BEST OF · SHARK DIVING
Cage or no cage is the whole decision. Cages take anyone and stay at the surface, open-water shark dives want a certification and put you on the bottom. These 15 are split both ways, with prices, sightings and how long the boat ride is.
From Haleiwa, you’ll ride into open Pacific waters, receive a safety briefing, and enter an underwater cage for close views of wild sharks. The crew, including guides such as Maddie and Emma, also helps boat-based observers enjoy the action. Expect about 90 minutes, with gear included and whale sightings possible in winter.
“What a great experience. A must do when in Oahu. I advise you have them film your experience as it makes it so much easier.”
From Haleiwa Small Boat Harbor, you’ll take a 90-minute boat trip into open water, then spend about 15 to 20 minutes in a secure cage beside Galapagos sharks. Guides handle the safety briefing and equipment, while dolphins, turtles, and seasonal whales may appear along the way.
“Unbelievable!!!! Top of our bucket list and it didn’t disappoint!!! There were at least 6 big sharks with us. What an incredible trip of a lifetime. The guys on the boat were brilliant and really knew their stuff. 🦈🦈🦈”
From Haleʻiwa Boat Harbor, you’ll ride about 15 minutes offshore to a wild shark habitat. Caleb, Dave, Efraim, Jax, and the crew provide gear, safety guidance, and lively facts while you watch Galapagos and Sandbar sharks through a floating cage. No scuba certification is needed.
“Great unique experience. I’m so glad I got to do something like this. Got to spend about 20 minutes underwater looking at the sharks and they get real close.”
Spend about eight hours on Ningaloo Reef with Three Islands Whale Shark Dive. A spotter aircraft helps locate whale sharks, while the boat crew leads reef snorkels and repeated swims. Lunch, snacks, drinks, photos, equipment, hotel pickup, and a safety tender are included.
“This is one of the best tours! Hats off to the ALL female crew, they were amazing, funny and knowledgeable. We felt spoiled, they were always feeding us and we saw 5 whale sharks as well as 3 manta rays and did a nice snorkel swim on the reefs at the beginning and end of our tour. We really enjoyed the flow of the day, picked up from our resort and got a cool history lesson about Exmouth on the way to the boat ramp, started with a 30 min or so reef snorkel, was nice to ensure that all our gear was a good fit and we were comfortable…”
Travel from Cape Town or Hermanus to Gansbaai for a guided shark cage experience with White Shark Projects. You’ll get breakfast, safety training, a 7 mm wetsuit, about 20 minutes in the cage, lunch, and time to watch bronze whalers and other marine life from the boat.
“it was great. saw 4 bronze sharks. the experience was great, the team was very polite and helpful”
Travel from Cape Town to Gansbaai for a full-day shark cage encounter with Marine Dynamics. After breakfast and a safety briefing, you’ll board a boat near Dyer Island, watch wild sharks with a marine biologist, and return with snacks, gear, and hotel transport included.
“It was a very unique experience, loved it but please take sea sick medicine as that can make or break your trip! Got to experience sharks so up close and personal”
From Haleiwa, One Ocean Diving takes you into open water for a guided shark encounter. Learn shark biology, behavior, body language, and Hawaiian cultural meaning before entering the water. Safety divers assist you, equipment is provided, and the experience lasts about two hours.
“Definitely highly recommend. Just make sure you read the instructions for taken Dramamine😆. Epic experience indeed!”
From Haleiwa Harbor, marine scientists take you about 3 miles offshore for a carefully managed shark encounter. You’ll receive a safety briefing, use provided snorkeling gear, and may help collect data. Guides such as Gina, Tyler, Ethan, Drew, and Haley have been praised for calm support and clear instruction.
“We were so scared but it was an amazing experience, we saw different sharks. The people were really professional all the time.”
Travel from Cape Town to Gansbaai for a guided shark cage encounter with Marine Dynamics. You’ll get safety instruction from a marine biologist, use supplied wetsuits and gear, and visit the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary. Bronze whaler sharks are the main attraction, with seals, rays, whales, and dolphins possible.
“This trip was very well organized- they’ve really thought of everything and strived to make the participants as prepared and comfortable as possible. I had a GREAT time and very adventurous yet comfortable experience. The boat was very well stocked, the shark cage was very safe and well designed, and the guides and crew were knowledgeable, informative, and helpful. Highly recommend.”
Meet at 7:00 am in Van Dyks Bay for a small-group great white shark cage encounter with White Shark Projects. You’ll receive breakfast, safety guidance, gear, hot showers, refreshments, and a light lunch, with about 20 minutes in the cage when conditions allow.
“This was horrible- long and far from Cape Town, poor communication, and no one told us that the Great White are no longer coming around the waters they cruise. They did not even put the cage in the water and only 2 sharks came and went. NOT worth the money or the time. The only saving grace was the scenery down to the dock.”
From Haleiwa, you’ll ride three miles offshore to 250-foot waters for a cage-free shark swim with trained guides. Galapagos sharks are common, tiger sharks may appear, and the 12-person limit keeps the outing personal. Snorkel gear is included, but bring water and seasickness medicine.
“DONT BOOK THIS TOUR! You will waste your money! The company changed the time on me three times, I tried to work around the first time change however I got lost on the bus. I then booked a car TWICE to try and make it. The first time I made it but no one was there, I was not sent a reconfirmation so I showed up at the wrong time and the last time I was 15min late due to being stuck in waikiki trying my hardest to get the car because the company had changed times one me again so I tried to make it however they said they…”
Meet Haleiwa Shark Tours in Haleiwa for a fast boat ride to Oahu’s North Shore shark grounds. You’ll snorkel from a secure cage beside Galapagos and other sharks, with crew such as Captain Derrick, Taylor, Forrest, or Tyler helping you feel at ease. Whales, dolphins, and turtles may appear along the way.
“Had a great tour where there were only 6 members on our boat doing the caged dive so we got more time (around 35 mins) in the water seeing majestic sharks fly by. Truly surreal experience. Thanks to Taylor and the crew who didn’t rush things and were very helpful in explaining things.”
Ride a 12-meter catamaran off Van Dyk’s Bay, watch Great White Sharks feed at the surface, and enter a floating cage for close views. Qualified scuba users may use air tanks, while others can snorkel or hold their breath. The trip lasts about 3.5 hours and includes gear, snacks, and hot drinks.
“A lot of sharks were close to the boat. Good helpful staff. We had luck with weather. Sea was calm..”
Start at 7:30 a.m. in Lahaina for a small-group scuba outing at Mala Wharf. Follow guides such as Joe, Abbi, or Matt through the sunken pier, where turtles gather at cleaning stations and white-tip reef sharks rest nearby. Gear is provided, but you must carry it over the rocky shore entry.
“I did a two tank dive with Dive Maui and they were great. I chose to rent their equipment versus bring my own gear and their equipment was very good quality, nice wetsuits and good BCD’s and reg sets. I did bring my own mask and would remind people to bring their own torch. We had Abby as our Divemaster and she was excellent. She really let us know what to expect insofar as entry and exit of the dives as well as the marine life we would expect to see. On the dive we saw tons of mantas up close as well as lots of turtles. One turtle I…”
Meet Island View Hawaii’s small boat in Haleiwa for a 90-minute to two-hour North Shore shark swim. A local guide, safety diver, snorkel gear, live commentary, and free photos and videos are included. Watch for dolphins and winter humpback whales.
“One of the most exhilarating experiences imaginable. The crew took such great care and at no time was I ever nervous or afraid. Enjoyed it so much we booked the excursion again the following day. Lots of sharks mostly Galapagos sharks. The crew took pics and videos and gave them to everyone at no cost. I would highly recommend this excursion to one and all.”
Choose a coast, a certification level, or an animal.
