The Great Blue Hole is a 300 m wide, 125 m deep submarine sinkhole at the centre of Lighthouse Reef Atoll, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and made famous by Jacques Cousteau. Divers descend through the hole's cobalt-blue water to 40 m to see perfectly preserved stalactites formed when the cavern was above sea level during the last ice age. Bull sharks, Caribbean reef sharks, and midnight parrotfish cruise the outer walls.
The SS Yongala is widely regarded as one of the world's greatest wreck dives. This passenger steamer sank in a cyclone in 1911 and now rests at 14–30 m, completely encrusted with corals and teeming with giant grouper, bull sharks, sea snakes, and manta rays. Strong currents keep the site nutrient-rich and visibility high, but they also demand experience.
Shark Reef Marine Reserve in Beqa Lagoon runs the world's longest-running shark dive programme, with eight species reliably appearing at controlled feed dives including bull sharks, tiger sharks, and tawny nurse sharks. Divers kneel in a line at 25–30 m while sharks pass within touching distance, with the spectacle managed by experienced Fijian dive masters who have worked with the same sharks for years. The programme funds local marine conservation directly.
Protea Banks is a remote offshore reef 9 km from Shelly Beach in KwaZulu-Natal and is widely considered one of the premier shark dives on the planet. In winter (June–November) large numbers of ragged-tooth sharks congregate on the southern pinnacle, while tiger sharks, bull sharks, oceanic blacktips, and seasonal hammerhead schools patrol the northern end. Strong ocean swells, significant current, and depths of 25–40 m restrict this site firmly to advanced, experienced divers.