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Kuata Island Tour: Snorkel with Reef Sharks Along Fiji's Crystal Clear Waters
4.4
140 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
4.4
(140 Ratings)
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Victoria
Sep 22, 2025
Amazing time, seeing sharks was incredible and definitely get sumi to make you a coconut bandana ! - Amazing day, so well planned from start to finish, seeing the sharks was incredible and the staff took such good care of you in the water, the villa was so beautiful with incredible staff that helped with anything you needed. Sumi is a Fijian god that can make anything out of coconut leaves he made us bandanas and a bag it is mesmerising to watch best experience ever would highly recommend
Review provided by Tripadvisor
David_h
Sep 21, 2025
Best Snorkeling Adventure - The snorkeling was fantastic! We saw 5-6 sharks and numerous different types of fish. We were able to swim around the reef and check it out for 45 mins of so. The lunch was also delicious and the team were all very helpful and nice.
Review provided by Viator
Danielle_s
Sep 18, 2025
Great scenery - This was an incredible day experience. Transportation is booked in advance and is nice air condition bus transportation to the main doc and then includes a high-speed catamaran to the island, followed by snorkeling with sharks for a couple of hours. Only one snorkeling stop and if I did it again, I would probably do a dive, but having said it, it was an incredible experience
Review provided by Viator
Courtney_p
Aug 26, 2025
Recommend this 👌 - Amazing experience, was awesome to swim with the reef sharks and see the coral up close. And Barefoot Kuata island was beautiful and the staff were so welcoming. The buffet lunch included was delicious and so were the cocktails! Vinaka!
Review provided by Viator
Katharina_h
Aug 2, 2025
The perfect mix! - Arrival and departure went well organized. Everyone was very friendly and at Barefoot Kuata ES is now a new section just for day guests - fantastically beautiful! We saw a lot of sharks up close and were also able to relax. The food was excellent!
Review provided by Viator
Andrea_m
Aug 5, 2025
No shark snorkeling - Weather can effect site of snorkeling so not necessarily going to see sharks. Everything was well done on the island just be prepared for a long boat back
Review provided by Viator
Duncannwilson
Aug 24, 2025
Too expensive for what you get - Definitely not worth the price. Very expensive for what you get. The snorkeling with sharks was really cool but it’s only 30 minutes. You’re then taken back to the island where there’s a simple lunch provided. However, you only get offered water with lunch, needing to pay the usual high Fiji prices for anything else. I found this pretty disgusting given the high price of this excursion. We did a different Fiji island day trip that was half the price and included free drinks all day (beers and soft drinks). Making you pay for this when you’ve already paid a hefty price felt very cheeky to me. Once back at the island it felt like everyone was just waiting for time to go. Also, being part of south sea cruises, you’re on a large ferry with many people on different tours/day trips so it’s a lot less intimate than some of the other tours on offer.
If you can find a smaller tour that offers shark snorkelling then I’d recommend that, especially if it’s cheaper than this.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sightsee653371
Sep 16, 2025
Consumer beware - My fault!!! I misread the time to be there! Somewhere along the line I thought I read to be there at 8:45am. It starts at 8:45. Again, my fault but I have tried to reschedule for one or two of us, not even the entire group of four, and I literally have had NO RESPONSE ! I was hoping that someone would at least reply! No, they have their money and don’t care and I didn’t care about all the money, just wanted to see if they could get one it two people from a party of four!! Make sure you read the confusing info correctly and don’t reach out for any questions or you may get ghosted too!!! I could attach a photo of the 5 or so times I reached out with no response but… just beware of being ghosted !!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kevin_w
Sep 10, 2025
Waste of money. Only 30 mins of snorkeling - Do not book! Save yourself!! The day took nearly 10 hours and we did a total of 30 mins of snorkeling. It was crazy. They seemed more interested in trying to sell you drinks at the crap resort it leaves from. The least amount of time you’ll spend on the trip is actually snorkelling.
Review provided by Viator
Heatherbobo
Aug 9, 2025
Endless waiting - We started the day around 7am and came back at 7pm. Yes we did see sharks during the snorkeling, yet it was only 30 minutes. Except for the 30-min snorkeling and 1-hour lunch, all we did was endless waiting, waiting and waiting… Waiting for the bus, for the ferry… 12 hours of trip for just 30-min of snorkeling. I don’t recommend it at all.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
