The Reef Shark Discovery Expedition

Duration: Approx. 9 hours (including ferry transfers)

Departure: Port Denarau, Nadi

Location: Kuata Island, Yasawa Islands, Fiji

• All participants must complete the online dive medical and waiver prior to booking.
• If medical clearance is required, please consult your doctor before booking.
• Diving is not permitted within 24 hours of flying.
• Failure to meet medical requirements on arrival will result in forfeiture of the booking.
  

Check in at Port Denarau between 8:15–8:30am before departing at 8:45am for the Yasawa Islands.

Arrive at Kuata Island between 10:15am and 10:30am, where you’ll be welcomed by the Barefoot Shark Encounters team and introduced to the day ahead.

Meet your host — one of Kuata Island’s in-house marine biologists — who will provide an overview of the island’s marine sanctuary, shark conservation programme and the experiences ahead.

Your expedition centres around a guided Introductory Dive with Reef Sharks, designed for those with no prior diving experience.

The experience begins with a 45-minute pool-based training session, where under professional instructor supervision you will learn:

• scuba equipment fundamentals
• breathing techniques
• underwater communication
• essential safety procedures
  

This structured session builds confidence before entering the ocean environment.

Following training, enjoy a relaxed island lunch overlooking the ocean, with time to unwind before your open-water dive.

After lunch, your marine biologist host delivers an engaging Shark Ecology session, exploring:

• shark behaviour and body language
• predator-prey relationships
• the ecological role of sharks in reef systems
  

Guests are introduced to our Shark Ecology programme, with certification issued following participation — adding a meaningful educational component to your experience.

With training and knowledge in place, the experience culminates in your guided reef shark dive.

Under close supervision from experienced dive professionals, you’ll descend into shallow reef habitat where blacktip and whitetip reef sharks are commonly encountered.

These calm and curious sharks move gracefully through coral formations, offering an immersive and unforgettable first diving experience in a controlled and carefully managed environment.

This is more than a “try dive” — it is a guided shark encounter designed to connect you with the underwater world in a meaningful and memorable way.

After your dive, enjoy time to relax or explore Kuata Island, including:

• snorkelling coral gardens from the beach
• relaxing on the sand
• taking in the surrounding Yasawa landscapes
  

Depart Kuata Island at approximately 3:45pm, arriving back at Port Denarau around 6:00pm.

This is not simply a beginner dive experience — it is a fully guided introduction to shark diving in Fiji, combining training, marine education and real shark encounters in one extraordinary day.