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Wild Side Specialty Tours, Reviews in the News

April 2015 VacationIdea ""Best Romantic Activities in Hawaii"

April 2015 MindFood "Top things to do in O’ahu"

February 2015 Made Man "Six Things to do in Hawaii That Aren't The Beach"

January 2015 ABC News and Good Morning Armerica "Whale Steals Dolphin's" We didn't get credit, but it was taken during our Deluxe Wildlife Charter, by guest Erin Lundy

December 2014 Virtual Strategy Magazine An Oahu Hotel, Welcomes Guests Who Come for Whale Watching Season

October 2014 HVCB "HOT AND HIP HONOLULU"

September 2014 VetStreet "Animal-Friendly Ways to Swim With Dolphins, Sea Turtles and Other Marine Life"

August 2014 Hawaii Getaways "Best Way to Swim with Dolphins on Oahu: Wild Side Specialty Tours"

August 2014 CBS Miami, Josh Horwitz ("War of the Whales") "Top 5 American Whale-Watching Tours"

July 2014 Travel Weekly "New sensations in Hawaii"

June 2014 Daily Telegraph "Why I changed my mind about Hawaii"

April 2014 Group Travel Leader "Wild America" (pdf)

April 2014 Encompass AAA "Hawaii, Pick an Island"

March 2014 Gary L. Everest Paintings "Swimming With Dolphins Part 1" and "Swimming With Dolphins Part 2" Lots of photos!

March 2014 Travel Age West "Five Fab Hawaii Snorkel Cruises"

February 2014 Travelocity "Things to do in Oahu - Swimming with Wild Dolphins"

November 2013 Huffington Post Hawaii "Seeing Dolphins in Oahu, Hawai'i - Wild is the Best Way"

November 2013 JetStar InFlight Magazine "Oahu, Three of a Kind" (pdf)

October 2013 Turquoise Compass "Becoming Part of the Pod."

October 2013 MSN Travel "Moon magic: lunar travel"

September/October 2013 Honeymoon Guide (pdf)

September 2013, Vacation and Travel Magazine "Oahu, Beyond the Beach" (pdf)

July 2013, FOX NEWS 4 up-close encounters with sea creatures - snorkel with sea turtles, Oahu, Hawaii

May 2013 - Seattle Post Intelligence "Incredible Video of False Killer Whales Playing With a Mahi-Mahi"

March 2013 - Houston Chronicle "A First-timers Guide to Exploring Oahu"

March 2013 - Mabuhay Magazine "Honolulu, the Intersection of Cool"

March 2013 TravelAge West "Voluntourism on Oahu"

Feb. 2013 Jean of All Trades "Meeting Spinner Dolphins in Hawaii" "I chose Wild Side Hawaii because they focus on conservation and ecologically sound business practices. The tours are small and put the animals first. Like me, they don’t condone captive swim-with-dolphin programs or marine parks that emphasize “entertainment.” Dolphins don’t belong in chlorinated cement tanks."

2012 En stark äventyrsresa med Morgan och Ola-Conny

A few years ago these guys made a reality show about a big store where people all over Sweden go to buy cheap stuff. Mostly lower-middle income, average people (a bit crazy sometimes). There were some "interesting" characters that worked there...like these two guys. Someone thought it would be fun to take them, who really are not that experienced/smart/normal(?), on trips around the world. Since they don't really react to things the same way most people do, some find it fun to watch...

The part onboard with us is about 1/2 way through the video. They are at first worried about getting seasick...and apparently one of them even had to throw up.....but then they are talking about how amazing it is to see the whales. They wonder what it would feel like to get hit by a whale when swimming. And what it means that it is called "killer whale" (they didn't get the "false"). One of the last things they say when looking at the humpies is: They are really big fish....

Dec. 2012 Wall Street Journal, Take Monday Off: Honolulu "DAY FOUR - Swimming with spinner dolphins and snorkeling to a colony of green turtles could be the highlight of your vacation, particularly if you see breaching whales or a rare, endangered Hawaiian monk seal along the way."

Dec. 2012 Andovo Travel Hawaii Snorkel Adventure: Turtles, Whales and Dolphins, Oh My!

Dec 2012 Escape "Discover the spirit of Honolulu"

Nov. 2012 ApSense Hawaii holidays, dolphins, whales and turtles "Joining a small group will optimize the experience for both tourist and the marine life. It is a worthy note that swimming with dolphins in the wild is much safer than in a captive setting."

Oct. 2012 Globe and Mail, How to see Hawaii's Marine Life... "We saw a humpback whale breach spectacularly close, flying fish at our feet and a whole lot of dolphins"

Sept. 2012 Peanut Butter Fingers Wild Side Specialty Tours "The Waianae coast of Oahu is gorgeous and the beautiful beaches are nearly deserted since most tourists tend to hang out in Waikiki or the North Shore of Oahu. It felt like we were discovering a hidden secret! " Srcoll down for great comments...

Sept. 2012 Sunday Star TImes (New Zealand) Oh Oahu (pdf)

June 2012 LA Parent "Hawaii’s Blue and Green!"

June 2012 JWM Magazine "Wild West" Bliss-bringing swim with wild dolphins vs. with captive dolphins forced to 'play nice' for paying guests.

May 2012,Three Italian publications Viaggi, Non Solo Turisti, and Round the World Max.

March 2012, FINE Homes and Living Magazine, PhilanthroTravel Rising "for the holistic marine mammal excursions of a lifetime Wild Side makes good use of volunteers who love to ‘vacation with a purpose’ and who love nature as well."

March 2012, Succesful Meetings; Where to Meet, Shop and Play - Wild Side; Year round Cetacean Watching.

Feb. 2012 Singapore Tatler Traveler Aloha (pdf)"This is no canned adventure!"

Jan 2012 TravelLog (Hong Kong, China) "Hawaii, Exploring the Ocean"

How to Swim With Dolphins While in Maui - Interestingly, this article only lists us and a captive program - though we're not based in Maui, we do cruise there on our inter-island charters.

Jan. 2012 YNET.com Environment - Watch: Dolphin struggles with plastic bag in Hawaii underwater video of wild dolphin caught in plastic, rethink plastic!

Dec. 2011 Seatllelite "Cold Season Getaway: A Guide To Oahu"

November 2011 Party Girl Diet Heads to Oahu Hawaii - Wild Side tour's were featured, and donated to support The Weinberg Villiage Waimanalo's L.E.A.P Fund

Oct. 2011, The Oregonion, Waikiki has only improved with age ... and planning "We see three dolphins directly below our catamaran's trampoline, and a few minutes later jump into the water."

Sept. 2011, Hawaii Magazine, Hawaii Ecotourism Association awards first-ever green certification to 14 tour companies "Wild Side Specialty Tours was granted a Silver Certificate"

Aug 2011, Heart & Soul Magazine Test the Waters on O'ahu. (PDF) "I would never be satisfied just watching dolphins from the comfort of a seat at SeaWorld ever again."

June 2011, The Vacation Gals, Wild Side Specialty Tours: Snorkeling with Wild Dolphins on Oahu, "Adrenaline rush, times 10"

May 2011, Family Vacation Critic "Oahu with Tweens and Teens"

May 2011 Honolulu Weekly Green Travel 2011 "Hop aboard Nautilus, a 50-foot yacht, and spend your days snorkeling, cruising through the island and learning about the different types of whales and dolphins that live in the Pacific waters."

May 2011, The Globe Hawaii offers plenty of adventures; Swim with dolphins, watch whales, hit the surf or just lie on the beach "Forget hula girls and surfboards, The true Oahu highlight is getting 'snarged' by a humpback."

Feb 16, 2011 Calgary Sun O-Wahoo Fun in Hawaii "Capt. Jon Sylvester is an enthusiastic and entertaining presence at the helm who had, for the first time in his life, seen a whale shark just the previous day and couldn't stop talking about it."

Best Travel Writing of 2010: Favorite Blog Posts from the Past Year, find us nominated under: "The Vacation Gals loved Swimming with Wild Dolphins in Oahu, Hawaii"

Jan 2011 Dolphin and Whale Magazine Caring, Sharing False Killer Whales "Does Longline Fishing Threaten Hawaii's False Killer Whales?"

Oct. 2010 SHAPE Staying Fit on Oahu (pdf) "Don't worry if you;ve never snorkeled before, the experienced guides will make sure that you are comfortable."

October 2010 USA TODAY / The Vacation Gals Swimming with Wild Dolphins in Oahu, Hawaii "Dolphin protection is of utmost importance to the crew, and there is a discussion regarding how to minimize the disturbance to the marine wildlife we encounter. I was impressed with the crew’s commitment to the well being of the spinner dolphins. This is no party boat. In fact, it’s based on the Not-Just-for-Profit business model of environmental best practices.  Wild Side Specialty Tours is a company that can be trusted to focus on the purpose of the travel experience — to get us swimming with wild dolphins in Oahu, Hawaii."

Sept. 2010 MSNBC.com / Taking the Kids Beyond Waikiki Beach No, not a spa named after turtles---a spa FOR sea turtles."The best was my son tugging my foot and I turn around and there is a HUGE sea turtle three feet from me,”

Sept. 2010 USA TODAY Boat Cruises Around Hawaii Wild Side for Island-hopping to Molokai (and beyond).

August 2010 Eclectic Trips Swimming with the Dolphins in Makaha "When it’s time to go back to the boat I am filled with quiet joy. It is an honor to swim with these amazing creatures, and I feel very lucky having experienced it."

August 2010 Untamed Science Spinner Dolphins in Hawaii "Lead by marine biologist and spinner dolphin expert, Alexa Olsen, Suze and Dan swam headlong into the offshore waters of western Oahu to videotape these extraordinary marine mammals during their interactions... all part of exploring the world of dolphins while investigating the science behind myoglobin."

August 2010 eHow.com Places to Swim With Dolphins All Day in Hawaii.

June 2010 Heather's Hawaiian Adventure Part II: Heather was part of a recent fam trip to Hawaii, she wrote that, "We saw a Green Sea Turtle cleansing station which was by far the highlight of my LIFE!"

Summer 2010 Innov8 inflight magazine Oahu's Wild West pdf pg 1, pdf pg 2

May 2010 Honolulu Advertiser Local boys on voyage of a lifetime "In an unusual move, Wild Side Specialty Tours owner Armin Cullins decided to conduct the delivery of the Pacifica 50 Yacht, Nautilus, from California to Hawaii "on its own bottom" - actually driving the boat by sea instead of shipping it on a Honolulu-bound barge..."

May 2010 Honolulu Advertiser 10 travel writers arriving to take a look at Oahu Wild Side took them all out for an unforgettable swim with green sea turtles and spotted dolphins on May 21st.

May 2010 Five Great Ways to Enjoy Your Oahu Vacation Take a dip with the sealife. Swim and snorkel among the sea turtles, dolphins, and marine life close to ancient coral reefs on Oahu’s Westside next to the Ko Olina resorts. Wild Side Specialty Tours offers dolphin encounters, whale watching (including giant humpback whales), protected sea turtle experiences, and more.

March 2010 Hawaii vacations: Top whale-watching tours | Orbitz Blog Hawaii’s marine scene gets a little more crowded each winter, as thousands of North Pacific humpback whales migrate 3,500 miles from Alaska to the warm South Pacific waters. "For a small-craft whale-watching experience on your Hawaii vacation, locals recommend Wild Side Specialty Tours. There’s an educational element to the excursions, which are typically led and narrated by marine biologists. Observation easily intensifies into actual conservation research if that’s something that interests you. Excursions head out to Oahu’s west coast, particularly off Kaena Point."

Jan 2010 Where TV Hawaii Whale Tale's and Full Moon Sails skip to 1:11

Oct. 2009 Diane Smith Makaha, a Less Traveled Hidden Jewel of Oahu,

Oct. 2009 The Carey Adventures My First Time Swimming with Dolphins, "My most vivid memories in life are at those moments when I am fully present and my mind stops thinking long enough to simply take in the majesty of life in front of me.  This is how I know I was present when the dolphins pulled even with me.  I didn’t lock eyes with any of them or exchange knowing winks from one air loving mammal to another.  But for those few moments I experienced a better understanding and appreciation for these amazing swimmers than any stack of text books or hours of video could ever hope to accomplish."

Oct. 2009 KHNL's "Dash and Diane" - and evening broadcasts, "Wild Side - Wild Dolphin Swims, "Dolphins can tell when you're pregnant?" (Video)

Fall 2009 Sherman's Travels, HAWAII 101, Oahu: Over on the noncommercial west (Leeward) side of the island, Wild Side Specialty Tours leads intimate expeditions out of Waianae Harbor to swim with wild dolphins.

Sept. 2009 B on Hawaii "Sail Hawaii Teams with National Wildlife Experts, Employs the Same"There’s plenty of buzz going around about which ocean excursion companies do and don’t practice environmental responsibility. Sail Hawaii’s Wild Side Tours are an operation one step ahead of the curve in this regard.

Aug. 2009 KITV News Blind Tourist Denied Access To Swim With Dolphins @ Sea Life Park, Hawaii fufills her life dream with Wild Side (Video)

Aug. 2009 The Associated Press Hawaii protecting coral reefs with big fines

Aug 2009 "Clean Breaks: 500 Ways To See the World" offers vacation options that are socially responsible and environmentally friendly - we are one of the specially recommended companies, highlighted as one of the authors’ favorites!

June 2009 U.S. Commerce Association, Wild Side Specialty Tours Receives 2009 Best of Waianae Award

June 2009 Travel Channel, Honolulu Hawaii, Top 5 Activities (Video)

May 2009 ABC Life, #1 of Oahu’s Top 10 Experiences (pdf)

April 2009 Germany's Next Top Model, Mit Delphinen schwimmen Germany's next Topmodel Video After winning the model challenge, the girls are treated by Wild Side to an ocean adventure with whales and dolphins. (Video)


April 2009 Out & About with Kids, Endless Summer (pdf), pg. 94 "Dolphins and Turtles"

March 2009 Family Circle, An Oahu Family Vacation With ‘Tweens and Teens "When an endangered monk seal unexpectedly popped his head out of the water, our guide’s excitement was contagious, and she launched into an impromptu lesson about how to protect these adorable animals."

Jan 2009 Honolulu Advertiser, Travel, Off the Beaten Path

Dec 2008 AboutHawaii, Before You Visit Oahu - A Guide to Help You Plan Your Vacation ... gold eco certification"My Three Favorite Paid Tours on Oahu"

Dec 2008 GenGreen Life, State of the Green Union report for Winter 2008, "Planet Friendly Getaways" Wild Side acheives Gold Level Green Certification

Oct. 2008 Dallas Voice, Oahu abounds with cultural excursions, "The experience is almost spiritual."

November 2008 Washington Post, Oahu- More than Don Ho

November 2008 Regina Leader-Post Two Weeks in Paradise, The ultimate 14-day itinerary "The engines were cut, and the catamaran slowed. The dolphins moved toward us in what could only be described as an act of recognition and welcome. And then, one dolphin gave us the ultimate thrill. With slow and graceful movements, she approached the boat and circled in front of it, revealing something at her side. After a sweeping turn, she swam slowly past the boat again, this time presenting her small calf for all 12 of us to see."

November 2008 Studio Brides, Hawaii Ever After

November 2008 Travel-Age West, Think Pink Think Oahu

October 2008 The Daily Express UK, Ten Must Do Things in Hawaii #1 "A fin appeared closely followed by another and another. There were dolphins everywhere."

September 2008 Honolulu Advertiser Hang out with sea turtles in Wai'anae "Natural 'cleaning station' offers amazing snorkeling experience." Author Chris Oliver was onboard (and snorkeling with turtles) with Wild Side in Aug. 2008

August 2008 50 in the 50th, "All of a sudden, there were dolphin everywhere, on either side and below us. Mom's and babies just slowly (for them) swimming along passing us like we were slow cars on a highway. You could hear them calling to each other."

August 2008 What was your Oahu 'Highlight'-activity, meal, service? msfuzz
Honolulu, Hawaii, 2,587 forum posts #10 highlight, wildside dolphin/snorkel trip on the ocean

July 2008 Forbes - World's Top Ten Snorkeling Spots “I took to the water to satisfy the nature disconnect I was feeling. Reefs are more diverse than rainforests, and what land animal can compete with the beauty, intelligence and evolutionary success of dolphins and whales? Tori Cullins, co-owner

July 2008 Living the Surf Life :: Sunburnt Smiles :: Sean Davey caught a ride on the Best of the West Dolphin tour with Sail Hawaii on the west side. He got some interesting images of the spinning Dolphins who have been spotted all around the island in top form this year.

July 2008 The Border Mail (Australia), Hawaiian Dreams "This time [the dolphins] swim right past me on the surface jumping and leaping around and it is one of the most exiting moments I have experienced."

June 2008 PDXposed Goes Hawaii show #1 - we're about 1/2 way through the program @ 14:20


PDXposed Goes HAWAII Show #1 from PDXposed TV on Vimeo.

Sept. 2007 Chicago Tribune Face to Face with a Hawaiian Monk Seal "He appeared suddenly, and paused to look. Our eyes locked. Powerfully built and several times my size, he must have sensed my fear. Or perhaps he heard me bleat through my snorkel. The next instant, the rare Hawaiian monk seal disappeared, back into his underwater cave. I'd just been stared down by one of the rarest marine creatures in the world."

Sept. 2007 ContraCosta Times Swim with dolphins off Lanai shore When swimming with the dolphins from the shore of Lanai, folks use our swim with dolphin guide.

Sept. 2007 TravelLady Magazine An Exploration to the BabyMoon The TravelLady joins Wild Side on her "babymoon" – that one last romantic trip taken by expectant couples prior to the arrival of their baby .

September 2007 Midweek Honolulu The Wild Side of Dolphins"It’s worth it to wake up before dawn if you know you’ll have a chance to swim with dolphins and sea turtles - not to mention take in the natural beauty of the Waianae Coast."

 

spinner dolphins WaianaeAugust 29, 2007 CheapFlights.com What to See and Do in Honolulu "Forget about those crowded tourist boat tours. Ply the waters on a more private and leisurely cruise, which can include whale watching, snorkeling and swimming with the dolphins or turtles. The experienced and creative crew of Wild Side Specialty Tours offers scheduled and custom adventures."

August 26, 2007 Philadelphia Inquirer, Hip Trip | Take in Hawaii on land and sea, "He appeared suddenly and paused to look. Our eyes locked. Powerfully built and several times my size, he must have sensed my fear. Or perhaps he heard me bleat through my snorkel. The next instant, the rare Hawaiian monk seal disappeared back into his underwater cave. I'd just been stared down by one of the rarest marine creatures in the world."

Trip Advisor, Beyond the Guide Books on Oahu, #2 "Best of"; "Swim with dolphins in the wild. Skip the artificial hotel dolphin experiences and go where the dolphins are able to roam free. "

About: Hawaii, "Exciting Happenings on Oahu for 2007" "In order to truly appreciate the beauty of Oahu, you need to get away from Honolulu and Waikiki .There's no better way than to drive out to leeward or west Oahu and take a trip on the Wild Side."

Featured in 2007 edition of Lonely Planet Honolulu, Waikiki & Oahu, who are noted for "telling it like it is" and "being relentless in finding the special, the unique and the different for travelers wherever they are."

2007 - Top Five Dates on Oahu, Follow the Whales, "Its absolutely mind-boggling to see animals this smart and this big swim this fast and jump completely out of the water. "

March 2007 Jetstar Magazine, "Happy Days", The Ultimate Marine Fantasy - Wild Side Specialty Tours.

Fodors' 2007 Oahu Dolphin Encounters, "Marine biologists conduct the tours, adding a depth of knowledge not found with boat captains and dive masters."

Dec. 2006 Inflight Magazine of ATA Airlines » WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARENice little write-up with some bad facts though, ie, no personal guide will meet you in Waikiki, you have to find your way to us...

A Swim With Wild Dolphins on Oahu's West Side

October 2006 Hawaii Health Guide "First Signs and Sounds of Winter"

July 2006 "Hawaii in the Fall, your Ultimate Dream Vacation" "Wild Side Specialty Tours allow visitors to get wet and wild in the Pacific Ocean for an encounter of a lifetime. This is very different from the training pool dolphin swim you might be thinking of. It's an opportunity to observe these wild animals glide and frolic unrestrained in the deep blue ocean. It's enough to leave you speechless. This is the real deal."

June 2006 National Geographic "Top 10 Trips with a Splash"

June 2006 - Courier Mail, Land and the Sea (pdf) "Sitting on the deck listening to other guests speak, leaves you in no doubt that this is something everyone should do before they die. It is something you will never forget"

June 2006 - Good Morning America

June/July 2006 "Every Day with Rachel Ray" magazine (we love Rachel!), pg. 124, Rachel says to check us out"

April 2006 "San Diego Magazine",The A-Personality in Paradise

March/April 2006 Hawaii Magazine, "Top 5 Hidden Treasures" Four of Hawaii's water experts reveal secret locations. Tori was one of the experts chosen. Snorkeling safety tips included.

March 2006 "HomeTown" Wild on Oahu

Feb. 2006 Travel Age West, "The Real Oahu" During intimate wildlife adventures, clients can encounter whales, dolphins and turtles while learning about marine conservation.

Feb. 2006 WINGSPAN Magazine, TALKIN’ DOLPHINS
Oahu & the Search for Higher Intelligence
, (pdf) pg. 5, "Another day with Island Spirit and the dolphins find us. Everyone swims, and I am reminded that laughing underwater is a risky human behavior."

Jan. 2006 Washington Post, "Should you swim with the dolphins?" The clicks, the splashes and the smiles make dolphins adorable to almost everyone. But does that mean that humans should interact with the mammals in their natural environment?

Dec. 2005 Coast, Adventures in Aloha, "A young dolphin seems intrigued by the clicking and winding of my underwater camera so I do some stupid human tricks and twirl about for him, doing my best "dolphin." Perhaps he is amused, perhaps he isn't, all I know is that I am in paradise."

Dec. 2005 Fitness Life Magazine "Waves of Knowledge" (requires Acrobat)

May 2005 Dallas Voice "Apparently, there’s a difference with the types of dolphin tours: Some are exploitive in their search, but Wild Side Specialty Tours gets high marks for being eco-friendly"

April 2005 Hawaii.com "My Favorite Day in Hawaii." Lots of pictures!

March 2005 Outside Magazine Hawaiian Islands Overview

March 2005 Upscale "Island Spirit" "Once underwater I see large shapes; and without warning, I'm surrounded by friendly dolphins..."

Feb. 2005 Modern Bride, Top 10 Hawaiian Head Rushes #4 Swim with wild dolphins. Wild being the operative word. Head out early slip into your flippers and commune with a pod of spinner dolphins in the calm waters off the coast of Oahu.

Nov. 2004, VOGUE, pics, article starts, article continues

Nov. 16, 2004 Frommer's Our Picks for Swimming with Dolphins Around the World "If you are bound for the Hawaiian Islands and can drag yourself away from the beach, a magical Pacific Ocean dolphin experience awaits you."

Oct. 2004 SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, "Fresh Notes From Oahu" "Recommended by locals: Unique dolphin swim experience where you actually swim with wild dolphins, a far more natural experience than the more typical dolphin swim offered in resort pools. One person who took this tour recently estimated she swam with about 40 dolphins."

Aug 2004 San Francisco Chronicle: Close encounters of the dolphin kind; Mingling in open ocean off Oahu. "The dolphins left and returned several times, and I swam with them until I was hyperventilating and seawater was sloshing over the top of my snorkel." John Flinn

Aug. 2004 Travel Channel "The spinner dolphins -- named for the fantastic spins they make as they leap out of the water -- were delighting us with their acrobatics before we joined them in the sea."

Shark Week! Dolphin and turtle footage for "Tiger Shark Attack, Beyond Fear" filmed onboard with BBC producer John Ruthven and filmmakers of "Blue Planet." and "Deep Blue."

"...It was simply a magical experience to go out on your boat and to see the spinners and turtles in just one glorious morning. Thank you so much for your help with our programme "Tiger Shark Attack, Beyond Fear"... I think the story of changing opinions on sharks in Hawaii is fascinating and it was a very interesting, and challenging film to make. Many thanks again for your help! John Ruthven, Producer"

May 2004 San Diego Magazine, Rediscovering Oahu A reformed traveler turns over new stones on the most popular Hawaiian island.

July 2004 Condé Nast Traveler, "...everything we do is geared to not changing the dolphins" behavior"

June 2004 Coast Magazine, "Adventures in Aloha" "After being in the water for what seems like hours, I become waterlogged and my tired legs tell me it is time to get back on board the boat. Swimming with the dolphins and having the rest of the world fall away leaves me feeling that there's nothing to equal the experience of becoming a (temporary) member of the pod."

Featured on About.com's Travel with Kids site as one of the "Top 10 Things to do in Oahu Hawaii" "Wild Side Specialty Tours are the best kind of nature-tour operators, with a rich fund of knowledge plus deep respect for marine animals in their natural habitat."

USA Today, Feb. 26, 2004: 10 great places to spend a week or two with whales "These warm, shallow waters are the only place in the USA where humpback whales reproduce and workshops and sailing trips contribute to essential conservation efforts."

Today Show, MSNBC.com Jan. 21; Volunteer Vacations helping wildlife, Organizations offer volunteers the opportunity to get up close and personal with animals, while learning about the world around them.

Boston Globe: Dec. 14 2003: From the scenic to the sacred in Oahu, Hawaii "We had our best encounter ever with dolphins" - Vera Vida, travel correspondent

Oct. 2003: Filming with World Champion Free-diver Umberto Pelizzari (right)

Cruise Critic's Top 10 Guide to Hawaii’s Best Water Sports Options "You may also get eye-to-eye with a family of wild turtles. Check it out on the leeward side of Oahu, where, in winter, you can catch some of the best whale watching around."

Oct. 2003: Filming for Disney Channel Australia's "Studio D"

jades hawaii dolphin swimCheck out (and compare!) our review featured on Dolphin Swims Worldwide - including Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii (that's us, starting at day four) and the Bahamas. "Amazing as the turtles were, my thoughts went back to the spinner dolphins, just the way they leap into the air and their behavior is very different to any other dolphin I have seen."

August 2003 - Featured in AAA Go Magazine "OAHU: HAWAIIAN ADVENTURES IN THE MOST BEAUTIFUL OF SETTINGS" "And what an experience it is. In the silent world under the ocean, the first indication swimmers have that a dolphin group is checking them out is the hauntingly melodic sound of the animals communicating with one another."

June 2003 Sunset Magazine

Flippers and fins, best of the west, dolphin viewing cruises

April 2003 Grainger TV (Australia), for onboard taping for series to be aired on US Travel Channel featuring culturally correct Hawaiian adventures, "Heavenly Hawaii.".

Jan. 2003 Honolulu Advertiser "Where the Whales are; Gigantic Visitors Always Good for a Fascinating Show"

 

Jan. 2003 Honolulu Star Bulletin "Surfari's get you Close to Marine Life" "Leeward Oahu is one of the only places in the world where oceanic dolphins come into near-shore habitats on a daily basis, Sailing into their world, we're reminded about our own journey through life."

Dec. 2002 The Washington Times; Swim with the dolphins, sky dive, bungee jump, climb mountains. Oahu visit alive with adventure "The dolphin encounter, experienced in near total silence, is surreal. Time stands still. Has it been one minute or 20? Suddenly, in a flash, they're gone, leaving me wondering if they really were there at all."

Nov. 2002 Ladies Home Journal Nov. 2002, SHAPE Tropical Island Fitness - acrobat reader required (we were #1!, "Swimming with dolphins is the ultimate butt workout...")

Nov. 2002  Hawaii Magazine 

July 2002 KZLA Radio's mid-day on air personality, Shawn Parr, (announcer for Academy, Golden Globe, Family Viewing, Country Western and numerous other Award ceremonies) for True Hawaiian Experiences to be aired each evening on KZLA during his stay.

July 2002 Interview on 6:00 news with KHNL on impact of LFAS testing in Hawaiian Waters

July 2002 Frommers travel message board Recommended as a role model company for respectfully swimming with wild dolphins July 4th 2002 Annual Night Sail Fund Raising Charter for Wild Dolphin Foundation

July 2002 Hiro Kono, website moderator of Japans About.com for Hawaiian Travel , Travel writer on assignment for fall publication of latest book Health and Wellness Travel in Hawaii.

June 2002 Modern Bride  "Communing with Dolphins"June 2002 Honolulu Magazine, "The Kokua Calendar," Registry of Charitable Events in Hawaii

June 2002 Hawaii's Cooking Waikiki TV show with Juliet Lighter, Marty Davis and guest Daniel Ho (pictured above with guitar), the dolphins, turtles and us!

May 2002 Travel and Leisure; "Island Escapes: Indulge And Rejuvenate" "During the Mind, Body and Spirit cruise of Wild Side Specialty Tours, the 42-foot sailing catamaran Island Spirit is transformed into your private spa."

May 2002 Destination Diving - Episode 8diving destinations florie "Diving with Spinner Dolphins"

Jan. 2002 Honolulu Advertiser "Whale boating excursions offer awe-inspiring experience"

Jan. 2002 Continental Airlines In-flight Video showcasing off-beat activities in Hawaii, all international and domestic flights

2002 Winter Issue Aloha Street Magazine, "Sailing with Hawaii's Whales"

Feb. 2002 Westworld; "Oahu Wet and Wild"Fall 2001 Reiselust - German TV Travel Series "Voyages, Voyages"

Jan. 2001 National Geographic Adventurer - "The Adrenaline Almanac"Spring 2001 ARRIVALS Netherlands Travel Show, "Caring for Hawaii's Dolphins" Host  FLORIE (above and to the right)

ARCHIVES

REEL PRODUCTIONS Supplied whale footage for "Incredible Creatures"Japan Overseas Obtained whale song and dolphin vocalizations for audio CD.Suzuki's NatureQuest Nature Series aired on Discovery Channel and Canada's "Y" TV.

Live Radio Broadcast for WJJZ , Philadelphia's Smooth Jazz Japanese Radio Station FM Port Live radio interview on coral spawning event" Making Healthy Choices " with "first lady of nutrition " Maureen Kennedy Salaman Healthy Hawaiian Lifestyles live onboard broadcast

David Rosengarten -Chef and host of Taste and In Food Today , while in Hawaii filming show with Sam Choy , chartered boat with his two daughters for awesome dolphin swim.

Additional Articles also Featured in:

Numerous Media Trips over the years for Stryker Weiner & Yokota Public Relations, Inc. and Oahu Visitor's Bureau. Including but not limited to travel writers for Cosmopolitan, Self, Modern Bride, Spa, Ladies' Home Journal, Sport Illustrated, Fitness, Outside, etc.




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