Awful time. We were told we’d be able to swim with dolphins on the phone before booking. Every single person on our tour expected to swim with the dolphins and were told they’d be able to enter the water with them. Their website is literally called swimwithdolphinsandmantas.com. Right before departing on the boat the captain told us it was illegal to swim with the dolphins and we were not allowed to enter the water with them. The entire boat could not believe it. The captain claimed it was a $1,000.00 fine per person if they were caught letting us swim near dolphins.
Regardless he went up and down the coast looking for dolphins. After a few hours of wasting my valuable vacation time we found three other charters in a huge pod of dolphins. Everyone on their charters were having the time of their life swimming with dolphins. Our captained refused to go near them fearing to get a ticket. He said we could get out and swim to them. He parked 1/4 mile away from them and told us to swim, without life jackets. Like idiots the entire tour swam towards them in 50 feet of water, but they were long gone when we got anywhere close to them. The other tours moved with the pods.
He told us to get back on the boat. When we did he said there is no way to get near the dolphins. We watched as all three charters moved and got in front of this enormous pod of dolphins, then entered with them. You could literally see how much fun they were having as we drove off completely unsatisfied.
He then drove another 30 minutes and told us to snorkel in 30 feet of water with huge waves and a strong current. It was awful. Overall I paid $300.00 for my wife and I to take a boat ride and snorkel in rough water for 30 minutes. Since then they have ignored my emails and calls. Looking at all the other reviews I see there is no chance I will be getting a refund. If you want to swim with dolphins book another tour. If you want to swim with mantas book with Aloha Kayaks. We used them earlier in the trip and it was amazing and the staff was beyond friendly. Ocean Encounters are thieves and liars, beware.