Top 10 most shark infested beaches (2023)

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Picturesque ocean waves, soft golden sand and cool summer breezes are just some of the things to look forward to when planning the ideal beach vacation.

Still, you need to choose your beach wisely, because you never know the dangers that lurk beneath the waves.

Although there are many sea creatures to watch out for on the beach - jellyfish, stingrays, some of thecrazier fish out there...there is also the mother of all dreaded fish - sharks!

Hundreds of species of sharks dart through the oceans around the world, some as big as your hand and others as big as your car.

Now, let's get this straight from the start, just because a body of water is "shark infested" doesn't mean there will be a lot of shark attacks. It just means there are a lot of sharks there.

And sure, a number of sharks may congregate in a given location, but depending on various factors, the sharks may or may not be interested in you as "prey." We will address these different factors in this article.

However, which beaches are most infested with sharks? And why?

Here's what we're going to cover today:

• [ps2id url=’#0′ offset=” class=”]List of Common Sharks[/ps2id]
• [ps2id url=’#1′ offset=” class=”]Shark facts that might surprise you[/ps2id]
• [ps2id url=’#2′ offset=” class=”]Top 10 most shark infested beaches[/ps2id]
  • [ps2id url=’#2′ offset=” class=”]Gansbaai, South Africa[/ps2id]
  • [ps2id url=’#3′ offset=” class=”]Kosi Bay, Kwa-Zulu-Natal, Südafrika[/ps2id]
  • [ps2id url=’#4′ offset=” class=”]New Smyrna Beach, Florida, USA[/ps2id]
  • [ps2id url=’#5′ offset=”class=”]Bolinas, Kalifornien, USA[/ps2id]
  • [ps2id url=’#6′ offset=“ class=“]Recife, Brasilien[/ps2id]
  • [ps2id url=’#7′ offset=” class=”]Nicaraguasee, Nicaragua[/ps2id]
  • [ps2id url=’#8′ offset=” class=”]Bondi Beach, New South Wales, Australien[/ps2id]
  • [ps2id url=’#9′ offset=” class=”]La Réunion[/ps2id]
  • [ps2id url=’#10′ offset=”class=”]West End, Grand Bahamas[/ps2id]
  • [ps2id url=’#11′ offset=”class=”]Umhlanga Rocks, Südafrika[/ps2id]

Before we continue, let's explain what the most common species of sharks are and some of their characteristics...

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A list of common sharks

Bullenhaie

Facts About Bull Sharks:

• Found in warm, shallow waters worldwide
• Can be very aggressive
• Can also be found in rivers and lakes
• Small eyes, triangular teeth, broad snout, strong body
• Can adapt to different water types (fresh, salt, brackish)
• Can accelerate quickly from 4-11 mph if needed
• They have big appetites and eat many different things (fish, dolphins, birds, crabs...you)
• Fewer bull sharks than before but still not endangered

Great White Sharks

• Known as the ultimate sea predator
• Averaging between 15 and 20 feet in length and weighing up to 5000 pounds
• They can swim up to 15 km/h
• Due to their coloring, they blend in harmoniously and are hardly recognizable from above or below
• Their hunting technique is the old "bump bite" where they ram and bite their prey as well
• They eat a variety of things including sea lions, fish, rays and sometimes even whales
• Listed as vulnerable on theRote List there IUCN
• They rarely encounter or attack humans, and when they do, the mortality rate is even lower
• Humans catch/hunt Great Whites on a regular basis so to be fair we are an exponentially greater threat to them

Great White Shark Distribution Chart (Global):

Blacktip Reef Sharks

Blacktip Reef Shark Facts:

• Distinctive black tips on the fins (hence the name)
• Commonly found on Pacific coral reefs
• Grow between 5-7' long
• They are usually shy and will swim away from people (even snorkelers have trouble approaching them).
• Don't go too far, ie. They have a range of 0.2 square miles
• They have been known to hunt cooperatively
• What they like to eat is small schools of fish

Spinnerhaie

Facts about Spinner Sharks:

• Fast swimmers
• They like to jump out of the water and spin around (like a dolphin)
• Their jumping technique is part of how they catch food by quickly swimming upwards with their mouths open
• You like to eat fish (e.g. sardines and other pack fish)
• Found worldwide, always on the move (migration)
• They rarely care about people

Tigerhaie

Facts About Tiger Sharks:

• Not all have stripes
• Curious and can be aggressive
• Nicked teeth
• Excellent sense of smell
• Hunt sea turtles regularly
• Sometimes share food with whales
• Eat literally anything they come across, including trash
• Seagrass somehow benefits from their presence
• They like warm water
• Some tiger sharks migrate south in winter

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Now that you're somewhat familiar with sharks - sharp teeth, beady eyes and whatnot - let's look at some more general shark facts that might surprise you, followed by... theTop 10 most shark infested beaches.

More shark facts that might surprise you

Sharks have excellent eyesight

Most sharks can see very well in dark areas. They have amazing night vision and can see different colors.

The back of sharks' eyeballs has a reflective layer of tissue called the tapetum. It is this layer that helps sharks see extremely well in dimly lit areas.

Sharks have unique electroreceptor organs

Almost all sharks have small black spots scattered near the nose, eyes, and mouth. These spots are known as Lorenzini ampoules.

Lorenzini's ampullae are unique electroreceptor organs that allow sharks to sense nearby electromagnetic fields and temperature changes in the ocean.

Shark skin feels like sandpaper

Shark skin feels similar to sandpaper in that it is made up of small tooth-like structures called placoid scales. These scales are also known as skin denticles.

Their purpose is to reduce friction from the surrounding water as the shark swims.

Sharks can be "hypnotized".

When sharks are turned upside down, they enter a trance-like state called tonic immobility. In this state they are incredibly calm and easy to control.

Scientists often put sharks in this state when working on them in the water.

Not all sharks live in the ocean

While most sharks live in all of the world's oceans, some species are known to live in freshwater lakes and rivers. For example, bull sharks have evolved to swim between salt and fresh water.

River sharks have also been found in rivers of South Asia, New Guinea and Australia.

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Next we look atDieTop 10 beaches with the most sharks...

Gansbaai, South Africa - Part of Shark Alley

Popularly known as a fishing town and holiday resort, Gansbaai is also home to a very large population of everyone's favorite super ocean predator, the great white shark.

Because of this, Gansbaai is part of an area known as Shark Alley.

AccordinglySharkbookings.com, "Shark Alley" is "a thin strip of water between the two islands of Dyer Island and Geyser Rock near Gansbaai in South Africa" ​​where seals annually attract a flock of great white sharks to the area, and so the area is host to some of the best shark cage dives in the world.

"Shark cage diving" you say? Yes, people actually get in a cage and wait for sharks to come over so they can get close.

Watch this video and you'll get an idea of ​​what you too can take part in if you have some love for these primeval predators.

Yes, while some people hear the word "shark" and run (or swim) in the opposite direction, there are those who say "Where?" followed by "Please bring me closer!"

Companies around Gansbaai take visitors on boats to witness the Great Whites in all their crunching glory, even if it means the Great White poke their head and cage in and try to bite you.

Confused? It turns out some people just love the thrill of being so close to one of these hungry predators.

This little shark stay will usually cost you a few hundred dollars.

But if this adventure doesn't appeal to you so much, you can take your seat on the ship's deck and watch the sharks eating bait or the local seas.

Sure, Gansbaai's deeper waters might not be a spot for an occasional swim, but it's usually fine if you stick to the shallows.

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Next we're moving to South Africa...

Kosi Bay, Kwa-Zulu-Natal, South Africa

Kosi Bay is our second most shark infested spot.

Kosi Bay is famous for its pristine beauty and is also home to Zambezi Sharks/bull sharks that live in the freshwater lakes and estuaries.

Bull sharks, also known as Zambezi sharks in this region, are known to be downright aggressive if you get too close and this creates fear in those with a shark phobia, which a large number of people are.

Also, it is known that bull sharks can swim in different types of waters as we mentioned above in the fact sheet about them and this makes people even more scared of them because apparently they can appear anywhere there is water.

Estuaries are breeding grounds for sharks and other fish, and by that we mean shark nurseries, so sharks congregate there because that's where they go to have their babies, and that's where a shark's life often begins.

Just because there are bull sharks in this region doesn't mean they're after you. The beach itself is picturesque and many people go there regularly without encountering bull sharks.

It seems that most scared aroundKosi Bay is a place of shark attacksis traced back to a shark attack that happened to a woman named Janie Pelser in 1972 as she was sitting in shallow water when a shark suddenly appeared and bit her foot.

The attack was not fatal, but Kosi Bay has since been mislabeled as a place where vicious sharks attack innocent people.

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On to the next...

New Smyrna Beach, Florida, USA

Here on New Smyrna Beach, sharks have been known to encounter people and "accidentally" bite them.

But in their defense, that's probably just because it thinks you're a fish carcass or something else they mistake for food.

The water isn't the clearest, so sharks often don't recognize people right away. Sharks like to nibble on things they spot in the water to see what it is, so they sometimes bite.

Sharks are not known to particularly like the taste of humans, and by the way (read thisNational Geographic report on sharksfor more info), the sharks in New Smyrna that usually bite are smaller, so that should also be taken into account.

Read this TripAdvisor thread about whether locals in New Smyrna are worried about the sharks

The waters off New Smyrna Beach in east-central Florida are teeming with spinner, blacktip and tiger sharks. If it's any consolation, these are nowhere near the biggest sharks in the water.

Often dubbed the 'Shark Bite Capital of the World', New Smyrna is still a popular vacation spot for many beachgoers and especially surfers as the waves there are fantastic and attract surfers from all over the world.

Read our article “Top 10 Surfspots in Florida” and New Smyrna is on the list!

It's also worth noting that, according to the website, New Smyrna is 26% safer when it comes to common crimes than other parts of the USVibes area. Does that offset reported shark attacks?

Well, according to locals, it's the surfers who have the most concern about the shark population, as the best surf spots in New Smyrna are also the most shark-infested.

While not as aggressive as great white sharks or bull sharks, they do approach people randomly and often mistake them for other things, or just out of curiosity.

To a shark, a surfer is no different than a turtle or any other prey. You're swimming in water, you're made of flesh, maybe it's time for a little something.

Because so many people visit New Smyrna and there are so many sharks, many "attacks" are often reported, but the extent of the attacks is sometimes embellished or not stated.

This all leads to the reputation that New Smyrna has for shark attacks. The bottom line is that people still surf there, and sharks still congregate, and it's no less popular because there are a lot of sharks there.

I recently spoke to a local named Courtney and here is her take on the shark "situation" in New Smyrna: "I've been in this town for over 15 years, I find it totally misleading to say 'shark infested' only because it is simply their houses that we enter at our own risk. At Smyrna's new beach, I don't feel that sharks are a problem for beachgoers or really for humans.”

Courtney continues: "Fun fact: we are the shark bite capital of the world!! Although, on average, we have the most shark bites per year, the damage is minor and usually only requires stitches when this is the case. The sharks aren't interested in fooling around or eating people, they just sometimes mistake them for food, so they quickly realize you're not what they're looking for and might leave you with a scratch or wound caused by stings can heal. Our most common hair breeds in our area are the more aggressive due to their higher testosterone levels. Luckily for us, our injuries are very minor compared to places like Hawaii and California where people lose entire limbs and sometimes their lives.”

Watch this video of manatees and sharks in New Smyrna.

Also check out this video of a whale shark spotted at the Ponce inlet:

Or check out this surfer who was bitten by a shark in Jacksonville waters and has some advice after being nibbled...

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Bolinas Bay, California, USA

Bolinas is a small beach in Marin County, Northern California and is part of what is known as the "Red Triangle". It's also a hotspot for surfers who just can't get enough of the waves in this area.

What is the "Red Triangle" and why doesn't it sound very inviting? Watch this short video to get an idea of ​​the location of this shark infested area.

Aside from its utopian seaside vibe and reclusive residents who appear to be tearing down signs pointing the way to the beach (presumably to have the surfing all to themselves?), Bolinas is also known for great white sharks, with numerous recorded attacks , giving Bolinas a certain "reputation", if you will.

These large sharks swim in large numbers in the waters off Bolinas and Stinson Beach and are responsible for a number of non-fatal attacks in and around the area.

Here's a video showing a shark relaxing in the water not far from shore.

In 2002, a great white shark measuring 12 to 14 feet viciously attacked a 24-year-old surfer.

Although the man survived, it took him over 100 stitches to close the bite wounds.

These attacks haven't stopped surfers from going about their business as surfers are often a down-to-earth guy who understands that sharks are an integral part of the overall ecosystem in the area.

Not only that, the waves are just too damn good to ignore. This means there will likely always be sharks in Bolinas, as well as surfers who mistake sharks for seals and occasionally bite.

Here's a video of a local who seems to enjoy fishing for sharks. Apparently not everyone in Bolinas is afraid of the delicious fish!

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Recife, Brazil

While the other beaches mentioned so far seem more or less in tune with their sharks, Recife is a little different.

Sometimes called the "Venice of South America", with many bridges and small islands, tThis fantastic city beach has perfect sunshine and cool sea breezes. It is the fourth largest city in Brazil with over 4 million inhabitants.

It was also, historically, the first established slave port in America, established in 1537Wikipedia page about Recife.

But on top of all that, it's also a favorite spot for many, many bull sharks, so much so that surfing has been banned in Recife since 1995 and swimmers are constantly told to avoid the reefs and the wild and unpredictable currents in the area.

Between 1992 and 2003 there were over 63 shark attacks - 24 of which ended fatally. The mortality rate from these attacks is a staggering 37%.

Why so many sharks in Recife?

If you're wondering why so many sharks are drawn to Recife, here's a plausible explanation, supported by a peer-reviewed study.

In the 1980s, a huge port calledport-suapewas built to facilitate the entry and exit of more ships (e.g. cargo ships) and to extend the docks far out into the ocean.

The construction of Port Suape required dredging the estuaries where sharks typically breed.

All of these constructions disrupted the breeding of bull sharks, which were then forced to move closer to the Recife shoreline.

The ships that were now frequenting the area had a habit of dumping trash in the water since the 1990s, which attracted more sharks — tiger sharks that eat anything.

The sharks were also attracted to the low hum of the huge boats, which only served to attract more sharks to the area.

Pernambuco Committee

Once the influx of sharks was identified by the local scientific community, thePernambuco Committeewas formed in the early 1990s to keep an eye on sharks. At that time, many sharks were caught, tagged, and then released far from shore.

In 2014 dr. Fabio Hazin, the professor at theRural Federal University of Pernambuco, shared the results of the shark studies in theanimal welfareMagazine.

Essentially, the culmination of 10 years of research was that 'culling' (capturing and killing) sharks was not required, but that the bioecological study of these sharks (ie tagging and translocation) should continue for the foreseeable future.

Although this is the best possible solution at this point while the port is still active, the presence of the port itself almost guarantees that there are plenty of sharks in the Recife area.

Don't ignore the warnings

There are many warning signs for tourists visiting Recife to avoid the water, but despite all warnings, both from signs and word of mouth, tourists persist in taking a dip.

A particular beach in Recife, Boa Viagem is a densely populated area where locals know how to avoid the water yet see tourists ignoring their signs.

You'd think that in a place where one in three shark attacks results in death, it's probably safer to focus on your tan than to jump in the water.

A more recent shark attack in 2013 on an 18-year-old woman named Bruna Gobbi resulted in her death. Here's a video of that attack.

If you've been thinking of getting in the water here, just think about this video before you do.

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What to do if you encounter a tiger shark

1. Keep calm because they will sense your panic
2. Make and hold eye contact with the shark
3. Make yourself big, ie. Try to breathe in lots of air and inflate
4. DO NOT play dead (or you will be dead)
5. Move further away from them, but don't ignore them
6. BONUS TIP - Punch the shark in the eye or gill (weak spots) on the nose (not weak)
7. BONUS TIP 2 - You'll see bright colors like yellow, orange and red in murky water (so wear black)
8. BONUS TIP 3 - Pray to God it's not a tall white guy

On to the next beach...

#6 – Nicaraguasee (Lake Cocibolca), Nicaragua

Lake Nicaragua is the largest lake in Central America and iIt's also infested with bull sharks, which can be known to be quite aggressive.

Lake Nicaragua is known locally as the "sweet sea," which is aptly named for this body of water as it is salt-free. But it is similar to seawater in that it has ocean-like features such as waves, archipelagos, and sharks.

Scientists have long wondered how there could be so many sharks in this vast freshwater lake.

The old theory

The original theory about the occurrence of these sharks in the lake was that because Lake Nicaragua is so large (8,000 square kilometers) and so close to the Pacific Ocean, it was once thought to be a huge bay.

Over a period of thousands of years the land eroded and the bay became a lake and the salinity of the water changed to fresh water which the bull sharks then adapted to after being trapped in the lake.

The current theory

The current theory differs from the old theory in that it states that Lake Nicaragua was always a lake connected to the Caribbean Sea by the San Juan River.

The San Juan River, a 119-mile river that flows from the lake (San Carlos) to the sea (Grey Town) and flows eastward, was and is the bull sharks' route between lake and sea.

Remarkably, bull sharks make the great effort to swim upstream, like a spawning salmon, to settle in the lake. They also return to the sea after birth.

Bull sharks are viviparous, meaning they give birth to a live "pup," like a dog or even a human. Between 4 and 10 puppies are born per litter and gestation lasts 12 months.

Here's a video that talks more about shark reproduction if you're interested.

But why would the bull sharks do that? Wouldn't you prefer the salty seawater to the shallow, warm, freshwater lake of Lake Nicaragua?

This is most likely because bull sharks like to breed and feed in warm, murky, shallow water. This type of water also happens to be the type of water that humans like. This is where the trouble begins.

Bull sharks are territorial and inquisitive

Bull sharks like to eat many things - turtles, crustaceans, echinoderms (invertebrates), dolphins, other sharks, your dog, stingrays and of course you - if you come across one.

Studies show that most bull shark attacks are quite territorial and quite inquisitive. These are known and documented facts about bull sharks.

So imagine being in a pen with a bunch of rowdy Rottweilers. The dogs will at least sniff you when you enter their pen.

The difference here is that these dogs are actually sharks that are 11 feet long and weigh 700 pounds each. They're a bit moody, with a set of sharp teeth.

Bull sharks have 50 rows of teeth with 7 teeth per row, which is 350 sharp teeth in their mouth at any given time.

That's what Lake Nicaragua is to bull sharks - one big pen, and they say it's theirs.

You haven't received the memo that it's your vacation spot yet. In fact, it's their home and they like it that way.

The bull shark's magical rectal gland

There is a gland in the bull shark's rectum that is less active than other sharks and therefore unable to excrete excess salt from its body.

For this reason, bull sharks often choose freshwater as they are unable to handle too much salinity at once.

At the same time, when more salt is needed, their livers produce something called "urea," which allows them to exist in any amount of salt water.

Overall, it makes sense for bull sharks to have their young in a freshwater lake like Lake Nicaragua as it is more isolated and their babies cannot tolerate the salt of the deep sea.

Anyway, you can see why maybe bull sharks like living in Lake Nicaragua.

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On to Australia...

#7 – Bondi Beach, New South Wales, Australien

Both surfers and sharks love the waters of this world famous beach in New South Wales, Australia. This beach is known for its rocks, warm water and beautiful sand, among other things.

The types of sharks you will encounter in Australia generally include: bull sharks, bronze whalers, gray nurse sharks, oceanic whitetips, pygmies, blacktip reef sharks and a few others.

Here is a dwarf shark. Hellooooo handsome!

There are several prime surf spots in Bondi and sharks don't seem to stop surfers surfing there as the breaks are so perfect.

There is even oneBondi Beach live surf camYou can always check what the conditions are there, courtesy of Coastalwatch.com.

As you would expect in such a prime surfing location, there are surf schools likelet's go surfingwho teach surfing in Bondi, Byron Bay and Maroubra.

So how bad can Bondi Beach really be when it comes to sharks when it's such a popular destination for surfers and beach-goers?

While it's exceptionally rare for a shark to actually attack someone on Bondi Beach (but it has happened), sightings are definitely fairly common as a variety of different species of sharks definitely call the area home.

Here's a video captured by a drone flying overhead using Bondi's latest "shark spotter" app.

Bondi Beach seems to be getting a lot of attention because apparently it's such a famous beach and is so popular that there have always been concerns about shark attacks since it happened and the sharks live there.

Bondis shark detection app - "Clever Buoy"

Instead of continuing these attacks in New South Wales, an app called Clever Buoy was developed to monitor sharks in the area.

This revolutionary technology, developed by Shark Mitigation Systems (ASX:SM8) to track the sharks using something similar to facial recognition, is obviously not limited to areas in Australia, but the situation in New South Wales has certainly helped ins To be there.

Essentially, Bondi Beach is testing the effectiveness of the app, which Craig Anderson, founder of Shark Mitigation Services, says uses "new-age sonar" to create a "virtual shark net."

Watch this video to hear Craig Anderson talk about Shark Mitigation Systems.

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On to the next beach – La Réunion!

#8 – Reunion

La Réunion is a French island east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean and a well-known shark paradise.

It has been dubbed the "Shark Capital of the World" in recent years and was responsible for 16% of the world's fatal shark attacks between 2011 and 2016.

On the brighter side, Reunion is known for many amazing sights that attract tourists all year round.

These attractions include: incredible black or white sand beaches, stunning coral reefs, inland waterfalls, the lush green of the island's rainforests and – of course – the well-known landmark, the climbable, active Piton de la Fournaise volcano.

If you love the outdoors and like to travel and enjoy some serious biodiversity, then Reunion Island is probably on your short list of places to visit.

Tourists go there for rafting, hiking, paragliding, rafting and much more!

But the disturbing shark attack stats remain. As of 2018, there have been 27 documented fatal shark attacks at this location. Bull and tiger sharks are the common sharks in these waters.

The sharks are aggressive and have frightened visitors and residents for many years.

In February 2017, bodyboarder Alexandre Naussac became the eighth fatality in Reunion Islands, with the tragedy sparking controversy when surfing legend Kelly Slater publicly stated, "If the whole world had these attack rates, nobody would use the ocean and millions of people would." would do so die".

Part of the reason he said that is because if you compare something like South Africa to Reunion Island, South Africa has had 7 fatal shark attacks in the same time period as Reunion Island, but is also 490 times the size of Reunion Island.

Meanwhile, Florida had 152 shark attacks between 2011 and 2016 and none were fatal. This is because the Florida sharks were not the larger, more aggressive sharks seen on Reunion Island, and this explains the lack of fatalities, although there are still large numbers of attacks.

Despite the many people who always want to come forward to defend sharks in general, it is clear that Reunion Island has a major and perfectly legitimate shark problem.

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Go on…

#9 – West End, Grand Bahamas

Unlike other shark-infested beaches, West End, Grand Bahamas has no documented fatal shark attacks.

As in Gansbaai, shark cage diving is a popular activity here. Tourists come to the West End to watch the hungry sharks.

However, be very careful when visiting the Bahamas. It is home to almost every species of shark: blacktip, bull, hammerhead, you name it.

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On to the last beach on our list…

#10 – Umhlanga Rocks, South Africa

Umhlanga Rocks is located on the coast of the Indian Ocean. It is home to great white sharks and bull sharks.

In 1957 several fishing nets were installed to protect swimmers.

Surfers here wear shark repelling devices: a clear indication that Umhlanga Rocks is one of the most dangerous shark attack sites in the world.

We hope you enjoyed our article on the beaches with the most sharks!