We went on the dolphin encounter on a very rough day (descibed as heavy swell with strong sea sickness warning), when the first trip of the day (5am) had been cancelled. We were on the swimming with dolphins encounter, although others on our boat were just watching. I would advise anyone who is not a strong swimmer, or who has... more

The Dolphin Encounter was an amazing experience. It is not for those who get sea sick easily though. The Dolphin Encounter building was very new and inviting. It had a cafe and a gift shop. The cafe had very tasty food and a wide selection. To begin the tour, we had to collect our wetsuits and snorkel equipment and then... more

Very professional outfit, with knowledgeable (and interested) staff. Worth every penny, but I don’t consider it expensive at $150 NZD. The first trip (5.30am) is considered to be slightly more successful than later ones, but does depend on disposition of wild animals! Anyway it's a cracking way to start your day. All equipment is provided (full wet suit, mask, snorkel... more

The whole experience from start to finish was excellent. The customer service was second to none and the Dolphins were awesome. Highly recommended. more

this was the most amazing encounter ever. we saw hundreds of them. they were very good about getting people fitted with their wet suits and getting out to the boat and into the water pretty quick. we got to swim with them for a little over half an hour. mainly due to the coldness and the wind was changing. i... more

This trip was a real highlight of our New Zealand vacation! My husband and I are wildlife lovers and it was the only activity we booked in advance due to it's well-deserved popularity! A few pointers: Items you will need to bring are your bathing suit, towels, sunscreen, camera and a bag to carry your stuff in. I also suggest... more

This was a truly fantastic experience. We were lucky in that the weather was near perfect and the sea was calm. We took the early morning swim (at around 6am!) - the water was very cold, in spite of the full wet suit including hood, but the temperature bothered me for about a second until I found myself surrounded by... more

We went Dolphin swimming in Kaikoura New Zealand in January 2008 for the 2nd time and it was just out of this world. There are hundreds of dolphins and they are so friendly and the company are so helpful. They really care about the animals and stress it is a 'wild' encounter. more

I still get teary eyed when I remember how I felt during our dolphin encounter last July (thier winter!). My children actually swam in the chilly waters while I watched from the boat. Words will never be able to describe the emotion of this experience as we were surrounded by a pod of over 500 dusky dolphins in azure waters... more