Arriving in South Africa, you will experience a new adventure that challenges logical thinking and does what you think you would never have done – in the water surrounded by sharks.
Modern boats take tourists about 7km from the mainland in the Aliwal Shoal (PV Dinh Luong at the far right). South Africa in particular and Africa in general attracts tourists with its pristine beauty, mystical indigenous culture and with 5 large species of “Big Five” including African elephants, Cape buffalo, leopard, lion and Rhino. But there is a different South Africa from the trips adventure travel Swim with sharks at Aliwal Shoal Marine Life Reserve, Umkomaas Town, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa, about 50km south of the provincial capital Durban. Here’s your chance to meet these amazing creatures face-to-face throughout your life, a new adventure experience that challenges logical thinking and does what you never thought you’d ever do – in the water surrounded by sharks. Wondering if you can’t swim, can’t swim well, or are afraid of risking your life? All you need is an adventurous, adventurous and challenging spirit as the tour organizers will offer you a variety of options – from near absolute safety to the ultimate test of willpower. . You can simply drop yourself inside a stainless steel cage approved by the Maritime Safety Authority of South Africa (SamA) with a safety mask, choosing from different degrees of shallow depth when standing in the cage according to your preference. . But prepare for adrenaline rush with a more adventurous and memorable option. 
Many different options when diving with sharks. (Photo: Dinh Luong / Vietnam +) We came to Aliwal Dive Center because it is a diving center with sharks with more than 28 years of experience. Answering my concerns and worries when considering bringing both my wife and two children to the shark experience diving tour – guide and diving expert with the shark Danie Bester said he has more than 4 years in job and no mistakes have occurred. Aliwal Dive Center is part of an effort to conserve marine life, including sharks in the Indian Ocean, around the coastal city of Durban. Leaving previous jobs in Pretoria and Johannesburg, Danie chose to guide diving with sharks, because he could do what he loved and wanted to contribute to changing the animal’s perception. After helping with the selection of swimsuits, propellers and waterproof masks, Danie carefully told us to keep our arms closed under our armpits, use the propeller to swim softly, avoiding the shark’s mistaken hands other small fish species for food and attack. Strictly complying with the requirements for medical reporting during the COVID-19 pandemic season, my family of 4 and my friend Lina, 17, a South African citizen of Indian origin join a shark diving tour. . Lina’s parents pleased their daughter but still worriedly sent off to the beach and waited. Surf safely on custom 8m Superduck Semi Rigid boats equipped with a Yamaha Four Stroke 2×100 HP engine, to the area south of Aliwal Shoal, where skilled guides say there’s plenty of fish fat. The modern motor boat takes the group about 7km from the shore, the water depth is 20-30m. 
Sharks head to the ocean from many directions. (Photo: Dinh Luong / Vietnam +) We are fortunate to have a beautiful International Labor Day, the sea is relatively calm, the water is clear, the sunlight helps the view to the sea floor. In the breeding season from July to November each year, sharks often gather in high density in this sea. Captain Keith Rousouw with 25 years of experience instructing diving with sharks directly steered the boat. He said a support group of four divers on another boat helped us attract sharks, using food from small marine fish that was prepared and strictly followed the Ministry of Environment’s Shark Diving license. South Africa. The stainless steel cage floats on the water thanks to two buoys. The cage designed and perfected by an engineer can accommodate 8 people at a time, providing a relatively comfortable space for 4 visitors on this discovery tour. You might be wondering with the number 4? I chose to swim with Danie right from the beginning after consulting with these two skilled experts. Danie let me hang on a floating wooden stake thanks to two large floats, attached to the iron cage, for a wider view and better experience. You can feel my worries more clearly when you have seen the shark videos. The Oceanic Blacktip is 1.5-2m long, stout body with pointed snout, long gill slits and no burrs between dorsal fins. This species reached a maximum known length of 2.8m and a maximum weight of 123kg. Most individuals have a black head or edge on pectoral, dorsal, ventral, and caudal fins. Danie was in the water directly with us and Keith watched carefully from the boat. Expert Danie in turn helps team members cling to the wooden stake and swim with each person closer to the sharks. The experience of diving and being up close with the sharks affirms Danie’s love and understanding for this fish – calm and flexible. Between the time diving and underwater observations, I rose to the surface to breathe but many times saw the tall and crescent-shaped front dorsal fins of the ocean blackhead sharks moving around in the afternoon. It is about 1.5m long and weighs about 50-70kg, according to Danie. The blackhead shark is an agile and energetic carnivore. Oceanic Blacktip can jump out of the water while attacking small schools of fish. Their demeanor has been described as “timid” compared to other great globular sharks (family Carcharhinus), which are common in coastal tropical and subtropical seas around the world, including lips. brackish water habitat. We assessed that we had met about 25-30 marine blackhead sharks during the trip, but Danie said there were about 17 (perhaps due to anxiety, so amateurs “look nationalized chickens”). Many times while swimming next to Danie gets closer to the sharks, it feels as if they are rushing towards you, but with a graceful turn. Although I have had very close experiences with these ferocious animals, to a certain extent, I have to admit that they seem to be very friendly. And to be very restrained, we do not reach out to touch the flexible swim bodies very close – which expert Danie always warns to absolutely comply. Not only having a diving experience with sharks, the trip brings an understanding of other creatures living in shallow waters below 40m and small, symbiotic fish always “side by side” with the sharks. Another plus point is that you will experience surfing on a modern boat controlled by skilled captains. Goodbye, Ms. Basie Aukermann, Director of Aliwal Dive Center, said that the Center has actively and silently contributed to the conservation of marine life at Aliwal Shoal Protected Area and is delighted to have tourists from Vietnam. The distant south has come and experienced. Nature has its own ways of functioning, and South Africa is not just famous for the Big Five on land. The land of great experiences to challenge the will and adventure, to explore. 
Expert Danie Bester (left) supports journalist Dinh Luong on adventure travel. (Photo: Dinh Luong / Vietnam +)
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