INDIAN OCEAN
Aliwal Shoal
- South Africa
- Experienced
- May - November
Plan your dive
- Experience level
- Experienced
- Depth guide
- Reef and wreck profiles vary
- When to go
- May - November
- Site type
- Reef Sharks & Wrecks
Featured wildlife
- Sand tiger shark
- Blacktip shark
- Tiger shark
About this dive site
South Africa’s shoal of ragged-tooth sharks and reef drama.
Aliwal Shoal’s fossilised reef off Umkomaas hosts seasonal aggregations of ragged-tooth (sand tiger) sharks along with turtles, rays and baitballs. Separate trips target reef dives versus baited shark experiences, read briefings carefully. Winter often brings the classic shark numbers; summer adds humpback song in the water.
Match wreck depth - and any penetration - to your training; many famous wrecks are enjoyed from the outside only. Calendar peak is May - November, but skippers still move sites when wind, swell or current change. Book with a crew that knows Aliwal Shoal day to day, not just the map pin.