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Byron Bay, nestled on Australia’s eastern coastline, is renowned for its stunning beaches, laid-back atmosphere, and abundant marine life. One of the most awe-inspiring experiences you can have in this coastal paradise is kayaking with dolphins. In this blog post, we’ll delve more into the experience so you know exactly what to expect.
Who offers the kayaking tour:
There are a couple of companies that offer the experience: Cape Byron Kayaks and Go Sea Kayak Byron Bay. Both of these are local, reputable companies and you have the option to either book direct or through booking platforms such as GetYourGuide. We use GetYourGuide a lot while travelling in order to find, compare, and book our activities. You should expect to pay around $89 for this dolphin kayaking trip.
What should I expect?
Once you have picked your preferred company, date and time, it’s time to get ready for your unforgettable ocean adventure. We opted for the morning time slot as that is when the friendly bottlenose dolphins are usually most active! Make sure to arrive at your desired meeting point ahead of time to meet with the experienced guides and the rest of the tour group.
Everyone is paired up and shown how to safely use the sit on double sea kayaks before heading out into the water. You paddle out into the ocean at a comfortable pace before reaching the dolphins. It is such an incredible experience, the dolphins pass by so close to the kayaks! Some even swim right underneath you, playfully jumping about in the waves and putting on a unique show.
After some time out on the ocean, it is time to head back to shore, which is when you’ll have the chance to try your hand at a bit of kayak surfing. The idea is to paddle as fast as you can to catch a wave and ride it in to shore. It’s a really fun challenge! We had a few attempts, but each ended with us flipping in to the water.
Regardless of which company you choose, the trip lasts around 2.5 hours, so make sure you leave yourself enough time. They also both include a dolphin guarantee, so if you are unlucky and don’t spot any dolphins on your chosen date, then you can come back another day for free!
What should you take?
For this experience you should wear swimwear or clothes you don’t mind getting wet and you’ll be given a life jacket to wear over the top. If you are there during the peak of summer, then make sure to put on plenty of suncream. We suggest you take either a waterproof phone case or a GoPro to capture some memories. Also make sure to remember your towel and a change of clothes for afterwards.
Kayaking with dolphins in Byron Bay is an extraordinary adventure, we hope you love it as much as we did and find the above information useful!