Wild Side Specialty Tours

Compared to other dolphin tours I've joined over the years (with operators in the same harbor), Wild Side stands out. This review is from a 7am outing in late November 2023.

First, they deeply care about the ocean and wonderful creatures in it. This is apparent in their marine biology and conservation backgrounds (I learned a lot about different animals, including that dolphins are whales!), their genuine awe ('never gets old' one said with the wonder of a child after seeing a dolphin spin in the air), and prioritization of creature comfort (with tips for how now to scare them, no music on the boat unlike others, etc). As someone born and raised on Oahu and a dolphin lover, I appreciated this aspect.

Second, the max-6-guest nature of their boat means that one can really interact with the crew and get the most out of their expertise and passion. They asked each of us at the beginning what we wanted to get out of the outing, and tailored the day accordingly. It also means ample space for prime photos.

Finally, they are hospitable pros, and know how to make the day smooth and memorable. They handled a last minute scheduling mixup with grace. They take photos for you and left us with magnetized photos of the guests (along with some great cookies). As a foodie, the lunch exceeded my expectations.

Given the above, the day was unsurprisingly awesome and I saw loads of different dolphins above and below water, 3 turtles (honu), and several types of fish. I know all the tours have high reviews, but hopefully this helps readers decide on Wild Side based on these differentiators.

Had the most incredible time! This small tour was a bit out of the way for our trip to Waikiki, but came highly recommended, so we rented a car and BOY was it worth it! Professional, knowledgeable and personable staff all the way from booking to the time we docked. We saw beautiful fish, jumping Spinner Dolphin, swam with sea turtles, and enjoyed the personalized and intimate experience. Lunch was delicious and we were offered snacks and anything we might need (sunscreen, water, etc). We were comfortable and happy the whole time and able to focus on the adventure at hand! At one point I got a nose bleed on the boat and the staff swooped in to take care of me and make sure I was okay. Really great experience with more hospitality than I could have expected. Will absolutely go again next time we’re on the island!

We loved our dolphin tour! Went in the afternoon and it was only slightly more money then the other massive boats and it was so nice to just be on a small personal tour. We found a spotted dolphin pod and got to put on snorkel gear to hop in with the dolphins for a couple minutes and it was magical. We also went to a turtle cleaning spot and it was so fun to snorkel with the turtles!

The lunch was delicious and healthy and the crew was really knowledgeable and took fun photos of us! Overall an amazing experience and I with I had taken more photos!

Wild Side is THE BEST!!! We had such an incredible time and are so happy we booked our wildlife watching and snorkeling tour with them. We chose them because they are women owned, focus on research/conservation and the trip is super intimate (max of 6 guests). We felt like friends with the crew and the other guests at the end of the tour which enhanced the experience even more. 10/10 will ALWAYS recommend Wild Side!!

Had a wonderful experience with Captain Flow and Wild Side Specialty Tours. She took us to some spots heaping with sea life. We got to do some snorkeling, we saw turtles, a ton of fish, and the dolphins showed up and gave us a show. The views of the ocean and landscape and just breathtaking. The smaller boat made the experience more personal, and always felt safe. My little girls absolutely had a blast, and will never forget this moment. This gave us a new new appreciation for the beautiful Hawaiian Island of Oahu and its magnificent sea life. This was truly one of the best experiences of my life. Thanks for the memories.