11 Things to Know About Swimming with Dolphins in Kaikoura

If you’ve read my guide to swimming with the dolphins in Kaikoura, you’ll know this was one of my favourite things I did in New Zealand. It was high on my bucket list, and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

Swimming with the dolphins is one of the most popular activities in Kaikoura, attracting thousands of people yearly.

Although it’s an incredible activity, it’s certainly quite an adventure. With potentially rough seas and swimming with wild animals in the open ocean, there are a few things to prepare yourself for.

In this guide, I’ve shared eleven essential things to know about swimming with dolphins in Kaikoura.

You’re in the open ocean

It’s probably obvious, but to swim with wild dolphins, you must be in their environment… the open ocean.

Swimming in the open ocean is very different from swimming off a beach, and you need to be very confident. Two people from our group were only in the water for a few seconds because they completely freaked out.

The Kaikoura coastline is very exposed, and the area is known for its vibrant marine life, including large sperm whales and even sometimes sharks. This is enough to make the most confident swimmers question getting into the water.

However, the staff know how to do their job, and safety is always their top priority. The company runs thousands of tours every year without any incidents or trouble.

There are also flotation devices available if you need one.

It can be very rough

Unlike other places where you can swim with dolphins in New Zealand, the ocean in Kaikoura is fully exposed and has no shelter or protection. This means the seas in Kaikoura can be rough with large swells. 

We had quite a large swell on our day, and in the end, it got too rough to stay in the water. Of course, you might be lucky and go out on a calm day, but these are quite rare in Kaikoura.

If you find yourself swimming on a rough day, try to stay calm and allow time to get used to the ocean. You’ll wear a wetsuit to help you float, so you don’t have to work too hard.

You might get seasick

Thanks to rough seas, seasickness is common in Kaikoura.

Most people on my trip suffered from seasickness. It was mostly the people who were spectating or got out of the water early that suffered the most. I assume they suffered more because they were on a stationary boat floating around in the rough ocean for 40 minutes instead of swimming in the water.

There’s not much you can do about this and if you’re planning to swim with the dolphins, I wouldn’t worry too much. Once you’re in the ocean, you’ll feel so much better.

If you’ve suffered from seasickness in the past, you should consider taking some medication ahead of the tour (provided it doesn’t make you too sleepy). I’d also consider if the tour is worthwhile, especially if you’re spectating.

It can get very cold

The ocean in Kaikoura is generally quite cold. The summer temperature is about 16.5°C (61.7°F), and it can drop to 10°C (50°F) in the winter, and sometimes even lower.

Dolphin Encounter Kaikoura provides thick wetsuits, hoods, gloves, and boots to help keep you warm in the water. They recommend wearing warm layers beneath the wetsuits to add an extra layer of protection. Even so, it will still be cold, especially in the winter.

I stayed in the water for 40 minutes and, by the end, was absolutely freezing. When I got out of the water, I couldn’t feel my feet.

The boat has a hot shower, so you can rinse yourself with warm water to warm up initially. Make sure to have dry clothes with you to change into. There are showers at the main office once you return to shore.

You’re not guaranteed to see or swim with the dolphins

The dolphins in Kaikoura are entirely wild, so there’s no guarantee you’ll see them. The company rightly don’t feed or do anything to attract the dolphins. Thankfully, the dolphins live in Kaikoura all year round, and Dolphin Encounter Kaikoura work with boats and planes in the area to track them.

If the dolphins have young babies with them or other animals in the area, such as whales, you won’t be able to swim. This is for your protection as well as the animals. If this happens, you’ll be offered a partial refund.

My guide told us that people often take this out on the staff. The crew has the dolphin’s best interest at heart, as well as your safety. Go into the experience knowing that dolphins are completely wild animals, and you’re not entitled to swim with them or even see them.

Take or hire an underwater camera

Dolphin Encounter Kaikoura doesn’t provide photos or videos of the experience. If you want to capture the moment, you’ll need to do this yourself. If you don’t have an underwater camera, you can hire one for $68 NZD (correct in March 2025), which includes a memory card.

I certainly think it’s worth capturing the moment, you might never swim with dolphins again!

However, remember to enjoy the moment, too. Controlling an underwater camera while being tossed around in the ocean surrounded by dolphins can be tough, and it’s easy to get distracted. After about ten minutes, I handed my GoPro back to the guide so I could fully enjoy the experience.

Interact with the dolphins

The dolphins are generally quite curious, but there are things you can do to encourage them to interact with you. These include:

• Making noises: Dolphins love strange noises. We were told to make high-pitched sounds in the water. It definitely works, and the dolphins were so much more curious when we did this.
• Blow bubbles: Blowing bubbles under the water also attracts dolphins. I did this a few times, and on two occasions, the dolphins blew bubbles back at me.
• Swim down (or circle them): The dolphins were much more interactive with the swimmers who swam down under the water. This can be a challenge in a wet suit, but even swimming in circles around them is something they enjoy. I swam around one dolphin on my side, and it followed me around for about thirty seconds. It was a special moment.

You might get to go in the ocean more than once

Depending on the day, the dolphins, the weather and several other factors, you may get to go in the water more than once. Our crew told us this mainly happens when the first pod of dolphins aren’t too interactive. They’ll get everyone back on board and find some others.

We were lucky that the dolphins we found were so curious and stayed the entire time we were in the water. This meant we only got in once. We were in for 40 minutes, and honestly, I don’t think I could have stayed in any longer (or got back in a second time). I was so cold by the end. 

Your safety is the crew’s priority

Safety is the crew’s number one priority. Sometimes, they must make tough decisions, such as not allowing swimming or pulling people from the water.

At the end of the day, the activity involves swimming in the open ocean with wild animals. Several things could go wrong, especially in rough weather. Go in knowing that it might not play out the way you want. If you don’t get to swim with the dolphins, you will get a partial refund.

Did you know you can also swim with dolphins in Western Australia?

Prepare for bad weather cancellations

My trip to swim with the dolphins was cancelled four times before it finally went ahead. This was due to rough weather. This is more common in the winter/spring, and summer tours generally go ahead, but it’s still never guaranteed.

If this activity is high on your bucket list, I’d plan an extra day or two in Kaikoura if you can. This way, if it’s cancelled one day, you have another day to fall back on.

You can spectate instead

If swimming in the ocean isn’t for you, there is the option to spectate instead.

Most of the swimmers in my group got out of the water after about 15 minutes and then spectated. You’ll get great views of the dolphins, and they normally come right up to the boat.

Even if you’re a keen swimmer, I’d still recommend spending some time on the deck watching the dolphins from above.

Summary: Is the dolphin swim worth it?

Swimming with the dolphins was one of the BEST things I did not only in Kaikoura, but in all of New Zealand. I still talk about it all the time.

I’m hesitant to do any activity involving animals, especially wild animals. The sad reality is that the majority of animal encounters around the world are not sustainable or ethical.

However, I researched Dolphin Encounter in Kaikoura extensively before booking with them. I also spoke to a friend who is an expert in cetaceans and sustainable tourism. They responded that no encounter can ever be fully sustainable, but this is as good as it gets and to go for it.

The staff were honestly beyond incredible. At no point did I feel we were invading the dolphins’ space. We were the only boat, and the dolphins could swim away at any time. They weren’t fed, and we were not allowed to touch them.

Swimming with dolphins is one of the best things to do on New Zealand’s South Island; it’s such a memorable activity, and I really can’t recommend it enough.

Of course, if you’re nervous about the open ocean or get seasick, you might want to consider if it’s the right activity for you.