), it has an interesting mix of cultures (more than half of the residents are Hindus) and terrain that ranges from beaches to plateaus to mountains. There are also coral reefs that ring the island, meaning the diving and snorkeling are sublime. Mauritius is one of the world's great exotic vacation choices, and it also happens to offer the chance to swim with wild dolphins. 

Tour company Mauritius Dolphins provides trips out into the island's sizzling seas to see these magnificent mammals. Excursions include hotel transfers that shuttle guests to Tamarin Beach or a river estuary on the island's southwest coast. The trip includes time in the water with the dolphins, as well as snorkel adventures around reefs off the west coast. Guests will likely remember the lunch also — a BBQ feast served on a private island.

A trip to Ningaloo Reef will forge memories you'll never forget — swimming up close to immense whale sharks is an experience lifted from the pages of a fiction tome. Whale sharks are the main attraction for visitors that come to this part of Western Australia. The biggest fish in the world, they can grow up to an incredible 65 feet. However, the whale sharks aren't the only sizable sea creatures in the waters of Ningaloo Reef. 

Dolphins are frequent companions to snorkelers. Travelers lucky enough to jump into the waters will find Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins and Australian humpback dolphins attracted by the abundant squid and shrimp in the seas. Sail Ningaloo is a small snorkeling and diving outfit that takes visitors out on the reef aboard its boats for multi-day excursions, with nights spent on the ship. In addition to swimming with dolphins, sailors might get close to rays, humpback whales, and even delightful dugongs.

One of the best spring break destinations on the planet, Panama City Beach is a place where, each spring, many people — including families — arrive to lounge on the 27 miles of pristine beaches. But wide-eyed vacationers aren't the only energetic beings in this part of Florida. The waters in the Gulf of Mexico are also home to sprightly bottlenose dolphins who reside there year-round. 

Tourists can head out to the emerald waters to swim with the marine mammals via operators like Blue Dolphin Tours. The outfitter takes passengers out on speed boats that carry a maximum of six participants and can have them quickly sliding into the water as soon as the dolphins are spotted. Trips also include a stop at Shell Island, an undeveloped slash of land with soft-sand beaches and animals such as deer, crabs, and turtles.

The largest city in Western Australia, Perth is well-connected. There are direct flights to and from the city from all across Asia, as well as a non-stop flight to London — one of the longest flights in the world. While Perth is a fabulous destination in its own right (and the jumping-off point to a place packed with quokkas), it's the waters just outside the city that are the real attraction for dolphin lovers. The bays of Rockingham, a short drive south of Perth, feature hundreds of bottlenose dolphins. Visitors can learn and swim with the beautiful animals on a trip with Perth Wildlife Encounters. Around 200 dolphins reside in the bay and around the nearby islands. 

Boats leave from Rockingham, and it usually doesn't take long before the crew will have spotted some dolphins. At this point, groups of seven people or fewer slip into the water — larger numbers would be distressing to the dolphins — and the real fun begins. A guide uses a motorized propulsion device tethered to the snorkelers, meaning swimmers can always be close to the dolphins without needing to kick frantically to keep up with the zippy marine mammals.

Melbourne regularly tops the list of the most liveable cities in Australia, and it isn't difficult to understand why. It serves as the gateway to the Great Ocean Road — one of the finest drives in the world — and Port Phillip Bay. The bay might not be a household name for many travelers around the globe, but it is world-class in one respect: It supplies travelers with a great place to swim with dolphins. Book a trip with See All Dolphin Swims, and you'll get in some great snorkeling at Popes Eye (expect to see lots of fish). There are two departures per day during the warmer part of the year (the U.S. winter)

The next stop is a visit to a colony of Australian fur seals, with a swim included as part of the trip. The final stop brings adventurers into the water with dolphins. Numbers are strictly controlled so participants won't feel like they are fighting a pack to get close to the dolphins, and the dolphins won't get freaked out by the hordes of gawking strangers flapping manically in the water. With smaller groups, the experience feels all the more special.

There are many species of dolphins found in rivers and oceans all over the world. To find the best places to swim with them, we consulted blogs such as Bucket List Travels and Citrus Reef, as well as information on Tripadvisor. We also drew on our own experience swimming with dolphins in Australia and New Zealand. To ensure an authentic adventure, we discounted any enclosed facilities where you can swim with dolphins — it seemed a bit disingenuous to include places where the dolphins were essentially captive. To add utility to the list, we included the names of operators that offer swimming tours with dolphins.