Isabelle Barbier
• 4 min read
Whether you've never seen a shark at all, or you're a pro who knows them all by name, one thing is for sure: it is always a thrill to see one! Grey reef, white tips, black tips, nurse, tiger or bull sharks... some are curious, others are massive, and all impose respect.
Sharks sighting are often rare, so if you really want to see some, you should focus on spots famous for sharks sighting, such as:
- Galapagos, Ecuador
- Rangiroa, French Polynesia
- Cocos island, Costa Rica
- Misool, Raja Ampat, Indonesia
- Ponta do Ouro, Mozambique
Most have strong currents so they are recommended for advanced divers with experience... Let's see which sharks you'll be able to encounter there:
1. Galapagos, Ecuador
Hammerheads are on the list of many advanced divers and truly unforgettable. Your best chances to see school of hammerhead sharks is probably in the Galapagos, more precisely at Darwin's Arch. National Park since 1959 and a UNESCO World Heritage, The Galapagos are located at the confluence of three ocean currents.
The Galapagos are a ‘melting pot’ of marine species: no other site in the world showcases such a diversity of marine life. Nearly 20% of marine life in Galapagos is endemic, found nowhere else on earth...
👉Liveaboard in Galapagos: 7 nights starting from 5475 EUR (7 nights starting from ...)
2. Rangiroa, French Polynesia
No wonder Jacques Cousteau had declared Rangiroa as one of the most beautiful waters on Earth. The French Atoll located north-east of Tahiti is famous for its wall of sharks.
In the middle of the Pacific Ocean, with spectacular conditions, warm waters and a 30 meters + visibility on most days, you will dive with hundreds of sharks. Grey reef, silvertip, white tip, black tip, lemon, great hammerheads on a lucky day... diversity is high.
👉Dive Trip to the Best of French Polynesia (6 nights starting from ...)
3. Cocos island, Costa Rica
Looking for more hammerheads? National Park since 1978, and a UNESCO World Heritage, Cocos Island is located in the Eastern Tropical Pacific - about 500 km south west of Cabo Blanco, Costa Rica.
Sometimes called the 'Little Galapagos', it is among the Top 10 dive destinations in the world: schooling hammerheads, white tip reef sharks, dolphins, mantas and marbled rays... the diversity is incredible.
👉Liveaboard in Cocos Island: 10 nights starting from 3345 EUR (10 nights starting from ...)
4. Misool, Raja Ampat, Indonesia
Raja Ampat... another hot spot that many divers would like to go. More precisely, Misool marine reserve is located in South Raja Ampat, right at the heart of the Coral Triangle, with some of the most bio-diverse waters in the world: 1427 reef fish, over 600 coral species or 75% of the world’s coral species.
You will encounter many species of reef sharks, white and black tips, wobbegong sharks, bamboo sharks, and also reef mantas at nearby cleaning stations, and majestic oceanic manta in open water. To read more about Misool marine reserve and the positive impact of protection on marine life density, we recommend this National Geographic article.
👉7+1 Nights unlimited diving in a resort starting from 2660 euros (7+1 nights unlimited diving starting from ...)
5. Ponta do Ouro, Mozambique
Bullsharks, reef sharks, white tips, hammerheads, whale sharks in season, turtles, bottlenose dolphins... there is a lot to see in Ponta. And when you are tired of the 'big', you can focus on the macro life, incredible too.
At the door of the Indian Ocean, Ponta do Ouro has a unique vibe. Relaxed atmosphere, with its sandy roads, bits of portuguese influence, fantastic waves and incredible underwaer life, it attracts both surfers and divers from all over.
👉Dive Trip in Ponta do Ouro (10 dives starting from ...)
