Swim With Dolphins in Bunbury: Wild Encounter Guaranteed

Enter the water where dolphins choose to meet you, not where trainers stage the moment.

Swim with wild bottlenose dolphins in their natural habitat in Bunbury's Koombana Bay on a four-hour activity led by an experienced guide and trained volunteers. The tour is designed by marine biologists with dolphin welfare as the priority, and you're guaranteed to see dolphins in the water or return free. All equipment, a snack and hot showers are included. Profits support marine conservation and research.

The experience

Koombana Bay is home to over 100 wild bottlenose dolphins, and this tour puts you in the water where they live. You'll travel in the calm, shallow bay with a guide and volunteers who watch for dolphins and read their behavior. When dolphins are sighted, you'll be guided into the water, but the interaction is entirely up to them. They may approach, they may not. The tour is built around what the dolphins choose to do, not what a trainer has taught them to do.

The four-hour experience includes a wetsuit in your size, snorkeling equipment, a floating device if you want one, and a snack and fresh water during the tour. After you're back on shore, hot showers and a changing room let you rinse off, and there's a free coffee and tea station at the Dolphin Discovery Centre. Your guide documents dolphin population, identification and behavior throughout the day: your participation funds conservation, education and research projects run by the nonprofit operator.

The boat leaves from the beach in front of the centre, so there's no long transfer. If you'd rather stay dry, an observer rate lets you watch from the boat instead of entering the water. The tour runs in the protected bay with short distances to travel, and it's been operating this way for over 20 years.

What’s included

• Wetsuits in all sizes.
• snorkeling equipment and floating devices.
• experienced guide and trained volunteers.
• fresh water and snack during the tour.
• hot showers and changing rooms after.
• free coffee and tea at the Dolphin Discovery Centre.
• all profits directed to marine conservation, education and research.

Options for this experience

2 options

Observer rate (boat only)Guide in English · 07:45Observer rate (boat only)

Swimmer: Swim With The DolphinsGuide in English · 07:45

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:45

AgesAdult (18 to 64 years) · Senior (65 and older) · Child (3 to 17 years) · Infant (under 3)

GroupUp to 22

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48h

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditions

Operated by Dolphin Discovery Centre

Is this one for you?Choose the swimmer option if you want to enter the water where dolphins may initiate contact on their own terms. Pick the observer rate if you prefer to watch from the boat while staying dry and warm.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 17 years); Infant (under 3).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What happens if I don't see dolphins on the day I go?

The operator guarantees you'll see wild dolphins in the water, or you can return for free on another date, subject to availability. Sightings are consistent because the bay is home to a population of over 100 dolphins.

Do I need to know how to swim or snorkel to join?

No prior experience is required. Wetsuits and floating devices are provided, and trained volunteers assist throughout the tour. The bay is shallow and calm, and the tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels.

What's included in the four hours, and what do I need to bring?

The tour includes a wetsuit, snorkeling equipment, a guide, trained volunteers, a snack and drinking water during the activity, hot showers afterward, and access to the free coffee and tea station. You only need to bring a towel and a change of clothes. Everything else is supplied.

Can I just watch the dolphins from the boat instead of swimming?

Yes. The operator offers an observer rate for guests who prefer to stay on the boat and watch the dolphins from there rather than enter the water.

What does it mean that marine biologists designed this tour?

The tour prioritizes dolphin welfare and natural behavior. Rather than training dolphins to perform, the guides read wild dolphin behavior and position swimmers only when dolphins show interest in approaching. Your guide also documents population and behavior data that supports the operator's conservation research.