South Africa is one of the few hot spots to go shark cage diving. The two main areas that offer shark cage diving is Cape Town and Gansbaai. When travelling for leisure, you’ll be surprised how fast time flies. Choosing the right location to do your shark cage diving trip is key to ensuring that you get to do all the activities on your ‘must do’ list.
Gansbaai, a small fishing town, is a 3-hour one-way drive from the city centre of Cape Town and is located 45 minutes on the other side of Hermanus, which is famous for whale watching.
Shark cage diving Gansbaai is known as a more commercial experience, due to there being +- 8 operators. The passenger capacity on the vessels ranges anywhere between 20 to 37 guests, and the cages can take roughly 9 guests at a time. The duration of the trip ranges from 2 to 3 hours and the water visibility is 6 feet on average. The bronze whaler is the main shark species. The breath-hold method is the most used method for cage diving in Gansbaai. When you’re on the boat, chances are that you may see dolphins and whales in season, and possibly penguins who come from the nearby colony of Dyer Island. After your trip, nearby attractions include horse riding, a penguin sanctuary and wine tasting.
The infamous Shark Alley lies further away from the anchoring site, and therefore the cage diving boats very rarely visit this site.
A mere 45-minute one-way drive from the city centre is the popular and picturesque village of Simon’s Town. This is the launch site of shark cage diving Cape Town.
Offering an intimate and boutique experience with only 3 operators in the area, group sizes on the vessels are small, much smaller, with numbers of 12 – 18 guests maximum (the smallest in the industry) and 4 guests in the cage. The duration of the trip ranges from 3 + hours with water visibility between 15 and 40 feet. You’re likely to see the bronze whaler shark and the 7-gill shark in these waters. What’s unique about shark cage diving Cape Town is that they offer guests underwater air supply via a hookah system. The hookah system allows guests the opportunity to stay underwater for longer to maximise their viewing experience.
If weather and time allows, this location always offers a trip to Seal Island, located 5.7km’s from the white sandy beaches of False Bay. Over 65,000 Cape Fur seals call this famous land mass home. This famous location is where ‘Air Jaws’ from Discovery channel was first shot over 20 years ago.
During your trip, you will be exposed to an array of wildlife, from whales and dolphins in season, to over 20 bird species. You’re likely to see penguins, thanks to the famed Boulders Beach which shelters hundreds of African penguins.
After your trip, take a 2-minute drive to the famous Boulders Beach Penguin Colony, a 10-minute drive to The Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point, an absolute must see when in Cape Town! With its breath-taking views, pristine beaches, and magnificent cliffs, you simply cannot miss this top attraction. On your way back from your eventful day, drive through the famous Chapman’s Peak, and if you’re lucky, catch the sunset!
We do hope that this article assisted in picking the right location for you!