The Maldives are famous for it's Whale sharks and Manta rays encounters, stunning blue water and white sand atolls.
Situated in the middle of the Indian Ocean it is a magnet for big marine life.
Why choose Blue Horizon III: High quality dives and service to the guests with almost 65% of guests returning every year. There are 4-5 guides for a maximum of 24 guests that permits all dive levels get the maximum dive experience with an average ratio of 6 divers per dive master. Love showing guests fantastic places away from the crowds and they do not have a minimum number of guests in order to sail so every trip is guaranteed plus there is also an onboard masseuse.
Blue Horizon3 is amongst one of the best boats in the Maldives. She accommodates 24 guests in 12 en-suite air-conditioned cabins made up of 1 Master cabin with bath tub, 2 deluxe cabins with bath tub and 9 standard cabins with en-suite bathrooms. The living area is complemented with the restaurant. There is also a spa and sun deck including a Jacuzzi
Why choose Blue Horizon III: High quality dives and service to the guests with almost 65% of guests returning every year. There are 4-5 guides for a maximum of 24 guests that
... permits all dive levels get the maximum dive experience with an average ratio of 6 divers per dive master. Love showing guests fantastic places away from the crowds and they do not have a minimum number of guests in order to sail so every trip is guaranteed plus there is also an onboard masseuse.
Blue Horizon3 is amongst one of the best boats in the Maldives. She accommodates 24 guests in 12 en-suite air-conditioned cabins made up of 1 Master cabin with bath tub, 2 deluxe cabins with bath tub and 9 standard cabins with en-suite bathrooms. The living area is complemented with the restaurant. There is also a spa and sun deck including a Jacuzzi
Why choose Conte Max: Conte Max has an experienced Crew and Free Nitrox, 6:1 guide to guest ratio, Wifi available, EIFAC boat certified, One single cabin available, Masseuse on board, Italian and international cuisine.
When Conte Max was launched the Maldives did not offer many boats of such high comfort and standard for divers and she caters to 20 guests onboard in 11 cabins. All cabins feature independently adjustable air conditioning, bathrooms with shower cubicles and no bunk beds. A masseur is also available on board and free Nitrox.
Why choose Conte Max: Conte Max has an experienced Crew and Free Nitrox, 6:1 guide to guest ratio, Wifi available, EIFAC boat certified, One single cabin available, Masseuse on
... board, Italian and international cuisine.
When Conte Max was launched the Maldives did not offer many boats of such high comfort and standard for divers and she caters to 20 guests onboard in 11 cabins. All cabins feature independently adjustable air conditioning, bathrooms with shower cubicles and no bunk beds. A masseur is also available on board and free Nitrox.
Why choose Duke of York: Experienced Crew and Free Nitrox, Low guide to guest ratio, Wifi available, EIFAC boat certified, Masseuse on board, Italian and international cuisine.
Duke of York has 11 Cabins and accommodates up to 21 guests comfortably in 3 Upper deck Twin cabins, 1 Mai deck twin cabin, 4 Lower deck Double / Twin or Triple cabins with one double bed and a single one, 2 Lower deck Twin cabins and 1 single cabin also on the Lower deck. All cabins feature independently adjustable air conditioning, bathrooms with shower.
Why choose Duke of York: Experienced Crew and Free Nitrox, Low guide to guest ratio, Wifi available, EIFAC boat certified, Masseuse on board, Italian and international
... cuisine.
Duke of York has 11 Cabins and accommodates up to 21 guests comfortably in 3 Upper deck Twin cabins, 1 Mai deck twin cabin, 4 Lower deck Double / Twin or Triple cabins with one double bed and a single one, 2 Lower deck Twin cabins and 1 single cabin also on the Lower deck. All cabins feature independently adjustable air conditioning, bathrooms with shower.
Why choose Emperor Leo: Included in the trip price is Free Nitrox for qualified divers, park and port fees and a free glass of wine with dinner, no hidden extras. There is Satellite internet available on board and a large deck area and multiple relaxation areas including a Jacuzzi. The boat is steel hulled and twin engined and there is a beach barbecue each trip and diving groups are kept small and the boat is equipped with full safety equipment.
Emperor Leo is a sleek 32m luxury cruiser and accommodates 24 divers in 4 lower deck double and 4 lower deck twin Cabins, 3 upper deck double / twin cabins and 1 Executive Suite for double occupancy with Jacuzzi.
Why choose Emperor Leo: Included in the trip price is Free Nitrox for qualified divers, park and port fees and a free glass of wine with dinner, no hidden extras. There is
... Satellite internet available on board and a large deck area and multiple relaxation areas including a Jacuzzi. The boat is steel hulled and twin engined and there is a beach barbecue each trip and diving groups are kept small and the boat is equipped with full safety equipment.
Emperor Leo is a sleek 32m luxury cruiser and accommodates 24 divers in 4 lower deck double and 4 lower deck twin Cabins, 3 upper deck double / twin cabins and 1 Executive Suite for double occupancy with Jacuzzi.
Why choose Emperor Virgo: Included in the trip price is Free Nitrox for qualified divers, park and port fees and a free glass of wine with dinner, no hidden extras. There is Satellite internet available on board and a large deck area and multiple relaxation areas including a Jacuzzi. The boat is steel hulled and twin engined and there is a beach barbecue each trip and diving groups are kept small and the boat is equipped with full safety equipment.
Emperor Virgo is 31m in length with 18 berths over 9 well appointed comfortable cabins including 2 sea view upper deck double or twin cabins, 2 main deck double or twin cabins and 5 lower deck twin or double cabins all with en-suite bathrooms and air conditioning.
Why choose Emperor Virgo: Included in the trip price is Free Nitrox for qualified divers, park and port fees and a free glass of wine with dinner, no hidden extras. There is
... Satellite internet available on board and a large deck area and multiple relaxation areas including a Jacuzzi. The boat is steel hulled and twin engined and there is a beach barbecue each trip and diving groups are kept small and the boat is equipped with full safety equipment.
Emperor Virgo is 31m in length with 18 berths over 9 well appointed comfortable cabins including 2 sea view upper deck double or twin cabins, 2 main deck double or twin cabins and 5 lower deck twin or double cabins all with en-suite bathrooms and air conditioning.
Why choose Scubaspa Yang: Full Dive schedule offered with Small dive groups with the option to use any of the 20 spa services on offer, gourmet cuisine from all over world provided by highly trained chefs, bartenders and baristas, morning Yoga, 1Gb free internet, Jacuzzi, movie night under the stars, Kayaks, SUP and much more.
ScubaSpa Yang caters to up to 34 guests in 17 luxury cabins during the week long Maldives diving and spa safaris. Scubaspa offers an unforgettable holiday of a lifetime on board a luxury vessel that offers a full diving schedule for a maximum of only 26 divers. Whether diving or enjoying daily treatments in the sumptuous Spa, you will receive the finest and very best from both worlds.
Why choose Scubaspa Yang: Full Dive schedule offered with Small dive groups with the option to use any of the 20 spa services on offer, gourmet cuisine from all over world
... provided by highly trained chefs, bartenders and baristas, morning Yoga, 1Gb free internet, Jacuzzi, movie night under the stars, Kayaks, SUP and much more.
ScubaSpa Yang caters to up to 34 guests in 17 luxury cabins during the week long Maldives diving and spa safaris. Scubaspa offers an unforgettable holiday of a lifetime on board a luxury vessel that offers a full diving schedule for a maximum of only 26 divers. Whether diving or enjoying daily treatments in the sumptuous Spa, you will receive the finest and very best from both worlds.
Why choose Scubaspa Yang: Full Dive schedule offered with Small dive groups with the option to use any of the 20 spa services on offer, gourmet cuisine from all over world provided by highly trained chefs, bartenders and baristas, morning Yoga, 1Gb free internet, Jacuzzi, movie night under the stars, Kayaks, SUP and much more.
ScubaSpa Yang caters to up to 34 guests in 17 luxury cabins during the week long Maldives diving and spa safaris. Scubaspa offers an unforgettable holiday of a lifetime on board a luxury vessel that offers a full diving schedule for a maximum of only 26 divers. Whether diving or enjoying daily treatments in the sumptuous Spa, you will receive the finest and very best from both worlds.
Why choose Scubaspa Yang: Full Dive schedule offered with Small dive groups with the option to use any of the 20 spa services on offer, gourmet cuisine from all over world
... provided by highly trained chefs, bartenders and baristas, morning Yoga, 1Gb free internet, Jacuzzi, movie night under the stars, Kayaks, SUP and much more.
ScubaSpa Yang caters to up to 34 guests in 17 luxury cabins during the week long Maldives diving and spa safaris. Scubaspa offers an unforgettable holiday of a lifetime on board a luxury vessel that offers a full diving schedule for a maximum of only 26 divers. Whether diving or enjoying daily treatments in the sumptuous Spa, you will receive the finest and very best from both worlds.
Maldives diving conditions
The Maldives has a tropical climate with two distinct seasons - a dry season from November/December to April/May, and a wet season from sometime in May to October/November.
Please note the "wet" season is not solid rain 24 hours a day and is mostly showers in the morning and evening with many days being sunny and the diving remains good all year.
Underwater visibility in the Maldives is determined by the tidal movements with incoming and outgoing tides.
Here is how each season effects diving in the Maldives:
Dry Season (November/December to April/May):
This is the peak tourist season in the Maldives, with generally calm seas, warm temperatures, and low humidity.
The dry season is considered the best time to visit for diving, as the water is clear and the visibility is excellent.
The chance to see larger pelagic species such as whale sharks and manta rays is also higher during this season.
However, as this is the peak season, prices for liveaboards and resorts tend to be higher.
Wet Season (May to October/November):
The wet season in the Maldives is characterized by more rain, higher humidity, and slightly rougher seas.
However, the water temperature remains warm, and the diving can still be excellent, especially in the southern atolls.
During this season, there may be fewer tourists, and liveaboard and resort prices can be more affordable.
The wet season is also a great time for macro diving, with an abundance of smaller critters like nudibranchs and seahorses although the big pelagics are still around but due to the visibility being lower (15-30M) they are not as easy to see.
In terms of the best time to go to the Maldives, it ultimately depends on your preferences and priorities.
If you prioritize excellent visibility and the chance to see larger pelagic species, then the dry season from December to April may be the best time to go, despite the higher prices.
However, if you are more budget-conscious and don't mind less visiblity, although it is still 15-30M (50-100 feet), then the wet season from May to November may be a better option for you.
As for prices, liveaboard prices can vary widely depending on the time of year and the level of luxury you are looking for.
In general, liveaboards tend to be more affordable during the wet season and can be a great deal during the shoulder seasons (May to June and September to November).
The air temperature varies little with an annual average of 30C (90F) and minimum of 26C (80F), while the water temperature ranges from 26C (80F) to 30C (86F).
Please note: A lot of Liveaboard prices can be higher during peak periods such as Christmas, New Year's and Chinese New Year.
The Maldives offer the best that diving and snorkelling has to offer, Manta rays are guaranteed on pretty much every trip and there are a myriad of sites where you can see these beautiful creatures of the sea.
All of our liveaboards will give you the best experience possible dependant on the current conditions on your trip and all our boats are liveaboards for people enthusiastic or serious about their diving but also welcome snorkellers and non-divers who will have their own separate itineraries.
One of the highlights of any Maldives safari is the possibility to see one of the gentle giants of the ocean.
Whale sharks are unusually common in the Maldives and are seen nearly year round in some areas and the liveaboard staff will do their utmost to give you this chance encounter of a lifetime.
Diving from a liveaboard in the Maldives is without doubt one of the cheapest and easiest ways to experience the best that the Maldives has to offer and visit and discover more areas and better sites than diving from a land base.
Diving is carried out from a purpose built “diving dhoni” that will not anchor but will follow the divers from the surface.
This is the safest and most comfortable way to dive in the Maldives due to the wind and currents.
Every diver will have their own Dive Station with their own basket where for storing their diving gear, which will always remain on the diving dhoni.
This system leaves the main boat free to handle accommodations, meals and social activities in a quiet atmosphere with more available space for you to relax in.
Most guests make up to 3 dives a day, so some sort of protection is needed, a 3mm wetsuit is normally comfortable and adequate for most people.
There is a law in the Maldives that the depth limit is 98 feet/ 30 metres.
Your Divemaster will requires proof of your certification before the first dive.
Dive insurance is mandatory as is your own personal dive computer.
(You can rent one for the trip if you do not have your own).
As well as the Mandatory Dive Insurance we also highly recommend Trip and Travel Insurance on the off chance of missed or cancelled flights / lost baggage, documents, money or passport / Covid issues or any other unforeseen problems that could possibly occur. Dive Assure Insurance offers cover for all these eventualities as well as complete Dive Insurance all in one package.
Maldives dive sites
Kudarah Thila
Type of dive: Reef dive
Description: One of the best dive sites for soft coral and fish life.
The marine life here is so abundant, that the divers have named it ‘fish soup’. The thila is in a circular shape and can be covered in a single dive at different depths, if the current is not very strong.
Maaysa Thila
Type of dive: Reef dive / Night dive
Description: The thila is about 80mters in diameter.
The whole thila can be done at different depths in a single dive. There are manycaves and overhangs around the thila. The large rocks on the north eastern side have large black coral trees growing on them. The site is famous for the sharks and a great barracuda which reside here. The site can be dived at any time of the day, each with different activity going on the reef. The best chance to get close to these creatures is at night time, when they are hunting. You will see sharks, barracudas, rays and eels trying to grab a morsel.
Bathala Maaga Kanthila
Type of dive: Drift dive
Description: The northern tip of Magaa reef extends into Bathalaa Kandu and is home to a number of grey reef sharks and white-tip reef sharks. They can be seen patrolling along the reef looking for food.
Maalhos Thila (Blue Curves)
Type of dive: Drift dive / Reef dive
Description: The thila is known for the abundance of soft coral growth on the thila, particularly the blue/violet colored variety that grows on the ceiling of the caves and overhangs, thus the name ‘blue caves’. In addition a large variety of fish life can be observed here.
Rasdhoo Madivaru
Type of dive: Drift dive / Channel dive
Description: The reef on the southern side of Rasdhoo drops vertically to the ocean depths. The site is home to a school of Scalloped Hammerhead sharks (sphyrna lewini). In the early hours of the morning they rise from the deep waters off the atoll into the shallower depths, accessible to divers.
South Male Atoll - some of the more popular dive sites
Guraidhoo Kandu South
Type of dive: Drift dive / channel dive
Description: Since the eastern side of the channel is Open Ocean, large predatory fish can regularly be spotted here. This site is famous for sightings of sharks, schools of eagle rays and the occasional Sail fish and Hammerheads. The best condition to do the dive is when the current is flowing into the Atoll. The dive begins on the outer reef following the current into the atoll. Most of the pelagic species can be observed on the eastern side, where the reef drops off into the deep ocean.
At the end of the dive in the channel, along the reef you can find overhangs with plenty of soft coral growth and small fish.
Kandooma Thila
Type of dive: Drift dive / reef dive
Description: Located in a channel, the reef is subject to strong currents at times. The ocean currents carry lot of nutrients to the reef, supporting an abundance of sea life.
The site is well renowned for the soft coral growth, turtles, diverse fish life and invertebrates found on the reef. At the reef slope you may find sharks and eagle rays.
Embudu Kandu (Express)
Type of dive: Drift dive / channel dive.
Description: Similar to Guraidhoo Kandu, but more sharks are likely to be spotted here.
The currents can be very strong at times. The stronger the current however the better chance of seeing sharks. Under the guidance of an experienced dive guide, the dive can be managed done easily.