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Ocean Calling

Ocean Atlas · Europe and Mediterranean

Europe and Mediterranean

Georgia

Black Sea coast at Batumi, where wild dolphins live offshore. We share the story only, and we do not send guests to the captive dolphin show.

Common dolphin
Common dolphin, found in the waters of the wider region · Photo: Richard Heinen on Unsplash
Story only

Story only, for now. We love learning about this place and its ocean, so we share its story here and do not sell trips yet. Checked by Ocean Calling on 6 Oct 2026. Sources: Georgia travel advice, UK FCDO; Batumi Dolphinarium, Georgia Travel; Georgia comparability finding, NOAA Fisheries, 2025.

Why: The main marine attraction in Batumi is a captive dolphin show with paid swims, and we reject that. Wild dolphins live offshore, and marine mammals are protected by law here. We share this place as a story and do not go.

This is not a judgement of the people or the ocean here. It only means that today we could not find a visit that meets our animal-welfare and safety standards. Places change, so we look again every year.

Dolphins

Why Georgia

Georgia's Black Sea coast is best known for Batumi, but people mostly travel here for Tbilisi, wine and the Caucasus mountains. Three Black Sea dolphin and porpoise subspecies live in these waters, though we could not confirm how often they are seen from a boat. Batumi has a captive dolphin show with paid swims, which we do not support. Georgia has told the US that hunting these animals is prohibited, though we have not read the Georgian law itself. Ocean Calling does not offer trips here.

Conservation-led. Ocean Calling guests never chase, touch or bait animals.

KazakhstanUzbekistanRussiaFranceIsraelLebanonPalestineTunisiaAlgeriaJordanUnited Arab EmiratesQatarKuwaitIraqOmanIndiaPakistanAfghanistanTajikistanKyrgyzstanTurkmenistanIranSyriaArmeniaSwedenBelarusUkrainePolandAustriaHungaryMoldovaRomaniaLithuaniaLatviaEstoniaGermanyBulgariaGreeceTurkeyAlbaniaCroatiaSwitzerlandLuxembourgNetherlandsChinaItalyDenmarkAzerbaijanGeorgiaSloveniaSlovakiaCzechiaSaudi ArabiaN. CyprusCyprusEgyptLibyaBosnia and Herz.MacedoniaSerbiaMontenegroKosovoBatumi and the Adjara coast, Georgia

When to go

Timing changes a lot from place to place. See each place below.

We share what we learned, and we do not offer trips here.

Our ethics check

Can we travel here ethically?

Story only

We tell the story. We do not sell a trip here.

This is not a judgement of the people or the ocean here. It only means that today we could not find a visit that meets our animal-welfare and safety standards. Places change, so we look again every year. Checked 6 Oct 2026.

Sources for this check
The story

Where in Georgia

We share these places as stories and research notes. We do not offer or sell trips here.

Batumi and the Adjara coast

Story only

A beach city on the Black Sea where wild dolphins live offshore. We do not go and we do not visit the captive show.

Animals

Animals recorded in Georgia

Tap an animal to learn how it lives, where it travels and how to meet it respectfully.

Land animals
Pod of common dolphins surfacing in calm blue seaCommon dolphinDelphinus delphisSeen in 53 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernCommon bottlenose dolphin swimming over a seagrass bedCommon bottlenose dolphinTursiops truncatusSeen in 89 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernHarbour porpoise rolling at the surface off Berry Head, DevonHarbour porpoisePhocoena phocoenaSeen in 20 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernMoon jellyfish in a harbour in Zeeland, NetherlandsMoon jellyfishAurelia aurita and other Aurelia speciesSeen in 33 countries in the AtlasNot EvaluatedWhite-tailed eagle in flight low over calm water with a fish in its talons, near Raftsund, Lofoten, NorwayWhite-tailed eagleHaliaeetus albicillaSeen in 38 countries in the AtlasLives on landLeast ConcernGreat cormorant perched on a branch, with white head plumes and a glossy blue-black backGreat cormorantPhalacrocorax carboSeen in 90 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernTwo pygmy cormorants perched on a bare branchPygmy cormorantMicrocarbo pygmaeusSeen in 26 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernYelkouan shearwater lifting off the sea surface with wings raisedYelkouan shearwaterPuffinus yelkouanSeen in 19 countries in the AtlasVulnerable
Curious?

Why this is a story, not a trip

Read our ethics check above. If you would like to talk about it, Rocío is happy to explain.

Ask RocíoBack to the Ocean Atlas

Also in Europe and Mediterranean
AlbaniaAlgeriaBelgiumBulgariaCroatiaCyprusDenmarkEstoniaFaroe IslandsFinlandFranceGermanyGibraltarGreeceGreenlandIcelandIrelandItalyLatviaLebanonLibyaLithuaniaMaltaMonacoMontenegroMoroccoNetherlandsNorwayPalestinePolandPortugalRomaniaRussiaSloveniaSpainSwedenSyriaTunisiaTürkiyeUkraineUnited Kingdom

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Based in Georgia?

We are always happy to hear from exceptional local operators, accommodation, conservation organisations and destination experts in Georgia. If your work fits responsible, small-group ocean travel, we would love to learn more.

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