Top 10 Diving Destinations for Big Fish Encounters
The thrill of sharing the water with some of the giants of our oceans is an experience that few forget. Despite their tendency to roam across vast distances, there are certain special places and times where iconic marine life gathers – allowing divers and marine life enthusiasts to witness these amazing animals in their natural environment.
Here, we share some of our expertise on the 10 best places and times to see nature’s most majestic creations.
1. Maldives
Manta rays. Check. Whale sharks. Check. Sharks. Check. Adrenaline-inducing marine life abounds in the Maldives, ensuring its place as an intoxicating destination for eager scuba divers. South Ari Atoll is one spot famous for whale sharks throughout the year, while the southern Maldives are renowned for thrilling shark encounters between January and March. Manta rays are seen in numerous spots throughout the archipelago, moving with the seasons. Both liveaboard and resort options are available, depending on your preference.
Join us on a group trip and choose from two exciting options. Dive with whale sharks in the company of expert Chloe Winn from the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme, or if mantas are more your thing, Danny Copeland leads a trip to Hanifaru Bay with three days snorkelling with manta rays at the height of their annual aggregation.
2. Mexico
The Revillagigedo Islands off the Pacific coast of Mexico – more famously known as Socorro – lay claim to the friendliest manta rays in the world. Up to seven metres from wingtip to wingtip, these balletic ocean wanderers gather in these waters and seem naturally attracted to divers. Sharks, dolphins and maybe humpback whales can be found in these waters also.
In the Sea of Cortez between April & July experience the mesmerising sight of thousands of mobula ray aggregating on our Mobulas & Orcas Liveaboard. It’s an incredible once-in-a-lifetime encounter and your liveaboard drops you right into the action. Alternatively, get your heart racing by diving with bull sharks on Mexico’s east coast. Between December & February, these apex predators aggregate, with safe diving safaris run by a highly professional operator.
3. Egyptian Red Sea
Egypt’s famous marine parks are another fabulous destination for larger marine life, notably shark encounters. Famous dive spots such as the Brothers & Elphinstone form the basis of a number of liveaboard itineraries. Alternatively, seek out a dedicated shark itinerary in the summer months. These itineraries remain flexible, following the action to ensure the finest shark encounters.
4. The Azores
An increasingly popular dive destination for UK divers, this mid-Atlantic archipelago forms part of Portugal. What it lacks in bustling coral reefs, it makes up for in larger marine life, especially for slightly more experienced divers. Head to the pinnacles and dive sites off little Santa Maria, or the Princess Alice Banks off Pico for wonderful encounters with manta rays and mobulas. The Azores has a relatively short season, with the best encounters between June and September.
5. South Africa & Mozambique
Thrilling big fish encounters are plentiful on South Africa’s Indian Ocean coastline and just over the border in Mozambique. Head to Aliwal Shoal for tiger, hammerhead and ragged tooth sharks, devil and manta rays, whale sharks and if you’re lucky humpback whales. Tofo is one of Mozambique’s key dive sites, home to manta and devil rays, white-tip and leopard sharks and seasonal whale sharks and humpback whales.
Whilst you’re in this part of the world, we recommend our Kruger Safari & Mozambique diving trip, sampling the diving highlights of Mozambique with a safari to Kruger National Park where you can enjoy encounters with the Big Five.
6. Cocos Island
Lying 540 kilometres off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, Cocos Island is another big fish mecca that can only be reached by luxury liveaboard. A key part of the Pacific shark corridor along with Socorro and the Galapagos Islands, Cocos Island is most famous for its walls of hammerheads, which can be seen around the island between April and October each year.
7. Palau
Another of the world’s shark sanctuaries, Palau has always placed great emphasis on protecting its marine riches. Lucky divers are in for a treat, with plentiful encounters with sharks, manta rays and other large marine life in addition to sumptuous reefs and historic shipwrecks visited on our Palau Liveaboard trip. Travel at certain times of year around the full or new moon and you can also witness the spawning events of either bumphead parrotfish or red snapper. These events tend to attract plenty of interested onlookers in addition to lucky divers!
8. Galapagos Islands
The reputation of the Galapagos Islands for world-class big fish encounters needs no introduction. Divers head on liveaboard itineraries to the remote Wolf & Darwin Islands – north of the main Galapagos archipelago - which acts as a magnet for all kinds of large marine life. June to October sees large adult whale sharks gather, while numerous species of shark can be seen year-round including hammerhead and Galapagos sharks.
For the ultimate diving bucket list holiday, join us in September as we dive with whale sharks in the Galapagos led by marine biologist Sofía Green Iturralde from the Galapagos Whale Shark Project.
9. St Helena
Little St Helena was most famous until recently as the resting place of Napoleon. This remote Atlantic island has shot to the attention of scientists and marine life lovers in recent years however due to its whale shark aggregation - so much so that it recently made our top five list of best destinations to dive with whale sharks! Large male and female whale sharks gather in the azure blue waters from January to March each year.
The whale sharks here seem particularly curious, providing arguably the world’s best opportunities to witness, photograph and snorkel with these magnificent animals.
10. Bahamas
The Bahamas created a shark sanctuary in its waters back in 2011, providing sharks with the protection they need to thrive and fulfil their role as guardians of the reef. This has helped to create wonderful opportunities for divers to experience the true majesty of these ancient creatures. Caribbean reef sharks are common throughout the islands, with certain species such as the tiger shark or great hammerhead found in specific areas. Our Tigers in the Bahamas trip visits the dive sites of Tiger Beach and Bimini - renowned for the plentiful shark encounters.
Whether you want to dive with sharks, manta rays, whale sharks or more, we have the perfect diving holiday for you. Speak to our expert team today to plan your next big fish adventure!
