Few things are as magical as spotting a double rainbow. Swimming with dolphins is one of them. Unfortunately, unlike countries like Hawaii or Australia, dolphins aren’t native to the waters of Singapore (oops! we have been alerted that dolphins* have occasionally been spotted off the coast of Singapore) we do not have dolphin tours that take us out to sea to watch and swim with them, and not all of us have the privilege to travel overseas to do that. The next best alternative? Dolphin interaction programmes at Dolphin Island.
Here’s the low down on what’s available, and which might better suit your mini mes.
Dolphin Discovery
Why your children will love it:
- Interact with dolphins in waist-deep waters of the dolphin lagoon
- Learn from marine mammal trainers fascinating facts about dolphins, such as their unique anatomy, behaviour and how to communicate with them
Ideal for:
- Swimmers
- Non-swimmers who are comfortable standing in waist-deep water
Minimum height requirement:
- 115cm
Check out how much Singapore’s top Daddy Blogger Kelvin Ang enjoys this programme with his son
Dolphin Adventure
Why your children will love it:
- Pick up educational facts on dolphins
- Swim with dolphins
- Be propelled through the water by a pair of dolphins
Ideal for:
- Strong swimmers
- Adventure seekers
Minimum height requirement:
- 115cm
Here’s a sneak peek of what’s in store:
Dolphin Trek
Why your children will love it:
- Interact with dolphins four metres underwater
- Walk around on the lagoon floor and breathe freely through an underwater helmet
- No scuba diving certification required
Ideal for:
- Swimmers
- Non-swimmers who feel comfortable submerged underwater, breathing through an underwater helmet
Minimum age requirement:
- 15 years old
Minimum height requirement:
- 115cm
Watch why Blogger Elaine Jasmine was so thrilled with Dolphin Trek:
Trainer for a Day
Why your children will love it:
- Spend six hours learning from our marine mammal trainers
- Go behind the scenes for a closer look at our animal healthcare facility and how our specialists care for the dolphins
- Learn about veterinary examinations
- Prepare food for the dolphins
Ideal for:
- Swimmers and non-swimmers
- Dolphin trainer wannabes and aspiring marine biologists
Minimum height requirement:
- 115cm
Although no minimum age is stated, I personally recommend the child to be at least 6 years old to better understand and benefit from the programme. Read about my experience as a Dolphin Trainer for a Day.
Dolphin VIP
Why your children will love it:
- Custom-made to their preference for shallow or deep water interaction
- Exclusive access to our VIP lagoons for a more private experience
- Option to arrange for a one-on-one encounter, or include family and friends to learn more about dolphins together
- Flexible timing, and orientation briefing can be conducted in the VIP Pavilion or your Resorts World Sentosa hotel room (for hotel guests only)
- Bring home a gift bag that includes a dolphin plush toy and a snapshot of your experience
Ideal for:
- Swimmers
- Non-swimmers who are comfortable standing in waist-deep water
Minimum height requirement:
- 115cm
Dolphin Observer
Why water-shy children will love it:
- Great view of friends and family participating in the programme without getting into the water
Dolphin Island is accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums
Dolphin Island has passed the stringent review that includes multiple day on-site inspection by a team of experts. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation.
The AZA logo is your assurance that you are supporting an institution dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things.
Click here for more information or to book your dolphin interaction programme.
* We did some digging and found that there may be at least four types of native dolphins in Singapore waters, namely the Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin (Sousa chinensis), Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncates), Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops aduncus), and Irrawaddy Dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris).
