Dolphin Watching and Snorkelling off Rhodes: What the Marine Biologist Trips Offer
Updated October 8, 2026 · 5 min read
The short answer: book the 3-hour trip unless you want a full day at sea. Two trips on Rhodes are built around wild dolphins, both run by the same dive centre from Kamiros Skala on the west coast, and both share the same dolphin stretch of sea and the same snorkelling stop. The difference is the day around them: €81 and a short outing, or €127.50 and a barbecue on a small island.
What the trips are
The dolphin watching and marine biologist snorkel cruise is €81 per person, listed at 3 hours, with 4.7 stars from 1,020 reviews. A marine biologist travels with you and explains dolphin behaviour, local sea life and how fish farming works in this part of the Aegean. The boat goes to Makri islet to look for bottlenose dolphins, then to Stroggyli islet, a protected area, for a guided snorkel. Snacks and refreshments, snorkelling equipment and underwater photos are included.
The dolphins, snorkelling and Alimia Island barbecue day is €127.50, 7 hours, with 4.8 stars from 237 reviews. It has the same dolphin stop and snorkel, then two hours of free time on uninhabited Alimia Island to swim, snorkel or walk, and a beach barbecue lunch with locally farmed fish, salad and fruit. Soft drinks and light alcohol are included.
The times are longer than they look
The 3-hour figure is the time on the boat. The itinerary on the booking page also shows a van ride of 45 minutes at the start and another 45 minutes at the end, so allow closer to 4.5 hours from pickup to drop-off. The sequence is a 30-minute sailing, 40 minutes at Makri, 10 minutes of sailing, an hour at Stroggyli, then 20 minutes at Makri again on the way back. The day trip has the same pattern with the island and lunch added.
The pickup point depends on the option you choose. The page says that if you are booking at the last minute, or staying in the far south around Lindos, Kiotari or Pefkos, you should contact the provider first, because transfers may need arranging and may cost extra.
How likely are the dolphins?
The operator says there is a high chance, about 90 per cent, of seeing them, and says in the same breath that dolphins are wild animals and sightings cannot be guaranteed. That figure is the operator’s own, not an independent count. The reviews are on the optimistic side. One visitor saw three calves, another saw only a few dolphins but also a monk seal, which they watched hunting.
Both trips pass Makri twice, so you get two chances. The 3-hour trip allows 40 minutes at the first stop and 20 minutes at the second. The full-day trip lists 40 and 15.
Snorkelling with a biologist
The snorkelling is described as beginner-friendly and optional, and the guides help you in the water and point out marine life such as sea urchins and sea stars. You do not need experience, but you do need to be happy in open water. Bring swimwear and a towel. High heels are not allowed on board, and neither is fishing.
On the full-day trip, there is also an optional 30-minute discover scuba dive in a sheltered bay at Alimia, charged at €50 per person on top. The lunch includes fish of 300 to 400 g, and chicken is available if you tell the operator in advance.
Who should skip it
Both listings say plainly that the trips are not recommended for anyone prone to seasickness. A small boat for a few hours is a reason to think twice, and for advice on that the pharmacy is the place to ask. Both are marked wheelchair accessible, and one reviewer reports that the crew helped their mother, who cannot walk properly, on and off the boat. Boarding a small boat is still not the same as step-free access, so ask the operator what your situation needs.
The booking pages we read do not name a minimum age. They describe both trips as suitable for families, and the shorter one also for first-time snorkellers, so ask the operator about small children.
Other trips that might show you dolphins
Some east-coast snorkelling cruises mention dolphins as a possibility rather than the purpose. The Anthony Quinn Bay and sea caves snorkelling cruise is €55 for 2.5 hours, rated 4.8 stars from 519 reviews, and tells you to keep an eye out for dolphins. Treat that as a bonus, not a plan. The bay trips are compared in east coast boat trips, and the whole range of snorkelling and diving options is on the diving and snorkelling page.
Which one, for whom
| Trip | Time | From | Rating | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dolphin watching and biologist snorkel cruise | 3 hours plus two 45-minute transfers | €81 | 4.7 (1,020) | most people: dolphins and a guided snorkel |
| Dolphins, snorkelling and Alimia barbecue | 7 hours | €127.50 | 4.8 (237) | a full day with lunch and island time |
| Anthony Quinn Bay and sea caves cruise | 2.5 hours | €55 | 4.8 (519) | swimming first, dolphins as a bonus |
For most people we would book the 3-hour trip. It costs €47 less than the day trip, it has the best-supported rating of the two with more than a thousand reviews, and the dolphins and the snorkel are the same. Choose the day trip if you want the island and the lunch more than the shorter outing. If you are travelling with children, the shorter boat trips are compared in Rhodes with kids.
