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Liveaboard Diving in Maldives

Liveaboard SCUBA diving in the Maldives offers some of the world's most pristine and colourful reefs along with luxury dive boats that satisfy the choosiest of vacationers.

Diving in the Maldives by liveaboard offers the best in many must-have tropical SCUBA experiences. Deserted, white sand islands peep up out of the ocean by only two meters, stretching seamlessly into an underwater paradise of wildlife nourished by the Indian Monsoon current. The Maldives' crystal clear waters are home to mantas, whale sharks, and reef sharks, not to mention the brilliant flatworms and ghost pipefish who hide among its wrecks, coral gardens, channels, and pinnacles. Maldives liveaboards offer itineraries encompassing the world-class dive sites of North Male Atoll, Ari Atoll, Baa Atoll, Hanifaru Bay, Rasdhoo and many more, including remote atolls in the far north and south where you'd be hard-pressed to see another liveaboard.

Liveaboards in Ari Atoll come for its submerged, volcano-shaped pinnacles, which attract immense amounts of big marine life. Diving in and near Ari Atoll can bring you face to face with manta rays, pelagic fish, and even hammerhead sharks at Rasdhoo Atoll to the northeast. Within Ari Atoll's 40 km length and 105 small islands, dive sites like the premier Maaya Thila, overflowing with reef life, or Donkalo Thila, one of multiple manta cleaning stations, are only accessible to liveaboards. The most dependable Maldives dive sites for whale sharks and manta rays are located in this area. Experienced divers will be best able to navigate the strong currents that bring the giants to Ari Atoll. Maldivian liveaboards to Ari Atoll are mostly MV luxury yachts.

The length of most liveaboard itineraries to Ari Atoll ranges from 7 to 12 nights. The best time to dive in Aril Atoll is the calm-sea season of December to May. The water temperature usually remains between 26-29 C, and visibility is at a good 15-20 meters. Budgets for liveaboards in Ari Atoll range between 200 to 400 euros per. day. Ari Atoll liveaboards depart from Male, reachable by short flights from nearby Singapore, Dubai, and Colombo, as well as longer flights worldwide. Places to dive in and around Ari Atoll are North and South Male Atolls, Rasdhoo Atoll, and sometimes Baa Atoll. Ari Atoll liveaboard itineraries will often include a combination of the above.

Baa Atoll, in the Maldives Northern Atolls area, offers an array of famously beautiful underwater landscapes and plentiful marine life. At Maavaru Kandu, you can dive below huge rocky overhangs festooned with luminous pastel gardens of blue, yellow, and green soft corals. Dhonfanu Thila and Dhigali Haa dive sites are underwater pinnacles known for their scenic whip corals, bushy black corals, and sea fans, as well as schools of snapper and regular manta rays. Hanifaru Bay even enjoys world-famous manta and whale shark aggregations during the plankton-rich months from August through November. Some diving in Baa Atoll is suitable for beginners with moderate currents. Liveaboards in Baa Atoll are mostly MV yachts and luxury yachts.

Nilandhe Atoll, on the western border of the Maldives' Southern Atolls, is a great destination for liveaboard diving. It is actually made up of two atolls - the northern atoll is known for its big schools of fish, as well as sharks, Napoleon wrasse, and eagle rays. The southern atoll is home to an abundance of protected areas that are teeming with marine life, including grey reef sharks, schools of fusiliers, snappers, sweetlips, and even tuna, turtles, and mantas. No matter your interests, Nilandhe Atoll is sure to have something for you.

The length of most liveaboard dive cruise itineraries to Baa Atoll ranges from 7 to 10 nights. Baa Atoll dive sites can be visited year-round, though the southwest monsoon from May to November can make the seas a bit choppy. The water temperature stays stable at 27-30 C. Budgets for Baa Atoll liveaboards range from 200 to 400 euros per day. Many liveaboards bound for Baa Atoll depart from Male. However, some depart from Hanimadhoo in the north and spend their whole itinerary in that area. Hanimadhoo can be reached by domestic seaplane from Male. Some itineraries on a Baa Atoll-bound liveaboard include North Male and Ari Atoll. Other itineraries may spend more time among Baa's uncrowded neighbours in the north: Lhaviyani, Noonu, and Raa Atolls.

Longer dive safaris include Lhaviyani, Felidhoo, Vaavu, and Meemu atolls, whilst during January-March, several Maldives dive liveaboards focus their attention on Huvadhoo Atoll in the Deep South close to the Equator. No matter which dive trip you choose, you can be sure to see healthy corals surrounded by colourful reef fish and plenty of pelagic fish action on each and every dive.

More about the Atolls of Maldives

Jump off the plane and hop on a boat for a classic Maldives dive trip in the Central Atolls.
Grab your bunk on an exclusive Far North Atolls liveaboard for untouched, pristine diving.
Drift dive the Southern Atolls in serenity and witness Maldives marine life with exceptional visibility.
Crack the Maldives' best-kept secret- tiger sharks and oceanic whitetips in the Deep South.

Tips for Travellers

The best time to dive in the Maldives is all year. However, some people prefer to avoid monsoon season, which hits the area in April and continues to bring rain through October. The water temperature typically ranges between 26 to 30 degrees Celsius (80 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit) with visibility from 20 meters (65 feet) to as far as the eye can see. Water depths include shallow reefs, deep walls, and everything in-between ensuring every diver can find their perfect dive. For the more intrepid diver, there are slow currents in many areas and extremely strong currents jetting through the atoll passes for the more experienced thrill seeker. Whatever your tastes, Maldives has the diving suited just for you, which can be enjoyed in mild outside weather ranging from 24 to 33 degrees Celsius (75 to 91 degrees Fahrenheit).

In the Maldives, additional liveaboards fees usually include gear rental (not covered by your trip price), which can be in the vicinity of 40 USD per person, per night. Every diver also needs to independently purchase dive insurance before getting in the water. Some other fees like extra alcoholic drinks and special gear such as torches may incur additional charges. In the Maldives, a new Green Tax of 6 USD per person, per night applies for every tourist in the country. Some islands and marine parks have national park fees that are not included in liveaboard packages, like Hanifaru Bay's park entrance fee of 20 USD per person. Nitrox is offered on virtually every Maldives liveaboard- some as a complimentary service, and some for a fee. A fuel surcharge per person, per night, may be added, depending on the route. This surcharge usually ranges from 10 to 15 USD per night. If you have any questions about extra fees in the Maldives, please contact us directly. We are here for you.

Minimum logged dives are required by many Maldives diving liveaboards, Scubaspa Yang and Ying being the exceptions. Ocean Divine requires 20, MV Orion and Amba require 50, and Carpe Vita requires 100. Safety briefings on boats like Scubaspa Yang and Ying are conducted on day one. Check dives on Maldives liveaboards are often held in Male on the first day.

The official language of the Maldives is Maldivian or Dhivehi.

A free 30 day visa is issued on arrival to all tourists in the Maldives. However, tourists must possess a valid passport, a valid outbound ticket and either a reservation confirmation in a hotel or enough funds to cover expenses for the duration of their stay (30 USD per. day).

There are no compulsory vaccinations for travel to the Maldives unless you have been in a country with increased yellow fever risk sometime in the nine days previous to arrival. In such cases, you must have proof of a yellow fever vaccination. We recommend standard protection against tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, polio, influenza, typhoid and hepatitis A. There is no endemic malaria risk in the Maldives. However, the rainy season (May through September) elevates the risk of dengue fever. For advice on Malaria and Dengue, seek professional medical advice before travelling.

Electricity voltage runs at 220-240 volts; the standard socket is UK-style three-pin, but many resorts have universal sockets to accommodate non-UK tourists.

The Maldives is the smallest Asian country by land area (300 square kilometres) and population, but its underwater offerings are comparatively huge- 90,000 square kilometres of ocean. Fewer than 300 of its roughly 2000 islands are inhabited, leaving the rest of the white-sand paradises to sharks and corals, and the lucky divers who visit them. At a maximum height of about 2.5 meters above sea level, the Maldives is at incredibly high risk from global warming, which contributes to its activism for carbon-pollution reduction worldwide. Thirty one protected areas exist in the country, and incredible coral restoration projects are common.

Ports of Departure and how to get there

Male is the main liveaboard departure location in the Maldives, and the country's capital city, located on the southern edge of North Male Atoll (also called Kaafu Atoll). The main Male departure port is Hulhule, next to the Male airport. Liveaboards diving in the Central Atolls set out from here. North Male Atoll is the best known and explored dive area in the Maldives, long recognized as a world-class manta and reef shark destination with many longstanding, beloved dive sites of pinnacles, wrecks, coral gardens, and cleaning stations. Entry level divers can find offerings around Male, even though currents can be strong. Standard liveaboards departing from Male may visit North Male Atoll, Ari Atoll and Rasdhoo Atoll, and sometimes Baa Atoll as well. Other liveaboards may head south of Male Atoll to include Meemu (Malaku), Vaavu (Felidhu), and Thaa (Kolhumadulu) atolls.

Travellers bound for Male can take direct flights from Dubai, Singapore, and Colombo. Longer international flights from Europe, America, China, India, and Australia are all readily available, often connecting through the airports mentioned above. Flights to the Maldives are available on multiple airlines, such as British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa, Emirates, Etihad Airways and Singapore Airlines, among others. From the UK, expect at least a 13 hour trip. From Germany or Australia, the flight duration is at least 12 hours. Divers arriving from the USA can fly first to Singapore, with a flight duration of 20 hours from Los Angeles.

Maldives Diving Reviews

9.1 Superb
993 Verified Reviews

9.6 Exceptional
Danya C
United States

I loved the diversity of the diving. We were lucky to get whale shark interactions one day. The mantas were beautiful and abundant. Reef life is very healthy. Loved the shark wall dive, even with the very strong current! DM did a fantastic job briefing it for real expectations.

Diving Maldives in December on the Carpe Novo

8.8 Fabulous
David H
United States

Very satisfying, and I'm glad I picked this longer 20 day "Ultimate Expedition" as my first Maldives experience given the long travel distances required

Diving Maldives in March on the Blue Spirit

9.2 Superb
Kristen L
United States

This is specific to South Maldives- everyone on the boat would not repeat the trip as the first half was boring and devoid of the normal things one would expect to see in Maldives- no whale sharks, no mantas, very few sharks. We were told this was extremely rare and due to ocean conditions and maybe location.

Diving Maldives in March on the Carpe Vita

9.6 Exceptional
Whitney H
United States

Exceptional. Unlike anything I've ever seen and better than anywhere we have ever been before.

Diving Maldives in April on the Emperor Virgo

5.2 Review score
Rebecca N
United States

The diving was good for seeing interesting coral but we didn’t do many channel dives to see pelagic marine life.

Diving Maldives in April on the Horizon 3

8.8 Fabulous
Seth G
United States

Very beautiful country, we enjoyed our time in the Maldives.

Diving Maldives in May on the Carpe Novo

10.0 Exceptional
Blanca G
United States

After not diving for Six years this was a great challenge which I loved. My rating is 91/2 because those currents were so strong🙏

Diving Maldives in May on the Maldives Aggressor II

9.2 Superb
LAURA B
United States

water was cloudier than I expected but I was told this was the time of year - but I was excited to see manta ray and whale sharks

Diving Maldives in June on the Scubaspa Ying

9.6 Exceptional
John B
United States

Unfortunately not the greatest visibility, but a lot of that is due to the time of year. Reefs are hurting like everywhere else on the planet.

Diving Maldives in September on the Scubaspa Ying

8.0 Very good
Karen J
United States

Great diversity. Strong currents, so not great for new divers.

Diving Maldives in September on the Princess Sara

9.6 Exceptional
Tate A
United States

This is my 3rd trip to the Maldives and we were lucky enough to see all species it has to offer

Diving Maldives in September on the Scubaspa Yang

10.0 Exceptional
Benjamin V
United States

We did not have much luck with the cleaning stations, and the Lily Rock site was a total bust, but the rest of the dives made up for it. Many mantas, octopi, turtles, dolphins and a bunch of other colorful tropical fish were seen on every dive, and there were a couple cool wrecks. The whale shark that visited our boat at night was also an interesting character. I feel that safety standards were adhered to at all times and would recommend this to anyone else.

Diving Maldives in November on the Emperor Leo

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Liveaboard Diving in Maldives

More about the Atolls of Maldives

Tips for Travellers

Ports of Departure and how to get there

Maldives Diving Reviews

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