Shark diving in the Caribbean - top species and where to see them

The Caribbean offers scuba divers some sensational shark diving experiences, guaranteed to get your heart racing. From the ocean’s largest fish, to some of its most formidable predators, the region is home to many sought-after shark species and several world-class shark diving destinations. 

In this article, our shark diving experts introduce the various shark species commonly seen by scuba divers in the Caribbean, and provide some helpful tips on where to go for the best chances of an encounter.

• Whale shark interactions in the west
• Powerful predators in the north
• Reef sharks and ad-hoc encounters elsewhere

Though sharks are relatively common in many parts of the Caribbean, the species you’re likely to see will vary depending on the destination. As a result, Caribbean shark diving experiences can be broadly divided into several regions – megafauna in the west, diversity and thrills in the north, and ad-hoc encounters throughout the rest of the islands. 

Mexico, Belize and Honduras are some of the best places to dive or snorkel with whale sharks in the Caribbean, while the most exhilarating shark encounters can be found in the Caribbean’s far north, most notably around the islands of the Bahamas. Here, divers can encounter all manner of powerful shark species, including tiger sharks, hammerheads, and oceanic whitetips, as well as silkie sharks, lemon sharks, and even a few more. 

When it comes to other parts of the Caribbean – such as the Lesser Antilles in the east – divers are less likely to spot these bigger sharks. That said, they can still enjoy encounters with some of the more common species including blacktip, whitetip, and Caribbean reef sharks, as well as nurse sharks. 

• Top spots: Mexico, Belize, Honduras
• Conservation status: Endangered

Loved by swimmers, snorkelers, and divers alike, whale shark interactions are one of the most sought-after marine experiences in the Caribbean, with several destinations now becoming renowned for encounters. In the northwestern corner of the Caribbean Sea, the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef is one of the region’s marquee underwater attractions. And, while many of the local shark species – nurse sharks and Caribbean reef sharks included – can be found on this mighty reef system, it's the reliable whale shark encounters that draw the biggest crowds. 

Measuring over 1,000-kilometres in length, this reef system has several hotspots where whale sharks are regularly sighted –  Isla Mujeres and Cancun in Mexico, Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes Marine Reserve in Belize, and the Honduran island of Utila.

• Top spots: Bahamas, Mexico
• Conservation status: Near-threatened

This brawny shark has been burdened with a bad reputation over the years, yet it's still high on the bucket-list for many experienced underwater adventures. And, while it's not the most prevalent shark species in the Caribbean, chance encounters are possible almost anywhere. But, for divers hoping to up the odds of bumping into a bull shark or two, there are a couple of destinations which stand out above the rest.

In the Bahamas, the island of Bimini has developed an almost legendary baited cage dive known as the Bull Run, allowing both divers and non-divers to witness these formidable fish. Alternatively, Mexico’s Playa del Carmen offers somewhat more natural experiences between the months of November and March, when female bull sharks gather along the coast to pup.

• Top spots: Turks and Caicos, Belize
• Conservation status: Vulnerable

Nurse sharks are one of the most plentiful shark species in the Caribbean and can delight divers on almost any site. Slow, sedentary bottom-dwellers, these docile creatures are often stumbled upon as they doze within crevices and overhangs in the reef or lie hidden amongst shadowy shipwrecks. While nurse sharks are usually spotted alone, or in very small groups, one or two sites in the Caribbean promise slightly larger shivers of sharks. 

Each year, between July and September, hundreds of nurse sharks gather to mate around French Cay, Turks and Caicos. And, near Ambergris Caye in Belize, a snorkelling site known as Shark Ray Alley regularly hosts dozens of resident nurse sharks, all drawn to the area by the promise of food scraps as fishermen clean their catch.  

• Top spots: Bahamas
• Conservation status: Near-threatened

Thanks to their fearsome appearance and striking skin pattern, tiger sharks are a true trophy species for many advanced divers. Despite their size, and famously indiscriminate appetites, these powerful predators are remarkably ambivalent about sharing space with scuba divers, often passing by within metres as if oblivious to their presence. These sharks are relatively rare throughout most of the Caribbean, but head to the Bahamas for the chance to experience several renowned tiger shark encounters. 

The island of Bimini is a bit of a hotspot for potential tiger shark interactions, but the country’s marquee experience is located some 30-kilometres off Grand Bahama’s West End. Known as Tiger Beach, this legendary site sees divers kneeling on the sand close to a crate of frozen fish, watching in awe as tiger sharks begin to fill the calm, crystal-clear waters.

• Top spots: Bahamas, Honduras
• Conservation status: Endangered

As the name would suggest, this is one of the most common types of shark divers can expect to encounter within the Caribbean. Though the Caribbean reef shark is a distinct species, its appearance closely resembles that of grey reef sharks, which are found throughout the Indian and Pacific oceans. These sharks can show up at almost any site in the Caribbean, but are more commonly sighted during baited shark dives or when exploring drop-offs and cave-like overhangs. 

Walker Cay in the Abaco Islands is home to a dive site known as Shark Rodeo, where scores of Caribbean reef sharks gather together to feed. Likewise, the Honduran island of Roatan has a site known as Cara a Cara – meaning “face to face” – where divers can get up-close and personal with a dozen or more Caribbean reef sharks at once.

• Top spots: Bahamas
• Conservation status: Vulnerable

Silky sharks are another noteworthy shark species found in the Caribbean, particularly in the north. This pelagic fish prefers deeper waters near continental shelves and drop-offs, but its keen senses and boat-following behaviour mean it regularly makes appearances during baited shark dives. Unsurprisingly, the Bahamas offers some of the best opportunities to see silkies in all their glory, particularly around islands such as Andros, Cat, and Nassau. 

One of the Bahamas’ very best silky shark experiences occurs around Nassau’s Lost Blue Hole during the month of June. At this time, hundreds of silkies descend on the area to breed, gathering in deeper sections that reach 30-metres or more. Lucky divers may even witness the sharks performing their intricate courtship displays when large groups come together into a silvery swirling vortex.

• Top spots: Bahamas
• Conservation status: Threatened

Oceanic whitetips are large pelagic sharks that are instantly recognised by their rounded, white-capped fins. Within the Caribbean, oceanic whitetips are most prevalent in the Bahamas, particularly around Cat Island, which sits on the eastern edge of the Great Bahama Bank, facing the deep waters of the Atlantic. Despite more or less disappearing from the Bahamian Archipelago towards the end of the 1900s, today Cat Island plays host to the world’s largest aggregation of oceanic whitetip sharks between the months of March and June.

Unlike most shark dives in the Bahamas, Cat Island’s oceanic whitetip experiences occur in the blue, usually without any point of reference other than a bait box suspended below the boat. Divers simply hover close to the surface while sizable sharks appear and begin investigating the scene.

• Top spots: Bahamas
• Conservation status: Critically-endangered

Great hammerheads are the largest species of hammerhead and are usually solitary and elusive animals. Their distinctive shape, unique swimming style, and shy nature makes them a sought-after species among scuba divers, though encounters typically rely heavily on luck. The Caribbean is no exception to this rule, with sightings being hard to predict throughout much of the region. 

Thankfully though, the island of Bimini in the Bahamas is one of the only places in the world where great hammerheads can be seen in large numbers as they migrate along the Gulf Stream between December and April. Like much of the shark diving in the Bahamas, these interactions are typically baited, but with so many great hammerheads in the area, the dives here promise plenty of action.

• Top spots: Bahamas
• Conservation status: Near-threatened

Though less sought-after than other species in this list, lemon sharks are another significant species found in the Caribbean. This shark is socialable and typically inhabits shallow, sandy coastal regions where its yellow-tinted skin provides plenty of camouflage. In the Caribbean, sightings are common in the Bahamas where lemon sharks can often be seen gathering in groups during some of the archipelago’s iconic feeding events.

Characterised by a relatively shallow sandy bottom, Grand Bahamas’ Tiger Beach dive site provides the ideal opportunity for lemon shark encounters, alongside the other more famous species. Bimini is another lemon shark hotspot, offering high chances of a sighting or two. Some experts even believe that female lemon sharks return to Bimini each year between the months of April and June to drop their pups among the protection of the mangroves.