It’s become so popular that it is almost a cliché thing to do in Hawaii, but not without good reason. Swimming with dolphins is truly a unique and memorable experience that keeps bringing people to the water. Some people may be worried about the cost but it can be done for reasonable rates, and most will attest that the experience is well worth it. Whether it has been a lifelong dream or a vacation impulse, swimming with dolphins adds lifelong memories to a Hawaiian vacation.

Dolphins themselves are amazing creatures. Being the smartest aquatic animal makes them trainable for elaborate tricks and routines. If you’re impressed by a well trained dog then you will blown away by dolphins. They’ve even been trained by the military. Witnessing the intelligence in other animals is a unique experience, we go through life seeing humans as the only intelligent beings and thinking of animals as base beasts. Looking into a dolphin’s eyes and realizing their intelligence expands your understanding of nature and invokes a sense of wonder, something that needs to be experienced firsthand.

When you go swimming with the dolphins what you’ll do with them will depend on how much you pay. The basic packages generally involve getting to see them and be in the water with them. Others involve more interactions and touching, getting them to perform tricks, and sometimes getting pulled for a ride. Some companies offer week long packages that get you involved in training so you’ll be working with them all week long. Almost all of these programs include an educational component before you get in the pool which makes it great for the kids. Kids as young as six can go swimming when accompanied with their parents.   

Once you’ve gotten to Hawaii how much will a dolphin encounter cost? There are places to swim with dolphins on most of the Hawaiian Islands. If you’ve booked a hotel chances are there is a place nearby. There are two options, swimming with wild dolphins or trained dolphins. Trained dolphins will have more interaction and tricks, but wild dolphins will be a more natural experience. Trained dolphin encounters range from $100 - $300. Wild dolphins involve overnight trips on a boat and start at $500+ for the trip. If you’re planning a trip around meeting the dolphins Oahu Island is a good place to start. It has many dolphin companies offering dolphin encounters and has accommodations as low as $150 a night for a small beach cabin.

The experience can cost as low as a few hundred dollars, but well worth the higher costs for the more memorable experiences. Swimming with the dolphins can be an afternoon activity or the basis for a whole vacation.  Whatever you choose it will be money well spent.

Other things to do in Hawaii: 

Everybody Seems to be Getting Married in Hawaii (TravelBlog) 
Don't Just See the Wal Mart, Experience Hawaii's Culture Through Their Art. (Posterious)
 A Few Ideas to Keep Eveyone in the Family Happy When Visiting Hawaii (Squidoo)
 Hawaii's Most Impressive Volcanoes and National Parks (Hawaiian Beaches)
 Honolulu's Incredible “Eat the Street” Food Truck Rally (Hawaii Vacations)

 Image Credit: Jurvetson via Flickr