The 12 Best Destinations for Shark Spotting

Thanks to Jaws (1975) and dozens of other examples of anti-shark propaganda, millions of people harbor a deep fear of sharks. But others possess a fascination with them, going so far as to seek out destinations where different species can be observed up close.

Recently, marine equipment site BoatMart compiled a list of the 12 best tourist spots that provide a unique shark-spotting or cage-diving experience for thrill-seekers. Here are their picks:

The Best Places to See Sharks Around the World

1. Beqa Lagoon, Fiji
2. Fakarava, French Polynesia
3. Neptune Islands, Australia
4. Galápagos, Ecuador
5. Gansbaai, South Africa
6. Guadalupe Island, Mexico
7. Farallon Islands, California
8. Maui, Hawaii
9. Jupiter, Florida
10. Tiger Beach, Bahamas
11. Placencia, Belize
12. San Diego, California

The top spot belongs to Beqa Lagoon off the island of Viti Levu in Fiji. The site boasts ideal shark-sighting circumstances: a variety of species coupled with charted boats or escorted dives for observation. One service, Beqa Adventure Divers, offers visitors an opportunity to hand-feed bull sharks and observe other species like silvertips, tiger sharks, and tawny nurse sharks.

Fakarava is second on the list. The atoll in French Polynesia permits boaters to observe gray reef, hammerhead, and tiger sharks. Neptune Islands in Australia offers surface cage dives, which don’t require diving certification, and an opportunity to watch great whites in action.

If you prefer domestic sightings, both Farallon Islands in California and Jupiter, Florida, are home to great whites, though there are caveats: In California, shark territory is a federal sanctuary, and guides won’t be able to offer chum to draw the sharks in.

Shark diving practices can vary widely by location and by the business offering the guided experience. A 2010 New York Times travel piece described author Greg Winter’s Fiji dive as being guarded by professionals with prods that could fend off “overzealous” sharks. Others offer cage dives or boat spotting.

Supervised shark encounters may seem fun, but are they safe? The New York Times mentioned one 2009 tourist death in the Bahamas, but concrete data is hard to come by. Shark attacks in general are incredibly rare, with just 88 incidents recorded in 2024, seven of them fatal. Shark diving or spotting should generally be undertaken only under the supervision of diving businesses that have a good safety record and can instruct new divers on proper safety behaviors and protocols. If you’re looking for a guarantee of well-being, however, it may be best to stay in the boat.

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