500 Adrenaline Adventures (Frommer's) - Lois Friedland [210]
Surrounded on three sides by France and on the fourth by the Mediterranean, Monaco can be reached by way of several rail, bus, or highway connections to other coastal cities. (The best way to arrive, of course, is on your private yacht.) There are several casinos in Monte Carlo, but the most famous and the only must-see is the opulent 1863 Beaux Arts palace designed by Charles Garnier, who also created the Paris Opera. Though the Monte Carlo Casino once enforced a strict dress code, that has relaxed considerably in recent years, and jackets are now “recommended” for gentlemen after 8:00pm in some of the gaming rooms, but not all.
Regardless of how you dress, carry a good wallet—many of the gambling salons here, such as the Salons Prives and the Supers Prive, have high limits. Others, like the Salle Blanche and the Atrium, are appropriate for folks who are happier playing a few casual hands at slot machines. And remember to bring your passport or ID card, because the casino is strictly off-limits to citizens of Monaco. Perhaps that’s because it’s a little like the Fort Knox of Monaco: The casino is the principality’s main source of income. —ML
Direction du Tourisme et des Congrés ( 377/92-16-61-66;www.monaco-tourisme.com).
Tour: Casino de Monte-Carlo ( 377/98-06-21-21; vip@montecarlocasinos.com).
When to Go: Year-round.
Nice, France (24km/15 miles).
$$$ Hotel Port Palace, 7 av. John F. Kennedy ( 377/97-97-90-00;www.portpalace.com). $$ Hotel Balmoral, 12 av. de la Costa ( 377/93-50-62-37;www.hotel-balmoral.mc).
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Chapter 9: Animal Encounters
394
Diving with Great White Sharks
A Close Encounter with Jaws
Dyer Island, South Africa
If you’ve ever been fascinated by great white sharks, but shudder at the thought of actually coming into contact with them in nature, it’s time to face your fears. Over the past several years, cage diving with real-life Jaws has become one of South Africa’s most popular wildlife adventures.
To experience your own meet-and-greet with these mighty predators, get up early and head to Gansbaai, a quaint fishing village just 2 hours by car from Cape Town. Most dive boats depart from here and explore the waters around Dyer Island, a breeding ground for penguins, and Geyser Rock, home to more than 50,000 seals. The channel between these two islands is known as “shark alley,” and it’s arguably the world’s best viewing spot for great white sharks. Thousands of the migratory creatures move through this area during the South African winter. For more information about protecting sharks and their marine environment, check out the South African Shark Conservancy (www.sharkconservancy.org).
After a quick breakfast and an informative overview about what you’ll soon see, it’s time to set off into the Indian Ocean, where you’ll be on the water for approximately 4 hours. (Tip: If you tend to get seasick, take precautions; the seas can get extremely rough.)
As you start out enjoying the views from your relatively safe perch on the boat’s deck, your crew will search for a place to anchor. Once settled, they’ll begin spooning fish-based chum—a smelly mixture of mashed up sardines, sardine oil, and tuna—into the water to begin attracting the stars of the show. Soon, it’s time to overcome your trembling knees and dive in for a closer look.
Dressed like a seal in a black hooded wetsuit, with big goggles and a mask on your face, you and four other passengers will get into a metal cage that’s tethered to your boat in the water, and wait. From overhead, the crew will quickly hang ropes with live bait—probably tuna—trying to lure the sharks even closer to you. When the dive master yells “shark, on the bait,