I went ot dolphin cove in november whilst i was in jamaica on business and was glad i went as it was a really good day out and was a nice way to spend some time chilling out after i had been working! I'll start with the prices and work my way along from there!
we paid just under £100 per person for the swim program which is the best one you can do as it involves the swim with the dolphins and the interaction with them where they do the foot push and pull where they swim around with you. before booking be careful that you have picked the right one as there is a swim with dolphins and just a swim encounter - but if you want to have the foot push and have the better program you need the swim with dolphin program!
we booked this before we travelled to jamaica as we heard that it would be difficult to get available once we were there as it's so popular - i would advise this also as when we were there we noticed that all the slots were full and the whole place was packed out all day.
we had not arranged a transfer pick up (which you can do if you like but not sure how much this costs) so we made our own way from ocho rios which only took about 15mins if that and we went by taxi whcih cost us about $25
upon arrival we went in and were told we had to make our way to the swim area about half an hour before we were to start our session so that the trainer could brief us and we could given our life jackets etc. our slot wasn't until 11.30 and we had arrived at discovery cove at just gone 9am.
we decided to first go around the nature trail, which is included in the cost of your ticket(even if you just pay for entrance and no programs with the dolphins). It isn't a huge nature trail but is lovely and they have alizards and parrots of which you can hold and get a picture with. they also have a little area up at the top bit where you can sample the blue mountain jamaican coffee and a guide will tell you how they make it etc. obvioulsy younger visitors probably wouldn't enjoy that but it is pretty interesting! also there is a shop at the end of the nature trail where you can buy little souvenirs etc.
after the nature trail we decided to go and have a look at the other animals that they have which include sharks and stingrays(of which you can swim with the stingrays too). this are ahs another gift shop with the staff dressed up as pirates and just a bit further along from this area you can go out in kayaks if you fancy it.
food wise there is a bbq area set up where you can have abuffet lunch that is open from about 1ish to 3-3.30 ish. you have to pay extra for that and it's about $12 each but worth it as the food is delicious and you can sit in the sun in the sandy area and go and get as much as you want! yum!
we decided to chill out and sunbathe for a while as by the time we had had a look around and been on the nature trail it was just after 10.30. they have sunloungers out on the beach area they have so we decided to have a sit down while we waited to have our session - the area is quite small really though for how busy it gets and i would say that you find it pretty cramped but it is a nice clean beach and a lovely atmosphere.
once we had to go for our session we made our way over to the cove area where the dolphins are and were seated on the side area where could watch the dolphins with the other people. the trainer briefed us on things like what not do do and how to touch the dolphins and we were told not to wear rings and chains as these could scratch them. once it was our turn to go in we were led to the area where we would be (there is 4 all round the edges) and then we got into the water(there was 8 people in our group). the trainer then tells you the names of the dolphins who you'll be swimming with and introduces them at whcih point they give you a wave!!
they do lots of bits where the dolphins will swim past splashing you and bits where you rub their tummies while they lie on their back. each person gets to swim witht dolphins individually of which they do a pull where you hold onto their fins(one on either side and then where you lay flat in the water and they come up from behind and push you up in the air! they are really really intelligent and listen to their trainer very well - they also do a fetch game where they don't even look at where it has been thrown but go and find it in seconds and throw it back to the group! the trainer does spend time telling you about their work pattern and how that each set have a two days rest every week and how much care goes into looking after them and whats food is involved etc. at the end of the session the dolphins goes to each person in the group in turn and you can give them a kiss and hug which is really nice!
also throughtout the whole thing there is a photographer and a person filming so that at the end if you want to you can purchase the dvd or photo of yourself with the dolphins - the dvd was quite expensive so we decided to buy the picture instead which still cost us about $15 dollars each. all in all it is only the same cost as to swim with them anywhere else in the caribbean but it soons adds up depending on wether you buy the food and what program you do and if you start buying the pictures and dvds and other souvenirs etc!
it is good though and after we had done our swim we still stayed there quite a while after as we had our food after the swim which was nice as it is quite energetic! and then we stayed on the beach a bit longer before watching the dolphins for a while with some of the other people and then heading back to our hotel so we didn't actually leave until about 5pm so the thing is a whole day affair and i would definately go back if i had the spare cash to do it!
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