Liveaboards

One of the best ways to explore the Maldives is to venture out on a liveaboard cruise. Together with other happy divers, you will be transfered directly from the airport to the boat that will be your home during a fantastic few days.
Our boats travel to different atolls, both in the north and the south. Each area has its highlights and it is hard to say if one is better then the other. Click on the name of a boat on the left hand side to read more about it's specific features.
The route information will allow you to have a sneak peak at what awaits you underwater!

Dive sites - north

Channels or Kandus
These are gaps or breaks in the outer reef of the Atoll where the tidal and ocean currents wash onto and off the central lagoon, often creating a hot spot of action especially during periods of good current. It is not uncommon to see large numbers of Grey or White tip sharks or large squadrons of Eagle Rays effortless riding the incoming ocean streams in the channel mouths.

Thilas
A Thila is a submerged Coral Reef , typically with a flat surface coming to between 9 and 12 metres of the surface. The sides often have small caves and overhangs. These present some of the most interesting and exiting dive sites as they attract a huge populous of schooling fish and hard and soft coral growth. Thilas are found both inside the Atolls and in the channels.

Giris
These are generally smaller round coral reefs that come within a few metres of the surface, although still submerged. A similar rich environment to a Thila, often with caves, overhangs and swim throughs.

Out Reef
The fringing reef generally starts at around 2 metres depth, shelving down to a forty metre shoulder and then plunging into the ocean depths. Being on the outside of the Atoll the outreef is subject to passing traffic. This is where Whalesharks, Mantas, and Hammerheads and giant Tuna cruise above the deep water on the outer fringes of the Maldives.

Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Shaviani, Noonu
The large most Northerly Atoll of the Maldives is divided into four areas:- Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Shaviani, Noonu. There is a commercial airfield in Haa Dhaalu with regular flights to and from the capital Male some 450 kilometres to the South. Most is yet unexplored by divers, although some expeditionary trips have explored parts of Noonu. The Maldivian government have recently passed legislation allowing this area to be opened for Tourism, so there are expected to be tourist resorts here in the future, but currently this huge area can only be dived from a liveaboard.

Baa Atol
The Atoll is divided by a 3 kilometre wide channel, with big dropoffs into deep water. There are many channels on the Eastern side with excellent Coral growth. Here again there is a huge potential for discovering new dive sites as this Atoll is still relatively unexplored. There is currently only one resort situated at Sonevafushi on the South East of the Atoll.

Lhaviyani Atoll
This Atoll has many excellent channels. The Atoll is quite narrow at it’s Northern end so dives can be planned on both East and West side. Renown sites include the Kuredu Express, Fushifaru Thila and the Shipyard, final resting place of two Japanese fishing vessels. There are currently 3 resorts Kuredu, Komandoo and Guraidhoo.

Gaafaru Falhu
A small Atoll, almost enclosed by the fringing reef with three channels. There are three known wrecks on the North side.
Lady Christine, a survey vessel sunk in 1974, The Erlangen, a German cargo vessel sank 1894, and the SS Seagull, sunk in 1879.

North Male Atoll
Situated centrally in the Maldives this Atoll is home to the nations capital Male, and the international airport. The diving is varied with good channels on both the East and the West side and some remarkable Thilas. Famous sites would include Lankan Finolhu, where Mantas are reliably found in the SW monsoon season, Nassimo Thila one of the prettiest soft coral sites in the islands, Banana Reef teeming with fish, and HP reef, a beautiful nutrient rich Thila, situated on the south East side of Male.

Dive sites - south

South Male Atoll
Crossing the Vaadhoo channel from Male we come into South Male Atoll, one of the best know diving areas with many narrow channels on the East Coast and also a variety of Giris and Thilas. Popular dive locations would include Embudhoo Express, an exiting channel dive, Guraidhoo Corner known for its sharks, rays and dolphin encounters, Kandooma Thila on the outside of Cocoa Corner, with sharks turtles, excellent coral and schooling fish, and the Kuda Giri Wreck.

Rasdhoo
A small Atol North of Ari, Rasdhoo has an interesting channel dive with big tunas, barracudas and grey sharks. On the outside of Rasdhoo Madivaru it is possible to encounter hammerheads coming up from the surrounding deep water in the early morning.

Ari Atoll
Whether an enthusiastic and experienced diver or a more casual new recruit to the sport, Ari Atol has something to offer everyone. In the North East Monsoon the Mantas frequent many sites on the west side, which is also the best area for hard corals, notably table corals stacked layer upon layer. Inside the Atoll are the well know sites of Fish Head and Maaya Thila, reputed to be one of the best night dives in the Maldives. Kudarah Thila is also notable for it’s soft and hard corals and shoals of blue line snapper. In the South of the Atoll Rangali Madivaru is a huge cleaning station frequented by large numbers of Mantas in the North East Monsoon. Maamigili is where whale sharks frequently patrol the out reef year round.

Felidhoo Atol
Known for it’s spectacular channels on the North East side, Felidhoo is a favourite Atol to visit in the North East monsoon, with visability up to 40 metres and a whole range of shark action, including Hammerheads at Fushi Kandu. Another site worth a visit is Fotteyo in the East , noted for its many soft coral encrusted caves.

Further South toward the Equator are Wataru Atol, Mulaku Atol Lamu Atol and Thaa Atoll, still largely unexplored. Across the other side of the One and a half degree channel is the larger Huvadhoo Atol, which is the deepest Atoll in the Maldives. Good channel diving on both sides of the Atoll, some with huge Gorgonian forests. The Coral here is in very good condition, and this area unlike the more Northern Atolls in inhabited by Leopard Sharks. This area is best dived in the North East Monsoon.

The most Southerly Atoll in the Maldives is Addoo Atoll, with for channels an several wrecks including the British Loyalty a 5 and 1/2 thousand ton Oil tanker, torpedoed by the Japanese in 1944. There is a commercial airport at Gan, which used be a British Airforce base.

Liveaboard & resort

Most divers that plan a holiday to the Maldives tend to want to stay for longer then just one week on a liveaboard.  As the Maldives covers a large area and sea planes and taxi boats are readily available, there is no reason not to extend your stay. 

As flights to the Maldives are not charter flights that have set days, you may choose your arrival and departure day as you wish.  We can also arrange the liveaboard during the first or second week, or in certain cases, in between weeks. 

Read more about our shorebased Maldivian resorts under shore based - Maldives in the menu above.

Please don't hesitate to contact us should you have any questions: info@scubatravel.se

Travel info - Maldives

Time: +5 GMT

Currency: Maldivska Rufiyaa (MVR), US dollar works best at most hotels, as well as major credit cards.  It is important to remember to take USD in cash, as there is no way to get cash while on the islands.

Language: The official language is Divehi, but English and German are spoken at hotels. 

Visa: Not needed for Swedish citizens.  Please check with your foreign affairs department regarding your own citizenship.

Health: Please contact your local vaccination clinic to see what you specifically need.

Recommendations: Bifolac or similar (ask in your local pharmacy), that helps to build up a good bacteria culture in the stomach and Immodium or similar that helps with tourist diarrhea.
Headache tablets, nose spray (one that will not dry out the nasal membrane) and sea/ motion sickness tablets are all useful to have.
Pharmacies and doctors are available for customers doing shore based diving.
**Remember not to drink water from anything but an unopened bottle!

Climate: High temperatures and humidity.  The country is located about 800 km north of the equator and monsoon winds blow by twice a year.
Dry winds blow in from the northeast between December and March.  From May to August winds from the southwest bring rain.  The best time to travel is from October through April. 

Average temperature - 30 degrees.
Average water temperature - 28 degrees

Electricity: 230-240 V. Adapter needed.