sparklegem

Hoping to learn more about the swimming the dolphins tour out of PUerto Jimenez.

Also wondered if it was scary or loud.

michele_m

Not sure if this is the one you're referring to, but Dolfin Amor Eco Lodge does daily dolphin and whale excursions in the Osa peninsula. Swimming with dolphins was illegalized about a year ago in Costa Rica, but reviews I've read of their tours sound amazing, up close, and we're looking forward to them. Their web site is found easily by entering the name of the lodge in a search engine. They're out of Drake Bay on the other side of the peninsula - if they're not the ones you're looking for, they may be willing to direct you to someone closer to where you'll be.

tully

I've talked to people at dinner at Bosque who've done all the tours you're asking about, they all seemed to enjoy them, no complaints I can remember. That said, they wasn't like a huge amount of people taking these tours due to the grounds at BdC offering so much to do. Other than a hike or two with Eduardo and/of Phillip, the only tour I'm planning to do is the Wildlife Sanctuary and that I'm going to do when I'm at Playa Nicuesa as it's much closer.

Your best bet is to just have a couple in mind when you go and decide when you get there. You'll be able to talk to other guests at dinner who may have done those trips (or are planning to, which then you could all go together & get a break on transport), plus Gerly will be happy to explain all the different tours and what's involved and there will also be a big book in your room explaining everything at BdC. It's so laid back there you'd be fine not deciding til the night before. I hadn't even planned on doing the horseback ride last trip until I ran into a just returning guest at the pool raving about it. Another time, I had planned to go down the Pacific Trail (can only go at certain times due to the tides) and totally blew it due to some monkeys. I had wandered over to the Tropical Garden when I heard some crashing over at the pond area, walked over there to find 3 different troops of monkeys in the trees (all that was missing was the titi monkey). They were throwing fruit (at me it seemed), making a racket, swinging around...I somehow stood there for 90 minutes and didn't even realize it and at that point might've only had a short time at the bottom of the Pacific so I skipped it. So anyway, what I'm trying to long-windedly say is that you may be surprised what you do and don't feel like doing when you get there.

sparklegem

Michele, thank you for your reply. I think that we will be on a different part of the Osa.

Hi Tully, we are thinking of taking a tour while we are staying at The Pearl, before we stay at BdC. The tropical gardens sound like they might be interesting, as does the animal sanctuary. My husband and daughter are still trying to decide of they would be up for being pulled behind a boat. I am trying decide if I am up for a boat ride (I get motion sickness easily). Anyway, we are thinking of possibly one tour while we are at the Pearl (my husband thinks that they sound pretty pricey) and wondering if they are worth or what they are like so we can decide if they are worh it for us. When we get to BdC, we thought maybe just a guided hike with Phillip, if he is available.

kpie

It's my understanding that Costa Rica has banned the practice of swimming with wild dolphins. If a hotel is offering this activity they may be breaking the law. Swimming with dolphins has been found to place a great deal of stress on these beautiful animals. Dolpin and whale watching is a wonderful experience if done with a reputable operator who does not crowd the animals with the boats or chase them. Unfortunately in some areas there are so many boats they outnumber the animals...
Check out the World Society for the Protection of Animals website (WSPA). A posting on Trip Advisor mentioned that Dolfin Amor gets around the legislation by saying that people aren't "swimming" with the dolphins, just stopping for a break. Guess it's up to travellers to do the right thing when it comes to protecting wildlife...

Suzie2

In August of 2005 CR passed a law that you can't swim with the Dolphins at least in the manner that they were by chasing them with boats.

This doesn't mean you can't be out in the water with them while at the Pearl. There is a kayak trip down the street with Escondido Trex that we have done a few times called the mangrove tour. It goes out into the mangroves during high tide and then after a fresh fruit snack you go out into the Golfo Dulce. We got lucky with the high tide timing last time and were able to be out in the kayaks with the dolphins and a few sea turtles. The dolphins were following the Croc Bay fishing boats back in around 3:30 pm.

sparklegem

Thank you, both, Kpie and Suzie. I would not want to do anything to disturb the dolphins.

Suzie, could you please tell me more about your kayak tours? That is something that we have never done. What is it like in the mangroves? Did you see crocodiles (I think that I would be very afraid if I saw one). What did you see and what did you like about the tour?