DOLPHIN COVE OCHO RIOS

Opened in 2002, this attraction welcomes hundreds of visitors every day to swim with the dolphins. Seven dolphins imported from Mexico and their Spanish-speaking trainers occupy a two-hectare pool. The dolphins swim in a natural bay enclosed by a stone wall, which is highly questionable in terms of their well-being, given the limited space available. What's more, the ethical question of training wild animals to be stroked and hugged arises. Their skin is not made for this. The animals swallow dozens of kilos of fish a day to be admired, petted and tossed around. So they never come out. When it comes to approaching the dolphins, visitors can choose between three options: touching the dolphins from a pontoon/touchencounter, the least expensive option, touching the dolphins in the bath/encounterswim, accompanied by a dance and play demonstration, and a real bath with the dolphins/swimwith dolphins, lasting 45 minutes. The highlight of the show: the "foot push", or how to be propelled through the water, then into the air, by two dolphins pushing you by the feet. Recently, you can also swim with the sharks. Aside from this central attraction, Anse des Dauphins is a human-sized place with a mini-zoo featuring some of the island's animal species, including iguanas, snakes, turtles, parrots... and pirates! On-site: restaurants, bars, swimming pool and souvenir stores.