Sharks often receive a bad rep.

Contrary to popular belief, you’re more prone to getting bit by a dog than getting attaked by a shark.

So if the thirst for thrill is undeniable, then we highly recommend going shark diving! We’ve lined up some of the most breathtaking shark diving sites below for your adrenaline pleasure.

South Africa
This is one place shark divers consider as their Mecca. What’s on the list? Dozens of dusky, blacktip, tiger, bull, bronze whaler, thresher and mako sharks. There are seabirds and dolphins to add to the array of sealife too. To top it all off, the current’s remarkable too. “It’s a strong current, and as a diver, you’re traveling in it — but you don’t even feel it,” says Nicki Gibson, public relations manager for Blue Ocean Dive Resort.

French Polynesia
“You have a wall on both sides and a hundred sharks everywhere,” says Sebastien Guilloux of the pass diving in French Polynesia. Dozens of silky and gray sharks, as well as blacktips and the occasional tiger and great hammerhead are there to satiate your curiosity. Just be ready for the unrelenting tides in between!

Galapagos
Just the sound of this island’s name is enough to spark interest. When shark divers think of Galapagos, hammerheads may be more common but the whitetips are the real stars on this side of the world. “You’ll never see hammerheads feed because it’s in blue water at night,” says Wayne Hasson, president of the Aggressor fleet that includes the Galapagos Aggressor III. “Whitetips hunt in packs, like dogs, sticking really close together to pin something,” he says.

Philippines
In a country made up of over 7,000 islands, it’s no wonder it’s a haven for sharks too. “There is only one area in the world where thresher sharks can be seen daily — and that is Monad Shoal, here in the Central Visayan island group of the Philippines,” says Matt Reed, owner of Evolution, a Malapascua dive resort. “Out of 365 days a year, we might expect to not see them about 10 of those days.” The area however, is quite delicate and may drive away sharks when damaged. So be sure you have at least one advanced open dive certification.

image source: sportdiver.com