This is by far the best place to see dolphins in the natural habitat. Most places that allow you to swim with dolphins have them trapped in a lagoon or bribe them with food. Not here. We saw hundreds of dolphins, snorkeled with them and had a great time. The only drawback was the cold water. We were there in... more

This was a truly incredible experience, I would strongly reccomend this as my number 1 thing to do in New Zealand. First of all, I have to say that I went twice, the first time I saw dolphins but didn't get to swim with them (as it was only a small pod). The second time (a week later), I managed... more

I want in August which is their winter. they gave us winter wet suits, but it was still freezing cold. I was so cold I could hardly breath or swim. I saw alot of dolphins but couln't enjoy it. also I extremely seasick after we got on board the boat. The staff was good, but the sea was very rough.... more

We signed up for the early morning wild dolphin encounter, and although early - o dark thirty - we were the first ones out on the ocean. We located the dolphins just after sunrise, and the early morning light was fantastic. The dolphins were extremely active and acrobatic, and with guidelines from our fantstic guides, we were able to engage... more

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