Small-Group Cageless Swim

Oahu: Cage-Free Shark Swim on the North Shore runs through Islandview Hawaii. Rated 5.0 across 1,179 reviews. Runs approx 1.75 to 2 hours. From $150.

Overview

This cage-free shark swim runs out of Haleiwa Small Boat Harbor on Oahu's North Shore, and it works roughly the opposite of what most people picture. There is no cage between you and the animals. You spend around half an hour in the water with the sharks living in the area, with a guide on the boat and a safety diver in the water with you the whole time. The whole outing lasts approximately 1.75 to 2 hours.

Islandview Hawaii keeps the group small. The listing caps each trip at eight travellers, and a minimum of two bookings is needed for a departure to run, so solo travellers may be contacted if the minimum is not met. Reviewers repeatedly describe the crew as calm and attentive, including with nervous swimmers and people who could not swim at all. Some reviewers describe tiger sharks passing close, and others mention swimming among Galapagos sharks. Free photos and video from the trip are provided afterwards, which matters because personal underwater cameras are not allowed in the water for safety reasons.

It suits travellers who want a genuinely close wildlife encounter in open water. No hotel pickup is included, so you drive yourself to the harbor on the North Shore. The minimum age is five, with an adult required alongside.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet at Haleiwa harborArrive at Island View Hawaii Small Boat Harbor, 66-105 Haleiwa Rd, Haleiwa, meeting time is 15 minutes prior to the tour. Meet on the left side of the harbor next to the boat launching ramp and loading dock. Free parking is available near the dock.
2. Boat ride to the siteThe boat travels out from Haleiwa into open water off the North Shore to an area where sharks are known to gather. One reviewer described the ride out as about 15 minutes.
3. Cage-free swim with sharksSpend around half an hour in the water at the surface, snorkeling with the sharks that live in the area, with a safety diver swimming with each group.
4. Return to the harborThe boat heads back and the activity ends at the same meeting point. Photos and video from the trip are provided free afterwards.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points make this trip go smoothly, from what to wear on the boat to how the water time actually feels.

• Arrive ready to swim. A swimsuit is not provided, so come wearing one. Apply sunscreen before boarding, since the crew asks that excessive scents and oils stay out of the water. Bottled water is not included either, so consider bringing your own.
• Swimming ability. The listing says travellers should have a moderate physical fitness level, and one reviewer noted you do need to know how to swim. That said, several reviewers who were nervous or not confident in the water said the crew kept them calm and made them feel safe.
• Group feel. Trips run with a maximum of eight travellers and a safety diver in the water with each group. One reviewer noted that when several people in the group could not swim, the guides' attention went mostly to assisting them.
• Photos handled for you. Free photos and videos of the trip are provided, and reviewers mention receiving a large set of images afterwards. Personal underwater cameras are not allowed for safety reasons, so leave your own gear dry and count on the crew's shots instead.
• Seasickness. The listing recommends taking Dramamine an hour before the tour if you are prone to seasickness. It is a boat trip in open water, so travellers who get seasick easily should plan ahead.
• Finding the dock. The meeting point is on the left side of the harbor next to the boat launching ramp and loading dock at Haleiwa Small Boat Harbor. Plan to arrive 15 minutes before your tour time, as the listing asks.

Common issues. The trip needs a minimum of two travellers to run, and if that minimum is not met you will be contacted and offered a different date, experience, or a refund. It is weather dependent, and cancellations for poor weather come with a different date or a full refund. The activity is not wheelchair accessible, personal underwater cameras are banned, and no hotel pickup is provided, so you have to make your own way to Haleiwa on the North Shore. A full refund requires cancelling at least 24 hours before the start time; anything inside that window is not refunded, and changes inside that window are not accepted.

Good To Know