Dive Itenaries

Best of Maldives (Ari, Vaavu, Male’ Atoll)

Dive sites: North Male – Rasdhoo – Ari – Vaavu – South Male
Duration: 7 – 10 Nights
Number of dives: 3 dives a day & 1 night dive a week
Ports: Male – Male

Day 1 – Saturday – Arrival and Departure Day

Maldives Holiday Collections Airport staff will receive and welcome you at Velanaa International Airport.  They will guide you to the boat for boarding where you will be welcomed with refreshments. General briefing of the boat will be provided on arrival. Dinner will be served in the evening as soon as the guests are settled in.

The boat will set sail to the first Dive site in the first light of sunrise

Day 2 – Sunday – North Male > Vaavu Atoll

The ‘Check Dive’ or the first dive of the trip starts on ‘Maagiri’ dive site which is more of a warming up for the upcoming amazing dives our guests will get to experience.

The Dives points mentioned below are home to plenty of reef fishes and sharks and occasional view of rays.

• Dive 1 – Maagiri
• Dive 2 –  Kandooma/Guraidhoo
• Dive 3 –  Alimatha Night Dive
• Anchor: Alimatha

The last dip of the day will be in ‘Alimatha’ where the boat will anchor for the night and prepare for the next day to start on sail for the next diving stops.

Day 3 – Monday – Vaavu Atoll > Ari Atoll

Ari Atoll is a definite ‘must to’ with gorgeous dive points which lets you enhance your beautiful Maldivian Diving Story. Where rays and sharks are present regardless of the directions of the current. This is one of the favorite of many underwater photographers promising to give breathtaking pictures of the underwater scenery, from big to small creatures of corals.

• Dive 1 – Miyaru Kandu/Dhevana Kandu
• Dive 2 – Vilamendhoo
• Dive 3 –  5 Rocks
• Anchor Dhangethi/Dhigurah

The last dip of the day will be in ‘5 Rocks’, and the boat will anchor near ‘Dhangethi or Dhigurah’ for the night.

Day 4 – Tuesday – South Ari Atoll

The main highlights of the day is searching for the presence of whale shark. Once we locate the Whale Shark, we will allow you a chance to snorkel or even Scuba with them. Occasionally, if you are lucky, you just might be able to spot whale shark during dives in ‘Maamiligi or Dhigurah’

• Dive 1 – Kuda rah thila
• Dive 2 – Maamigili beyru (whale Shark)
• Dive 3 – Whale Shark Dive (Dive site may change)
• Anchor Maamigili

The the boat will anchor near ‘Maamigili’ for the night.

Day 5 – Wednesday – South Ari to Central Ari Atoll

With the depth of around 12 to 16 meters, Panathone is a famous manta site with high possibility of manta feed sighting outside the atoll during outgoing current. During incoming currents on the ridge of the atoll, you’ll see what is known as the “Shark City” and dozens of big grey reef sharks mesmerizing your every thought and after dozens of dives our staff will invite you a BBQ dinner

• Dive 1 – Rangali Manta
• Dive 2 – Rai Dhiga
• Dive 3 – Panathone
• BBQ in ‘Embudhoo’ is optional after dives if you like to have relax evening on the beach of a secluded island. Our staffs will arrange it accordingly.
• Anchor Desert Island

The boat will anchor near the desert island for the night.

Day 6 – Thursday – Central Ari Atoll to North Ari Atoll

Discover numerous Manta Cleaning Stations, extra ordinary pinnacle – rich with marine life. Eagle rays, hawks-bill turtles, napoleon wrasse, school blue stripped snappers, bat fish and fusiliers are some of the creatures you’ll be able to sight and conclude with night manta show.

• Dive 1 – Moofushi Manta Point
• Dive 2 – Himandhoo Thila
• Dive 3 – Mayaa Thila
• Dive 4 – Night Manta Fesdu/Mayaa Thila
• Anchor Fesdu

The boat will anchor near the ‘Fesdu’ for the night.

Day 7 – Friday – Ari Atoll to Kaafu Atoll

Watch beautiful movement of large school of grey reef sharks big schools of snappers, jack fishers, fusiliers, barracudas and dog tooth tunas at Bathala Maagau. Fish head is the wonderful place to view schools of fish and many other marine life. The boat will start cruising back to Male’ Atoll and would anchor near Kurumba Beyru. If time allows you will have a choice to either have masseuse onboard or visit Male’ City for a city tour

• Dive 1 – Bathala Maagau / Fish Head
• Anchor Kurumba Beyru

The boat will anchor near ‘Kurumba’ for the night.

Day 8 – Departure

Our amazing crew will assist you to cleaning and washing your dive equipment and help you for packing if required. We will guide you through domestic flight to your International Flight checking. Our Team is guaranteed to provide assistance throughout your trip until the very last moment at the Maldives.

Have Safe Journey home

See you again.

Itinerary may change anytime according to weather conditions, last minute request & other issues

Day 1 – Saturday – Arrival

You will be greeted by our Airport staff at Velana International Airport. Information regarding your Domestic flight to Kooddoo / Kaadehdhoo will be provided and our staff assist you on checking for the domestic. Our dive guide and captain will receive you from Huvadhoo Atoll airport will direct you to the boat. After being settled down, our boat crew will provide detailed trip itinerary, as well as the dives. Following will be a check dive. When

At anchorage you can choose to do as much or as little as you please. Options include snorkeling and swimming, fishing or just relaxing.

• Dive  –  Check Dive

Day 2 – Sunday – Kooddoo & Whale Shark point

On the first day of the trip, you get to experience all the little things that Maldives has to offer. Through various channel dives, you are to sight Mantas, Sharks, Whale Sharks, School of Barracudas, Eagle rays, School of jacks, as well as turtles on the sandy bottom among many more.

• Dive 1 – Villingili
• Dive 2 – Kooddoo Kandu
• Dive 3 – Kooddoo Spinner Point

Anchor – Near Bodu Whale Shark Point

Day 3 – Monday – Kurehdhoo, Nilandhoo Kandu and Dhandhoo Kandu

Day 3 is definitely the best day to experience and savor the full effect of the greatest channel dives in the region. These dives are best undertaken by Expert Divers. These locations are well known for their exquisite pelagic aquatic scenaries.

• Day 1 – Kurehdhoo Kandu
• Day 2 – Nilandhoo Kandu
• Day 3 – Dhandhoo Kandu
• Possible to go Boodu

Day 4 – Tuesday – Maareha & Kondey

With the first ray of light, we head to Maareha Kandu, kondey kandu and Kondey Coral Gardens which are dive spots with plenty of marine life to discover.  Offers impressive diving conditions, with dozens of grey reef sharks, eagle rays and many species of fish.

• Dive 1 – Maareha Kandu
• Dive 2 – Kondey Kandu
• Dive 3 – Kondey Coral Gardens

Anchor Kondey

Day 5 – Wednesday – Gemanafushi

The first stop will be Gemanafushi Canyon which is largely known for hammer heads and other varieties of fish. This is locally acclaimed as one of the favorite dive sites in the atoll for the most recognizable shark species, Hammerheads.

• Dive 1 – Gemanafushi Canyon
• Dive 2 – Gemanafushi Kandu
• Dive 3 – Gemnafushi Coral Land

Anchor near Gemanafushi

Day 6 – Thursday – Close to Equator line & Fuvahmulah

Fuvahmulah is one of the main highlights in a Deep South trip. Quality of the diving isn’t affected by the seasonal changes. As each and every dive is equally unique and a challenging experience. The real treasure you could find in this area is the Thresher Shark. However, other shark species such as Reef Sharks, Tiger Sharks, Hammerheads and Silver Tips also resides in the location. And if you are just lucky enough, you might spot the world’s heaviest bony fish – MOLA MOLAS. The list is really endless.

• Dive 1 – Fuvahmulah South Corner
• Dive 2 – North End of Mantas

Anchor near Fuvahmulah

Day 7 – Friday – Addu

First dive of the day starts at Maakandu, home to stunning coral formations of soft corals and its extravagant marine life. Following, the second dive for the day will be on a British Loyalty wreck site.

• Dive 1 – Maakandu
• Dive 2 – British Loyalty Wreck

Anchor near Addu

Day 8 – Departure

After the breakfast, our boat crew will lend a hand in cleaning Diving Equipment as well as packing if its required. Then the guests will be dropped off and guided to catch the domestic flight. Upon arrival to Velaana International Airport, our airport staff at Velaanaa International Airport will receive the guests and guide you to catch your international flight. Our Team is guaranteed to provide assistance throughout your trip until the very last moment at the Maldives.

Have Safe Journey home

See you again.

Disclaimer

• Itinerary may change anytime according to weather conditions, last minute request & other issues
• Tiger Zoo Fees are not included in the rates we provdie and thus an additional amount of USD 30 will be collected from guests on arrival
• Domestic Flights are operated by third party service providers and thus we shall not be responsible for any delays or changes occured by them

Hanifaru Bay

Day 1 – Saturday – Arrival

You will be greeted by our Airport staff at Velana International Airport. They will guide you to the boat for boarding where you will be welcomed with refreshments. General briefing of the boat and diving will be provided by the boat crew. The boat will set sail to the first Dive site.

Day 2 – Sunday – North Male’ Atoll and Baa Atolls

Day 3 – Monday – Baa Atoll / Hanifaru Bay Area

Day 4 – Tuesday – Baa Atoll / Hanifaru Bay Area / Cross to Rasdhoo

Day 5 – Dive Rasdhoo and North Ari Atoll / Grey Reef Sharks and Hammerhead Sharks

Day 6 – North Ari Atoll / Mantas and night dive on the famous Maaya Thila

Day 7 – North Male Atoll / Manta Point / Afternoon tour of Male’ City

Day 8 – Departure

Hanifaru Bay is a marine protected uninhabited island located in the Baa Atoll of the Maldives Islands. Its size is no greater than that of a football field and yet it has become one of the hottest spots for underwater photographers. The reason for this modern day phenomenon of underwater diversity is because plankton blooms between the months of May and November – a very unusual phenomenon – attracting manta rays by the hundreds. At any one time at Hanifaru Bay, there can be up to 200 manta rays feeding off the coral reefs as well as plenty of whale sharks which do the same! Hanifaru Bay has become the world’s largest manta ray feeding destinations.

PLEASE NOTE: From January 2012 scuba diving is not permitted in Hanifaru Bay, however you will be able to snorkel in this area for a $20 fee (per person for approx. 45mins).

PLEASE NOTE: Itineraries below are just an example of the route taken and are not guaranteed. All dives sites are subject to weather conditions and local seasonal knowledge and the final route taken is at the absolute discretion of the captain and dive guides.