M/V Emperor Leo roars around the best dive sites of the central atolls of the Maldives, mainly North Male, South Male and Ari atoll. This 35m long motor yacht comfortably accommodates 24 divers in a range of cabins departing from Male for liveaboard trips of 7 nights' duration.
The Emperor Leo liveaboard boasts a large comfortable saloon where you can access the Wi-Fi, watch movies, listen to music or pick a book or two from the large library. Outdoor relaxation centres on the shaded area of the main deck or on the sun deck where sun loungers, outdoor bar service and Jacuzzi add to the comfort. There is also an air-conditioned restaurant and bar to make sure you can enjoy the range of fresh food and refreshing tipples on tour in style.
All the cabins feature ensuite bathrooms, TV, DVD, air-conditioning and minibar, so there is always space on the boat for you to feel pampered! A 20m diving dhoni accompanies the Emperor Leo and houses the compressors and equipment, so you don't have to hear the noise of tank filling or ever have to move your equipment from day one. Other features that set the Emperor Leo apart from many other Maldives liveaboards include free nitrox, Nautilus Lifeline personal EPIRBs and carbon monoxide analysers.
A great bonus of the Emperor Fleet is that they have a 'no hidden extras' prices. This means that, along with the free nitrox, internet usage, and a glass of wine each dinner time, you will find all the extras such as marine park fees, green/environment fees, GST/tourist taxes, fuel surcharges, airport transfers have already been included in the sales price! It is difficult to imagine what more one could want from a pure divers' liveaboard boat cruising around the paradise atolls of the Maldives.
The Emperor Leo liveaboard has 8 Standard twin/double bed cabins on the lower deck: 2 with double/twin beds, 4 twin beds (side-by-side) and 2 with double beds. There are 3 Upper deck twin/double bed cabins and 1 Executive double bed suite also on the upper deck. The Executive suite features its own Jacuzzi.
All the cabins have:
Air-conditioning
Windows (upper deck only) or portholes (lower deck)
Private bathroom with toilet, hot water shower, towels, toiletries and hand basin
Hair dryer
TV and DVD player
Minibar
Wardrobe and mirror
Reading lights
Safe box
Bedding
220V electricity supply with 3-pin UK style sockets (adaptors available)
Fire detectors and life jackets
Space for luggage
No. of bathrooms / showers - 12 / 12
Maldives Central Atolls (8 Days / 7 Nights - 17 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, manta rays, schooling fish & big pelagics
Dive sites and activities: North Male, Rasdhoo, Ari and South Male atolls
Day 1
When you board the MV Emperor Leo in Male, your liveaboard tour leader will greet you and show you around the liveaboard. You'll be assigned to your cabin and given a full briefing on the week's diving plan. You'll be served dinner on your first day, and if you arrive early, lunch as well. The boat will depart the harbour the following morning.
Core Days
The expert dive guides know exactly where and how to dive, to ensure you get the most out of your safari. You'll explore the Maldives' most famous Central Atolls, a vibrant underwater world filled with big fish like sharks and mantas, as well as colourful reef fish, morays, and a wealth of macro life.
North Male atoll is renowned for its variety of dive sites and topography, including reefs, current-swept channels, drop-offs, underwater caves, and submerged pinnacles known as thilas. Some sites have dramatic overhangs and caverns just waiting to be explored. Encounters with big fish are a major highlight, and you can often spot grey reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, eagle rays, and even nurse sharks resting in caves. The atoll is also home to famous manta ray cleaning stations, such as Lankan Manta Point. From May to November, these sites become a hotspot for manta rays to gather.
The biggest draw to Ari Atoll is the consistent opportunity to dive with magnificent creatures like whale sharks and manta rays. South Ari Atoll, in particular, is one of the few places in the world where whale sharks can be sighted year-round, as they cruise and feed along the outer atoll channels. Manta rays are also a major highlight, with several famous cleaning stations where these gentle giants gather to be groomed by smaller fish. Get up close at the cleaning stations without disturbing the manta rays! One of the best scuba diving sites is Maaya Thila, a pinnacle 30m in diameter, often visited by sharks and huge schools of hungry fish such as barracuda, tuna and trevallies.
Please note that there are only 2 dives on the last full day of the trip before heading to Male.
Day 8
Enjoy a final breakfast before saying goodbye. Your unforgettable time on the Emperor Leo has come to an end, and it's time to transfer back to Male airport for your ongoing travels.
[Information is best estimate in ideal circumstances and subject to changes beyond our control. The itinerary is a guide only and may be adapted to best suit the weather, tides, currents, availability and other prevailing events. Price is for the cruise, not for an exact number of dives].
Dining on Emperor Leo takes place in the air-conditioned dining area, with adjoining bar on the main deck. First meal served is lunch or dinner on the first day of the trip, depending on your arrival.
The boat has adjusted meal times, to fit each day's dive schedule and the travel distance between sites. Only 1 dive in the afternoon, then you can relax in the Jacuzzi on the sun deck, or sip a cocktail at the outdoor bar service, except for a couple of days when a 4th and night dive will also be conducted. Dinner is usually served around 7 pm. On 4-dive days, you'll have dinner after the final dive, which is about 8 pm.
The menu features International, Italian, and local South Asian dishes.
3 meals a day, plus a pre-breakfast before dive 1, all served buffet style.
Snacks, bread/toast, fresh fruit, drinking water, and tea & coffee are available free of charge.
Soft drinks, beer, wine and spirits are available for purchase.
All special diets can be catered for with prior notice.
There will also be a delicious barbeque on a deserted beach during the trip.
Sample dishes: Mixed Maldivian/Sri Lankan buffet, home made pizzas, vegetable spring rolls, fish fillet with cream sauce, beef stroganoff ....
"Very nice, competent and helpful staff, clean and comfortable boat, clean cabins, good food, very good dive guides. All in all a wonderful dive trip." - Paulina Mydlowska, Germany, 16 March 2021 ...
"Staff very very good, Food amazing!!! We enjoy our dive liveaboard. But Maldives is not for everybody, lots of hard current underwater. Manta ray amazing! " - Anne Tremblay, Canada, 6 January 2018 ...
"The Liveaboard was exceptional; professional staff, great facilities on the boat and good DM's. Can't comment on equipment as we brought our own gear." - Laura Yates, South Africa, 7 April 2015 ...
"Dive Guide Services were provided by 3 European divemasters or instructors, not local guides. They were very professional and had good knowledge and experiences in local sites. They also gave very detailed briefings before every dive. They even jumped into the water just before diving from dhoni to check the actual currents and visibility. All facilities were well maintained and cleaned. The cabin was very clean and comfort with good quality mattress and comforter. My cabin was cleaned twice a day while I and my fellow roommate were in diving." - Seung An Park, South Korea, 6 October 2014 ...
"We felt the service and experience on the liveaboard was exceptional. Cannot fault the staff members on the boat. Equipment was satisfactory." - Robert Nel, South Africa, 15 April 2014 ...
"This was my first liveaboard and I really enjoyed it. Room is big and clean, crew is very friendly and helpful, food is nice." - Li Hui, China, 8 April 2014 ...
DEPARTURE SCHEDULE & PRICES
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MORE TRIP DETAILS
Dive experience: Recommendation (not mandatory): Maldives Central Atolls, Maldives Northern Atolls & North Male and Ari Atoll trips: participants should be Advanced Open Water Diver qualified. Maldives Central & Southern Atoll trips: divers should be Advanced Open Water Diver and have 30 logged dives. Maldives Southern Atolls: Advanced Open Water Diver and 100 logged dives.
Divers with less experience will be able to join trips but may have to sit out some dives if dive certifications and or experience are not sufficient for the planned dives.
Cruise price per person includes: Cabin accommodation with air-conditioning, breakfast, lunch, dinner (1 BBQ on deserted island weather permitting), snacks, drinking water, hot drinks, glass of wine with dinner, transfers to the boat from the airport, dives, experienced English speaking divemasters (6 divers per guide), tanks, weights and weight belts, nitrox fills for enriched air certified divers, Green Tax, GST on cruise price.
Cruise price per person excludes (mandatory, unless customer provides own): Scuba equipment (full set including surface marker device and dive computer USD336 per week, must be pre-booked), reef hooks, dive insurance. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival, with equipment ordered in advance (cash or credit card).
Optional extras: Soft drinks, alcoholic drinks, 15 litre tanks (USD101 per week), torch (USD101 per week). Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival. Note: prices of items purchased onboard are subject to change.
How to get there: The MV Emperor Leo liveaboard normally departs from Male for central trips and Gan, Kadhdhoo or Koodoo for southern itineraries. The first and last nights of the cruise are spent in the harbour. Your flight can arrive at any time on the first day. For more details, including airlines, see our How to get to the Maldives section.
There are 2 complimentary transfer timings from the airport to the boat on embarkation day; 12 noon and 16:00 hrs. Guests taking the 12 noon transfer from the airport to the boat have to accept that the boat will not be fully cleaned until 13:00 hrs. All transfers are made by a representative wearing an Emperor Maldives T-shirt and holding an Emperor Maldives sign. The meeting point at Male (Velana) International Airport is beside the Help Desk, or outside the arrivals hall at Addu City (Gan) International Airport. Any other transfers required on embarkation day, other than the 3 stated above, can be arranged at a charge of USD15 per way (group or full charter bookings with a minimum of 8 guests arriving on the same flight will not be charged if an alternative transfer is required on embarking day (after 11:00 hrs)).
The last dive of the trip will be at around 13:00 hrs on the second last day of the trip. You will depart from the boat at 08:00 hrs. Please wait at least 18 hours before flying after diving.
Non-diver rate: Non-divers receive a free snorkeling kit and a USD50 voucher to spend on board.
Single supplement (if you do not want to share accommodation): This is optional - single travelers may choose to share a cabin or pay a supplement of 50% of the published price.
Dive clubs and group discounts: Pay for 7 guests and 1 extra person can join in a Standard twin/double bed cabin free of charge (total 8+ guests).
Whole boat charter rate (per night): Pay for 21 guests and 3 additional persons can join the cruise free of charge.
Click to view product. Special discounted trips highlighted in yellow
