Shark diving off the East Coast of South Africa, with no cages! Experience sharks up close and personal!
– an exhilarating shark dive experience never to be forgotten!
Dive Resort, restaurant and bar, sea-view deck all in one. Come and experience our expert skippers, dive masters, shark guides and hospitality team waiting to give you an amazing experience. Offering Unlimited Diving Packages on the KwaZulu-Natal, South Coast.
Includes: Full board, en-suite rooms. Airport transfers. Five minutes transfer to the Aliwal Shoal launch beach site, Nitrox with the use of 12 & 15 litre steel cylinders. Unlimited diving – shark dives, wreck dives, reef dives, deep dives, and marine permits. Excludes: Flights, visas, gear hire.
OVERVIEW
The Aliwal Shoal lies off Umkomaas / Scottburgh, South Coast Durban, and is approximately 3km long x 1km wide.
The packages are designed for the diver who want to see everything! The packages maximizes your dives and dive sites to give you the best Aliwal Shoal experience possible.
Aliwal Shoal boasts the most diverse marine life in the world. Because it is also a Marine Protected Area the abundance of life is simply awe inspiring. Aliwal Shoal is home to many different Shark and Ray species all year round. Add to this, the two popular wreck dives are on the MV Produce (sank 1974) @ 32m and the Nebo (sank 1884) @ 24m.
You will get to dive all the best dive sites on the Aliwal Shoal Reef System. Our Southern Reefs (conditions dependent) which are deeper and more advanced dive sites for added adventure. These reefs are very seldom dived, and as a result teaming with life.
Enjoy diving on the Baited Shark Dive* to see the Oceanic Black Tip Sharks to diving with Ragged Tooth Sharks. Other sharks you can encounter on these dives are Tiger Sharks, Bull Sharks (Zambezi Sharks) and Hammerhead Sharks. Oh, and let’s not forget the numbers of rays, eels, turtles, dolphins and other marine life. *What are Baited Shark Dives? – see below.
From Day One’s arrival you are looked after by our friendly staff. There are 3 brand new zodiacs, and only the best equipment on board & in the dive centre.
Max 8 divers per zodiac to avoid overcrowding & cater for camera equipment.
Advanced Qualified Divers only (Min 30 logged dives).
Experienced Shark Guides on board.
Minimum 2 dives daily, with up to 2 extra dives weather permitting.
Daily afternoon excursions available.
RESTAURANT, BAR, & LOUNGE – MAIN DECK
POOL AREA BEHIND THE MAIN DECK
Great area for a braai!
THE BEACH LAUNCH SITE
Located 5 minutes down the road from the dive resort. Enjoy an exhilarating surf launch with our very experienced skippers through the surf and out to Aliwal Shoal. As Aliwal Shoal is about 6km off-shore, it gets all the pelagic fish stopping by, excellent area for wide angle and macro photography.
What are Baited Shark dives? No Cages!
Highly misunderstood, misrepresented and falsely accused, these apex predators offer you the mind-blowing, not-to-be-missed, experience of a life time. The Baited Shark Dive takes place on Aliwal Shoal crown area and attract up to 40 pelagic black-tip sharks, at a time, throughout the year.
Have a “guest appearance” in summer by the ever shy and elusive tiger shark. Baited Shark Dives happen by using a suitable bait stem and bucket suspended at about 8-10m and allowed to drift in the currents, we are able to attract different species of sharks with the specific aim of the Tiger Shark.
Although Tiger Sharks are seasonal visitors (summer months), there are almost always between 20 to 40 oceanic black tips on most baited shark dives. These are pelagic sharks that reach up to 2.5m in length. Dusky sharks and bull sharks also make the occasional appearance. Diving with these predators is truly an experience of a lifetime and a major adrenaline rush for sharkaholics. If there are no sharks for any reason, we will do a reef dive and refund you the difference. Our Dive Masters have experience and confidence with these animals but also have utmost respect.
A shy tiger shark came in drawn by the smell of the sardine oil slick.
THE DIVE RESORT
Thatched viewing deck with relax lounge area, restaurant, bar and sea views. To the far right is the dive kit wash area and hanging area under a small thatch. Through the main doors is the reception, dive centre and personalized kit up area. There is also a large restaurant area with coffee station. The ground and first floor are the en-suite rooms.
| SHARK SAFARI ITINERARY – 9 Nights or 7 Nights or 4 Nights | |
9 NIGHTS / 10 DAYS Prices from €1540 per person (No single supplement if you come alone) Daily additional dives available if launch conditions allow | 7 NIGHTS / 8 DAYS Prices from €1190 per person (No singe supplement if you come alone) Daily additional dives available if launch conditions allow |
| Day 1 : Arrive King Shaka International Airport, Durban. Transfer to Umkomaas. Day 2 : 1 x Baited Shark Dive (Oceanic Black Tip Sharks) 1 x Reef Dive (Aliwal Shoal). Day 3 : 2 x Reef Dives (Aliwal Shoal). Day 4 : 1 x Baited Tiger Shark Dive 1 x MV Produce Wreck Dive. Day 5 : 1 x Reef Dive (Aliwal Shoal) 1 x Nebo Wreck Dive. Day 6 : 2 x Reef Dives – (Aliwal Shoal). Day 7 : 2 x Rocky Bay Dives on the Southern Reefs. Day 8 : 1 x Baited Shark Dive (Aliwal Shoal) 1 x Reef/Wreck Dive. Day 9 : 2 x Reef Dives (Aliwal Shoal). Day 10 : Transfer to King Shaka International Airport. Fly to Hoedspruit, Kruger, for your Big 5 Safari (optional extra). | Day 1 : Arrive King Shaka International Airport, Durban. Transfer to Umkomaas. Day 2 : 1 x Baited Shark Dive (Oceanic Black Tip Sharks) 1 x Reef Dive (Aliwal Shoal). Day 3 : 2 x Reef Dives (Aliwal Shoal). Day 4 : 1 x Baited Tiger Shark Dive 1 x MV Produce Wreck Dive. Day 5 : 1 x Reef Dive (Aliwal Shoal) 1 x Nebo Wreck Dive. Day 6 : 2 x Reef Dives (Aliwal Shoal). Day 7 : 2 x Reef Dives (Aliwal Shoal). Day 8 : Transfer to King Shaka International Airport. Fly to Hoedspruit, Kruger, for your Big 5 Safari (optional extra). |
| SHARK SAFARI CAN BE STAND ALONE OR ADDED TO KRUGER BIG 5 SAFARI 7 NIGHTS / 8 DAYS | |
| SHARK SAFARI 4 NIGHTS Prices from € 720 per person (2024 rates) Prices from € 805 per person (2025 rates) (No single supplement if you come alone) Full board, transfers, dives, nitrox, cylinder & weights | KRUGER BIG 5 SAFARI 3 NIGHTS Prices from ZAR 14600 pp sharing (until June 2025) Prices from ZAR 16315 pp sharing (until June 2026) (Single supplement applies) Full board, transfers, game drives |
| Day 1 : Arrive King Shaka International Airport, Durban. Transfer to Umkomaas. Day 2 : 1 x Baited Shark Dive (Oceanic Black Tip Sharks) 1 x Reef Dive (Aliwal Shoal). Day 3 : 1 x Reef Dive (Aliwal Shoal). 1 x Wreck Dive Day 4 : 1 x Baited Shark Dive (Aliwal Shoal) 1 x Reef or Wreck Dive. Day 5 : Transfer to King Shaka International Airport, Durban. Book your fights from OR Tambo airport (Johannesburg) to Hoedspruit EastGate airport (Limpopo) for your BIG 5 SAFARI, Kruger Park. Optional: Bed & breakfast. (Lunch and dinner extra). 2 baited dives, 4 reef/wreck dives. Return transfers. €640pp (2024) €685pp (2025) | Day 1 : Transfer from Hoedspruit Eastgate airport to your lodge. Late afternoon safari game drive in the Greater Kruger park, followed by a 3 -course dinner. Day 2 : Full day trip starting from the Phalaborwa gate (breakfast and lunch in Kruger National Park), followed by a 3-course dinner at the lodge. Day 3 : Enjoy breakfast, then lunch. Late afternoon safari game drive in the Greater Kruger Park, followed by a 3-course dinner. (Optional extra activities to be booked in advanced). Day 4 : Early morning safari game drive, followed by breakfast. Transfer to Hoedspruit Eastgate airport for your flight to OR Tambo airport (Johannesburg). (Optional: self drive in your own car, secure parking) |