Mexico - Swimming with Dolphins in Cancun

Does anyone have a recommendation among the numerous "swim with dolphins" options in and around Cancun? We'll have a car and don't mind traveling for a better experience.

I saw a documentary about a dolphin attacking a tourist at one of those places in Cancun. It was on the National Geographic channel. Saw it in Spain late December. They said to be really careful of places that allow free swims, that a trainer needs to be in the water, etc.

Anyone has first-hand experience there?

have had my kids and myself in the water with dolphins several times. Great memories! Anyone still interested in information on this?

Some friends have asked us to accompany them to a resort in Cancun called Dreams that has a dolphin swim in the resort. I don't know if I would feel comfortable doing so (might save this for a trip to Discovery Cove/Sea World in Orlando with "professionals" lol) but wondered if anyone had done this at Dreams in Cancun? I know it's a new program for this resort.

Some friends have asked us to accompany them to a resort in Cancun called Dreams that has a dolphin swim in the resort. I don't know if I would feel comfortable doing so (might save this for a trip to Discovery Cove/Sea World in Orlando with "professionals" lol) but wondered if anyone had done this at Dreams in Cancun? I know it's a new program for this resort.

Are you insinuating that those in Mexico aren't as "professional"? My husband swam with dolphins in Acapulco and they were every bit as professional as anyone I've ever seen at Sea World.

Why do people think they can say these subtly racist things and it be okay?

My family and I have done both the Discovery Cove dolphin swim and a dolphin swim at Delphinus next to XCaret in Mexico. They are very different experiences, both of them wonderful in their own ways.

Discovery Cove is a terrific full-day experience. It is a beautiful park that allows you to spend a day lounging in the sun and trying different things in addition to the dolphin encounter that is really only 1/2 hour out of your day. There is a snorkel tank that was a wonderful place for us to try snorkeling in a controlled environment. That said, it offered a very real snorkel experience. The tank is giant and doesn't feel like a tank. There are rays with six foot wing-spans in there in addition to a wide variety of species that make for a wondrous snorkel adventure. You could spend the whole day in that area if you chose. It is nicely done so it doesn't look or feel as though you are in a "tank".


There is also a ray lagoon that allows you to go in the water and interact with these cool creatures as much as you want. And, there is a 1/4 mile long lazy river that is great fun, but I advise you to take a flotation noodle (provided) because you can get tired doing a lot of swimming. Some areas are too deep to walk. The really cool thing is that the lazy river runs through an open air aviary. You can get out of the water (you can reach it by land as well) and interact with the birds. You can feed them and touch them if they land on you. We really enjoyed that area!

The dolphin interaction was very controlled. It was fun, but it was more of a close-up observation than an interaction. The high point is a ride in which you hang on to the dolphin as it pulls you through the water. VERY cool.

Now, Delphinus in the Riviera Maya provides a much more interactive dolphin experience. It is just the dolphins...you don't spend the day there. However, your time with the dolphins is a much more authentic experience. We were led to an area that looked very much like a natural grotto. The water was sea water that just comes in from the ocean. There are other fish in the water that were cool to see through our goggles. In addition to the basic education and scripted things that the dolphin does during your time in the water, there was about 10 minutes of just hanging around in the water as the dolphin swam from person to person on its own. You could pet the dolphin as he swam by and it really felt as though you were just in there to hang out with him. There were two real high points in the water with this dolphin: we were put in a line in the middle of the water and the dolphins jumped over our heads (wow) and a point in which you are sent out into the water on your own and the dolphin puts his nose on your feet and pushes you across the water. (Picture "I'm the king of the world" as a dolphin propels you across the water!)

So, as you can see, both experiences are great and memorable, but the Mexican one was more of a dolphin adventure. The Discovery Cove day was more than I expected in terms of the day-long visit, but a bit less in terms of time with the dolphin.

Hope this assessment was helpful. They are both a real treat!

We have done the Xcaret experience a few times, and the one in down town Cancun once. The people do seem to know what they were doing. I would not assume that someone who does not know or experienced them down there was being racist however. You don't know what you don't know. I encourage you to do what you are comfortable with. The dolphins are a blast. :)

Are you insinuating that those in Mexico aren't as "professional"? My husband swam with dolphins in Acapulco and they were every bit as professional as anyone I've ever seen at Sea World.

Why do people think they can say these subtly racist things and it be okay?
Why do people think they can judge the thoughts of people they don't even know as racist and think it's OK? :rolleyes:

No, my post had nothing to do with the ethnicity of the people who work at Dreams. How do you even know the people who work with dolphins there are Mexican? It's possible they are not. Who knows? Not me, I haven't even been there.

For the record: I was simply making the point that Seaworld is world renowned as a place for dolphin research, rescue, breeding, etc. A resort anywhere in the world, no matter what ethnicity the people working there, is not. I was not thinking of, nor taking into consideration, that at all.

I would make the same point if it had been basket weaving--I would make the assumption (which could of course be wrong, lol!) that you may get more "professionals" to teach you at say, a museum of basketry than, at say, a resort in New York City that offers a basket weaving class. I hardly think that would be considered racist. But thanks for playing Guess My Real Thoughts. ;)

Why do people think they can judge the thoughts of people they don't even know as racist and think it's OK? :rolleyes:



It has nothing to do with judging - you are expressing a latent racism that is completely "acceptable" right now and I called you out on it. I didn't expect you to admit to it, just wanted to let you know it was noticed. Carry on.

Since many of the people who work in Cancun are from all over the world, I think you are looking for a reason to cry racism. Assuming someone is being racist is as bad as being racist in my opinion. Both are from ignorance. There is enough obvious racism in the world with out going out of our way to accuse people of doing so who may not be. If you just have to know, you could ask for clarification, or explain it could be explained as instead of accusations.

Ok, sorry I am helping keep this off topic. People are seeking information about dolphin experiences in Cancun. I recommend it and have trusted my young daughters to them multiple times. The memories and pictures I treasure, and show off to my friends and family. :) That included my latin Wife and her family.

It has nothing to do with judging - you are expressing a latent racism that is completely "acceptable" right now and I called you out on it. I didn't expect you to admit to it, just wanted to let you know it was noticed. Carry on.


Sugest moving this to omni:D. Latent racism? Explain. Better yet, don't explain.

Dealing with wild animals in any setting is dangerous, likely more so in a resort setting. I believe Dolphin swims exploit the Dolphins and refuse to participate. My wife says it is because I am cheap. I guess Horse glasses would find something racist in my refusal.

Oh well....

We were in xcaret in 97. Bought the tape of us (except me since i didnt swim with the dolphins)and it was great for the wife and 2 kids. They were about 7 and 11 at the time. The dolphins pushed them thru as if they were walking on water, it was awesome. Discovery cove is a bad copy of xcaret. Went there in about 2001 and it was a total tourist trap IMO. Waste of money even though we live an hour away.

Wife and iI swam with the dolphins in the bahamas off paradise island back in the day and they have pools. They put me with the male in the pool and her and another couple with a female in another pool. It was cloudy in the water and that 600 lb male just messed with me the whole time, spinning around at breakneck speed just 6 inches from my mask. I know I heard him laughing. However the female was all nice in their pool.

I see dolphins and manatees alot on my ups route here on merritt island, fl and at ksc. But xcaret was probably the best family vacation we ever had.

Now the wife and I want to go back and want to know about playa del carmen? And the area since we havent been there for 11 years? Been to belize in the 90s 3 times since her dad was there, so were looking for some good recs for xcaret area now since its all built up. Thanks.

For those who care - I recognize it is an individual decision, and I am not an "animal rights activist," whatever that is - these are captive dolphins taken from the wild and kept captive, trained and forced to interact with people. Many of these dolphins are taken in countries where this is still allowed - and may be from as far as the Solomon Islands, etc. Many of the captured are injured or die in the lengthy transport process from their natural environment to their captivity.

These are not "Flipper," voluntarily and eagerly awaiting to play with humans; they are captive animals with shaped behaviors, often restrained in smaller cages at night. They are very gregarious, probably hang out in family groups like the orcas I have spent time with and observed in Canada, are quite active and sexual; they have been known to injure humans with rough play. The owners / operators won't tell you any of that, of course; it would affect their bottom line.

Here's the perspective of Ric O'Barry, a onetime dolphin captor and trainer - he helped train Flipper of TV fame: link (http://www.wspa-usa.org/pages/269_dolphin_campaign_toolkit.cfm).

As one who has been in intimate contact with the seas (Master Diver with 52 years of experience) even with dolphins in the wild (Kangaroo Island, Australia, for one.) I implore you reconsider giving money to these entertainment enterprises, who make millions from capturing and imprisoning fairly sentient animals merely for our amusement.

Racist? I am Mexican by origin. This isn't about Mexico, it is about captive dolphins anywhere - but folks asked about dolphin spectacles in Cancún, and I am saying "porfavor, no."

I was going to tell you what a great time I had swimming with the dolphins BUT out of respect to JDiver (a fellow diver) I won't! :)

I'm not going to judge anyone - but from my perspective, I choose not to do that, particularly after some of the controversies in Quintana Roo. OTOH, if you want to hit the water with >200 dolphins in the wild, I can tell you how and where - in Australia, unfortunately. :)

I was going to tell you what a great time I had swimming with the dolphins BUT out of respect to JDiver (a fellow diver) I won't! :)