UK specialist tour operator Dive Worldwide says it has introduced a raft of new diving trips to the Maldives to cater for scuba divers looking to resume their Indian Ocean underwater adventures.
From 3 September marine conservationist and cameraman Danny Copeland leads a 10-night Maldives Manta Ray Extravaganza liveaboard trip to the northern atolls, timed to take in Hanifaru Bay for snorkelling as the reef manta aggregation reaches its peak, and with time for scuba at less-dived Baa, Raa and Lhaviyani atolls. The price for 10 nights’ full-board with 2-3 dives a day is £2,995pp.
The traditional Maldivian vessel is the Moonima, which takes up to 18 guests, and the price, as for all the liveaboard trips below, is for two sharing accommodation and includes international return flights from the UK, transfers and full-board.
A new liveaboard offering from Dive Worldwide is the 30m Blue Shark One, a traditional Maldivian safari boat that spends most of the year on central and southern atoll itineraries and also offers dedicated tiger shark adventures for experienced divers.
It has nine en suite cabins for up to 16 guests and a dive dhoni. A seven-night trip with up to three dives a day, including nitrox, costs £3,295pp, also including domestic flights.
A bigger liveaboard option is the 36m glass-fibre Horizon III operating out of Male. It accommodates up to 24 divers in 12 en suite cabins on South Ari and Faafu atoll itineraries, or shark-diving trips further south. A seven-night Best of Maldives trip with up to 17 dhoni dives including nitrox costs from £2,045pp.
Spending most of the year in the central atolls is Eco Blue, a traditionally built 32m Maldivian liveaboard with dhoni that focuses on marine protection and education. It takes 20 guests in 10 en suite cabins. Facilities are said to be environmentally friendly and the crew get involved in local eco-projects.
Special departures include a Family Tour, Deep South Adventures and Hanifaru Bay trips, with non-divers welcome. A Maldives Dive Safari combines four nights on Eco Blue and three at Bandos Island Resort with 17 dives and nitrox, costing from £2,795pp.
Meanwhile an island option in Lhaviyani Atoll is the 4* Innahure Maldives Resort, which has 78 beach bungalows and a Prodivers 5* Instructor Development Centre. You pay £2,345pp for seven nights’ full-board, 10 shore dives and nitrox, plus flights and transfers. Find out more from Dive Worldwide.
