Oahu North Shore is home to large populations of sharks, including the Galápagos and the sandbar sharks which are found by dozens in the open sea a few miles from the coast. Most tour agencies offer cage diving, which is not always considered very ethical, and a few operators organize cage-free snorkeling tours for you to get up close and personal with the ocean’s most feared creatures.
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How to go snorkeling with sharks off Oahu’s North Shore
To snorkel with the sharks off the North Shore of Oahu, you must book a tour with a local operator, like Island View Hawaii, which offers a daily two-hours shark tour. The prime spot to swim with sharks is located just three miles off the coast of Haleiwa, which is the departure point for most tours.
Tour prices range between $120 and $180 per person for 2 hours, including an approximately 20 minute snorkeling session. Make sure that it is a cage-free tour at the time of booking. Most operators offer full refund or your next snorkel free if no sharks are spotted.
Water entrance for snorkeling with sharks in Oahu
Your guide will provide instructions and you will enter the water from the boat ladder. Snorkel guides will stay with you in the water.
Snorkeling with Oahu’s North Shore sharks
The spot to swim with sharks extends for several miles in an open sea area where the depth reaches about 250 ft.
Once in the water, you will observe the sharks swimming all around you in their natural habitat. A majority of the sharks that snorkelers will see at this location are the Galápagos shark and the sandbar shark. Several dozen individuals may be present around the boat, sometimes accompanied by barracudas or schools of rainbow runners.
If Galápagos and sandbar sharks are the most common at this location, tiger sharks (from June to October), gray reef sharks, and hammerhead sharks are also occasionally seen.
Restaurants and accommodation nearby
There are several cafes and restaurants around Haleiwa Marina, from where most tours depart.
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