Dive In Adventure Tours

Dive In Adventure Tours is located at Albert Meyer Dr, Shelly Beach, on South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, near Margate. Dives launch from Shelly Beach Harbour, about 7–8 km out to the Protea Banks reef. The dive centre offers airport transfers by private car for a surcharge.

By Air - The nearest airport is King Shaka International Airport (DUR) in Durban. There are no direct flights to Shelly Beach itself, so all guests fly into Durban first and continue by road.

Recommended Route:

• From Durban (DUR) – King Shaka International Airport: approximately 1.5–2 hours by car to Shelly Beach.

By Road - Private car transfers can be arranged directly with the dive centre. Guests can also rent a car at the airport and self-drive down the South Coast.

View location on Google Maps

Dive In Adventure Tours runs guided dives out to Protea Banks, one of South Africa's top shark diving destinations, with a diver-to-guide ratio of 1:7. All dives are guided, and divers should hold at least an Open Water or Advanced Open Water certification. Along the way you can expect to see reefs teeming with marine life, sharks, dolphins, and, depending  on the season, humpback whales. 

Read more: South Africa Dive Travel Guide

Guests can stay in a self-catering accommodation just a short distance from the dive center, with 12 units available. Rooms come with air con, wifi, hot water showers, and a kitchenette, plus daily housekeeping and views over the garden, pool, or sea. Beds range from singles to kings, making rooms suitable for solo travelers, couples, or small groups. 

Protea Banks is a legendary offshore reef located approximately 7-8 kilometers off Shelly Beach and is considered as one of the world's best shark diving destinations. The reef is divided into two sections: the Southern Pinnacles, known for open drift dives and large pelagic encounters, and the Northern Pinnacles, which contain the famous shark caves. With depths ranging from 27 to 40 meters, strong currents, and visibility ranging from 10 to 30 meters depending on the season, this is true open-ocean diving for experienced divers seeking something raw and unforgettable.

The marine life here is the main attraction. Divers may encounter several shark species in a single day — scalloped hammerheads, tiger sharks, bull (Zambezi) sharks, ragged-tooth sharks, oceanic blacktips, and occasionally giant guitarfish or dusky sharks, alongside dolphins, turtles, and eagle rays. Water temperatures range from 26-27°C in summer (3mm wetsuit) to 18-21°C in winter (5-7mm wetsuit).

Best Time to Dive Protea Banks:

• Summer (November - April) : large schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks and regular tiger shark encounters.
• Autumn (May - June): ragged-tooth sharks, tiger sharks and whale season also begins.
• Winter (July - September): ragged-tooth shark season, with hundreds of sharks resting in the caves while humpback whales make their way along the coast.
• Spring (October): The reef shifts season,  ragged-tooth sharks head out as hammerheads start moving back in

Dive In Adventures Tours Packages 2026

All rates are in ZAR.

Protea Banks Diving

Accommodation

Safari Activities

Transfers