ladybug98

Has anybody done any of the dolphin swims in/around Honolulu? Can you give me specific info as to how long you actually get to be with the doplhins, and what type of interaction you had with them. Was it worth doing? Was it absolutely necessary to reserve before arriving or are there many places to do it and it's readily available? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!!

Diana

I would ask you to please reconsider the dolphin swim. They are incredibly cruel. I did it once and was sorry ever since. No matter how clean or nice it looks, more than half of the dolphins die within 60 to 90 days of capture.
In order to make an informed decision, please visit:

http://dolphinproject.org/

http://www.hsus.org/ace/11727

(The second site is the Humane Society of the United States' position on SWTD programs.)

Sarah

Again I am just going to give you an honest answer. Sealife park now has every exhibit with interactive options for a higher cost. I can't imagine this is good for the animals they have turned the park into a petting zoo. That might be ok for farm animals but it is gross when you put 6-8 sun screen kids in there small pool to begin with. They don't even take you to rinse of sunscreen how simple of concept is it that you are going to put chemicals in the water if you dowsed with sunscreen. I was thinking about a pool with sting rays.

I use to think it would be an interesting experience I even enrolled guest kids of mine at the Hilton Waikoloa swim on the big island. They had a good time and it seemed harmless at a hotel that was rarely full and about 10 years ago before the current swim with the dolphin craze. But to watch these poor animals having to entertain guest after guest you just get the strong feeling that it is not right. Families I have taken to the islands have the same experience they want their kids to swim with the dolphins until they see how much they are used. I think any parent that cares how their pets are treated would respond the same way.

MMN

We stayed at the Mandarin Oriental in Oahu last July. They had a dolphin encounter program there. I believe it was about $115 for 45 minutes or so. The program involved feeding the dolphins and "speaking" with them. There was no actual swimming with the dolphins.
I had swam with them in Mexico and thought that was a much more amazing experience. This seemed much more geared toward kids....though there certainly were adults in the man-made lake.

Spike

When we stayed at the Kahala Mandarin Oriental my eight year-old daughter spent a great deal of time trying to find the opening from the dolphin pool to the open sea, because her gut told her it just wasn't right that they should be confined to such a small area when the ocean was right beside them. Please reconsider paying for this expensive program that has been created for the sole purpose of allowing people with a good amount of disposable income to be entertained by these lovely and wild sea creatures. I believe there are boat excursions that you can take out on the open sea where you can see dolphins in their natural habitat.

Corina

Diana thank you for your enlightening words...........unfortunately most people looking for a way to entertain their "little darlings", sadly, just don't give a damn about the welfare of these beautiful creatures.