Bali Dolphin Watching Tours around the island

Responsible Dolphin Viewing in the Wild

Around the Bali island coastal area  – especially along the North Coast – “Dolphin Watching Tours” for tourists are offered by fishermen, tour agencies & guides, hotels, private villa owners (as part of their sightseeing tour portfolios laid out in their properties for guests).

Such tours start usually in the early morning hours departing Bali’s shore in a traditional local so called “jukung” fishing boat. Depending on tourism seasons you very likely meet out there at the sea dozens of other boats filled with tourists waiting for the encounter of the dolphins on their daily travel along the coast line – mostly from East to West.

As soon as a dolphin is spotted all lurking fisher boats roaring up their engines darting for the location of the dolphins.

Many Bali tourists see a “Dolphin Watching Tour” as a great experience – but maybe you can imagine that it is definitely no fun for the dolphins to be hunted and surrounded by rattling motor boats!?

Bali Dolphin Watching Tours

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We recommend, chose your Bali Dolphin Watching Tour wisely – with a serious concern for the dolphins well being in the wild!

Try to check with your guide or selected fishermen for your booked tour that you don’t join the hordes of fishing boats lurking in the sea in the morning – instead try to ensure that your dolphin watching tour takes place in a more secluded location – preferably with no boats at all nearby.

Ask the fisherman to turn off their motor while they wait for the dolphins to come closer. Dolphins are very curious animals and like to gather around unusual things and jump, play or even swim alongside a moving boat. Please refrain from feeding these wild animals!

Although experiencing dolphins and other marine life up close around Bali island is safe and educational, encounters with wild dolphins can be harmful for both humans and animals. Bali Exotic Marine Park promotes responsible viewing of dolphins around Bali’s oceans in the wild.

At Bali Exotic Marine Park, all animal interactions are designed and provided by marine mammal specialists with two priorities; to be a positive, voluntary, and enriching experience for the dolphin participants and to be a safe, educational and inspiring experience for the human participants.

 Bali Dolphin Watching – Never get closer than 50 yards (150 feet) to dolphins

Maintaining these distance from not only saves you from a guilty conscience, it also protects the dolphin wildlife and maintains the ecological balance of this beautiful animals.

Being a respectful viewer honors Balinese culture in honoring wildlife as spiritual guardians!

Additional Tips & Guidelines about Bali Dolphin Watching Tours

  1. Use your camera’s zoom. If using a cell phone, try cropping the photo in your phone’s image editing tool for a closer-up look of the marine life from these distances.
  2. Bring binoculars along on viewing excursions to get a good view from the recommended viewing distances.
  3. Never swim with wild dolphins. If approached by a dolphin, take immediate action to move 50 yards away.
  4. Do not attempt to touch, ride, or feed marine mammals. Never get closer than 150 feet.
  5. Limit your time observing an animal to 1/2 hour.
  6. Dolphins should not be encircled or trapped between boats or shore.
  7. If approached by a dolphin while on a boat, put the engine in neutral and allow the animal to pass. Boat movement should be from the rear of the animal.

Please note: These guidelines do not replace International, Federal or State law. Harassment, pursuit and feeding of marine mammals is prohibited by Federal law.

bali dolphin watching

Like to learn about our dolphin assisted therapy (DAT) program for incapacitated children and adults?

Article: Bali Dolphin Watching