Whale shark swimming: Philippines

Forget South Africa's controversial cage diving - for a shark story to trump the rest, get up close and very personal indeed to them by heading further afield. And no, we don't mean great white sharks.

Between February and May, whale sharks head to Donsol in the Philippines, where you can snorkel alongside these giants, some up to 18 metres in length. If you're an experienced diver, the waters around Cocos Island off Costa Rica are home to hammerhead sharks during the August rainy season. You can join them on special diving tours, sleeping on board a boat.