Swimming with Dolphins in Hawaii

Many visitors to Hawaii have a common dream – to swim with the dolphins. Hawaii offers many different opportunities to interact with these fabulous creatures. You can happen upon them on your own when swimming in the ocean, but there are many activities companies who will take you in comfort to areas where your chances are the best of seeing and actually swimming with the dolphins as they play in their natural environment. Or you can choose a program where the dolphins are in a lagoon or closed of area, rather than in the open ocean. Either way, this is one of the best experiences you can have in the Paradise of the Hawaiian Islands.

 This is far from an all-inclusive list, but does give you an idea of the types of dolphin activities that are available in the Islands. Prices quoted are correct as of the date of this article, and are subject to change.

Oahu
Sea Life Park offers a variety of programs for visitors who want to interact with dolphins. You can stay dry, or get in the water with these wonderful creatures and actually take a belly ride, a foot push or a dorsal tow, receive a dolphin kiss, hug and handshake. Rates average $69 - $199 per person.

Dolphin Quest, located at the Kahala Hotel & Resort, offers a wide variety of programs, including private family or group encounters with the Atlantic bottlenose dolphins in their lagoon. Prices start at about $220 per adult participant.

Also on Oahu is Dolphin Excursions, a zodiac rafting tour with a dolphin spotting success rate as high as 90% on their morning excursions. Morning tour rates start at $105 for adults, afternoon for $80.

The ultimate dolphin experience is offered by Wild Side Specialty Tours. Their 7-day Ocean Trekker Expeditions include lodging at the Makaha Golf Resort. Conditions permitting, you will take daily boat trips on a floating real-life laboratory. There is field training, data collection and surveys of coral reefs. This environmental conservation experience is $1,895 per person.

Maui
The Pacific Whale Foundation has catamaran cruises to areas where wild spinner dolphins, bottlenose and spotted dolphins are found. You also can snorkel at one or two of Lanai's famed reefs on the snorkel cruise. The Wild Dolphin Encounters Cruise is $40 per adult. The Wild Dolphin Snorkel Cruise is $80.

Maui Classic Charters offers snorkel tours to areas where spinner and bottlenose dolphins are frequently found. The cost is $99 per adult.

Big Island of Hawaii
The Hilton Waikoloa Village is home to the Big Island's Dolphin Quest encounter. The programs are similar to those offered on Oahu, with prices starting at $200 per adult.

Sunlight on Water provides dolphin swim tours with a 98% success rate. The spinner dolphins are year round residents of the waters of the Kona Coast. Cost is $135 per adult.

Kona Dolphin Adventure has daily tours to areas where spinner and spotted dolphins are frequently found. The cost is $130 per adult, or $600 or $1,000 to reserve the boat for a private tour.