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Kuata Island Tour: Snorkel with Reef Sharks Along Fiji's Crystal Clear Waters
4.5
116 Ratings
Denarau Island
Embark on a thrilling full-day tour of Kuata Island in Fiji, where you can snorkel with reef sharks in the crystal clear waters. Experience the adrenaline rush of swimming alongside these majestic creatures in their natural habitat.
Embark on a thrilling full-day tour of Kuata Island in Fiji, where you can snorkel with reef sharks in the crystal clear waters. Experience the adrenaline rush of swimming alongside these majestic creatures in their natural habitat.
Duration:
9 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Denarau Island - Starting from Port Denarau, guests will board a high-speed catamaran and journey through the Mamanuca Islands for 1 hour and 45 minutes, heading towards Barefoot Kuata Island Resort in the southern Yasawa Islands. This resort features a stunning beach, crystal-clear turquoise waters, unique rock formations, and warm hospitality….
- Denarau Island - Starting from Port Denarau, guests will board a high-speed catamaran and journey through the Mamanuca Islands for 1 hour and 45 minutes, heading towards Barefoot Kuata Island Resort in the southern Yasawa Islands. This resort features a stunning beach, crystal-clear turquoise waters, unique rock formations, and warm hospitality.
Shark Snorkelling After a safety briefing on the beach with experienced guides who have spent countless hours familiarizing themselves with the local school of sharks, guests will board a boat with the guides and head to the reef shark site. The guides will accompany guests in the water at all times, closely observing the sharks’ behavior to ensure safety. The water depth at the snorkelling site ranges from 4 to 6 meters, and life jackets are available for those who are not confident swimmers.
Other Activities For the rest of the day, guests can enjoy lunch and take advantage of the snorkelling gear, kayaks, and paddle boards provided.
Food and Drinks A delightful buffet lunch is included in the day trip, and drinks can be purchased at the resort. For those requiring a vegetarian option, please indicate this in the ‘special requirements’ box during the booking process.
What's Included
- Scenic cruise to Kuata Island
- Guided snorkeling with sharks experience
- All snorkeling gear and buoyancy aids provided
- Participation Certificate
- Complimentary Wi-Fi onboard
- Return coach transfers from select hotels to Port Denarau
- Full access to Barefoot Kuata Resort amenities
- Lunch at Barefoot Kuata Resort (with vegetarian options)
- Scenic cruise to Kuata Island
- Guided snorkeling with sharks experience
- All snorkeling gear and buoyancy aids provided
- Participation Certificate
- Complimentary Wi-Fi onboard
- Return coach transfers from select hotels to Port Denarau
- Full access to Barefoot Kuata Resort amenities
- Lunch at Barefoot Kuata Resort (with vegetarian options)
What's Not Included
- Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
- Diving (available to purchase)
- Massage (available to purchase)
- FUEL SURCHARGE
- Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
- Diving (available to purchase)
- Massage (available to purchase)
- FUEL SURCHARGE
Additional Information
Experience the awe-inspiring splendor of the picturesque Kuata Island with this one-day, intimate group boating and snorkeling adventure to explore the reef sharks. The Barefoot Kuata Resort, situated along a beach of pristine white sand on the panoramic Kuata Island, showcases grand towering peaks, vast honeycomb rock formations, and translucent azure…
Experience the awe-inspiring splendor of the picturesque Kuata Island with this one-day, intimate group boating and snorkeling adventure to explore the reef sharks. The Barefoot Kuata Resort, situated along a beach of pristine white sand on the panoramic Kuata Island, showcases grand towering peaks, vast honeycomb rock formations, and translucent azure waters for an amazing snorkeling opportunity with reef sharks. Nothing but the clear water separates you from the sharks for a thrilling, adrenaline-pumping experience!
- You must contact South Sea Cruises at least 24 hours before your activity date to confirm your reservation and arrange Transport. Use the contact details on this voucher. Upon check in please present your confirmation or voucher in exchange for your tour boarding pass
- 7am Coach Pick Up - First Landing Beach Resort, Nila Resort & Landers Bay Resort
- 7:10am Coach Pick Up - Anchorage Beach Resort and Nalagi Hotel
- 7:15am Coach Pick Up - Nadi International Airport, Bamboo Travellers Beach / Beach Escape Villas / Bluewater Lodge / Aquarius on the Beach / Smugglers Cove / Ramada Suites / Sailor’s Beach / New Town Beach Motel / Matasawa Resort
- 7:20am Coach Pick Up - Club Fiji, Pullman Nadi Bay Resort & Spa Fiji and Tokatoka Resort Nadi
- 7:30am Coach Pick Up - Fiji Gateway Hotel / Trans International Hotel and Oasis Palms
- 7:35am Coach Pick Up - Novotel Nadi
- 7:40am Coach Pick Up - Fancy Hotel, Tanoa International Hotel and Ratsun Nadi Airport Apartment Hotel
- 7:45am Coach Pick Up -Grand Melanesian Hotel and Tanoa Skylodge
- 7:50am Coach Pick Up - Mercure Hotel Nadi, Hexagon International Hotel /Capricorn Hotel Nadi / Travellers Apartments
- 7:55am Coach Pick Up -Nadi Bay Resort
- 8am Coach Pick Up - Wyndham Resort Denarau Island, Radisson Blu Resort Fiji, Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa and Hilton Fiji Beach Resort
- 8:10am Couch Pick Up - Sheraton Fiji Resort and The Westin Denarau Island Resort & Spa
- Is it safe?
- Yes. You’ll be provided with safety instruction from our experienced guides who’ve spent hundreds of hours getting to know our resident school of sharks. Our guides will be in the water with you the entire time and will closely monitor the sharks behaviour to ensure your safety.
- What type of sharks will I see?
- There are two main species of sharks encountered, White Tip Reef Sharks and Black Tip Reef Sharks, both are common in the tropical warm waters of the South Pacific. Each species can grow to a length of just over 1.5 metres although under the water they appear 25% larger, a snorkeling face mask optical illusion. White Tips are the dominant species and are by nature an inquisitive shark not frightened to check you out. Their Black Tip relatives are by contrast timid and will shy away if they feel threatened.
- How many sharks will I see?
- Numbers vary but it is common to see up to six sharks.
- How deep is the water?
- Both Black Tip and White Tip Reef Sharks prefer shallower waters making snorkeling easy with good visibility. It’s even possible to see the sharks from our boat before entering the water. Water depth varies between 4 - 6 metres depending on the tide.
- What if I’m not a good swimmer, haven’t snorkeled before or don’t want to snorkel but my travelling companion does?
- Buoyancy aids are available for less confident swimmers and because these sharks prefer shallow waters there’s no necessity to dive under the water to secure a thrilling view. Non-snorkelers can join the day but sit out the snorkeling experience.
- Our Shark Guarantee
- As Sharks are wild animals we cannot guarantee sightings however we have a 95% +success rate of sighting sharks. In the event that you don’t see any sharks we are happy for you to return for a complimentary “Ultimate Encounter - Snorkel with Sharks” within 3 days of your original cruise.
- If poor weather and sea conditions result in the cancellation of the ‘Snorkeling with Sharks experience,’ a substitute snorkeling safari will be provided.
- Please bring swimsuit, towel, protective clothing from the sun including a hat and sunblock, light jacket or sweater during the cooler months, money or credit card for optional purchases, your camera and sense of fun!
Location
Denarau Island
South Sea Cruises check-in counter is situated in the passenger terminal at Port Denarau. Upon entry to the terminal, you’ll see the South Sea Cruises kiosk and we recommend you check in 30 minutes prior to departure.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.5
(116 Ratings)
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Arun
Apr 26, 2025
Great experience - Great experience and well organised. Barefoot Kuata Island was amazing with crystal clear waters. Food was amazing. We saw about 10 sharks and and my kids enjoyed it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Arunganesh_k
Apr 25, 2025
Worth for money. - Unforgettable Shark Snorkeling Experience in Fiji!
We had an incredible time on the Ultimate Encounter Snorkel with Sharks tour! The kids absolutely loved it and were thrilled to see around 10 sharks up close – such an unforgettable experience for the whole family.
The day was really well-organized from start to finish, and everything ran smoothly. The staff at Barefoot Kuata Resort were amazing – super friendly, helpful, and made us feel completely at ease. The food at the resort was delicious, and the island itself is just stunning.
Barefoot Kuata is truly a slice of paradise – crystal clear waters, beautiful scenery, and the perfect setting for a day of adventure and relaxation. Highly recommend this tour for families looking for a mix of excitement and natural beauty!
Review provided by Viator
Jo_and_peter
Apr 24, 2025
Highlight of our trip! - We did the snorkelling with reef sharks as a family of 2 adults + 1 child (8 years old). It is a long day but absolutely worth it!
The snorkelling with reef sharks was amazing and we got to see heaps of reef sharks and just the right amount of time in the water. White tip sharks are our sons favourite shark so he was over the moon with this experience especially seeing the shark head butt our underwater camera!
Back on the island we had a beautifully prepared lunch and then some time to chill on the beach before heading back to the mainland. We thoroughly enjoyed this trip and it was the highlight of our vacation, thank you!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Samcd387wi
Apr 23, 2025
Long day but worth it! - Excellent activity, the snorkeling was amazing, the water so clear and warm with an abundance of fish. There was around 6 sharks swimming around that ranged from about 1.2m to 1.8m. Snorkeling time was around 30-40 minutes which is plenty. Be aware it is a long day from catching the ferry from the port to returning however well worth it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tdbeier
Apr 20, 2025
Best snorkeling & shark encounter you can do. - Awesome encounter. Plenty of reef sharks. Too many to count! Our teenage daughters love their first encounter with reef sharks. The island was great to visit and the lunch was nice. Best snorkelling/island trip in Fiji we have done.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Paigete7683mr
Apr 7, 2025
Swimming with sharks - Amazing experience would 100% recommend. Staff were super friendly and helpful with everything. Would absolutely do it again next time we are in fiji
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Wheircorey
Apr 4, 2025
Super cool experience! - Exceeded our expectations and well worth the money! We were hoping to see a couple sharks here and there but there were dozens! Many coming within close proximity. I would also recommend paying the extra money for their photographer to take photos and videos.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kristen_r
Mar 21, 2025
15th Birthday Celebration! - We did this experience for my son’s 15th birthday upon landing in Fiji. It was a great way to celebrate, and the snorkling was some of the best we saw during our time here.
Review provided by Viator
J_m
Apr 22, 2025
Tour operator did not... - Tour operator did not inform that the pickup time was changed to 8AM and not the initial 8:10AM; claimed that they did not have our email eventhough it is in our booking. Made us make our way to the port on our own with no reimbursement. Entire experience was disorganised and rush for us. Nobody told us which island we would be getting off and we didnt have time to look through our voucher as well as we were rushed to get on the cruise. Speaker at top deck was really soft, unable to hear any introduction or instructions.
Once you reach the island, waited at the deck. Everyone had different activity and was confusing - lunch was good though. Snorkel activity had 2 timings (morning or afternoon) which the guides assigns but did not inform till about 5-10min before the morning slot, making everything a rush.
Paid for the video package but there was only 1 videographer for each slot, making it really difficult to get a hold of her for your videos while floating in the waters. Too many people in a single slot, only certain people had the opportunity of having the sharks coming up close as the guide shakes the feed to attract them. Recommend to bring your own waterproof camera.
Review provided by Viator
Thescottishkiwi38
Mar 9, 2025
Not what you're led to believe - My partner and I went for a day trip on Fri 7 March. While we did get to see a number of sharks and tick that bucket list item off, I think there's a few things folks should know before going on this trip...
- This isn't snorkeling like you'd do at a shallow reef or calm water near a beach. You're taken in a tiny boat out to 30mins from the shore to water that's both deep as hell and really choppy in bad weather.
- I've snorkeled 5 times in various locations on holidays and snorkeled most weekends from living in Australia for 10 years. I've never snorkeled in water so rough. Even confident swimmers kept their lifevests on (when staff were encouraging folks to discard them if they were "good enough swimmers"). 4 of our party were back in the boat within 5-10mins. If you're not a very confident swimmer think twice about this trip unless it's a clear day with no breeze. And if you go, keep your lifevest on!
- Once the snorkeling is done you're taken back to a backpacker/hostel style resort to wait it out for hours until the main ferry comes back. The swimming pool can best be described as a pond, and the resort is exceptionally basic. Not somewhere I'd choose to spend the day if I had a choice. Bear in mind that once you've snorkeled for 25-30mins (not the 45mins you're told), the rest of the day is 2hrs on a ferry to the resort, 2hrs to get back, and the apart from the snorkel, you're stuck on a basic resort with nothing to do.
If seeing sharks is a must-do for you, then yup, go for it and knock yourself out. But if you're thinking this is the best thing to do in Fiji - that couldn't be further from the truth!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
