Shark cage diving consists of being inside a cage, whilst looking at the sharks in the water. This is different from open water shark diving, because you are kept safely inside the cage.
One of the reasons for this is because you will be seeing sharks that may be completely wild, and not used to seeing humans.
Shark cage diving is for the most adventurous, and it should not be taken lightly. It is so much fun, and Hawaii has a lot of locations where you can dive with the sharks.
Honolulu in particular, has vast beaches, with a lot of sea life. After all, it is a beach city.
Let’s find out more about shark cage diving.
How Does Shark Cage Diving Work?
Cage shark diving works by letting you observe sharks in a safe and protective environment. This is protective for you, as well as the sharks involved.
By putting you in a safe and sturdy cage, it allows you to not have to worry about potentially being attacked by an unknown shark, and not making contact with them in general. It will also make the shark safer.
In this way, it will mean you can have a better experience when observing sharks, because they will be more inclined to come closer to you in a cage, rather than floating in the water.
Is Shark Cage Diving Wrong?
Shark cage diving does not have a nice ring to it, but it does not directly impact sharks. Saying this, it has been proven that it changes the natural behavior of great white sharks, and it may be gradually making sharks more aggressive towards humans.
Sharks are not hateful or aggressive toward humans; they are simply checking that we are not their prey. By locking ourselves in a cage, it can frustrate the sharks, because they cannot tell if we are prey or predators.
Always keep this in mind, and make sure you choose places that are the most ethical and non-intrusive for the sharks.
Types of Sharks in Honolulu
Hawaii is a hotspot for sea life, but how many sharks are there, and what kind of sharks are they? Hawaii is unbelievably home to over 40 different species of sharks, and you will find some really cool ones in Honolulu.
The most common types of sharks that you are likely to see are Tiger sharks, Sandbar sharks, White tip reef sharks, Galápagos sharks, and Hammerhead sharks, which are scalloped Hammerhead sharks in Hawaii.
Let’s look at some of the best shark cage diving experiences in Honolulu.
Big Blue Pacific Oahu Shark Cage Dive
This tour departs from the Haleiwa area, and it lasts anywhere from 1.5 hours to 2.5 hours. The North Shore of Honolulu is the perfect place to find vast views, as well as a great variety of sharks.
It is the most popular place to go shark diving in most of Hawaii. You can observe some of the most amazing wild sharks on this cage shark diving tour.
Here, you will be sure to see Galápagos sharks, as well as Sandbar sharks. You may also end up seeing dolphins, whales, and little turtles. To go on this tour, you will need to head to 66-100 Haleiwa Rd, in Haleiwa Harbor.
You will then be transported to the motorboat, where you will travel to the best shark place in Honolulu. You will get a safety talk, as well as the appropriate kit that you will need. Take as many pictures as you can, but always remember to have your waterproof camera, not your regular one!
On this tour, you can see for hundreds of feet, due to how crystal clear the beautiful ocean is. You will see some of the most astounding sharks when you are in the cage, and you should let them come to you.
In the shark cages, you can actually fit a group of eight people, so if this is something a group of you are interested in, it can be done here.
Pristine Waters Shark Dive
Again, this shark dive departs from Haleiwa, one of the best and most beautiful parts of Honolulu. This shark tour takes two hours, and you can see some of the amazing Sandbar and Galapagos sharks in this tour.
This tour focuses on an expert team of shark experts, so you can get the best experience possible. This team will set you up with the absolute best gear, and some of the best tips for your shark diving cage experience.
To go on this tour, you should head to Haleiwa Boat harbor, where you will be met by shark experts. You can be an absolute beginner to start this dive.
You will be picked up and dropped off to and from the location with this company, allowing you to have ease of mind when booking this tour.
With this shark cage dive, you will be able to have nine people in the cage with you, which is great for birthdays or large vacation groups.
The sharks will come up extremely close to you, and you can observe them in their natural habitat. You should always make sure that your equipment is on safely, and the kind staff are sure to help you with any worries.
Swim and Snorkel
This swim and snorkeling tour will allow you to be inside a cage, three miles from the popular Haleiwa harbor. This is the meeting point for the tour, you should meet at the blue One Ocean Diving place.
It is the ideal place to cage dive, and the whole experience will take around 2 hours. You will be transported on a boat, to some of the best kept areas of Honolulu.
This cage diving tour will give you some amazing advice on sharks and their wellbeing, as well as how their bodies and systems work. It is always great to know what you are going into before you do, especially with sharks!
This tour is unique, and it is solely led by marine biologists, hence the strong passion for the wellbeing of sharks. You are bound to learn some really cool facts about sharks on this tour!
You will also probably learn new facts about other sea creatures in the local area.
Conservation topics are also prominent at this cage diving experience, so you are greatly encouraged to take the experience as seriously as you can, and learn some new stuff about the world, sharks, and their ecosystems.
When you start this tour, you will enter the cage wih all of your safety equipment. This tour has one of the top safety records, as well as a team of amazing and knowledgeable marine biologists.
Pelagic Shark Tour
This shark tour also takes place in one of the most popular places in Honolulu. You can swim or snorkel in this tour, and they will show you some of the most gorgeous areas of the North shore.
This tour is different from the rest, due to the fact that you can see a wider variety of sharks. This includes Gray reef sharks, Hammerhead sharks, White tip sharks, Tiger sharks, and Sandbar sharks.
This is obviously a lot of sharks in comparison to some of the other tours on this list.
The departure point for this tour is also at Haleiwa harbor. You will be guided to the boat, where you can view the sharks all year round.
This tour will teach you how to safely learn about the sharks, as well as interacting and being around them. You will also see dolphins and whales during this tour, so look out for them! You will be provided with all of the correct information and equipment for this tour, so you can enjoy the cage diving to the best of your ability!
It is great to see the sharks so up close, and with the help of a local guide, you will be a shark expert by the time you have finished your dive!
This tour will take 2 hours overall, and you should have a pretty average and moderate fitness level in order to go on tour. This is because there may be a lot of moving than some of the other tours.
You also have the opportunity to be taken to a gorgeous lookout point on this tour, called Island View Hawaii. Here, you can get an even better view of some of the amazing sharks you may have seen!
Final Thoughts
Hawaii is a paradise for the sun and sea, as well as some truly amazing sea creatures. If you are curious about swimming with the sharks, but are worried about being closer to them, cage diving will be great for you.
These tours are some of the best in Honolulu, and they are always respectful of the sharks, too.
The beauty of sharks up close and personal is too precious to put into words - there’s nothing like it that I’ve ever experienced. Not only that, but to be in close proximity to one of the ocean’s most ferocious predators is such a thrill!
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