Dolphin Swim Swimming with dolphins

Rate

US$ 194 p.p.
No minimum age: participants are at least 4.3 ft. tall. tall, can swim and are not pregnant.
If you are between 4 and 4.3 ft. feet tall, you may do a Dolphin Swim if accompanied by an adult participant.
Spectators may join in for US$ 20 p.p.

These rates include all-day admission to Sea Aquarium Park, including prior to your Dolphin Swim.

Location

You can easily park the rental car in the Mambo Beach Boulevard lot (free) or across from LionsDive Beach Resort (paid parking).
Sea Aquarium Park may be a bit tricky to find, see directions here.
No hotel pickup is offered for this excursion.

What to expect

At least 15 minutes beforehand, report to the Dolphin Academy desk at Sea Aquarium Park for check-in. If necessary you can still change your clothes, but it is more convenient if you already have your swimwear on. The dolphin trainers will put you in a group (max. 6 people) and give you swimming flippers. There will be several groups so pay attention to which group you are in and walk along with ‘your’ dolphin trainer.
If you are in the lagoon, soon the 2 dolphins will come to you. The dolphin trainer will split the group into 2 or 3 groups and then each group will take turns interacting with a dolphin. Have the dolphins sing, spin around with them, get a kiss or do one of the other fun games with the dolphins. In between the photographer will take some nice pictures of you, which you can look at afterwards and possibly buy.
In the meantime the dolphin trainer will tell you about the dolphins so it is also an educational outing for you. Of course there is also plenty of opportunity for you to have 1-on-1 interaction with a dolphin. Petting and swimming together, there is plenty of opportunity.
Another nice tip: you don’t get to borrow a snorkel set, but if you bring your own snorkel set you can use it for the last few minutes. Then you can also have fun interaction with the dolphins underwater.
You will see that time flies by, soon half an hour has passed and the Dolphin Swim is over. Afterwards you can take a shower and change clothes. You will leave the Dolphin Academy via the Photo Shop where you can buy a nice souvenir of this wonderful experience.

Included in this excursion

Access to Sea Aquarium Park for all day, including prior to your activity.
Use of swim fins (mandatory, you may also bring your own).
At an additional cost: photos of your Dolphin Swim, afterward in the Photo Shop.

Other info

Swimwear and towel
Sun protection for in the water: waterproof sunscreen (coral-friendly) or a UV shirt
Optional: own swim fins
Optional: own snorkel set. You may take it off for the last few minutes to interact with the dolphins underwater.
You are not allowed to take a camera into the water at a Dolphin Swim. Pictures will be taken by a professional photographer. If you still want to take your camera into the water, book a Dolphin Snorkel, you are allowed to take your camera into the water.

As with almost all excursions these days, Dolphin Swim requires you to fill out a waiver that you do this activity at your own risk. Advice: do this in advance “at home” in your accommodation. In the confirmation e-mail you will receive a link that you can use to arrange this in advance on your phone or laptop.
If that does not work, it is no problem, you can still do this at check-in. But in doing so, you then have to do it on a tablet that is in a waterproof case. This is a bit difficult, so it will take you much longer than if you have already done this relaxed at home.
Should you still need to do this on the spot at check-in, keep in mind and arrive 5 minutes earlier.

There is no age limit for a Dolphin Swim. The participant’s height is considered:

1.30 meters or longer: you may do a Dolphin Swim independently. For children up to 1.45 meters long, it is mandatory to wear a life jacket.
Between 1.20 and 1.30 meters tall: you may do a Dolphin Swim accompanied by a (full-paying) participant aged 18 years or older. The accompaniment is always 1-on-1: per adult max. 1 child.
1.20 or smaller: unfortunately, you are not allowed to do a Dolphin Swim. You can, however, do a Dolphin Encounter.

The length will be measured on the spot and that result is binding. These rules are fairly strictly and rigorously enforced by Dolphin Academy staff, no exceptions are possible.

Pregnant women and children smaller than 1.20 meters are refused admission to a Dolphin Swim. For them a Dolphin Encounter is suitable.
For people with a mental and/or physical disability it may differ per person whether or not you are admitted to the Dolphin Swim. In any case this has to be reported in advance and the dolphin trainers will decide per situation whether it is possible without endangering the safety of participant and dolphins. Important details here: the participant must be able to enter the water independently and swim/water pedal independently for half an hour. The participant must be able to follow instructions from the dolphin trainer directly and independently. Dolphin Academy staff cannot be assumed to provide assistance.