9.Kahana, West Maui, Hawaii, USA
Species: Tiger shark
According to the International Shark Attack File, since 1882 there have been just over 100 reports of unprovoked attacks in the entire Hawaiian island chain (the most, 34, occurring off of Maui). When you compare this to population size (roughly 1.2 million) and the many millions of annual tourists, that total of 100 is happily low. However, Hawaii is home to about 40 different shark species, including the occasionally aggressive tiger shark, and so incidents (including fatalities) do occur. In early May of this year, a swimmer was bitten on the foot by an 18-foot-long tiger shark in about 14 feet of water off of a south Maui beach. The last recorded fatal encounter occurred in 2004 off of Kahana, on Maui’s west coast, which is why this spot makes our list.
10.West End, Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas
Species: Tiger Sharks
Stories of shark attacks in the Bahamas and Caribbean are as old as the region’s tales of piracy, walking the plank, and buried treasure. Along with neighboring Gulf of Mexico and the coast of Florida, the region is replete with sharks of all types, including blacktips, hammerheads, and bull sharks. According to the ISAF, Grand Bahama Island has seen only 4 unprovoked attacks since 1749 (none fatal), but that’s still more than all others in the Bahamas. And besides, West End on Grand Bahama is home to what experienced divers call “Tiger Beach”—a spot 20 miles off this coastline that “a lot of very big sharks call home.” Frankly, any beach destination hosting such a density of tiger sharks that cage diving companies are able to advertise “the biggest of the Bahamas sharks in the shortest amount of time” should be on a list like ours. We’re sure you agree.