The 5 Best Places in the World to Scuba Dive With Sharks

Shark attacks on divers are extremely rare. Extremely. The vast majority of shark attacks happen to people at the surface, as they can be mistaken for seals (especially if they’re on paddleboards or surfboards). Sharks generally do not view humans as prey. Like any animal, you should respect their space, and don’t try to do something dumb like petting or taking selfies with them. Sharks generally have a live-and-let-live attitude, and after a few shark dives, you’ll likely understand why so many divers refer to them as the puppies of the sea. Most divers feel a protective sense of love for sharks.

The experience of diving with sharks can be transformative, and underwater, you may find yourself experiencing what many divers do: a sense of awe, not a sense of fear. You can dive with everything from tiny nurse sharks to massive schools of hammerheads, and whether you’re in the crystal-clear waters of the Bahamas or the nutrient-rich currents off the coast of South Africa, you can usually count on an amazing experience.

Remember that diving with sharks is a chance to become an advocate for the creatures, which are being decimated by human activity at an absolutely heartbreaking rate. Often, shark diving fees contribute to shark conservation efforts through education and awareness — so responsible shark diving can play a crucial role in protecting these species for generations to come.

We’ve recommended below some of the most popular and most convenient places to stay (mostly dive resorts) in each destination. Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay.

Durban, South Africa

• Can’t-miss sites: Cathedral for ragged-tooth sharks, Southern Pinnacles for hammerheads and tiger sharks
• Where to stay: Blue Ocean Dive Resort is the most well-known hotel for divers on the coast around Durban
• Recommended operators: DurbanXcursion
• Best season: November to February

The area around Durban is one of the world’s top shark diving destinations, offering the chance to encounter a wide range of species in diverse marine environments. The country’s long stretch of coastline attracts everything from ragged-tooth sharks (sand tiger sharks) to blacktip sharks, dusky sharks, tiger sharks, and hammerheads. Farther off shore, reefs and drop-offs provide opportunities to see oceanic whitetips and makos. Cage diving is also popular around Cape Town, though for seeing sharks in open water, Durban is the spot.

For catsharks and smaller species, you can stay around the nearby kelp forests and coastal reefs. The annual sardine run (May to July) is a major highlight, drawing large numbers of sharks, dolphins, and seabirds as they hunt massive schools of migrating sardines. With its strong currents and sometimes unpredictable conditions, Durban diving is best suited for experienced divers seeking raw, adrenaline-filled shark interactions.

Pacific Harbor, Fiji

• Can’t-miss sites: Anywhere in Beqa Lagoon
• Where to stay: Scuba diving boats will pick you up from the Pearl South Pacific, while nearby Nanuku Resort offers dreamy private cottages you’ll never want to leave
• Best season: Year-round, but summer offers the calmest conditions and best visibility
• Recommended operators: Beqa Adventure Divers or Aqua-Trek

Many divers land on Fiji’s main island of Viti Levu, then quickly fly off to private resort islands. But divers should spend at least a few days in the southern part of Viti Levu, around the town of Pacific Harbour. The area is home to several renowned dive sites, but the most famous is Beqa Lagoon, where divers can see multiple shark species on one dive depending on depth. That includes bull sharks, tiger sharks, reef sharks, and even the occasional hammerhead.

Divers typically sit on the bottom of the lagoon (about 80 feet), with guides to ensure the sharks don’t get too friendly. However, they are friendly and will often come up within a few feet of divers, as many of the older sharks are used to being hand fed by divers (something no longer done). The entire area is a marine reserve, and nearly all local hotels work with dive operators and gear rental companies. Visibility is usually quite good at depth, even if it’s a little murky on the descent.

Cocos Island, Costa Rica

• Can’t-miss sites: Dirty Rock, Bajo Alcyone
• Where to stay: Liveaboard only
• Recommended operators: Aggressor Adventures, Nautilus Liveaboards
• Best season: June to November is peak hammerhead season

Cocos Island is a remote UNESCO World Heritage Site 340 miles off the coast of Costa Rica (so be prepared for a liveaboard trip to get there). It’s considered one of, if not the, most thrilling and pristine underwater experiences in the world when it comes to shark encounters. Cocos Island is known as the “Island of the Sharks,” famed for its massive schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks that gather in the hundreds around cleaning stations and underwater pinnacles. It’s also home to silky sharks, Galápagos sharks, tiger sharks, whitetip reef sharks, and the occasional whale shark, making every dive an unpredictable encounter with some of the ocean’s top predators.

Strong currents and deep drop-offs make the dives challenging and recommended only for experienced divers. To summarize: if you’re obsessed with sharks (and a experienced diver), get yourself to Cocos.

The Tuamotus, French Polynesia

• Can’t-miss sites: The Southern Pass/Wall of Sharks in Fakarava, Tiputa Pass in Rangiroa
• Where to stay: Enjoy the good life at Hotel Kira Ora in Rangiroa, or book the low-key Alaroots Fakarava in Fakarava.
• Recommended operators: Top Dive has dive shops on multiple islands, so you can book one dive package to cover whatever island you’re on
• Best season: May to October for best vis, December to March for sharks

The Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia is home to some of the most spectacular shark diving on the planet, offering the chance to see hundreds of sharks in crystal-clear waters. In Fakarava’s South Pass, divers can witness the legendary “Wall of Sharks,” where hundreds of grey reef sharks patrol a deep, narrow channel. During the grouper spawning season (June and July), the density of sharks skyrockets, creating one of the most intense predator spectacles in the ocean. But you can expect to see dozens upon dozens of sharks no matter what time of year you dive.

On Rangiroa, Tiputa Pass is a high-adrenaline drift dive, where strong currents sweep divers through schools of grey reef sharks, blacktips, and the occasional tiger shark. Hammerhead sharks often lurk in the blue, and you may find shark teeth closer to the bottom. It’s also fairly common to encounter curious dolphins that swim alongside divers, as they love to play in the waves where the channel meets the ocean.

Bimini, Bahamas

• Can’t-miss sites: Victory Reef, Hammerhead Grounds
• Where to stay: Bimini Big Game Club and Marina is an affordable dive resort with dive packages and unbeatable access to the marina
• Recommended operators: Neal Watson’s Bimini Scuba Center
• Best season: December to February for hammerheads

From December to March, Bimini becomes one of the few places in the world where divers can reliably encounter great hammerhead sharks up close. These massive predators can easily grow up to 12 feet long and usually patrol the sandy seafloor at Great Hammerhead Alley. You can see them in water as shallow as 20 or 30 feet. That’s quite unusual for hammerhead encounters, as they’re usually in much deeper, remote sites (like Cocos).

Beyond hammerheads, Bimini is also home to resident populations of Caribbean reef sharks, nurse sharks, and lemon sharks, often spotted at sites like Triangle Rocks and Bull Run. Tiger sharks are rare, but not unheard of.

For those interested in shark science, the Bimini Biological Field Station (Shark Lab) has been studying these waters for decades, offering insight into the region’s importance to shark conservation. You can book private tours, which sometimes include the chance to get in the water with wild baby lemon sharks.

Are there other places to dive with sharks?

One of the good things about wanting to dive with sharks is that you can technically see them just about anywhere in the ocean. But the destinations above are known for reliably having sharks at certain times of the year, so you’re almost guaranteed to see at least one if you visit at the right time and do at least a few days of diving.

However, with more than 500 species of sharks living in habitats ranging from tropical reefs to deep water, there’s probably some type of shark close to where you’ll be diving. You may not notice them at first, since many sharks are small, skittish, and likely to hide behind a coral wall when they see you coming. Read more about where to dive with friendly lemon sharks, about a diver who found a massive megalodon tooth in Florida, and about how to safely dive with the world’s most dangerous sharks in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.