The great white is the largest predatory fish in the ocean and the species most people picture when they think "shark." Adults reach 4 to 6 metres and ambush seals and sea lions at shallow coastal pinnacle sites. Because they are protected in most of their range, encountering them under water is almost exclusively a cage-diving experience. The iconic destination of Guadalupe Island closed to cage diving in 2023, leaving South Africa (Gansbaai), South Australia (Neptune Islands), and New Zealand (Stewart Island) as the remaining reliable locations. Seasonality is dictated by seal breeding cycles and water temperature.
The year at a glance
Global aggregated reliability — at any given month, how reliably can you find this species somewhere in the world?
Where to see them in April
Sorted by April reliability and species status.
- 01
4/5
Full season breakdown
Peak Present Rare