10 Dolphin Watching Tours in the Philippines to Build a Day Around

1.Dolphin Watching & Sea Turtle Swim Island Tour

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

Sunrise wild dolphins, Balicasag sea turtle snorkeling, and coral reef snorkeling near Panglao, with pickup, gear, and guides for $49.

“We really enjoyed the tour and can definitely recommend it! The pick-up and drop-off at the harbour went smoothly, and communication with Sarah was also excellent. We actually saw lots of dolphins! Once we arrived on the island, we were given snorkelling equipment and taken to the snorkelling spots by several guides in small boats. It was a bit of a shame that we always had to split into groups of three on the boats, and my friend and I were separated. At first, we thought that we would only be separated on the boat, but in fact we couldn't snorkel together either. However, the snorkelling spots were really fantastic.…”

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2.Pamilacan Island Dolphin/Turtle Watching Tour & Lunch

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

Early dolphin watching, turtle snorkeling, and lunch on Pamilacan Island. Small-group feel, included gear, and a calm beach finish near Bohol.

“Even with bad weather, we had an amazing time! Dan provided a very unique and memorable experience with this day in the life of this beautiful small island. My boyfriend and I definitely recommend it!”

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

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

Half-day Bohol wildlife and snorkeling, with dolphin watching from Panglao Bay, Balicasag Island reefs, and a Virgin Island sandbar stop.

“Snorkeling was nice, but a few comments need to be made. None of us were able to communicate with the boat crew, as they couldn’t explain to us what to do or what to bring once we arrived at the island. The bigger problem was that our boat had no sun shade. Supposedly it was broken. The sun was harsh on everyone. What was almost funny was that the local staff at the place where we departed told us that shade wasn’t actually necessary because there would be clouds anyway. I’ve never heard such nonsense before. So yes, overall the trip did not leave a good impression.”

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4.Dolphin Watching, Turtle Swim and Party Boat

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

5-hour Bohol tour with sunrise dolphins, Balicasag sea turtle snorkeling, guided underwater photos, lunch, and unlimited drinks plus beach party vibes.

“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...”

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5.Balicasag Island Tour with Turtle & Dolphin Watching

★★★★★★★★★★2.8 · 21 reviews · 5 hours · from $34Best value

5-hour Panglao tour with early dolphin watching and Balicasag snorkeling, plus possible sea turtles and fish feeding for $34.

“Very crowded where we were brought to snorkle didn’t feel safe on a few occasions. We did get to see the dolphins from a good distance for like 60seconds.”

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6.Swim with Sea Turtles, Dolphins & Island Hopping Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 9 reviews · from $49

Early Panglao boat trip to spot wild dolphins, snorkel Balicasag with turtles, and island-hop back to Alona for beach time. 6 hours.

“Very cool tour which it was very fortunate to see turtles and dolphins. The boat crew were very nice and accommodating and Sam, our guide brought us drinks. The tour is exactly as advertised, so I would highly recommend 10/10.”

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7.Bohol Balicasag Is Private Tour and Dolphin Watching

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

A private day in Bohol for dolphin watching, Balicasag snorkeling, turtles, and paddle boating, capped with a fresh lunch.

“A very good and well organised tour ! We were only let down by the weather unfortunately, which dampened the whole trip. We enjoyed our time on the traditional boats, the guys were friendly and professional. The diving was lovely, saw a turtle and loads of stunning fish. The lunch was amazing - freshly prepared with fish, prawns, chicken and fresh fruit. It’s an early start ! But that is probably to beat the crowds. They did try and take us to the quieter part of the island but it is a very touristy tour so expect alot if people.”

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8.Dolphin Watching & Manjuyod Sandbar Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 8 reviews · 10 hours · from $223

Private 10-hour Dumaguete dolphins and Manjuyod Sandbar with hotel pickup, private banca boat, swimming, and included seafood lunch for up to 3.

“This tour was amazing from start to finish! It was just me and a friend, and we had a private boat all to ourselves — definitely worth it. The driver picked us up at 6am from our hotel and stayed in touch on WhatsApp, which made things super easy. Everything was really organized, and we felt taken care of the whole time. The boatmen were super kind and spoke English well. And best part is we spent so much time chasing the dolphins and got to see them up close!!! We had total freedom to decide what to do and when to do it, whether hanging w dolphins or at…”

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

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

Private Pamilacan island day from Panglao: dolphins, unlimited snorkeling in a marine sanctuary, Boholano lunch, and a Spanish fort walk.

“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!”

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10.Dolphin Watching & Snorkeling at Balicasag Island

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

Sunrise dolphin watching and Balicasag snorkeling in Bohol. Spot sea turtles, coral reefs, and optional extra stops in about 6 hours.

“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…”

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