So, if you want to experience dolphins while you are in Hawaii, please avoid the bid, overcrowded boats that the sales people will try to hook you up with. We rented an underwater camera and set out with three other people for a trip I will never forget. There is a max of six people per trip so you never feel crowded in the water. We were able to make several dives with the dolphins and we were also able to see manta rays and some pretty incredible reefs. read more

Dolphin Essence is an amazing service that allows you to swim with dolphins near Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of HI Part of what was great about this company is that they will only take a small group of 6 people or less. The other tours we saw often had 20+ people. Not only did groups of those sizes seem to scare away the dolphins, but it seemed to take a long time for everyone to get into and out of the boat. Our group had several opportunities for 4+ swims spanning over 3 hours. We swam until we were pleasantly tired :-) During all of the swims we were in direct proximity to the dolphins who would often come quite close, in a very friendly manner. John gave us great instruction how to swim with the dolphins. He also gave each individual suggestions of where to go, etc. Over all, it was beautiful to watch groups of 10+ dolphins at a time swim in sync underwater (snorkel masks). Their grace and beauty was incredible! Thank you John, for the experience of a lifetime! read more

This was a phenomenal experience. A friend of ours told us to look them up when we got to the big island. We did, and we were not disappointed. John (the owner) was so friendly and easy to work with. He took us to several get spots to see dolphins in the wild and we we just in awe. We saw dolphins, Manta Rays and whales. We could not have asked for a better experience. Thank You so much for such a great experience John, you ROCK!!!!! Larry and Traci read more

This was our second trip to the big island and our second time on the dolphin excursion with John. Dolphin Essence excels in a few ways: 1) He is kind, calm and respects the dolphins. Before leaving the harbor he gives his thanks in a prayer and while in their presence he calmly puts you in front of the pod with grace and ease. Other boats splash and noisily approach the pod and it's all very clumsy and intrusive. 2) This is a very private tour. He travels with much smaller groups than most of the other boats and it's a very pleasant experience. The small groups tend to not scare off the dolphins as much and they can get quite close to you at times. I've noticed that the big boats dumb as many as 25+ people at once and it's a bit obnoxious. 3) He cares that you have a positive experience. Since you are off to find wild dolphins it's never a guarantee that you'll actually find any (and it shouldn't be). On our first trip we saw them fairly quickly, on our second they were too far North and we didn't see any. He had a space on the boat the next day and allowed us to attend for free for an extra chance to see them. It was our final day on the big island and we wanted to give it another shot so we took him up on his offer. We were in luck and saw a HUGE pod of dolphins, plus John took us to see a migrating whale and the whole experience was fantastic. We were very thankful that he allowed us an addition opportunity and never really expected it - but it turned out great and really made the last day a real treat. This is simply the best and most respectful way to swim with these wild creatures. John shows a respect for passenger and dolphin alike and it makes for the best experience possible. read more

Our party of 6, including 2 teens, had a fantastic time with John during our dolphin swim in Kona. We saw dozens of dolphins and several came close, based on John's advice to sing while under water. Amazing day. read more

I went out with John yesterday morning and it was truly amazing. His boat is a Zodiac, so it is limited to no more than 6 passengers. There were four of us on my journey, and such a small group really makes a difference. We started by pausing in the harbor to view a large honu, and appreciate the spinner dolphins. John performed a Hawaiian chant that really set the tone for the rest of the morning. On our way north, we got in the water several times to swim with manta rays and bottlenose dolphins. With such a small group and boat, we were able to get moving quickly and get much closer than I expected. Once we made it north, we spotted whales and spent quite a while following a small pod. The cap to our trip was when a whale surfaced VERY close to our boat and startled/delighted all of us. John handles the boat very well, he knows where to go to see the best activity, and you can tell that he absolutely loves his work. He said that he's lived on the Big Island for 22 years, and it really shows. He honors the island and the animals, and makes you appreciate your surroundings in a new way. Mahalo John, for providing a wonderful experience! To be aware of: because the boat is a Zodiac, there's a plastic ladder that is moved onto the side of the boat to get you out of the water. This can be difficult to climb, but I managed it in an AirCast leg brace. John will provide a small snack of trail mix/cookies, with bottles of water (not cooled), but the emphasis is on being in the water and interacting with the animals, so bring your own snacks or fuel up ahead of time. read more

Better than the average dolphin excursion because you are limited to only six people in the boat. John took really nice care of us. We saw dolphins, whales, and manta rays and had many opportunities for swimming with both dolphins and manta rays. read more

We had a great day with John. Although John takes up to six people out per day, he only had our family of four when we went out last week. It was a very special experience. There are lots of other boats out chasing dolphins, and they may be (slightly) cheaper, but our trip was catered to us since he takes such small groups. When the dolphins were on the move we were able to make a move as quickly, while we saw other boats scrambling to get 20 or 30 people out of the water so they could take off again. We were in the water with the dolphins about five different times. There are plenty out there and John knows where to find them. We also got some great snorkeling in a reef unaccessible by car. John is very personable getting to know our family quickly. He's also outfitted with plenty of snorkel gear for all ages. We would definitely go out again with John. read more

The Big Island offers one of the most unique experiences in the world, where you can join several pods of wild dolphins as they swim south along the coast in their daily routine. This is experience is different from meeting dolphins in captivity. While that may be more appropriate for non-swimmers or for those who really want to touch the animals or see them perform trained tricks, this experience is better for people who truly appreciate seeing wildlife in their natural habitat. Tour operators take you to meet up with these dolphins in their trek down the coast, drop you in the water so the dolphins swim by you, then pick you up and motor you ahead of the dolphins again after they pass by. While there are 5 or 6 such tour operators, I would never choose anyone but John Float with Dolphin Essence. First and foremost, John limits his boat to 6 passengers, far fewer than the 15-30 allowed by other boats - the biggest advantage of this is that your "team" is more agile getting into and out of the water. This is important because the dolphins move fast - they don't just hang around you and play like Flipper - they will pass by in a few short minutes and you have to be able to get loaded back up to motor ahead of the pod again. Secondly, John uses a Zodiak boat, which is much smaller than most. The advantage to that is that when you're in the boat and the dolphins are swimming alongside it, you are within inches of them. You see them surface to breathe, they swim on all sides of the boat, and in my most recent trip, one of them swam alongside us and slapped his tail on the water hard enough to splash us on the boat. Even the non-swimmers in the group really enjoyed this part of the tour. Finally, John is simply a beautiful person - versed in Hawaiian ways, sincere in his love for the ocean and the dolphins, and trusting in a way that I as a mainlander was not prepared for. He worked really hard to be sure he found the best situation for our group and tried to stay away from the crowds from the bigger boats. Some things to consider: while swimmers and non-swimmers alike can gain something from this experience, I recommend that only good swimmers should enter the water. The dolphins are not going to come up to you if you're just hanging out in the water - you need to be moving along at a good clip to experience these dolphins as they swim. Also, while I prefer the smaller boat, I could imagine that in rougher seas (it was as smooth as glass the day I went), a smaller boat might be more difficult for those unaccustomed to being on the water. Finally, the focus of the day is on getting in the water with dolphins and not on a gourmet meal, so fuel up ahead of time. John did offer some light snacks (water, trail mix, and some cookies), but he doesn't do a big barbecue on the boat like some snorkeling tours do. For good eats after you're done, I highly recommend the Bite Me Fish Market in the marina. read more

Amazing !!!!! John Flioat is so good at what he does. This is the second time we've been with him on a dolphin excursion. We swan with wild dolphins and even a manta ray. He knew exactly where the whales would be and sure enouph had this one humpback whale that kept breaching over and over for at laast 20 min. Then a baby humoback whale almost came up to our boat until mama steered him away. FUN!!! read more