Australia's Best Underwater Encounters

Australia is home to majestic mammals and fierce predators of the sea. But, in order to grasp the beauty and magnificence of these creatures you’re gonna have to get wet. Great white sharks, wild dolphins, saltwater crocodiles, whale sharks, and minke whales are among the wildlife you can encounter in underwater experiences throughout Australia. So what are you waiting for? Let’s dive in.

Cage Diving With Great White Sharks

There’s nothing more exhilarating then entering into the water with a Great White Shark, and Port Lincoln, South Australia is the only place in the country where you tick this encounter off your bucket list. There are several tours operating in Port Lincoln but we recommend Adventure Bay Charters. They are offer an eco-friendly experience free of bait and a one-of-a-kind Aqua Sub which allows you to see the sharks underwater without getting wet. Your day begins bright and early and as you travel the 70 kilometres towards the Neptune Islands. You’ll be given breakfast as you pass friendly dolphins, sea birds and seals along the way.

There are multiple dive sights and opportunities to give you the best chance to see the white pointers. Once submerged, we guarantee these toothy creatures will have your heart racing as they glide by. Adventure Bay Charters uses audio vibrations to attract the sharks and it turns out that great whites love AC/DC. The entire experience is euphoric and will leave you with a healthy respect for sharks.

Adventure Bay Charters, 2 Jubilee Drive, Port Lincoln, SA, Australia +61 08 8682 2979

Courtesy of Adventure Bay Charters

Swim with Minke Whales

Each winter Dwarf Minke Whales migrate through the Great Barrier Reef and no matter whether you prefer to scuba dive or snorkel Mike Ball Dive Expeditions will give you the best chance to swim alongside these majestic baleen whales. Since 1996 the company have been conducting voyages to the best Ribbon Reef located 100 miles north of Cairns including Challenger Bay, Pixie Gardens and Steve’s Bommie.

During your three to seven day trip in Australia, you will have the opportunity to dive or snorkel numerous times at various reefs, partake in research and attend onboard lectures. Minke whales grow to eight meters in length and encounters normally include two to three whales and, on average, last 90 minutes. To start your trip you’ll fly over spectacular reefs on route to Lizard Island and in addition to interacting with Minke Whales you will meet potato cods, reef sharks and array of tropical fish.

Mike Ball Dive Expeditions, 3 Abbott Street, Cairns, Queensland 4870 Australia +61 7 4053 0500

Courtesy of Mike Ball Dive Expeditions

Encounter Wild Dolphins

There’s nothing amusing about seeing a bored dolphin flashing his deceptive smile while trapped in a tank, but meeting these playful creatures in the wild is unforgettably beautiful. Dolphin Swim Australia ‘holds the only Marine Park Authority commercial permit in New South Wales for wild dolphin swims’ and after three years of careful monitoring the company has ‘achieved unprecedented compliance statistics.’

Your wild encounter takes place in the pristine waters of the Port Stephens- Great Lakes Marine Park which is home to short-beaked common dolphins and oceanic bottlenose dolphins. Departing at 6am, the 15.8 meter sailing catamaran will take you through the bay and pass the islands and if the dolphins are feeling playful you will enter into their world and be towed through the water as the dolphins investigate and swim around at their own free will.

Dolphin Swim Australia Nelson Bay, NSW, Australia +61 1300 721 358

Courtesy of Dolphin Swim Australia

Whale Sharks

In Western Australian you can snorkel with the world’s biggest fish: the whale shark. Growing to a mammoth 12 meters in length these filter feeding sharks are completely harmless. Ningaloo Reef is the only place in Australia where you can swim alongside these tranquil creatures. Three Islands Whale Shark Dive in Exmouth on Western Australia’s Coral Coast has been operating since 1997 and is committed to educating divers on whale sharks and employing sustainable practices.

The adventure starts at 7:15am and your first practice dive takes place in a shallow reef — you’ll be surrounded by vibrant fish and may even meet a turtle or two. Once a whale shark has been spotted you’ll make your way out and snorkel on the surface as the sharks glide beneath you. Whale Sharks are mostly spotted between March and August, however depending on the month you may even see humpback whales, dugongs and manta rays.

Three Islands Whale Shark Dive, Driftwood Centre, Shop One, 1 Kennedy St, Exmouth WA, Australia +61 08 9949 1994

Courtesy of Three Islands Whale Shark Dive Photographer Marie-Josee Arsenault

Crocosaurus Cove

Saltwater Crocodiles are one of Australia’s most ferocious creatures and at Crocosaurus Cove in the Northern Territory you can come face to face with them in the Cage of Death. Located in the heart of Darwin, the park is home to the world’s largest collection of Australian reptiles with more than 70 species. This only place in the country offering two underwater experience with crocodiles.

Since opening in 2008 visitors have bravely climbed down the ladder into to the Cage of Death before slowly being lowered into the water. Once submerged you’ll meet the enormous prehistoric residents known as Chopper, William and Kate and spend 15 thrilling minutes with them. Also at Crocosaurus Cove is a unique, divided swimming pool where you can swim next to juvenile crocodiles, a turtle sanctuary and aquarium full of Barramundi and Whipray.

Crocosaurus Cove, 58 Mitchell St, Darwin NT, Australia +61 08 8981 7522

By Monique La Terrra

These recommendations were updated on February 9, 2017 to keep your travel plans fresh.