The 8 Best Dolphin Watching Trips in the Philippines

1.Dolphin Watching & Sea Turtle Swim Island Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 159 reviews · 6 hours · from $49Our pick

Start before sunrise from Panglao or Dauis, then cruise the Panglao coast for wild dolphins before heading to Balicasag Island. Local guides such as Sarah, Paulen, and Alex coordinate the boat, snorkeling, and turtle areas. Gear, hotel pickup, and drop-off are included, but bring water shoes and ₱500 for the environmental fee.

“We had a lovely time and got to swim with large turtles. This was the first time I’ve experienced it. Seeing the turtles eat sea grass was beautiful. Afterwards we got to spend time relaxing on the island. Our tour guide Alex was charming, informative and an excellent communicator. He made our experience seamless. I’d definitely recommend this trip to anyone.”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Pamilacan Island Dolphin/Turtle Watching Tour & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 96 reviews · 8 hours · from $70

Leave Abraham Bohol early for a boat ride across the Bohol Sea, with dolphin watching along the way. On Pamilacan Island, you’ll snorkel with turtles and see coral, eat a homemade Filipino lunch, walk through the village, and relax on a quiet beach. Guides have included Ruby, Sarah, and Dan.

“This was such an amazing day! There are a lot of similar tours like this one but for a much higher price, go for this one!!! It’s an early start but finishes after lunch which I like as I find the full day can be a bit long sometimes. The long boat ride is worth it as we saw SO many dolphins and then swam with turtles which was amazing. The diver guides were so good to us pointing the turtles out and allowing us to get close. The area of the island we were on was so secluded and intimate and the food was lovely. Recommend 100%!!!!”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Bohol Dolphin Watching, Balicasag, and Virgin Island Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.2 · 29 reviews · 5 hours · from $51

Start before sunrise from Panglao for dolphin watching, then snorkel near Balicasag Island among coral, fish, and possible sea turtles. Finish at Kalipayan Beach, with Virgin Island access subject to its February 2026 reopening. Shared boat transport, gear, fees, and hotel transfers are included.

“L'une des pires expériences Get your guide, ils nous ont abandonné 2 heures sur l'île sans information sur le prochain bateau, uniquement un guide qui nous disait que le bateau allait bientôt arriver. puis ils ont meme abandonné des gens de notre groupe qui ont encore attendu 30 minutes supplémentaires. Aucun respect des heures de départ (30 minutes d'arrêt sur Virginie island sont devenues +1h). L'aventure est censé durer 5h, nous etions plus 8h en mer. Je ne recommande pas”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Dolphin Watching, Turtle Swim and Party Boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 27 reviews · 5 hours · from $69Top rated

Meet near Alona Beach for a five-hour shared boat trip to dolphin waters near Pamilacan Island and Balicasag’s turtle sanctuary. Your English-speaking guide provides snorkeling gear, safety help, underwater photos and videos, lunch, and drinks. Expect strong currents at times, a social boat atmosphere, and a party stop that may vary by day.

“Schöne Tour zum Turtle-Point und zu einem Korallenriff vor Balicasag. Ziemlich viel los dort, beim Schnorcheln aufpassen, dass man nicht mit einem Boot kollidiert :D Abgesehen von den Schildkröten war auch eine Muräne sowie viele andere Fische am Start. Man hat wirklich einen One-on-one Guide, der Fotos macht und sich um einen kümmert. Top! Für Schnorchel-Anfänger ggf nicht geeignet oder bisschen tough (Strömungsschnorcheln, ziemlich hohe Wellen), aber tolle Sicht auf die Schildkröten. Delfine leider keine, aber da kann keiner was für. Sehr gutes Mittagessen, Cola, Bier, Wasser - alles am Start. Würde ich wieder buchen! Kleine Verbesserungsmöglichkeiten: Für gute Schnorchler wären Leih-Floss...”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Bohol Balicasag Is Private Tour and Dolphin Watching

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 9 reviews · 1 day · from $108

Start early from Panglao for dolphin watching, then cruise to Balicasag Island with a small private group of up to 10. Jessie, Fronie, Christian, Amir, or Manuel may guide your day, with snorkeling, turtle watching, a paddle boat, village time, and a freshly prepared lunch. Virgin Island is temporarily closed.

“We had an amazing day on our trip. From the very beginning, Jessie’s great mood was contagious and made the experience even more enjoyable. He answered all of our questions and made us feel very well taken care of throughout the day.”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Dolphin Watching & Manjuyod Sandbar Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 8 reviews · 10 hours

Leave Dumaguete early for Bais Bay, where you will ride a private banca boat in search of wild dolphins, then swim, snorkel, and walk Manjuyod Sandbar. A guide, hotel transfers, towel, and onboard lunch are included. The route can take about 10 hours, with pickup available in Bacong, Dauin, Zamboanguita, and nearby Dumaguete areas.

“Watching dolphins was fun. Seafood lunch was good. We just lazed in the sandbar afterwards.”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Pamilacan island: Dolphins, snorkel, lunch and walking tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 8 reviews · 8 hours · from $139

Leave Panglao early on a private boat for Pamilacan Island, where you’ll watch for dolphins, snorkel in a protected sanctuary, spot turtles, eat a local seaside lunch, and walk to a 200-year-old Spanish fort. An English-speaking guide leads the day, with pickup included within 8 kilometers of Alona Beach.

“Tour privato molto piacevole, con tante attenzioni da parte della nostra guida, dell'equipaggio della barca (fantastica!) e degli abitanti dell'isola. Pranzo tipico filippino, coi piedi nella sabbia e di fronte a un mare stupendo, abbiamo nuotato con 7 tartarughe e visto pesci e coralli coloratissimi!! super consigliato!”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Dolphin Watching & Snorkeling at Balicasag Island

★★★★★★★★★★3.0 · 4 reviews · 6 hours · from $45Best value

Set out from Panglao at sunrise to watch dolphins near Balicasag Island, then snorkel with tropical fish and sea turtles in a protected marine sanctuary. Shared trips meet early at Alona Beach, while private tours include hotel pickup, a paddle boat ride, and lunch cooked on board. Guide Fabio has been especially responsive with schedule changes.

“The activity was rescheduled a few times due to cyclone warning but our tour guide Fabio was very responsive and kept us well informed about the rescheduling and came to pick us up at the hotel for the activity, however the boat rider and handler did not live up to their expectations. We had a very good view of the Dolphins., but when we reached Balicasag island for snorkelling activities our boat stopped very far away from the shore than rest of the boats and we were made to walk on rocky waters where both me and my husband bruised ourselves. Especially my husband fell in water and badly bruised…”

Check availability →Read our full review