5 Beautiful Spots to Swim with Dolphins in Australia

Australia is lucky to have heaps of incredible wildlife to encounter and explore.

When travelling around Australia, a unique wildlife encounter is probably at the top of your list. There are plenty of places to cuddle a koala or feed a kangaroo. What about swimming with dolphins?

Read below to discover five of the best spots to swim with dolphins in Australia!

1. Swim with dolphins in Adelaide

If you happen to be travelling to South Australia, hop on down to Adelaide for a chance to swim with dolphins. This unique experience is a great way to get up close to a local dolphin pod.

For this experience, you will board a 58-foot sailing catamaran and begin a 3.5 hour adventure. After putting on your swimming gear, you can choose to try out different swimming opportunities. If you choose front swimming, you will be attached to a net at the bow of the catamaran and feel like you’re swimming with the dolphin pod. If you choose back swimming, you will be attached to the back of the boat and can watch the dolphins swimming in their natural habitat.

Join this wild dolphin swimming cruise for this immersive dolphin swimming experience!

2. Dolphin encounters in Western Australia

During your travels across Western Australia, don’t miss the chance to swim with dolphins in Bunbury.

Here, you can swim alongside a pod of dolphins at the Dolphin Discovery Centre. You’ll put on snorkelling equipment and then jump into the waters of Koombana Bay.

Did you know dolphins are curious and playful creatures? As you snorkel around, the curious dolphins will typically swim up to you.

3. Meet adorable dolphins in Port Stephens

Port Stephens is often considered the dolphin capital of Australia. This is because there are a number of dolphin swimming experiences to enjoy while visiting.

The most immersive experience is swimming with dolphins while attached to a catamaran. As the catamaran cruises through the water, the playful dolphins will swim alongside you.

4. Swim with dolphins near Melbourne

Bordering the city of Melbourne is Port Phillip Bay. This bay is home to just under 100 bottlenose dolphins. A day of snorkelling in this vast harbour will most likely result in curious dolphins and fur seals swimming with you. This is a memorable way to experience Australian wildlife on a whole new level!

5. Get up close with the dolphins at Moreton Island

While you can’t swim with the dolphins at Moreton Island, you can still get close to them!

The Tangalooma Island Resort is a great place to learn all about the local dolphin pod. As the sun sets, a family of dolphins swims up near the shores for a daily feeding. During this time, you can walk into the water and hand feed the dolphins. Even though you won’t be swimming with them, it is still a great way to get close to the dolphins on the beautiful Moreton Island.

Join the dolphin encounter on Moreton Island for an unforgettable day trip!

Cameron Ward

Managing Director at Sightseeing Tours Australia

Cameron Ward began with a passion for travel and turned it into a thriving tourism business. He co-founded Sightseeing Tours Australia after starting out as a tour guide in Melbourne. Cameron delights in helping visitors get the most from their trip to Australia. Whether he's leading tours or writing about his favourite places, Cameron loves sharing his local insight with fellow travellers.