Playa del Carmen · DOLPHIN WATCHING
12 tours reviewed
Good dolphin watching tours in Playa del Carmen fill up in high season and the best fill up first. Below are the 12 that stand out, with current prices and what separates them, so you can book before December does it for you.
Experience Akumal dolphins in 55 minutes with a 15-minute intro and 40-minute encounter, family games, plus lockers, but no camera photos.
“After you enter, they try to scam you by charging 200€ for 12 digital photos, and don't sneeze or you'll get charged”
Dolphin encounter on Isla Mujeres from Cancún, with ferry, dolphin time from an underwater platform, plus buffet lunch and pool time.
“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.”
Swim with dolphins in Cancun at Delphinus, with 10 interactive dolphin activities, aquarium admission, towels, and lockers in 35 minutes.
“We loved being in the pool and interacting with the dolphins but for the money didn’t seem long enough. By the time we checked in, got changed and had a talk about the dolphin, we had a few photos then it finished. 15 minutes with the dolphins for what we paid was a bit expensive for a family on a budget. That was without any photos. We then had to pay $53 per photo or they had packages which worked out cheaper but still very expensive in total.”
Cozumel Royal Swim pairs a 40-minute dolphin session with a 10-minute manatee encounter, plus VIP lunch at Chankanaab Park.
“Heel slechte ervaring. Ik heb betaald voor de Royal Swim. De dolfijnen trainer was onbeschoft naar ons en totaal niet geinteresseerd. Hij ratelde zijn verhaaltje af alsof het een cassetteband was en was zeer onvriendelijk. We begonnen meer dan een half uur later dan afgesproken en er was niets Royal aan deze ervaring. Zwemmen was er ook niet bij en vrije tijd met de dieren al helemaal niet, terwijl dit wel wordt aangekondigd. We deden niets meer dan de mensen met de veel goedkopere dolphin encounter. Weggegooid geld dus!”
Dolphin encounter plus Maroma Beach Club access in Quintana Roo. Hands-on dolphin time, then Playa Maroma beach facilities all day.
“When we arrived we were told that our appointment was not booked for 10am but for 12pm, even though my confirmation with the ticket stated 10am. We were then made to feel anything but welcome; the service was very unfriendly, as if it were our fault. We then had to be ready to go into the water within 2-3 minutes and I had to hurry a lot with my 4-year-old son, which made it stressful. They tried to sell us the photo package for an additional 100 dollars, and visitors who were on dry land were strictly forbidden from taking a single photo. There were guards who were pushy. This…”
Royal Swim Plus in Puerto Aventuras pairs dolphin play with sea-lion and manatee encounters, plus lunch and marina access in 2 hours.
“I really enjoyed this. The guide was super friendly and gave us a lot of time to interact with the dolphins. Ofcourse seeing them in the open ocean is better, but they are treated well and with a lot of respect.”
Cancun Interactive Aquarium plus dolphin presentation at Plaza La Isla. See 140+ species, touch tanks, and a 7 pm show.
Swim and interact with dolphins in Riviera Maya, 20 minutes in water, small groups up to 10, towels and lockers included from $127.
“Bien accueilli, par groupes de huit personnes, nous avons pu approcher de près des dauphins. Vraiment magnifique.”
Delphinus Cancun interactive aquarium ticket with a guided 30-minute dolphin water session, towels included, photos extra.
“Loved it but I thought we could actually swim with them not just stand in the water.”
Dolphin Encounter on Isla Mujeres with snorkeling or kayaking at Garrafon Park, plus ferry, zipline and buffet lunch from Cancun.
“The Garrafon park itself isn't that interesting, the queue for the zip line is too long, and the staff aren't very friendly. Lunch is very bad. In the end, it was worth it for the snorkeling and the activity with the dolphins.”
Swim with dolphins at Dolphin Discovery, then enjoy Garrafon Reef Park with snorkeling, kayaking, zip line, buffet, and open bar.
“We had a short time with the dolphins, the photos were pretty poor and very expensive, and the ferry was super slow.”
A one-hour Dolphin Discovery Cancun swim with trainer-led dolphin lessons, hands-on interaction, and lunch plus soft drinks.
“I find it very expensive (595) to spend 30 minutes with dolphins taking photos and then end up paying 295 Canadian dollars. I am disappointed by the prices, but I enjoyed the experience with the dolphins. However, the prices for the photos leave a bad memory.”
