Embracing the Atolls: A Journey into Maldives liveaboard diving

Unveil the underwater paradise of the Maldives through an unmatched liveaboard diving experience, exploring the vibrant coral reefs, teeming marine life, and unique atolls.

Liveaboard diving in the Maldives allows you to explore far-flung dive sites that are inaccessible from the shore, including pristine coral gardens, mesmerizing underwater caves, and the habitats of a diverse range of marine species.

From the elusive manta rays and majestic whale sharks to schools of colourful tropical fish and soft and hard corals, the underwater panorama is nothing short of breathtaking.

About Maldives Liveaboard Diving

Immerse, Explore, Revel: Your Journey Beneath the Maldivian Waves Begins Here.

The Maldives, a tropical paradise located in the Indian Ocean, is renowned for its rich marine biodiversity and vibrant coral reefs. Comprising more than 1,000 coral islands across 26 major atolls, the Maldives provides ample opportunities for underwater exploration.

Liveaboard diving enables you to dive into lesser-known dive sites that are inaccessible from the shore, offering you the chance to witness untouched marine ecosystems and a wide range of marine species in their natural habitats.

The Maldives is a year-round diving destination, thanks to its tropical monsoon climate. However, the dry northeast monsoon season, spanning from November to April, is often preferred by divers, as water visibility can exceed 30 meters during this period.

The water temperature stays relatively consistent throughout the year, ranging from 26°C to 29°C.

Dive into the Atolls

Male Atoll : Comprising North Male Atoll and South Male Atoll, this area offers an exciting array of dive sites. The Banana Reef in North Male Atoll, known for its diverse marine life and colorful corals, is a must-visit. For wreck enthusiasts, the Maldives Victory Wreck in South Male Atoll offers a fantastic exploration opportunity. Male Atoll is without a doubt part of the top of Maldives liveaboard diving.

Ari Atoll : Ari Atoll, split into North and South Atolls, is famous for its pelagic life. The North is well-known for its Hammerhead Shark point, while the South boasts the popular Maamigili, where you can spot Whale Sharks all year round. Learn more about Ari Atoll liveaboard diving.

Baa Atoll : Baa Atoll, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, is the go-to place for manta ray encounters. The renowned Hanifaru Bay attracts hundreds of these gentle giants, especially during the southwest monsoon season (May to November).

Nilandhe Atoll : Nilandhe Atoll, or Dhaalu Atoll, is home to a range of untouched dive sites. The Coral Gardens, adorned with vibrant coral formations, is a diver's paradise, housing diverse marine life, including reef sharks and eagle rays.

Fuvahmulah : Fuvahmulah, a single-island atoll, is a hotspot for shark enthusiasts. The Tiger Zoo offers divers the unique opportunity to see Tiger Sharks, Thresher Sharks, and even Hammerhead Sharks up close.

Lhaviyani Atoll : For wreck diving aficionados, Lhaviyani Atoll is the place to be. The famous Shipyard features two fascinating shipwrecks, the Skipjack II and the Nesita, for divers to explore.

Felidhoo Atoll : Also known as Vaavu, Felidhoo Atoll is celebrated for its thrilling channel dives. The Alimatha Jetty night dive is a must-try experience, where encounters with Nurse Sharks and Stingrays are common.

Meemu Atoll : Boasting photogenic dive sites, Meemu Atoll is a favorite among underwater photographers. Mulaku Kandu's vibrant corals and Dhiggaru Kandu's occasional Whale Shark appearances are highlights of the area.

Huvadhoo Atoll : Huvadhoo Atoll, one of the world's largest atolls, offers the perfect finale for your diving expedition. Its remote location keeps it relatively free from crowds, allowing you to explore its untouched dive sites in peace. The atoll is famed for its exciting channel dives and hosts a variety of pelagic species. Dive sites like Nilandhoo Kandu, known for Hammerhead Shark sightings, and Vilingili Kandu, a hotspot for Manta Rays, are guaranteed to leave you in awe.

Rasdhoo Atoll : Rasdhoo Atoll is a small yet captivating atoll in the Maldives, renowned for its crystal-clear waters and exceptional diving opportunities. This atoll, consisting of Rasdhoo Island and a few surrounding islets, stands out for its rich marine biodiversity and is particularly famous for its hammerhead shark dives.

Kdaj odpotovati?

Maldivi ponujajo celoletno potapljanje, vendar se izkušnje lahko razlikujejo med severnimi in južnimi atoli.

Na severnih atolih (moški, Ari, Baa, Lhaviyani itd.) so najboljši potapljaški pogoji običajno od novembra do aprila, z mirnim morjem in odlično vidljivostjo. Morsko življenje, vključno z manta žarki, grebenskimi morskimi psi in pisanimi grebenskimi ribami, je obilno, kitovski morski psi pa so pogosto opaženi na atolu Južni Ari.

Po drugi strani pa so južni atoli (Meemu, Vaavu, Thaa, Huvadhoo itd.) na vrhuncu od maja do oktobra. V tem času lahko potapljači pričakujejo mirnejša morja, izjemno vidljivost in pogosta opažanja različnih vrst morskih psov, velike jate rib in mante.

Nasveti za popotnike

Lokalna valuta je maldivska rufija (MVR). Vendar pa so ameriški dolarji široko sprejeti na živih ploščah na Maldivih.

Medtem ko večina Liveaboards ponuja Wi-Fi, se lahko hitrosti povezave razlikujejo. Če je ohranjanje povezave ključnega pomena, razmislite o nakupu lokalne kartice SIM.

Prevoz med otoki je običajno z gliserjem ali hidroplanom in ga je treba urediti vnaprej. Ne pozabite, da se delovanje hidroplana konča ob sončnem zahodu.

Prepričajte se, da imate zavarovanje, ki krije incidente, povezane s potapljanjem. Potapljanje v živo na Maldivih vas lahko pripelje do oddaljenih območij, od koder je reševanje lahko zahtevno.

Kako do tja in pristanišča odhoda?

Maldivi so dostopni po zraku iz različnih delov sveta. Glavni mednarodni prehod v državi je mednarodno letališče Malé (znano tudi kot mednarodno letališče Velana), ki se nahaja na otoku Hulhulé, v bližini glavnega mesta Malé.

Številni mednarodni letalski prevozniki opravljajo neposredne lete v Malé iz večjih mest v Evropi, Aziji in na Bližnjem vzhodu. Iz Severne Amerike ali Avstralije bo morda potreben en ali dva postanka.

Večina potapljaških odprav na Maldivih odhaja iz Maleja zaradi bližine različnih vrhunskih potapljaških lokacij in atolov. Vendar pa lahko nekateri živi krožniki odstopajo tudi od drugih lokacij, kot so atoli Laamu ali Gaafu Dhaalu, zlasti tistih, ki se osredotočajo na južne atole.

Pred potovanjem se s svojim izvajalcem potopov ali potapljačem dogovorite o natančnem pristanišču odhoda in prevoznih sredstvih, ki so bila sklenjena za prihod z mednarodnega letališča Malé.

Bistveni potovalni nasveti za pustolovščine v živo

Pristojbine za morske parke: upoštevajte pristojbine za morske parke na osebo in na dan. Nekateri paketi liveaboard vključujejo te stroške, medtem ko drugi zahtevajo plačilo na krovu. Možnosti plačila vključujejo čeke Visa, Mastercard, gotovino ali potovalne čeke.
Veljavnost potnega lista: Poskrbite, da bo vaš potni list veljaven vsaj 6 mesecev po načrtovanem datumu vstopa. Večina držav to zahteva, skupaj z povratno vozovnico. Vnaprej preverite vizumske zahteve.
Zdravstvene priprave: 8 tednov pred potovanjem se posvetujte s svojim zdravnikom glede cepljenj ali preventivnih ukrepov, priporočenih za vaš cilj.

Opomba: preglejte posebne pogoje in določila izbranega apartmaja za vse dodatne pristojbine za morske parke ali potovalne zahteve.