Aliwal Shoal is a fossilised sand dune reef 5 km off Umkomaas on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast, internationally renowned for its aggregations of ragged-tooth sharks (grey nurse) sheltering in the caves and gutters between June and November. Oceanic blacktip sharks, bottlenose dolphins, humpback whales (winter), and large potato bass make every dive eventful, while the shoal's twin peaks — Cathedral and the Pinnacles — offer dramatic topography at 5–32 m. Boat entry through the surf is standard.
Dori seamount off São Miguel island is a hard-coral-encrusted pinnacle famous among Azorean dive guides as the best shark dive in the archipelago away from the famous outer banks. Common blue sharks circle inquisitively at 20–40 m while sperm whale pods occasionally pass deeper below, and the abundant macro life on the seamount top includes large nudibranchs and colourful sea slugs rare elsewhere in the North Atlantic. Best dived from a RIB in calm summer conditions.
Formigas (Ants) is a tiny, remote islet east of Santa Maria in the Azores surrounded by a broad rocky bank rising from 300 m to just 17 m below the surface. Between April and October the bank is reliably visited by whale sharks attracted by the summer plankton blooms, alongside large schools of amberjack, barracuda, and hammerheads. The Azorean sea temperature at 20–23°C and Atlantic clarity combine to make this one of Europe's finest open-ocean dive experiences.
Located on the southwest coast of Nusa Penida, Manta Point is a shallow cleaning station and feeding area where reef mantas congregate, sometimes in groups of 20 or more. The site is relatively exposed to south-swell and moderate currents so it needs to be dived on the right conditions, but when it is calm the manta encounters at 5–16 m are supremely close-up and extended. Snorkellers and divers share the water here, so awareness is important.
Princess Alice Bank is a mid-Atlantic seamount rising from 2000 m to within 40 m of the surface near Faial in the Azores, considered one of the world's elite big-animal dive sites. Seasonal aggregations of blue sharks, mako sharks, hammerhead sharks, and huge schools of Atlantic amberjack gather above the summit, with blue marlin and whale shark encounters adding to the spectacle in summer. The site is current-swept and remote, demanding open-water confidence and liveaboard access.
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.