# Extreme Tourism Swimming With Sharks By Trend Huntress | Published 2007-08-19 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/extreme-tourism-swimming-with-sharks References: [travel.discovery](http://travel.discovery.com/ideas/adventure-travel/sharks/sharks.html) & [cbsnews](http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/12/06/60minutes/main1099368.shtml) As accessibility to distant locales surges and people's interest in extreme sports expands, so does the [adventure travel market](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/2025-big-sale). Swimming with dolphins used to be cutting edge at Sea World's Discovery Cove resort. But now tourists are spanning the globe for vacation thrills. Travelers with a taste for adrenaline can now swim with sharks on nearly every continent. The [Travel Channel](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/amazon-marathon) has compiled a list of the 10 best places to swim with sharks. 1. Cocos Island, Costa Rica - A multi-day trek aboard a ship takes divers out to view rays, pilot whales and dolphins; the waters are also home to Galapagos sharks and schooling hammerheads. 2. Galapagos Islands, Ecuador - See the critters documented by Charles Darwin and swim with schooling hammerheads and marine iguanas. 3. Papua New Guinea - It's almost impossible not to have a shark encounter here. See hammerheads, silvertips, wobbegongs, nurse sharks, leopard sharks, whale sharks and even the occasional tiger shark or thresher shark. 4. The Maldives - The Shark Thila reef is home to 16 reef sharks that make this a well-known dive site in the Indian Ocean. The colorful reef also makes for great underwater photography. 5. Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt - Stay in the Sinai Desert and explore shark-filled waters by the Straits of Tiran and Ras Mohammed. The rest of the top ten can be viewed at [The Travel Channel.](http://travel.discovery.com/ideas/adventure-travel/sharks/sharks.html) ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.0/10 - Popularity: 60% | Activity: 51% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, South America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Life](https://www.trendhunter.com/life) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Extreme Tourism:** As accessibility to distant locales surges and people's interest in extreme sports expands, the adventure travel market is growing rapidly and becoming more diverse. - **Swimming with Sharks:** Swimming with sharks is gaining increasing popularity and becoming a sought-after experience for adventure-seeking tourists worldwide. - **Underwater Photography:** The rise of underwater photography has created a new market for photographers and videographers looking to capture the thrilling experiences of extreme tourism, including swimming with sharks. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Adventure Travel:** The adventure travel industry is growing rapidly as tourists seek out more extreme experiences like swimming with sharks. - **Wildlife Tourism:** The wildlife tourism industry is being disrupted by the popularity of swimming with sharks, with more tourists seeking out encounters with these creatures in their natural habitat. - **Photography and Videography:** The rise of underwater photography and videography has created a new market for professionals looking to capture and share the thrilling experiences of extreme tourism, including swimming with sharks. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Globalized Spooky Destinations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/spooky-adventures.md) - [Underrated Travel Locations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/not-hot-lists.md) - [Underwater Jetpack Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kikfin.md) - [Luxury Adventure Travel Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/luxury-adventure-travel.md) - [Exotic Vacation Services](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/down-under-endeavors.md) - [Theatrical Shark Drinks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sharkey-temple.md) - [Caribbean Microcation Destinations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/72-hours-in-cancun.md) - [Sporty Solo Travel Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/solo-travel1.md) - [Authentic Amazonian Jungle Tours](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jungle-tour.md)