The most shark-infested beaches in the world

Duunnn dunnn… duuuunnnn duun… duuunnnnnnnn dun dun dun dun dun! It's the one thing you probably don't want to think of during your beach vacation: sharks!
According to Time Magazine, 37 people had been very unlucky and been attacked by sharks in the first half of 2023. Six of those attacks were fatal, one led to a severed foot and others caused various degress of injuries. In 2022, there were 81 unprovoked attacks worldwide.

According to a Florida database that tracks these attacks, there were 69 unprovoked shark bites in 2023, up from 81 in 2022. In total, there were a further 22 shark attacks, but researchers determined that they were intentionally or unintentionally provoked.

The same research center found that in 2023, the shark attacks killed 14 unlucky souls. Ten of those deaths came from unprovoked attacks while the other four were provoked by humans.

Photo: Gerald Schömbs/ Unsplash

Since the beginning of this century, the most horrific year for shark attacks was 2015 when 111 humans minding their own business were attacked. Data shows that shark attacks have risen since the early 20th century. However, the rate isn't going up, simply because the population of humanity has increased from 2.5 billion in 1950 to 8 billion today.

So maybe before you book your next big holiday or go for a dip, check out this list to see some beaches you might want to avoid if you're afraid of meeting up with a real life 'Jaws.'

This paradisiacal island has seen so many shark attacks that it banned swimming and surfing. It has the highest number of fatal attacks in recent history. Around 30 people have been killed and 56 have been attacked while swimming off Réunion since 1913 - with eleven fatalities since 2006, and ten since 2011, according to the Mirror.

One of the largest groups of sharks in the world accumulates off this beach's waters. Unspurisingly, attacks aren't all that rare, with a US tourist bitten while fishing in 2023. The same year, an experienced scuba diver had her leg bitten off.

Photo: Unsplash - Fernando Jorge

Australia's best-known surfing destination hadn't seen any fatal shark attacks since 1963. But in 2022, a British expat was killed by a three-meter great white, while swimming at a beach nearby. Months later, beachgoers were on alert after another massive great white shark was spotted just South of Bondi.

Photo: Unsplash - Madeleine Ragsdale

Shark attacks around New Jersey are more common than you may think, with whole schools of sharks detected near popular swimming holes. But one of the most horrifying instances was in 1916 , when five people were attacked between July 1 and July 12, with only one of the victims surviving! The first of those attacks occured on Long Beach Island.

Photo: Unsplash - Calvin Kinateder

It's one of the most spectacular beaches in the country, but where shark attacks are generally increasing year after year. Though the worse was in 2007, when 112 shark attacks were counted.

Photo: Unsplash - Max Harlynking

Bull sharks and Zambezi sharks dominate the waters of KwaZulu-Natal, even sneaking into freshwater estuaries in search of food, making them even more dangerous to humans.

Photo: Unsplash - Joshua Gaunt

The waters around Myrtle Beach are home to around 40 different species of sharks and have something of a reputation for shark attacks, mainly due to history from the early 20th century. But there have been nine reported shark attacks in the area since 2010, with two occurring in the same hour during August 2022.

Photo: Unsplash - Kirk Van Nort

Galveston is home to the highest shark attack rates in Texas with 19 attacks, according to the International Shark Attack File.

Photo: Unsplash - Charles Howard

Known as the white shark capital, the shark population in this area is terrifying. So much so, that diving in the area is prohibited, unless it is in a prepared cage.

One of the largest freshwater lakes in Central America, Lake Nicaragua has a truly fascinating marine life, which also includes a tremendous colony of sharks that, although they have not been especially violent in their attacks, are highly intimidating.

Photo: Unsplash - Alvison Lucas Hunter Arnuero

A dream beach where swimming means facing possible attacks by bull sharks. Despite this, bathers tend to ignore the warnings and the beach concentrates almost 50% of shark attacks in all of South America.

Photo: silvia-mc-donald/Unsplash

This majestic beach is home to not one, but two of the most aggressive shark species: the tiger shark and the Galapagos shark.

Photo: Unsplash - Joshua Smith

The world's largest sand island's beaches are infested with jellyfish that make swimming very difficult. But if you can avoid the jellyfish, watch out for the great white sharks... and the dingoes, which are also dangerous and even potentially lethal.

Photo: Elijah Parry/Unsplash