8.0 Very good
Adam W
United States

Nice boat, good food, meh diving

Dives at 7am are a little too early as the sun's not high enough to pierce much of the water. Some dive spots should be abandoned altogether as they were uninteresting or nearly completely bleached. Wasted a lot of time over barren areas. Overall 18 dives: 3 great; 5 good; 5 ok; 5 quite dull.

Recommended for: Good food, boat is in good shape (but rooms smell), nice sun and shade areas

8.0 Very good
Jessica B
United States

Great value and no crowds

The cabins are very spacious, and even the en suite was much larger than most liveaboards. The crew is fantastic and goes out of their way to keep guests happy. The main salon is large and comfortable and there are several outdoor areas to lounge. Our only complaint was that the smoking section was the one and only covered deck, just behind the salon. Made it difficult to find a place to hang out away from the smoke when it rained. Diving in the far north was amazing. We didn't have great visibility, but the life was so prolific. And we never had to share a dive site with another boat. Would highly recommend this trip!

Recommended for: Uncrowded dive sites, fantastic marine life, good crew

8.0 Very good
Greg F
United States

Some good Some bad

The Manta dive was an awesome dive. The reefs were in very good shape for the most part and the amount of reef fish was mind boggeling!!

Recommended for: The crew on the dohni were very very good. 4 of the dives were good.

6.0 Review score
ROBERT C
United States

adequate but not great

manta rays

Recommended for: convenience experienced dive masters predictable

8.8 Fabulous
Angela T
United States

Good Value for your money, very nice crew

The shared rooms and bathrooms are spacious compared to other liveaboards I've been on. The crew is very nice, polite, helpful and attentive. The smaller boat, from which we do the diving from, is also spacious and comfortable with bathroom, covered roof, and sundeck. Very good value for your money!

Recommended for: Crew, Food, Well Organized

8.8 Fabulous
peter D
Netherlands

very good service, relaxing and beautiful part of the maladives

we had a very nice stay on the boat. i tell all my friends to go over there and stay with you thanks ps Tamara did a fine job; could you ask her to send me the pictures she promised me

Recommended for: relax, space and the food

8.4 Very good
Silke W
Germany

Still nice boat with good staff and lonesome dive spots

Relaxing week with nice other divers.

Recommended for: Sharks, Mantas, Dolphins

8.8 Fabulous
Philip H
United Kingdom

Boat better than the diving

The weather was against us but the Amba is well run by the crew, but the diving management was not what I have been accustomed to before in other Maldives trips.There doesn't seem to be a concept of duty of care for looking out for the less experienced divers which I believe verged on the unprofessional and this view was shared by the most of those diving on the boat. Diving is not the same as leading a group around a woodland walk, one of the dive leaders was far more professional than the other in their overall demeanor and attitude to caring for his diving group. The other didn't seem to care about the group he was leading and felt because he paired or put you in a threesome his job was done. It was up to you diving with the less experienced third diver not him nurturing and ensuring the person achieved a good dive by staying with them and helping in the difficult parts like the negative entries that are a part of diving in the Northern Atolls. I was not impressed and the fact that Liveaboard.com which he booked through weren't a bit more explicit about the difficulties of the diving conditions in this area. He had only carried out 40 dives in easy blue water conditions I think you need at least a 100 and in difficult conditions to be comfortable in the Northern Atolls. To sum up the boat and crew are good the diving management is half good the other half is not.

Recommended for: The Food, Facilities and Dohi

8.4 Very good
Marina C
Italy

Good experience to taste diving in Maldives

Amazing experience

Recommended for: The upper deck, the amazing places, the peace in the ocean

10 Exceptional
Peter W
Australia

A great dive trip in the beautiful northern Makdives

Great! The Amba is currently the only dive boat operating in the Northern Maldives so the dive sites were not crowded with boats and divers. Sleeping out of the roof deck was wonderful! Great cabins too! Excellent food!

Recommended for: The diving, the diving, the diving.... Everything was great but the diving is the most important

8.0 Very good
christian H
Switzerland

Enjoy diving far away from crowded spots

christmas Rock diving spot

Recommended for: Food onboard, diving spots, service

9.2 Superb
Johan B
South Africa

The week on the Amba was the best diving I have done yet!!!

The crew was really good, especially the kitchen staff. They kept us well fed and didn't just serve the "normal" dive boat fare. We did 18 dives and each one was different from the next, ensuring that we experienced all that the North Maldives has to offer in one short week. Some advice - as the currents can be quite strong, remember to bring a reef hook along, although the boat and also provide.

Recommended for: Crew and guides / underwater life diversity / Food

8.0 Very good
Pascal F
France

a simple live aboard

quite trip well organized nice dive guide

Recommended for: Lot of room, friendly, quite

8.4 Very good
John F
United Kingdom

Great diving in great company

The blue and yellow soft coral and the guitar sharks

Recommended for: The company, the diving and the crew

9.2 Superb
jorge H
Spain

Very good valeu for money

Excellent diving with guides like Alex, Dane and Zeezal nothing can go wrong. Very profesional. Nice. With lots of patience and empathy. The dives we did were always excellent and very well planed even when it was not their normal route. Great time with great people.

Recommended for: The crew, the diving and the group we got.

8.0 Very good
YUEN FAI DICK W
United Kingdom

very often the only boat in the neighborhood

guitar shark, leopard shark, manta, octopus walking around

Recommended for: unique north itinerary, spacious room, sunrise/sunset

9.6 Exceptional
STEFANO C
Italy

Fantastic

Tutto molto bello, grazie

Recommended for: Posti bellissimi - Mante - Non troppa gente

9.6 Exceptional
Arndt P
Germany

super diving adventure in the north of the maledives

baby manta, baby silvertip, baby eagle ray, giant nurse shark

Recommended for: fishlife food and people

9.6 Exceptional
Arndt P
Germany

beautiful trip with perfect dives

many many sharks, rays and other stuff

Recommended for: fishlife food and weather

8.0 Very good
Anne M
France

Friendly crew and uncrowded dives

We had a good itinerary starting from Male and going to the northern atolls of the Maldives. The trip focused on manta cleaning stations and we were lucky to see them. We dove one channel (kandu) with an incoming current which had a great fish life. The maldivian guide Shaheel is very experienced and very friendly, he knows all the dive sites inside out. The couple managing the boat is super friendly and makes a great addition to a very nice boat. The Northen atolls may not have recovered yet from the bleaching episodes of the last few years but it is getting better in some parts. No doubt this uncrowded part of the Maldives will flourish again soon with vibrant colours. The fish life is overall good. Kuredu has an amazing dive site with dozens of huge turtles. Some channels attract lots of sharks. Always good to dive in the Maldives ! The boat crew and dhoni crew are all great and the whole operation runs very smoothly.

Recommended for: Manta cleaning stations; dive guides and crew; food

10 Exceptional
Ivo J
Czech Republic

A great experience

The crew know what they're doing and how to give their guests the best possible trip. Heaps of manta, sting and eagle rays, nurse sharks and heaps of reef shark , was pity no guitar shark and whale shark.It was fun to dive in strong currents. Lucky we had reefhooks with us. Can’t say anything negative about this trip. It was amazing!!!!!

Recommended for: guides, chefs, dive boat crew

6.8 Review score
Cara W
New Zealand

Bad luck with weather, boat breaking and everyone speaking German apart from me

- good dives

Recommended for: - good dive guides, good staff and food

10 Exceptional
Connor W
Canada

The crew, the guides, the boat, the food, everything was amazing! 10/10

Diving and all the laughs and good times onboard.

Recommended for: The entire trip was perfect!

8.4 Very good
Miklos H
Hungary

Good value for money

The dives on North Ari atoll

Recommended for: Awesome diving, professional but laidback atmosphere, customer centric attitude

7.2 Good
Jörg S
Germany

Boat is ok, crew very friendly.

Swimming with nurse sharks; manta ray very close an other sharks also.

Recommended for: Manta ray, a lot of sharks.

8.4 Very good
Thomas B
Germany

Great atmosphere on the boat despite what happened

Khudarah Thila, Mayaa Thila, huge schools of fish

Recommended for: Good diving, nice people,

10 Exceptional
Markus B
Germany

Great Trip

Mantas!

Recommended for: The crew, the diving and the ship

9.2 Superb
Arkadiusz D
Poland

Good diving for decent price.

We had mantas at night diving and at some cleaning stations (10 at the same time at the peak moment) unfortunately no whale shark. Last dive of this trip, which happened only because the previous day diving was postponed due to bad weather, was the best dive of this safari with very strong current and plenty of sharks.

Recommended for: Cabin, food, crew

8.8 Fabulous
Roald V
Netherlands

Nice to be able to go on vacation.

From what I hoped to see whilst diving it didn't completly life up to what I had hoped. But thats nature. The crew and the boat was good and nice and friendly, and some really stood out whilst others could be more friendly. I was happy that there were a few not German speakers on a German boat, otherwise it would have been a pain. I would recommend this boat.

Recommended for: Some of the crew, some dives and the room I had

9.2 Superb
Yannick B
France

Amba is more than value for money

We dove into some of the tops dive sites in the world. Crew, dive guides and management were friendly and reactive during these 10 days. Just wished the vegetarian option meant more than sides, veggies and eggs but I’m used to it now on liveaboards.

Recommended for: Marine life, crew and dive guides friendliness, organization

10 Exceptional
ANURAG B
India

Best Liveaboard Ever

Really ine of the best Liveaboard there is...delivered everything they have promised...amazing crew...and they dont travel during the night so there is no engine sound at night...so if someone is at the lower deck you wont be affected by the engine sound...the crew kno what they are doing...and the dive masters has the best eye for the smallest of the fish and also for the largest of the fish..thank you Amba for a really azing trip..

Recommended for: Everything was really good...the crew were amazing..they were always there to help us with a smile

9.2 Superb
Zinaida B
Sweden

Wish to dive with "Amba" again

Sharks, mantas, turtles Drift diving Visiting of the local island

Recommended for: Safety, staff and comfort

10 Exceptional
Graeme L
New Zealand

A well designed, safe ship and excellent crew and company.

The whole trip was a "highlight!" We felt that the tour was responding to our wishes and seemed to always be on the lookout for a better alternative making subtle changes to achieve this.

Recommended for: Attention to quality food, helpful staff and great diving

Amba Liveaboard, Maldives

Highlights

Choose your departure date

2023

2024

2025

Boat features

Food & Drinks

Diving

Gear Rental

Drawings & Vessel Layouts

Accommodation

Standard Twin Cabin Lower Deck

Standard Single Double Bed Cabin Lower Deck

Standard Bow Cabin

Upper Deck Cabins

Upper Bunkbed Cabin

Boat Specifications

Boat Navigation and Safety

Amba Liveaboard Reviews