Review of My Swim with the Dolphin in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

by John McNamara

My recent excursion to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, was a rich blend of culture and aquatic excitement! Having only visited the east coast of Mexico, Cancun, Cozumel, and the Mayan Riviera, this was an exciting trip for me. Puerto Vallarta is a beautiful old Mexican town, with a plentiful history, beautiful beaches, cultural centers, and of course, thrilling activities like swimming with dolphins!

Daring to drive myself around Mexico, I set off for the Swim with the Dolphins in Puerto Vallarta Program. This dolphin swim is located in Sea Life Park, which was designed to provide people with Marine Animal fun and interaction. You can see the Park from the highway because there is a huge Water Slide in the center, so identifying it was easy. Getting to the entrance of the park however, was a bit more of a challenge. There is a huge billboard sign off the highway saying "Turn Here," but if you don't pay careful attention, you can miss the exit. Adapting to driving in another country is something you have to take in a light-hearted manner, because mistakes are bound to happen. Location is the only downside to the program, but once you find it, it is well worth the effort.

So, after turning around 3 times, I gratefully found the entrance and the parking lot. The friendly staffed greeted me and I showed them my prepaid ticket for the Royal Deluxe Dolphin Swim Program. They directed me to the check-in desk, and soon after I was whisked away to the dolphin section of the park.

The Swim with the Dolphins in Puerto Vallarta Program is somewhat similar to Sea World in Orlando, as the animals live in a man made pool. It is all nicely done, with the grounds and surrounding area kept very clean and safe. In fact, there is even a canopy over the swimming area to minimize the sun's rays, so you don't get too hot.

Once inside the pool area, I changed into my bathing suit and put my gear into a locker for safekeeping. In the waiting area were encouraged to watch an instructional video in English, detailing what would happen during our Royal Dolphin Swim. Each group was instructed in their own native language. As a side note, if you are vacationing during the summer months, be sure to bring bug repellant as the rainy season produces mucho mosquitoes! Unfortunately, I was unprepared.

After the video, our trainer walked into the pool area where the excited dolphins jumped in anticipation of our swim. Just prior to entering, we viewed a tropical bird exhibit. Then we entered the water. Even though I have done this activity many times, I was genuinely excited to try it here. The program is so much fun!

Now the dolphins were ready for our group of 6. We each got to experience different behaviors from the platform -- being kissed by the dolphins, stroking and petting them, and doing hand signals for the dolphins to do tricks for us. It is amazing to interact with these exquisite creatures. The dolphins were so beautiful and well kept. They looked healthy and happy, having had all the proper food and medical attention they needed.

After the platform activities were completed, we swam out into the middle of the pool area to experience deep-water interaction with the dolphins. These enthralling behaviors include a dorsal tow ride with two dolphins, a royal foot push, and a group deep-water experience. In case you're not familiar with these activities, I will describe them here.

The dorsal tow ride is where two dolphins come under your hands, one on each side, and you slide one hand around each dolphin's dorsal fin. Then just hold on baby, you're in for the ride of your life!

The foot-push follows, where you lay on the water like superman, with your arms out-stretched. Two dolphins come up behind you and push you with their rostrum (most people would say nose, but that is incorrect) from the balls of your feet. The power of the dolphins is incredibly exhilarating, as it lifts you completely out of the water!

Puerto Vallarta Mexico - A great Mexican City

The final group interaction in the deep water is where everyone gets to splash around, pet and play with the dolphins some more. Altogether, it was a fantastic 30 - 40 minutes actually in the water with the dolphins. I will never forget it.

Sea Life Park has additional attractions to visit, like the Exotic Bird Show, the Sea Lion Show, and the Dolphin Show. The Sea Lion show had fabulous interaction with the crowd, as the sea lions came up surprisingly close for all to see. The Dolphin Show was ideal, because the pool where the dolphins are kept is raised above ground with multiple glass walls. This way, you could see the dolphins moving under water as well as above. The narrator of the show described everything in both English and Spanish, to accommodate international audiences. The children went wild during the show watching the dolphins jump and spin out of the water.

Overall, I would give the Swimming with the Dolphins in Puerto Vallarta high marks. Both the dolphins and the staff were a happy and well-managed group. So, if you decide to venture down across the border and experience the Royal Deluxe Dolphin Swim Program for yourself, rest assured that you will be well taken care of, with some great Mexican hospitality, and a terrific dolphin encounter. The Royal Dolphin Swim cost from $149 and other dolphin encounters are less. To find out about travel to Puerto Vallarta, go to Expedia.com.