There’s nothing more magical than seeing a Bali dolphin in the wild, but before you book a trip to spend time with this magical species, there are a few things you should know.
This will help ensure that you have an ethical time with the Bali dolphins and that the dolphins are happy to have more guests in the future.
What Kind Of Dolphins Are In Bali?
Bali is a great location for dolphin watching because there are so many friendly dolphins here, and there’s a great variety of dolphins in Bali too.
You’ll find there are at least 14 different species of whales and dolphins in the waters around the coast of Bali.
The main dolphin species include spotted, bottlenose, Fraser’s, Risso’s, rough-toothed and spinners.
The two most common species are the Spinners and Fraser’s, and you’re likely to encounter them in their natural habitat in North Bali at both Lovina and Bondalem.
It’s an unforgettable experience watching the dolphins in Bali have fun as they play together in the world and interact with the visitors and boats in the ocean around them.
Where To Go Dolphin Watching In Bali?
If you want to see a Bali dolphin, then there are two main areas that people visit on the island: Lovina Beach and Bondalem.
About Dolphin Watching At Lovina Beach
This spot in North Bali is the most popular area for taking guests out onto the ocean and allowing them to see the dolphins in the wild in their natural habitat.
In fact, it’s so popular that you can no longer really interact with the creatures to any extent and just witness them swim and have fun as they play with other members of their species.
However, we have to note that some of the dolphin charities in Indonesia have expressed concern for both the dolphins and other marine life in these areas, as they feel that the popularity of this great location may lead to too many boats, which could cause distress to the creatures.
But, we also should note that the free dolphins of Lovina Beach don’t seem to be in any kind of distress and are not exhibiting any signs of stress. Of course, we run a beach club and we’re not in the business of animal psychology, but the facts are the facts, all the same.
We would note, though, that your quest to see a Bali dolphin in Lovina Beach never really feels like a great adventure, as there are so many boats out on the ocean, all hoping to do some dolphin watching.
The tours may be plentiful, but adults and children might feel that a morning out on the waves here isn’t quite as satisfying as it could be.
About Dolphin Watching At Bondalem
Bondalem is the best place in Bali, currently, to seek out the Bali dolphins. It’s not all that far from Lovina Beach, and it’s an unforgettable experience to spend time with the friendly dolphins of this area.
Because Lovina gets all the attention, most visitors have never heard of Bondalem, and the position on the coast means that the boats from this area leave earlier in the day.
Yes, you and your friends might need to get up a bit earlier, but the waters are much freer of boats and more full of the Bali dolphin.
What About Dolphin Watching At Nusa Dua?
These tours to see dolphins are not always successful and are less likely to connect you with the species than visiting the dolphins in Bondalem.
If you really want to see dolphins in Bali, we’d go with the tours from Bondalem, which are the bes,t even if you have to go to North Bali to enjoy them.
So, Why Not Swim With Dolphins?
If you love seeing the Bali dolphin in the wild, it’s only natural to be curious about swimming with the dolphins in Bali too.
We completely understand that, and we are aware that there are places around the world that welcome visitors to jump in a pool and spend some time with these unique creatures.
There’s just one problem with this in Bali. Several charities have inspected the facilities where you can swim with dolphins in Bali, and they say that they’re not good for the dolphins.
They say that many of the dolphins in these facilities are caught illegally and are often underfed, which can lead to the animals wasting away.
There’s also an issue with the pools where people swim with dolphins; they don’t usually have strong extraction facilities, and dolphins tend to produce a lot of fecal matter and urine in a day, up to 30 Kg of it, in fact!
So, when the extraction doesn’t work well, the pool fills up with dolhin waste – most adults probably don’t want their child spending a morning in a pool of dolphin poop.
In addition, there’s a problem with the water used in many of these pools, where the Bali dolphin is being asked to swim in water that’s nothing like the ocean water in its natural environment.
When marine life like the Bali dolphin is placed in such water, it irritates their skin, eyes, etc.
So while the idea of a swim with dolphins may seem awesome, the truth is that a session in the pool can do real harm to the Bali dolphin that you’re swimming with.
That means in the interests of animal welfare, we can’t recommend swimming with these creatures in captivity.
There is also an outside chance that a dolphin may attack one of the visitors, after all, these are wild creatures, not pets. And an angry Bali dolphin could easily drown someone.
What About If I Swim With Dolphins In The Wild?
This can be ethical, but we’re not aware of an organisation in Bali that allows you to swim with dolphins here in the right fashion.
What you need to know about this activity is that for it to be ethical:
- Swimmers must all be confident in the open water of the ocean. They should all be using buoyancy aids and be given a full safety briefing before the swimming session. Again, these aren’t pets, and they can become unpredictable and even downright dangerous. Just because a dolphin is curious about you doesn’t mean it’s friendly.
- Boats must remain in neutral while the dolphins are near, when swimmers are in the water or at any time when the conditions demand it.
- Boats must never get between members of a dolphin’s pod or try and divide the pod.
- Swimmers should not be in the water when the dolphins are in the process of eating or resting. This can damage the dolphin’s natural behaviours to such an extent that the pod permanently abandons an area.
- Swimmers should be around dolphins for no longer than 20 minutes, as this can disrupt a dolphin’s natural reactions to people and lead to them getting caught in nets or being hit by watercraft.
- Swimmers should not physically interact with the dolphins and should allow the dolphins to approach them rather than the other way around.
So, until somebody here is ready to show you how to swim with the Bali dolphin pods safely, we don’t believe it’s ethical to swim with free dolphins in Bali, either.
FAQs
Can You See Dolphins In Bali?
Yes, if you go to North Bali, you can see dolphins in Lovina and Bondalem.
Is Swimming With Dolphins In Bali Ethical?
No, we don’t believe it is ethical. If there is a risk of harm to the animal (and there is), it’s not ethical.
What Time Are The Dolphins At Lovina Beach?
The dolphins don’t come to the beach, you will need to get a boat from the beach in the early morning to go and see them in the ocean.
Final Thoughts On Dolphins Bali
Dolphins are the most amazing example of marine life, and there’s no doubt in our minds that a highlight of a trip to Bali, Indonesia, can be the chance to join one of the island’s dolphin tours.
However, it’s important that you choose an ethical tour, that you understand that this amazing species is a free, wild creature and should be treated with respect and that you don’t try and swim with dolphins in Bali.
