Our last day in New Zealand was by far the best day of the entire trip (for me)! This was the day I got to swim with wild dolphins off the coast of New Zealand! Swimming with dolphins has always been #1 on my "bucket list." I always thought I'd end up doing it in a contained environment like Sea World... never in my wildest dreams did I think I would have the opportunity to swim with hundreds of dolphins in their natural environment.
We took a tour through Dolphin Encouter. This 3.5 hour tour takes you out by boat to spot pods of dusky dolphins. Once the pods are found, the boat anchors and you're able to get in the water and swim with the wild dolphins in the open water.
The dusky dolphins are residents of the coastal waters off the coast of Kaikoura all year round. The dolphins are incredibly interactive and playful. You can swim so close to them that you can literally reach out and touch them, although they're so fast that they'll never let you do that!
There were three major negatives to this experience for me: 1) I got awfully seasick, 2) the water was freezing, and 3) I had to do it alone because children were not allowed on the boat (so Joe and I had to take separate tours). But it was the experience of a lifetime, and I'm so glad I took the risk and jumped in the water! Anyone who knows me understands that sharks are my #1 fear... so this was probably the most terrifying yet thrilling thing I've ever done in my life!!!
Well... that wraps up our New Zealand vacation. We truly had an incredible trip, and I'm so glad we took the time to explore both islands. It was certainly an adventure. :) New Zealand had everything we expected and more - quaint towns, stunning scenery, outdoor activities, friendly people, cozy cafes, and delicious seafood.
After a jam-packed two and half weeks in New Zealand, we decided to get some R&R time in Fiji before heading back home to Japan... stay tuned.
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