Kosupa Travel

True travelers should explore not only the terrestrial world but also the underwater world! This time, we’ll introduce you to the underwater delights of the Maldives.

The Maldives: A Paradise for Sharks!

The Maldives, renowned for its beautiful resort beaches, is also famous for its diverse marine life. You’ll find an array of large marine creatures, including sharks, manta rays, and dolphins, swimming in its clear waters. With proper preparation, you can swim gracefully alongside these sea creatures.

Contrary to the ferocious image of sharks portrayed in movies like “Jaws,” most shark species in the Maldives, such as nurse sharks, blacktip sharks, and whitetip sharks, are indifferent to humans. As long as you follow your guide’s instructions, you needn’t worry about being attacked.

In this report, I’ll share my thrilling experience of swimming with sharks during a snorkeling tour organized by my resort.

Booking in Advance at the Diving Center

Most resorts have affiliated diving centers that organize snorkeling tours. Tours are not always available daily, so it’s best to visit the diving center and check the schedule in advance.

We participated in a tour by DIVE & SAIL, a major diving shop operating across the Maldives and partnering with resorts nationwide.

Our chosen tour, a nurse shark snorkeling tour combined with a turtle (sea turtle) tour, cost around $100 per person. Whether this seems expensive or not may vary, but opportunities to swim with sharks and turtles are rare in Japan, making this tour a worthwhile splurge.

Snorkeling requires no license, unlike diving, and is generally accessible to anyone who can swim (even non-swimmers can often participate with assistance). If you can swim in a 25m pool, consider taking on this challenge!

Setting Off!

We left the resort aboard a jet boat for a 30-40 minute journey, chatting with fellow passengers to pass the time.

Equipped with fins, masks, and snorkels, we were ready to dive. Those without gear can rent equipment from the diving center, and floats are available for those less confident in their swimming abilities.

Our group consisted of over 20 people, including crew members. Most were Westerners, with a few Asians, including Japanese and Koreans.

One of the crew members, Sadi, who assisted us during our stay at the diving center, was there to help with gear and camera issues.

After departure, the crew introduced themselves, starting with the captain. This was followed by a leisurely journey to the snorkeling point, allowing us to mingle with other members or enjoy the view and sunbathe on the rooftop.

Meeting the Sharks

Upon arrival, several other boats were already there, indicating where the sharks were swimming.

The captain gave safety instructions, emphasizing the importance of not touching the sharks and staying away from the boats to avoid accidents and potential shark bites when feeding occurs.

With safety instructions in mind, we took turns diving into the water. Despite knowing it was safe, jumping in where sharks were visible beneath the boat required some courage. It felt like a dramatic scene from a pirate movie!

Once underwater, I was immediately surrounded by sharks. Despite their intimidating appearance, the sharks swam freely, indifferent to our presence.

As we acclimated, some participants began swimming alongside the sharks, even taking photos. The sharks were so numerous that it felt like we were in a shark aquarium. Observing them closely, I noticed differences in their faces—some appeared handsome, others soothing.

If you get used to it, don’t forget to capture this overwhelming experience by camera.

You’ll finally notice that sharks are rather friendly animals, despite our fear.

Conclusion

How did you enjoy the experience? This report covered the shark snorkeling tour. Though this was just the first part of the tour, we then proceeded to the next point for turtle snorkeling.

Stay tuned for the next article, where we’ll share the details of our turtle snorkeling adventure!