Whether you’re keen to dive into the deep blue or stay high and dry and watch these beautiful creatures in an aquarium, we’ve put together 5 amazing places around the world to view sharks in all their glory.
Bimini, Bahamas
If you’re keen to get up close to some of the biggest and most beautiful sharks in the world, grab your gear and head to Bimini! Species you could encounter include lemon sharks, great hammerheads, tigers and bulls. It’s shark paradise! You can also visit the Bimini Sharklab to learn more about their research. Check out Bimini Scuba Center to book a dive or snorkel adventure.
Diver in Bimini photographing a great hammerhead Credit: Jillian Morris
This aquarium near Scottsdale, Arizona is the largest in the Southwest United States and holds more than 2 million gallons of water! As well as the world’s only revolving aquarium experience (all aboard the OdySea voyager!) and SeaTrek, an underwater experience where you get up close and personal with the animals, the aquarium is most famous for its… restrooms. These offer you amazing views of the shark exhibit: there are 5 species of shark in the tank, watching to make sure you wash your hands!
Voted America's Best Bathroom by CINTAS Image: Cintas Corp
Shark Ray Alley, Belize
The place where local fishermen drop scraps before heading into the port at Ambergris Caye, Belize, is now also a snorkeling destination. Hundreds of stingrays and nurse sharks gather in the reef in hope of food to investigate the boats, and there is now the opportunity to dive in and join them, watching them roam in close quarters with one another. A fantastic opportunity to get up close and personal with these gentle creatures without a SCUBA certification.
This aquarium’s ethos is “for conservation, not for profit” and leads ocean conservation projects all over the world. Aquarium visitors can view educational talks and even take part in beach cleans and shark egg case hunts, focused on raising awareness of shark and ray species native to the UK. Abroad, they’ve been integral to many operations, from South African penguin rescue to coral conservation on the island of Guam.
If you’ve only got time to pop in for a visit, the restaurant is well worth your time, offering spectacular views of one of the main tanks and serving locally sourced, sustainable ingredients.
Guadalupe Island, Baja
One of the only places in the world where you have a decent chance of cage diving with a Great White Shark without baiting them. Great White Sharks are naturally present and come close to the cage without humans baiting with food (a practice called “chumming” where a pungent fish mixture is used to lure the shark towards the cage). These sharks can reach lengths of 3.5-6.4 meters (11.5-20 feet).
Have you been to any of these wonderful places? Which are top of your list?
Sources:
http://start.att.net/exclusive/discovery/shark-week/the-best-aquariums-to-see-sharks
http://www.guadalupegreatwhitesharks.com
https://www.thedeep.co.uk/two-rivers-restaurant
https://www.odyseaaquarium.com/galleries/seatrek/