Thrilling or Dreamlike? Swim with Sharks and Manta Rays – 4 Unique Diving Experiences Around the World

In places like Australia, Okinawa (Japan), and Cebu (Philippines), you can experience the unique diving activity of swimming with whale sharks. (Photo by Jian Yixin)

One of the most refreshing and healing experiences in summer is diving—searching for sea turtles and clownfish underwater, exploring the mysterious blue world, with only your own breathing and the sound of water in your ears. However, the creatures gliding beneath you aren’t Nemo the clownfish or coral reefs, but the world’s largest fish—the “whale shark,” the suddenly approaching “manta ray,” or even something that might make you want to cover your mouth in shock. So, is this experience thrilling or enchanting? That’s for you to decide after trying it out yourself.

1. Gentle Up Close: Swimming with Whale Sharks

Although whale sharks may seem massive, they are gentle giants of the ocean. In places such as Australia, Okinawa (Japan), and Cebu (Philippines), you can enjoy the unique diving experience of swimming with them. In Oslob, a small fishing village at the southern tip of Cebu (the second-largest city in the Philippines), aside from its stunning coastline, what makes it truly special is the chance to swim up close with the world’s largest fish—the whale shark—and even witness feeding shows where they gulp down seawater.

2. Night Dive into the Underwater World: Graceful Manta Rays

What does the underwater world look like at night? Aside from exploring shipwrecks and colorful coral reefs, night diving off the Kona Coast on the eastern side of Hawaii’s Big Island offers a chance to float on the dark sea, searching for manta rays and admiring their graceful and elegant movements, as they flap their pectoral fins like deep-sea ballet dancers.

3. Shark Alley: A Swarm of Sharks

Different from the bloodthirsty image of sharks often portrayed in movies, one of the world’s famous diving destinations—the South Pacific island nation of Fiji—has several areas where sharks are frequently spotted. Among them, the southern waters of Viti Levu (the largest island) feature a shark reef marine conservation area. The “Shark Alley” allows divers to go below and observe sharks. Summer months, especially June and July, are peak seasons for shark sightings, where you might encounter up to eight species including bull sharks and blacktip reef sharks.

4. The Cage of Death: A 360° Crocodile Encounter

With giant, toothy crocodiles just inches away, do you dare take on this water experience known as the “Cage of Death”? At Crocosaurus Cove, a crocodile-themed park in Darwin (Australia), a transparent glass cage is placed in the crocodile enclosure. Challengers can “swim” alongside saltwater crocodiles over 5 meters long through the glass—but during the short 15-minute underwater session, the enormous reptiles circle you 360 degrees, making for an extremely thrilling adventure.