Located within Wet n’ Wild water park, Dolphinaris Cancún (Blvd. Kukulcán Km. 25, tel. 998/881-3030, toll-free Mex. tel. 800/365-7446) offers dolphin interaction programs that include “fin shaking” and receiving a “kiss” (US$79, 1 hour), as well as swimming with and getting a foot push from them (US$119, 1 hour). For those toying with the idea of working with dolphins, visitors also can help out as Trainers for the Day (US$199, 8 hours).
Delphinus Dreams Cancún (Dreams Cancún Resort, Blvd. Kukulcán Km. 7.5, tel. 998/206-3304, toll-free Mex. tel. 800/335-3461) offers similar dolphin interaction programs in a group setting (US$99-149, 1 hour), as a couple (US$399, 1 hour) and one-on-one (US$499, 1 hour). Trainer for the Day programs are offered too (US$199, 8 hours). Check the website for online deals.
Interactive Aquarium (La Isla Shopping Village, Blvd. Kukulcán Km. 12.5, tel. 998/883-0411, 10am- 6pm daily, US$10) has a disappointingly small display of fish and other sea creatures, but its raison d’être are the interactive dolphin and shark exhibits. Like other dolphin programs, activities range from receiving a “kiss” and getting a “foot push” (US$85-135, 30-55 minutes) to a Trainer for the Day program (US$250, 8 hours). Shark “interactions” involve climbing into an acrylic booth and being lowered into the aquarium’s huge shark tank to get a close-up look at bull, brown, and nurse sharks (US$30 pp, 30 minutes).
Excerpted from the Eleventh Edition of Moon Cancún & Cozumel.