Diver education
SSI Tiger Shark Eco Diver
Learn to dive with tiger sharks in Fuvahmulah — what they are, how they behave, and how to be in the water with them well.
- Price
- $350
- Duration
- Theory online, plus 2 dives
- Level
- Entry specialty · Open Water and 20 dives
We confirm dates and payment with you directly, then open the course.
About this course
Fuvahmulah is one of very few places on earth where tiger sharks can be seen reliably, at close range, all year round. That is a rare privilege and it comes with responsibility. This specialty gives you the background to make sense of what you are seeing: how tiger sharks live, how they sense the world, and what their movements are telling you. You will also learn photo identification, which is how individual sharks here are recognised and tracked over years — the photographs you take on your dives can genuinely contribute to that record. It is not a shark-handling course, and it does not teach you to feed or touch anything. It teaches you to be calm, predictable and low-impact in the water beside a large predator.
Who it is for
Certified divers who are coming to Fuvahmulah for the sharks and want to understand what they are looking at rather than simply tick it off. It suits divers who are comfortable in the water and want to be a genuinely low-impact guest, and it is the required first step for anyone intending to go on to the Tiger Shark Safety Diver course.
What you will learn
Describe the biology and ecology of tiger sharks — habitat, diet, reproduction and their role in the reef system. Place sharks in their evolutionary context as cartilaginous fishes. Recognise the behavioural patterns that matter for safe diver–shark interaction. Carry out basic photo identification and recognise individual sharks. Dive in a controlled, low-impact way in the presence of large sharks. Understand the conservation pressures tiger sharks face and where divers fit in.
What you need first
Open Water Diver certification, or equivalent. At least 14 years old. At least 20 logged dives. A medical clearance signed within the last 12 months, where one is required. Sound buoyancy control, and the ability to stay calm and still underwater. These exist so the course can be about the sharks rather than about basic skills.
What the course covers
- 01Introduction3 lessons
- 02Course Structure & Requirements7 lessons
- 03Sharks: Evolution, Biology & Tiger Shark Overview7 lessons
… and 4 more chapters · 50 lessons in all
Why train with us
The course was written here, in Fuvahmulah, by instructors who dive this site year-round — not adapted from a generic shark specialty written somewhere else. Every dive is instructor-led, group sizes are kept small, and the interaction protocols are the ones used on this island rather than a general set of rules. The photo-identification work you do on the course feeds into a record of individual sharks that has been built up over years.
Common questions
- Do I need previous shark diving experience?
- No. You need to be a comfortable, certified diver — the shark-specific knowledge and behaviour is what the course teaches.
- Will I be feeding or touching the sharks?
- No. Neither is taught, and neither is permitted. The course is about being a calm, low-impact observer.
- How much of it is theory?
- Five academic modules and a final exam, which you can work through online before you arrive, plus two open water dives here.
- Is this the same as the Safety Diver course?
- No. Eco Diver is the entry specialty and is open to certified divers. Safety Diver is a professional-level course, and Eco Diver is one of its prerequisites.
- What if I fail the final exam?
- You get a second attempt online. If that does not go your way, your instructor arranges a physical exam with you in person.
Ready to start?
Tell us when you are in Fuvahmulah and we will confirm dates, price and payment with you. Your course opens as soon as that is arranged.
Get this course