Best place to see sharks in December?

As the title says really, I'm looking for recommendations to see sharks in December.

A Friend has asked me to suggest locations for their daughter & future son-in-law who are getting married next Christmas and want to 'see' sharks (not dolphins - I did check!) on their honeymoon trip. I've no idea, so help with suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

R

Is this money no object? Or would they like to find somewhere reasonably priced from the UK?

Alex

Fakarava and Rangiroa in French Polynesia.

What sort of sharks? The type of sharks they want to see will greatly influence where they'd go.

I agree with Mike, if money is no option go to Rangiroa and Fakarava in French Polynesia.

In december, for a honeymoon with a semblance of romanticism, with plenty of sharks and blue water.... the south pacific:

Rangiroa, Tahiti or Beqa, Fiji

Best accomodation for honeymoon:

Kia Ora: water bungalows or private island with a few bungalows but on the other side of lagoon :

I also stayed at Le Relais de Josephine which was very nice but the gf liked Kia Ora accomodations. The food at Josephine was better to me.

Best sites:

Tiputa Passe (the only reason I remember this name is because I learnt to swear in french and spanish)

AvaXXX Passe (sorry can't remember the name)

Diving:

Sharks: grey reef (loads and frisky too!), hammers (dec-feb) chasing eagle rays. There are ops who feed the fish including sharks to attract them.

Pelagic is also awesome but not much color in terms of soft coral. Current but that's why the sharks are there.

Sorry can't remember the dive ops I used... Blue something.

Beqa, Fiji

Best accomodation for honey mooners:

Lalati Resort: Nicer accomodations, more secluded and private.

Marlin Bay (name has changed now I think): More international menu, feeds you better, but more crowded.

Diving: Chummed shark dives with C. Leucas. Fat ones!

Soft coral is very nice, not as current driven as Tahiti.

Dive ops: Beqa Adventure Divers (BAD) or Aqua Trek Beqa.

I can't think of any other places with sharks that's romantic enough for a honey moon. I suppose the Bahamas is much cheaper but Stuart Cove type places are typically crowded (esp during winter time) and shark feed dives are boring to me anyhow.

Beqa, Fiji

 

Best accomodation for honey mooners:

Lalati Resort: Nicer accomodations, more secluded and private.

 

Diving: Chummed shark dives with C. Leucas. Fat ones!

Soft coral is very nice, not as current driven as Tahiti.

By the sound of this... I think I should get married as well

Scubamoose

By the sound of this... I think I should get married as well

 

Scubamoose

You do know when I say "fat ones" I meant the sharks and not the girls... if that's what you're hoping to marry when you go there!

By the sound of this... I think I should get married as well

 

Scubamoose

YES ! Then later they turn into their mothers .

YES ! Then later they turn into their mothers .

Ah... I can see that marriage can take its toll.

Is this money no object? Or would they like to find somewhere reasonably priced from the UK?

What sort of sharks?

Thanks for the responses so far, please keep them coming!

R

You do know when I say "fat ones" I meant the sharks and not the girls... if that's what you're hoping to marry when you go there!

Drew, You just had to ruin it for me didn't You

As the title says really, I'm looking for recommendations to see sharks in December.

 

A Friend has asked me to suggest locations for their daughter & future son-in-law who are getting married next Christmas and want to 'see' sharks (not dolphins - I did check!) on their honeymoon trip. I've no idea, so help with suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

R

For Sharks ... Cocos Island Costa Rica. While a liveaboard is no honeymooner's nest, the shark diving is great!

17 years ago my (then new wife) and I spent 3 weeks in French Polynesia on our honeymoon. This was her first warm water diving experience and she loved it...

Sharks on almost every dive (and on several of them - lots o' sharks). Besides Rangiroa and Fakarava I would highly recommend Bora Bora. There are a ton of sharks (blacktips, and grey reefies, plus the occasional lemon) around the island, and inside the lagoon it's pretty much guaranteed mantas if you're willing to wait in the right spots for them. Bora Bora also has the added advantage of being the most beautiful island on the planet (w/some of the most beautiful sunsets imaginable).

French Polynesia is expensive - but there only a few places on the planet this physically beautiful, that also have consistently good diving (w/pelagics).

2nd place would go to the Maldives - more divers, beautiful islands, and fewer sharks (thanks to the finning).

3rd place would go to Cocos - shark capital of the world. But I don't care how you spin it, diving Cocos is about surviving the sea urchins, managing your bubbles, hiding behind rocks, braving the thermocline, and getting tired... (not really romantic - more of an extended adrenaline rush...)

Hands down I agree with MikeV, Rangiroa and Fakarava in French Polynesia. having been there in Nov/Dec and then to Palau 2 weeks later, I was disappointed with the shark action in Palau due to the immense numbers of animals in FP.

If they are willing to sacrifice luxury for 2 or 3 days, I HIGHLY suggest they spend a couple nights at tetamanu village in the south pass of Fakarava. Of all the places we went to in FP, South Pass was the most pristine, and had the largest number of animals...but it was nice seeing a Great Hammerhead in Rangiroa!!