Amba Liveaboard, Maldives

Name: Best of Central South Maldives: Ari - Vaavu - Meemu - Male Atolls (Male - Male)
Start: 2027-01-05
End: 2027-01-16
Location: Maldives

9.0 Superb

Free Nitrox
En-Suite bathrooms
Family Cabins
Aircon Cabins
Non-Diver (Snorkeler) Friendly
Warm Water Showers

from $ 232 / day Check dates

“This was my first live aboard experience and I couldn't have wished for a better one. ”
Sina S, Germany

Highlights

BAUER PureAir certified filling system
Nitrox fillings included
Enos diver location beacon onboard
Paradroque Safety Equipment

The AMBA is a 31-meter-long liveaboard that accommodates 20 guests in 10 cabins, each featuring a private bathroom and adjustable air conditioning. The German owner personally manages the vessel. The clientele is international, comprising English and German-speaking individuals. The ship offers 11-day, 10-night tours to the Ari, Vaavu, and Malé Atolls, featuring well-selected dive sites.

The AMBA specializes in two-week tours for divers with medium to advanced experience. The tours require a minimum of 30 logged dives and some experience with currents. Communal areas onboard the Amba include the main saloon and dining room, where three freshly prepared meals are served daily, along with afternoon snacks, cakes, drinking water, tea, juice, and coffee. The German and Maldivian chefs bake fresh bread daily in the morning for breakfast lovers, alongside a vast variety of international delicacies from Asia, complemented by global cuisine. Since the Owner is a chef himself, food is one of the top priorities, besides safety and stunning dives. The outdoor lounge on the upper deck is perfect for relaxing between dives, and the partially covered sun deck is furnished with sun loungers.

The AMBA navigates through all atolls of the Maldives, including the Deep South, Central Maldives, and northern Atolls, offering dive sites carefully selected to avoid crowded areas. The Amba stands out for its BAUER PureAir filling system, free Nitrox for every dive, and an extended, modern safety concept that ensures the highest safety standards. The 16-meter dive dhoni provides efficient dive operations featuring a freshwater shower and a western toilet, and smaller speedboats offer easy access to nearby islands. The experienced multilingual crew ensures all guests have a smooth and personalized diving and holiday experience.

Book your liveaboard trip aboard the AMBA today.

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Date

Itinerary

Price

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05 Sep

12 Days / 11 Nights

$ 3,053

FULL

18 Sep

12 Days / 11 Nights

$ 3,053

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01 Oct

12 Days / 11 Nights

$ 3,053

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14 Oct

12 Days / 11 Nights

$ 3,053

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27 Oct

12 Days / 11 Nights

$ 3,053

Select Cabin only 5 spaces left

09 Nov

12 Days / 11 Nights

$ 3,436

Select Cabin only 5 spaces left

22 Nov

12 Days / 11 Nights

$ 3,436

FULL

05 Dec

12 Days / 11 Nights

$ 3,436

Select Cabin available

19 Dec

15 Days / 14 Nights

Christmas trip!

$ 4,373

Select Cabin available

05 Jan

12 Days / 11 Nights

$ 3,436

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18 Jan

12 Days / 11 Nights

$ 3,436

Select Cabin only 2 spaces left

31 Jan

12 Days / 11 Nights

$ 3,947

Select Cabin available

Included: VAT, Airport Transfer, Drinking Water, Tea & Coffee, Welcome Cocktails, Full-Board Meal Plan (All meals), Snacks, Diving Package, Night Dives, Nitrox, Land Excursions, Beach Towels, Cabin Towels, Complimentary Toiletries, Deck Towels.

Required Extras: Environment Tax (12 EUR per night), Nitrox Course (220 EUR).

Optional Extras: Gratuities, Alcoholic Beverages, Soft drinks, Rental Gear, Snorkel Gear.

Book now, pay later: You can easily place your booking online. We will then hold the spaces for you and you can confirm with a payment later.

* Extra fees are shown per person.

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Boat features

En-Suite bathrooms
Family Cabins
Aircon Cabins
Non-Diver (Snorkeler) Friendly
Warm Water Showers
Air Conditioned saloon
Sun Deck
Camera Station
Rooms with Balcony
Nearly 1:1 Crew-to-Guest Ratio
Seaview Cabins
Naturalist Itineraries
Non-Smoking Rooms
Custom built for diving
Charging stations
Indoor Saloon
Library
Audio & video entertainment
Observation Deck
Fishing
Available for Charter
Local & International Crew
Separate Rinse for u/w Camera
Outside Showers
Leisure Deck
Daily housekeeping
Bar

Food & Drinks

Vegan Options
Vegetarian Options
Beer available
Wine Available
Welcome Cocktails
Snacks All Day
Buffet style
Western Food
Local Food

If you have any specific dietary requirements whilst on-board your cruise, you can add this to your special requests on step 2 of the booking form. We advise limiting these requests to religious beliefs or food allergies.

Diving

Free Nitrox
Shaded Diving Area
DIN Adaptors
Rinse Hoses
Dive deck
Tenders for diving
Sidemount Diving

Languages Spoken

The crew speaks English, German, and Italian.

Gear Rental

Equipment is available for rent on this boat. Please provide your rental needs on the booking form. If the rental gear is not included in the price, you will need to pay for it on board the boat. Show prices

Drawings & Vessel Layouts

Cabin Types

Boat Specifications

Year built: 2004

Year renovated: Annually

Length: 32 meters

Beam: 10 meters

Top speed: 13 knots

Cruising speed: 8.5 knots

Engines: Heavy Duty Yanmar 370 HP

Max guests: 20

Number of cabins: 10

Number of bathrooms: 10

Tenders: 2

Fuel capacity: 4000 liters

Freshwater maker: 6000 liters per day

Boat navigation and safety

Depth Sounder
GPS
Radio VHF/DSC/SSB
E.P.I.R.B. Distress System
Emergency Rafts
Life Vests
Fire Alarm & Fire Extinguishers
Oxygen
First Aid Kits
Fishfinder
Satellite & mobile phones
Bilge pump alarm
Search light
Engine room CCTV
Crew trained in first aid

Amba Liveaboard Reviews

9.0 Superb

Vessel

8.8
Crew

8.8
Food

9.7
Diving

8.8
Value

8.9

10 Exceptional
Jean-Marc T
France

Everything was very well organized. I recommend it without hesitation for beginner or not
From the beginning with the welcome, to the departure, between the dives, the rest times, the meals and the briefings, everything was perfect.All under the supervision of the boss who does not hesitate to get involved or help if necessary.I recommend this boat and crew for any diving course.
Recommended for
food. listening to the entire crew, the dive management and the skipper. organization and dives.
04 Mar, 2026

Translated from French

10 Exceptional
marc L
France

Unforgettable stay, I was amazed
I would like to thank all the staff who work on the boat who did a great job, which made it an unforgettable stay.The dive sites were chosen according to the weather so that we could have a memorable time.The cleanliness on the boat is impeccable and the quality of the food is simple but really very good and efficient.I highly recommend a stay on AmbaThank you againMarc letourneur
Recommended for
Great dive site. Very professional Die Master. Safety on board the boat.
28 Apr, 2026

Translated from French

10 Exceptional
Robert L
United States

Amba, one of the best liveabaords in the Maldives!!
This was my first long liveabaord and it was such an amazing time. We were only a group of 10 out of 20 divers so it made for a more intimate and enjoyable experience. It also gave us our own cabins which was an added plus. The crew were amazing, friendly and attentive and the meals were all freshly prepared and bountiful! The dive sites were incrediable and we saw such incredible sea life, but due to weather conditions visibility wasn't great at times and we weren't able to do the night dives, but weather is out of everyone's control hahaha but the dive team did their best to make each dive memorable!!
Recommended for
The Dive Sites. Amazing crew. A small group of divers.
24 May, 2026

10 Exceptional
Heimke M
Germany

Amazing dives with amazing crew
Diving 🐟Great Group 🦈 Mega Crew 🐙We had Hassan, a local dive guide, he was really super professional and really extremely funny and eager for his group, but also always an eye for the whole team.Stefan did a great job of leading the trip and has a mega team behind him.All around a great and highly recommended boat.Say thank you to Juan and Heimke
Recommended for
Amazing dive guide amazing Crew
14 Sep, 2024

Translated from German

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
15 Mar, 2016

8.4 Very good
Stefano R
Italy

Beautiful experience
Fantastic trip, met beautiful people, super helpful staff, always smiling and super nice. Not a brand new boat but with everything you need. Fantastic dives, we saw a lot of variety of fish and corals.
Recommended for
Staff - MAGNIFICENT. Fantastic dives. Marine biology.
22 Jan, 2026

Translated from Italian

9.6 Exceptional
STEFANO C
Italy

Fantastic
All very nice, thank you
Recommended for
Beautiful places - Manta rays - Not too many people
29 Jan, 2020

Translated from Italian

8.0 Very good
Antoine B
France

We'll be back!
Great trip on amba, the crew were very caring, the food very good and the choice of dive sites great
Recommended for
Knowledge of dive sites. Guide. Food.
25 Apr, 2025

Translated from French

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!
21 Apr, 2021

10 Exceptional
Maximilian O
Australia

Amazing Trip
We had an amazing time in Amba. From the first day on board the crew looks after you and everyone on board is super welcoming and friendly. You could really tell that the dive guides knew what they were doing and had great knowledge on the Maldives and the individual dive sites. Overall we absolutely recommend this to anyone who would be visiting Maldives for a dive trip, well be back soon enough ourselves to do it all again. Massive shoutout to Ammu and Neo, they’re the best guides in the business.
Recommended for
Diving. Crew. Food.
12 Oct, 2024

90 reviews

9.0 Superb
90 Verified Reviews

Sort reviews by:

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
06 Nov, 2015

8.8 Fabulous
Vincent G
France

Bonne experience
Good overall experience, boat and cabin very comfortable.Some dives could be better organized.
Recommended for
Comfort of the boat and the cabin (Upper Deck Cabin). Helpful and friendly crew. The north of the Maldives (fewer tourists).
19 Sep, 2024

10 Exceptional
Kimberly P
United States

Awesome Boat/Staff and Diving !!!
Wow...So many highlights. Stefan and his staff were great even before the trip started. Great communication ahead of time on little things about the trip. We were picked up promptly at the airport on Tuesday. Great briefings on the boat, typical diving, etc. This was the ONLY boat I've ever been on to actually do a safety drill on evacuating from the lower level. Food was awesome and very healthy. Amo and Neo were great guides and did most of the daily dive briefings. There is some challenging diving in the Maldives at certain sites (current, reef hooks necessary, etc), but the crew made sure we practiced in advance and were ready when we did hit those more advanced sites. Diving in the Maldives ranges from beautiful corals and small stuff like nudibranchs to sharks, turtles and Manta Rays ! I've done multiple liveaboards and this one is the best. The crew went out of their way to make us all feel welcome. Great trip and can't wait to go back ! Hats off to Stefan and all the crew for an awesome week !
Recommended for
Great diving in Maldives ! Staff was incredible ! Communication was excellent
11 Apr, 2024

10 Exceptional
Felipe D
Brazil

Best choice
Best possible choice! No words to thank you for the incredible experience that were these days at AMBA. Super well planned diving itinerary; daily concern with safety, from previous briefings to boarding the boat; incredible and always well-served meals and, above all; Sensational and super friendly crew. Stefan is a spectacular host, always humorous, helpful and concerned with every detail; Neo and Ammu are the best instructors and make every moment light and enjoyable. The joy and sympathy of everyone is contagious and transforms the environment. I hope one day to return to AMBA for another safari.
Recommended for
The team. The script. The food.
18 Apr, 2025

Translated from Portuguese

10 Exceptional
Sina S
Germany

A wonderful liveaboard experience on Amba
This was my first live aboard experience and I couldn't have wished for a better one. From the first moment of booking I felt well taken care of. The crew gave us a warm welcome at the airport and everything was perfectly thought-through and organized. We were greeted on Amba with a refreshing towel and a welcome drink which was a great start. The check-in procedures were stress-free and we could move into our rooms very fast after arriving to relax. The room was exactly as described, very clean and had all the amenities. I especially liked that there was also a fan additionally to the air-con and plenty of space for all my belongings. Everything was in great condition, there was a beautiful sun-deck and a nice chill-out area in the shade, the dining-area / saloon was very comfortable. The food on Amba was really amazing, there were always plenty of options, lots of fruits and vegetables, and catering for guests with special dietary needs as well. My highlight was the freshly caught Wahoo that was served one evening! All the boat crew were super friendly, attentive and professional. Our dives were wonderful, we started with a check dive with Manta Rays, which was amazing and continued with lots of other beautiful dives. The whole dive crew was very professional - Ammo, Joe, Franz and Neo were great, as well as all the other staff on the dive dhoni - they made sure we had superb dives while focusing on safety of all divers as well. Neo was a fantastic guide for my group with a lot of knowledge and experience - especially considering his young age. I learnt a lot from him and really enjoyed my dives with him as a guide. The whole week was really wonderful - from start to end and I would immediately book a trip with Amba again. It's been my first liveaboard but thanks to this great experience definitely not my last!
Recommended for
Diving & Dive Guides. Crew Service & Friendliness. Value for money.
20 Nov, 2024

9.6 Exceptional
Ben P
United States

Fun diving with great staff! Goes by too fast
We had a wonderful time on the Amba. While you can't schedule the marine life, we had some great encounters with sharks, a manta, and numerous Maldivian reef fish. The crew was warm, inviting, and helpful. The dive staff was very knowledgeable and attentive before, during, and after the dives. The chef and kitchen staff are wonderful. The worst part of the trip is that it goes by too fast.
Recommended for
Great dives. Fun group. Amazing staff.
21 Jan, 2026

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.
17 Dec, 2019

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
31 May, 2016

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
21 Apr, 2021

9.6 Exceptional
Pilar R
Spain

Exceptional
It's the second time we've been to the Amba and it won't be the last. We felt right at home. The crew is attentive to everything and attentive to any problems or suggestions. The food is exceptional, very good, varied, healthy and plentiful. The organization of the dive is very professional, very focused on safety. There were three guides, they didn't organize them into groups and each instructor went with five or six divers, so they could keep an eye on us at all times. The dive sites are the usual ones on this tour of the central atolls. The boat is not very big but it is comfortable, with indoor and outdoor relaxation areas. We had a great week.
Recommended for
The dive sites, the organization, the comfort on board and the food
07 Apr, 2023

Translated from Spanish

9.6 Exceptional
Michael H
Germany

Gigantic great diving safarai. Always happy to do it again.
I had an unforgettable trip with my son on the Amba. Everything was perfect here. The crew, the food and the diving we were also totally thrilled. A must for every diver. We would love to come back. See you
Recommended for
The fellow travelers. The boss of the boat. The diving areas.
29 Dec, 2025

10 Exceptional
Pei Li Y
Singapore

Definitely the best I have been on so far
Love the manta night dive and Alimatha jetty dive. Sebastian is very attentive and helpful. Boat crews are very friendly and helpful. Stephen’s cooking is superb!!
Recommended for
Well organised, clean, well planned
01 Jan, 2024

8.8 Fabulous
Franz V
Germany

Diving with humor and German quality.
The German guided rope ship Amba invites you to a 12-day liveaboard. During these days, the crew and especially the dive guides were able to show us the most beautiful dive sites in the Maldives with their experience and enough humor. But also around the diving they could really convince with good food, a lot of effort and a clean ship (apart from a few termites that like to circle around at night). You could feel the strong German guiding hand of a very strict, but all the more humorous boat leader and could always count on him for all problems and questions. He as the Gordon Ramsay of the seas, in combination with his new German and slowly warming colleague as a quasi sous chef and as icing on the cake a local, sometimes talkative, very experienced dive guide, form a wonderful, sometimes not perfectly organized trio (guessing currents was not their strong point xD), which made this trip really special. Therefore, I can really recommend this trip.
Recommended for
Diving Experience, Community, Maldives
09 Nov, 2022

8.8 Fabulous
Isabelle T
France

Beautiful stay in the Maldives
Good taken hand by the team. The dive sites were good. Too bad for a site where the marine conditions were not met. The visit to an island is nice and allows us to see a little bit of another part of the scenery. The night dive was very surprising and enjoyable with the Manta rays.Lots of sharks and rays at the rendezvous.
Recommended for
Welcome, conviviality. organization. Atmosphere.
20 Jan, 2025

9.2 Superb
Anna M
Australia

Amazing trip!!
I loved this liveaboard! The environment was warm and welcoming! The crew were all fantastic! Alot of laughter was had! The diving locations were brilliant, seeing a wide variety of what the Maldives has to offer! Fantastic, knowledgeable and safety focused guides! I loved the fine details on the boat, private cupboards in the saloon, cool cloths on arrival, amongst many other things. The food was delish! Very much catering to Europeans, which personally isn't my preference, but great nonetheless! I hope to one day join you guys again for many laughs and fantastic diving! I also thought the boat itself was great, an older girl, she was very clean and organised, well renovated, incredibly roomy!! Amba has a lot of character with a colorful crew! Thank you so much Stefan and Co!
Recommended for
Crew, locations, diving
26 Jan, 2024

10 Exceptional
Michaela S
Germany

From now on, there is only one liveaboard for me in the Maldives: the Amba!
There is one thing that sets the Amba apart from other safari vessels: the owner (himself an instructor and cook) lives and works on board himself - it makes a huge difference in pretty much everything. Stefan has put together a great team. The atmosphere on board is professional, friendly and familiar. To mention a few points: - Everything, starting with the journey, briefings, security, rental equipment, meals is perfectly organized- the crew is great: friendly, helpful, humorous and well trained- Food is fresh, healthy and varied, curries from our own production, homemade sourdough bread, fresh fish and many vegetarian alternatives - Stefan attaches great importance to the kitchen- a small cooking course for interested parties was spontaneously added between two dives- the cabins are huge, some of them already nicely renovated (and the older ones are still completely ok) and offer a lot of storage space, USB sockets, reading light and a shower with more water pressure than at home...- Great sun/shade deck with plenty of comfortable loungers- Stefan is in constant exchange with the guests and responds to all wishes if possible- the Doni is very spacious (the only disadvantage here is that the compressor is not on the Doni and you have to change the bottle after every dive)- Nitrox always constant at 31% - this saves the eternal switching of the computer- three guides on board, so group size at about 6 people (Thank you Shah - you're great!)- on the last day the Doni was damaged. As a result, a replacement Doni was organized overnight, so that we could still do the last dive!- a great, colorful selection of dive sites / we had some bad luck with the weather this time (wrong or no current, therefore poor visibility and few big fish), but the team did everything to offer us good dives anyway. - on our next Maldives liveaboard we will 100% sail with the Amba again (and I have already been on 4 other ships).- Thanks again Stefan and team, if you are reading this - you are very special!
Recommended for
Perfectly managed ship with a professional and service-oriented crew. spacious cabins with plenty of storage space. delicious, healthy and varied food.
17 Nov, 2025

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
23 Jan, 2023

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,
26 Sep, 2021

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
05 Jan, 2022