These Scuba Diving Liveaboards explore some of the best and most famous dive sites in the central atolls, which are classically considered to be some of the best diving in the Maldives. You can expect a mix of classic thila (underwater pinnacles), kandu (channel) and reef dives with opportunities to visit Manta Ray Cleaning Stations, enjoy colourful coral sites, reef sharks, abundant reef fish and excellent macro life.
Some of the most famous sites which you can hope to visit include:
Manta Point, a cleaning station covered in anemones and full of fish life with common visitors including whitetip reef sharks, turtles and napoleons.
Maaya Thila, a 240ft wide pinnacle considered to be one of the best night dives in the Maldives – but also a great dive during the day – popular with grey reef sharks, schools of barracudas, turtles, moray eels, jack fish and stingrays.
Rasdhoo Madivaru, a channel dive offering a spectacular ridge facing the ocean and good chances for reef sharks, eagle rays and large dogtooth tuna – it is also possible to encounter hammerhead sharks here.
Kudarah Thila is part of the South Ari Atoll Marine Protected Area and is considered to be one of the most beautiful sites within the atoll with overhangs rich with sea fans and healthy soft corals on the top of the reef, fish life is healthy here with schools of snapper, fusiliers and jacks.
A night dive at Alimatha House Reef can offer large numbers of nurse sharks, stingrays and huge jacks.
One of the highlights of the trip is likely to be Maamigili Beyru in the South Ari Marine Protected Area, known as of the best locations in the Maldives for whale sharks.
Selected 10 night voyages can also include Thaa and Meemu atolls. The little-visited Thaa Atoll offers healthy corals and a wide variety of marine life from food-chain toppers such as white tip reef sharks and tuna down to schools of juvenile barracuda. Encounters with Whale Sharks and schooling hammerheads are a possibility here.
Meemu Atoll offers great channel dives and pelagic encounters with opportunities for mantas, whale sharks, grey reef sharks, sailfish and even bull sharks on occasion. Large shoals of barracudas, jacks, tuna, fusiliers, surgeon fish and snappers are often found in the narrower channels.
The South West and North East Monsoon season bring different benefits to each side of the Maldives chain of atolls. These itineraries visit both sides, so whichever the season, you will be able to get a taste of both the windward and leeward sides of the chain.
These dive liveaboards are suited to all levels of experience, although some dives are deeper than 18 metres, so a PADI Advanced certification or higher is recommended to make the most of the trip.
It is an inescapable fact that the 2015 & 2016 sea temperature rises led to widespread coral bleaching in the Maldives, with some of the central atolls being worse affected than others. Diving by liveaboard in this area allows your Captain and dive leaders to carefully choose the best dive sites in terms of marine life encounters and to focus on the least impacted reefs.
Atolls visited: |
North Malé – South Malé – Vaavu – South Ari – North Ari – Rasdhoo |
Experience needed: |
Minimum of Open Water qualification but Advanced Open Water recommended (courses available onboard). Must be comfortable in currents and drift dives. Inexperienced divers may be asked to skip certain dives unsuited to their experience level. |
Snorkelers: |
Snorkelers can join these liveaboards. Not every site will be suitable, so please Contact Us to discuss. |
Number of dives: |
8 Day Voyages: up to 18 including 1 night dive (6 diving days) Night dives may not be offered on your trip for safety reasons |
Notes: |
Liveaboards embark and disembark in Malé. No domestic flights needed. |
Dates: |
Year Round |
Whilst diving by liveaboard is the ultimate, it is still wonderful to combine it with a Maldives Island Based Holiday; whether to just relax, or top up on some beach and small boat dives. For some terra firma, consider combining the Maldives with one of private safaris in Sri Lanka. Each March, you can also combine the Maldives with our Blue Whale Snorkelling & Photography experiences in Sri Lanka.
Itinerary
Sample 8 Day Itinerary
Day 1: Embark in Malé
You will embark this afternoon in Malé, the capital city of the Maldives
Days 2 – 7: Diving
You will spend these days exploring some of the best dive sites within the central atolls.
You can expect to make up to 18 dives on a 7 night voyage.
Day 8: Disembark in Malé
You will disembark in Malé this morning.
Why not consider extending your time in the Maldives at one of our carefully selected island resorts for more diving and snorkelling.
Please note: Every liveaboard voyage will be different, with actual islands and dive sites determined according to wind force and direction, ocean currents, visibility, reports of recent marine life sightings, safety and boat considerations taken by the captain and crew. Nothing can be guaranteed, including the number of dives you conduct or the species you might see, but rest assured that the captain and crew have everyone's diving interests in mind and will try to make your experience a very rewarding one amongst these stunning tropical atolls.
Sample 11 Day Itinerary
Day 1: Embark in Malé
You will embark this afternoon in Malé, the capital city of the Maldives
Days 2 – 10: Diving
You will spend these days exploring some of the best dive sites within the central atolls, as well as Meemu and Thaa atolls depending on your chosen departure.
You can expect to make up to 27 dives on a 10 night voyage.
Day 11: Disembark in Malé
You will disembark in Malé this morning.
Why not consider extending your time in the Maldives at one of our carefully selected island resorts for more diving and snorkelling.
Please note: Every liveaboard voyage will be different, with actual islands and dive sites determined according to wind force and direction, ocean currents, visibility, reports of recent marine life sightings, safety and boat considerations taken by the captain and crew. Nothing can be guaranteed, including the number of dives you conduct or the species you might see, but rest assured that the captain and crew have everyone's diving interests in mind and will try to make your experience a very rewarding one amongst these stunning tropical atolls.
Dates
Malé - Malé (8 Days)
Maldives Aggressor
Weekly departures (Sunday - Sunday)
Malé - Malé (8 Days)
Maldives Aggressor
Christmas in the Maldives!
Malé - Malé (8 Days)
Maldives Aggressor
New Year in the Maldives!
Please click on the ship's photo for vessel details
Notes
Maldives Aggressor II
Prices relate to Standard Twin cabins (lower deck). Upgrades to Deluxe and Suite cabins are available. Please contact us for details.
Prices include: all meals and snacks onboard, standard beverages (tea, coffee, soft drinks, fruit juices, water, local beers and wines with dinner), tanks, weights and weight belt, standard airport transfers
Not included: international and domestic flights, insurance, dive kit rental, dive courses, NITROX, bar drinks, tips, dinner onshore on the final night of your voyage, non-standard airport transfers, Port & Park Fee of $340 (7 nights) or $425 (10 nights), fuel surcharge of $270 (7 nights) or $360 (10 nights)
Please note: a 12% GST will be charged on onboard purchases. An additional 3.5% transaction fee will be applied to credit card payments onboard. Taxes and fees may be subject to change without notice.
Maldives Explorer, Serenity, Leo & Virgo
Prices relate to lower deck cabins. Upgrades to Upper Deck Cabin, Main Deck Suite & Upper Deck Suite are available. Please contact us for details.
Prices include: three meals per day onboard, afternoon snacks, BBQ on a local island (weather permitting), drinking water, tea, coffee, glass of wine with dinner, diving, tanks, weights, NITROX for qualified divers, standard return airport transfers, government taxes and bed tax
Not included: international and domestic flights, insurance, dive kit rental, dive courses, tips, alcoholic drinks, soft drinks, juices, spa treatments, non-standard airport transfers, fuel surcharge (if applicable)
Please note: a 12% GST will be charged on onboard purchases. This can be avoided on dive rental gear and courses by booking in advance. An additional 4% transaction fee will be applied to credit card payments onboard.