Of all the the creatures on this planet Sharks have earned quite the reputation, good and bad. Some admire this fierce predator of the seas while most have a fear of of the creature that even keeps them out of the waters. For those of you that fall in the second category you may want to read our post on Overcoming The ‘Jaws’ Factor When You Dive cos this post isn’t for the faint hearted. For those of you ready to face your fear or or undertake the seemingly insane pursuit of intentionally taking the plunge in shark infested waters here are the Top 5 Destinations in the World for Diving with Sharks-
1. Gansbaai, South Africa
For what nightmares are made of, there’s no where in the World like South Africa to encounter the so called ‘man-eater’ Great White. 12kms offshore from Gansbaai (160km from Cape Town), there are two islands Dyer Island and Geyser Rock where all the action takes place. The islands covered with seals and jackass penguins are like a ready to eat fast food meal for the sharks who patrol the shallow and narrow channel that runs between the two islands, as if they were at a McDonald’s drive-thru.
Jump in a cage here an all that’ll separate you from the most feared shark in the sea is a few metal bars. It’s a front row seat to watch the dinning frenzy and maybe a closer encounter with a curious great white when it checks out your cage. You’re guaranteed you’re moneys worth and an experience of a lifetime.
2. Nassau, Bahamas
Think cage diving is for wussies? Want a little more thrill and excitement? How about coming face-to-face with tens of reef sharks without the metal protection. Nassau attracts tons of divers every year to witness a swarm of reefies in a feeding frenzy. The difference however is that the sharks are lured by the dive master/operators dressed in chain-mail that feed them while the other divers play spectators down below unnoticed by the hungry sharks.
With no cage or protection the thrill of this high can be described as a powerful dose of prozac. Shark encounters include tens of blacktip or white tip reef sharks circling you feeding on bait and on rare occasion and run in the daddy of all sharks -the great white.
3. Rhode Island, United States
A combination of frigid waters and plenty of sharks makes this one of the top shark diving destinations. Point Judith, three hours offshore of New England may not seem like a great place to dive, especially since the Atlantic’s bone-chilling waters aren’t very inviting. However, the migratory blue sharks have made it their pit stop on a long journey to the coast of South America.
Pulled in by chumming the waters (throwing in bait to lure sharks and fish), the blue sharks are drawn here for the diving which is done from a cage. Their slender bodies and pointed snouts are quite distinguishably different form other shark species. The fearless may opt to go cage-free but this isn’t advisable.
4. Cocos Island, Costa Rica
A must dive site for shark diving enthusiasts, Cocos Island is a unique spot to dive with literally hundreds of hammerhead sharks. Ranked as the 6th Best dive site by the PADI network, it’s a live-aboard only dive destination as it’s situated some 300 miles off the main coast of Costa Rica.
The silhouette view of swirling hammerheads as you gaze up on a dive here is an intense and almost surreal diving experience. The sheer numbers of hammerheads is shocking and makes you wonder if there are any fish left around there. Apart from hammerhead sharks, white tips, bull and whale sharks are frequently spotted in these parts too.
5. Rocas Atoll (Atol das Rocas), Brazil
A lagoon off the coast of Brazil in the Brazilian State of Rio Grande do Norte, 260 km (160 mi) northeast of Natal is volcanic formed island. This atoll was designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site because of it’s rich marine and coral life. The warm waters in this area are home to a caucus of brightly colored tropical fishes, coral reefs and it’s predator—the lemon shark.
With a thriving population of lemon sharks here, which pose very little threat to humans it’s possible to dive with a school of about 30 sharks at once making it a tangy experience.
*Photo Credits: photos by manoellemos, Le Grand Portage, underwatertourist, twellsv, AlKok on flickr
A legendary dive destination, Sipadan is a magnet and bio-diversity hotspot of Southeast Asia drawing in big fish like barracudas, large schools of trevally, horse-eye jacks, reef sharks and bumphead parrotfish. It’s coral reefs housed in turquoise blue waters are also home to dozens of breeding hawksbill and green turtles that have become accustomed to divers making it a great spot to get up close and person with these gentle reptiles. The most negative thing we can think of and say about diving in Sipadan is with the wealth of marine life and sheer number of things vying for your attention a lot can be missed. The walls are unparalleled and brimming with innumerable macro life and fish species that’ll rival most destinations across the globe. However, the big fish encounters here definitely take the cake.
The current here is strong but then again that’s what brings in the food which duly brings the big fish here. Apart from barracuda species like the chevron barracuda and blacktail barracuda you see huge schools of jacks, tuna, bannerfish, redtooth triggers. plenty of turtles as usual and Grey reef sharks looking for a quick lunch. Another exciting dive site is the “Drop Off” that looks straight down into an abyss of 600 meters (close to 2000ft) or more. If your lucky you may even catch sight of a few giant manta rays playing nearby.
With 10-14 top notch dive sites on offer Sipadan has truly earned it’s reputation as the best of the best. The close by reefs of Mabul and Kapalai are fantastic for spotting rare mandarin fish, sea wasps and lots of nudibranchs but Sipadan is what a diving experience should be all about…abundant and untouched marine life to be viewed and enjoyed.
The two main coral reef systems surrounding Cozumel are the Colombia and Palancar reefs which house many of the islands favorite dive sites. Easily accessible with plateaus beginning in waters only 30 feet (9 meters) deep, Cozumel reefs boast of abundant underwater sea life and brilliant colors, often referred to by many scuba divers as some of the best 
For divers who like a little challenge, Cozumel has a host of dive sites suitable for the experienced. Popular for it’s impressive wall dives with brilliant colors and sea life that have people raving about it, there are some stunning drop-off worth fighting the currents to see.The Wall at the Santa Rosa Reef begins at 50 feet and drops straight away into the deep blue. A brisk current accompanies you as you spot great beds of tunicates, immense sponges, huge overhangs of stony corals and impressive caves and tunnels. Easily one of the most popular deep drift dives of the Island, eagle rays and turtles are often spotted here as well as large groupers. Another of Cozumel’s most popular deep dives is the Palancar Caves because of its deep buttresses, tunnels, caves and big caverns that sit along the edge of a sloping wall. The currents are usually mild, but marine life is abundant.
