Dolphins that are....pink?!? (Hong Kong Dolphinwatch Boat Trip)

Member Name: littleme96

Product:	Hong Kong Dolphinwatch Boat Trip
Date:	18/02/09 (236 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A rare chance to see these amazing creatures

Disadvantages: None (apart from the rain!)

In November I wrote a review about things to see and do in Hong Kong and I received several comments suggesting that I did some additional reviews concentrating on some of the attractions mentioned in more depth. One of the sights that I mentioned in my original review was the Hong Kong Dolphinwatch and I am writing this review to concentrate more on this wonderful trip.

My Husband and I visited Hong Kong in May 2006 and as we only had 3 days there, we made sure that we researched things to do in advance to ensure that we got as much out of our trip as possible. After browsing on the internet for some ideas, I came across a company called Hong Kong Dolphinwatch Ltd and decided to check out there website.

I had been lucky enough to see dolphins before on a trip to the Maldives, but there was something different about the species that this company were inviting you to go and see. Not only did these dolphins live in the murky, polluted waters around Hong Kong, they were also pink! Keen to learn more, I looked around the website and saw that the company offered a trip to see this interesting and unusual creatures. I just had to arrange for us to do this, as it's not every day that you get a chance to see a dolphin which is the colour of bubblegum! I emailed the company to register our interest and reserve our places on the trip and couldn't wait to get to Hong Kong, especially as the website claimed that they have seen these dolphins on 97% of the trips they have gone on - although not guaranteed, that is an excellent success rate and if you don't see them, they'll let you go again for free!

When we arrived in Hong Kong, we had to go and pay for the trip the day before we were due to go on the boat trip. We found the little office in Star House easily enough, paid the fee (HK$640 for both of us) and received a receipt in return. We were told to be ready at the Kowloon Hotel lobby in Tsim Sha Tsui for 9.00am the next morning and that the trip would last approximately 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

The next day dawned and the weather was awful! It was grey, murky and pouring with rain, but we'd decided to do it and there was no way that a bit of rain was going to stop us!! We were picked up from Kowloon Hotel promptly at 9.00am by a coach and then proceeded to go to the harbour where we would board the boat. On the way, we were given a little information pack telling us all about the dolphins that we hoped to see and a few complimentary postcards showing these unusual creatures which we hoped to see later that day.

When we boarded the boat, we set off in search of the dolphins and were given pink plastic ponchos to try and protect us a little bit from the rain! We set off into the murky greyness and kept our eyes peeled for flashes of pink in the water! The guides were out on the deck with us looking into the distance with binoculars and it wasn't long before we caught our first glimpse, right where the guides thought they'd be - at the mouth of the river. An amazing stillness came over the boat when we'd spotted our first pink dolphin playing in the water and then people scrambled to get photos and video recordings. We then managed to see some more and just watched them playing and swimming in the water.

The dolphins that we saw on the trip are called Chinese White Dolphins (Sousa chinensis), which are found from South Africa to China and northern Australia. This particular pink version is only found in southern China and neighbouring waters. According to the information we were given 'very little is known for sure about them because in-depth scientific research on the species was practically non-existent until the 90's'. In fact they remained relatively unknown to the world until this time too!

The dolphins are actually born a dark grey colour and are about 1 metre in length. Their colour lightens as they get older. It is thought that the dolphins are actually white/light grey, but that they appear pink as their blood 'flushes' to the outer layers of skin when helping to regulate their body temperature.

Having followed the dolphins around in the water for a while (still in the pouring rain, but we were so soaked by this point we didn't really care!), it was time to head back to the harbour. Drinks and snacks were provided, as we all excitedly looked at the pictures we had managed to take. We were dropped back off at the Kowloon Hotel and the whole journey went very smoothly.

We really enjoyed our dolphin watching trip and are so glad that we went. Not many people can say that they've seen pink dolphins and it's great to know that by going on the trip, we had supported the work that the Hong Kong Dolphinwatch company do. They do a lot of work in protecting this rare species, especially as the polluted waters surrounding Hong Kong are not the safest environment for them to live in! Sadly there is quite a large death rate for the pink dolphins here, due to destruction of their habitat, over fishing, heavy sea traffic and pollution. This company monitor the dolphins and raise awareness of the problems facing the species.

I would really recommend going on this trip if you are planning a visit to Hong Kong. The price has gone up since we went - it now costs HK$360 per adult and HK$180 for children between the ages 3 - 11 years, but I would still say that it is worth every penny.

If you would like to find out more about this trip or the company and the work they do, the website is www.hkdolphinwatch.com/.

Summary: Not something you see everyday!