Dolphin Encounter and Chankanaab National Marine Park

Douphin encounter review
August 31, 2023
Excellent and fun experience.
Reviewer: Kathy haack
5 Stars
Great fun for the fam!
December 13, 2022
We loved the dolphin encounter! Each member of one party got to do another 5 commands to interact with the dolphins. The guide was great with them and with each person. We also unexpectedly got to get into another section and see and touch a manatee while another guide talked about him. After our encounter we enjoyed the sea lion show and then had the buffet lunch. Food was not very impressive but I appreciated that it and the drinks were included. We enjoyed the pool and the swim up bar. There was a snorkel area and I believe jet skis but we didn’t do any of that. If the food had been better, 5 stars for sure!
Reviewer: Jeanice Harrison
4 Stars
Amazing Experience
April 03, 2020
We had so much fun swimming with the dolphins...our instructor was not only super nice but extremely funny! Upon arrival, we weren’t quite sure what to expect; upon our departure, we felt this was the very best excursion on our trip. We had such a blast!!!
Reviewer: Brenda Allred
5 Stars
Great experience but too expensive to capture it
December 04, 2019
My family had so much fun spending time with our dolphin. My 1 yr old was even able to participate, the dolphin staff was great with him. However, the photos have to be purchased since you're not allowed any on your phone and the package you have to buy is in the upper $200s. Otherwise you just get to buy 1 photo for $45.
Reviewer: Rosemarie Juarez
4 Stars
Great excursion
September 05, 2019
We had a great time and got lots of great pictures with the dolphins. Highly recommend this excursion.
Reviewer: Stephanie Frazee
5 Stars
fun day with Dolphins
August 15, 2019
excellent
Reviewer: ravikiran Donthamsetty
5 Stars
Fun Experience-- Watch Out for the Photo Prices
March 23, 2019
My husband & I took our kids (7, 5, 3) to the Dolphin Encounter.They were able to interact with the dolphin.The dolphin swam back & forth several times in front of the line of people in our group, so we were able to touch it several times.I wish the trainer would have had the dolphin do a few more tricks for us (jumping/making noises) and had given us a few more facts about dolphins or their breeding program during our encounter. Also, we also were able to get in the water with the manatees & touch them as we walked around their enclosure.The photo prices were ridiculous! Budget several hundred $$ or barter with them-- that's what we needed to do to leave with some pictures. We skipped the rest of the Marine Park. A buffet lunch was also included-- not the best food, but it helped us make sure our kids weren't starving before we made our way back to the shops, port and the ship. Would I do it again? Absolutely! Using Shore Excursions saved us money too!
Reviewer: Kimberly Brummer
4 Stars
Nice Resort but expensive
December 14, 2018
The marine park itself was not so great, but the dolphin and manatee is really what you are there for and that was excellent. The park had a beach for snorkeling and scuba diving, also a swimming pool and small kiddie beach. Place gets crowded so get there early. Dolphin encounter was wonderful. Gave it 4 stars, because price of pictures were ridiculous. $45 US per picture, per person and no family photos! Or you can buy the extra package of $290 US and get all the photos. No way of getting close to dock or dolphins for pictures. I simply did not budget for this and I'm disappointed that I left this experience with no photos.
Reviewer: Tammy Bresnahan
4 Stars
Excellent trip,but after sale items are pricey
January 15, 2018
We really liked this excursion. They were well organized, well trained animals. You cannot take your own pictures and their photo shop is very expensive! However, if you walk away and hang around a bit, they will drop the price significantly. So do not buy it right away!
Reviewer: Andrea
5 Stars
Not a swimmer but enjoyed this
December 31, 2017
I do not swim and was leery of being in the water but had a life vest on and stood along the side where there was a walkway in the water and I could hold on. It was really something being so close and touching the dolphin. A good experience.
Reviewer: Tim Bowers
4 Stars
Terrific excursion
July 22, 2017
The entire family from ages 7 to 73 thoroughly enjoyed this dolphin adventure. Our trainer not only had each of us pet and kiss the dolphin but gave us some education about them too. The beach areas were perfect for different age groups. The 2 youngest saw fish and hermit crabs in a shallow lagoon. I enjoyed snorkeling -it was terrific. Lunch and lockers were included and great pictures were available for purchase.
Reviewer: Mariella Palmer
5 Stars
Awesome Experience
June 14, 2017
Our family had an awesome time! We did the Dolphin Encounter and added the Sea Lions. The trainers are great and make sure everyone thoroughly enjoys the experience. Three children, 11, 10, and 5 all said it was the best day ever! One issue we had was with the young men that sell the pictures. They are very interested in helping all the young women and not families. We had to leave to get back to our ship on time. We contacted the park when we got home and emailed documentation regarding our viewings and got to order "ALL" the pictures! The pictures are WONDERFUL! A great day for all.
Reviewer: Mark Martincic
5 Stars
Dolphin named Luis
April 26, 2017
Food was just ok, but the encounter was great! My 5 year old enjoyed himself. Pictures are wayyy over priced and group/family pics aren't allowed! I paid $50 for two pics and that's after i negotiated 😩 Loved that lockers were available for free though!
Reviewer: Kira
4 Stars
Dolphin Encounter
March 01, 2017
The Dolphin Encounter at Chankanaab National Park was by far the best part of our whole trip! The Dolphins were so sweet! The park was large and had more to do than we had time for. Included in the price of the encounter was lunch, a pool with swim up bar, a beautiful private beach, a sea lion show (so impressed, we went to 2 of the showings) & so much more !
Reviewer: Kim Collier
5 Stars
Amazing!
February 07, 2017
I had the best time with the Dolphin named Leia! She was spunky and magical. I wish I could relive the encounter daily! Go, you won't be disappointed.
Reviewer: Autumn
5 Stars
Dolphin Encounter
January 20, 2017
It was awesome and our girl was very nice and took her time with each person. I think her name was BARBARA; she explained all about each dolphin and how they all lived and were kept there. It was the best part of my cruise.
Reviewer: Joy A Spry
5 Stars
Not bad for the cost
December 24, 2016
decent excursion
Reviewer: David Trevino
4 Stars
Lifetime Memories!!!
November 13, 2016
First off, let me say.. I never write reviews. No real reason behind it besides nothing really wows me enough to want to go back and write about it, until now!!!! My family and I had such a great time, from the moment we met our tour guide (Omar, who was excellent by the way) to when we got in the water and met our dolphins. The time did seem to fly by however, but regardless it was well worth it. This was money well spent, you will not regret it!!
Reviewer: Anthonice Lauriston
4 Stars
Great experience
April 22, 2016
It was a wonderful experience. The facility was amazing. Beaches and the BEST snorkeling ever right off a ladder into the water. Lots of places to eat.
Reviewer: MarieTraveler
5 Stars
Good for kids and also were-kids-before
April 07, 2016
It was nice. You are not allowed to take your picture, even your member outside of water, but their professional cameraman takes good photo of your good experience. Only bad thing is the photos are way too expensive, but no choice.
Reviewer: Mitsubishi Kawasaki
5 Stars
Dolphin Swim
March 11, 2016
Outstanding.
Reviewer: ponygirl
5 Stars
Great experience
January 06, 2016
Highly recommend this company
Reviewer: Alan
5 Stars
Wonderful Experience and Great Park
May 08, 2014
My husband, 4 year old daughter and I really enjoyed this excursion. The park is very large and clean and they have multiple pools to swim in and bars where you can get a beverage. The park also offers zip lining, snorkeling and other activities. Our excursion was supposed to start at 1pm, but it didn't start until 130pm so we didn't have time to shop afterwards, but we didn't mind because we had such a great time with our Dolphin ""Foxy"". We didn't realize when we purchased our excursion that there was a buffet lunch offered afterwards included in the price of our ticket. The food was really tasty. The photos were a bit pricey, but we were able to get photos of all three of us (74 photos total) on a disc for less than we would have spent on just four single photos. The only negative I can say about the park is that they had various shows scheduled throughout the day, however, several of them never happened. We were told that the 1030am sea lion show would happen at 1230pm instead. Unfortunately, we had to be in line for our excursion at that time so we didn't get to see it.
Reviewer: Cruising Family
5 Stars
Very unique experience, worth it!
September 04, 2012
Amazing experience with a very nice and informed staff. The only con is that it's nearly impossible to take your own pictures and they charged $30 a picture or $100+ for all of them. I regret being able to only get one picture.
Reviewer: Michael
4 Stars
Slippery Fun
February 01, 2012
Neat expereince and learned a lot about these beautiful animals ! The park was nice too.
Reviewer: Papalax
4 Stars
Better Than Expected!
December 15, 2011
Very fun. My family swam with the dolphins and the staff was very friendly. The beach is terrific! As another reviewer commented, you can haggle on the price to rent snorkel equipment. We got ours for $5 each.
Reviewer: Jonathan
4 Stars
The Dolphin Encounter made our trip!
October 27, 2011
My three children and I loved the Dolphin encounter. The trainers were very patient with the entire group and made sure each person was able to do all of the things in the encounter. Our trainer was very pleasant and funny which made the experience more fun. We thought we would only play with the dolphin and was surprised when they also let our group encounter the manatee. Unfortunately, it rained so we weren't able to see all that the park had to offer but it looked like a really fun place. Had the weather been better for us we would have spent the entire day at this park.
Reviewer: travel mommy
4 Stars
Perfect!!
September 06, 2011
Just perfect!!! The photos all just perfect!!! A book & CD [$] some think this $$$$. I thought it was great to have all photos from the day:0Would highly recomend to anyone:)
Reviewer: Paceysmom
5 Stars
I would do it again.
August 27, 2011
great experienced, unique. Playing with the dolphins the most beautiful experience, and snorkeling is like watch a movie in 3D.
Reviewer: maythe
5 Stars
loved it
August 15, 2011
i really loved this experience. our dolphin, Bina, was great and well trained. we now have the bragging rights to say ""i kissed a dolphin""
Reviewer: emma j
5 Stars
Oustanding
August 08, 2011
The kids had the best time.............
Reviewer: bad driver x3
4 Stars
Graet Dolphin experience
June 01, 2011
Had a great time, but forgot to purchase our Dolphin pictures. if their is any way of obtaining these pictures that would be great. Please get back to me at your earliest convenienve. Thank you!
Reviewer: Tab
5 Stars