Maldives Central Atolls (8 Days / 7 Nights - 15 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, manta rays, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, very popular, wreck diving
Dive sites and activities: North Male, Felidhoo, South Ari, North Ari atolls
Day 1
The Pearl 111 staff will pick you up at Male International Airport and take you to the boat. Enjoy a drink while
listening to the Cruise Director's welcome briefing. Dinner will be served in the evening and you will spend your first night at Hulhumale marina or just outside it. You are about to have a great week of diving, fun, relaxation and adventure!
Core Days
The classic Central Atolls cruise route includes dives at Ari, Felidhoo, and North Male atolls, primarily in order to find manta rays and whale sharks. The channel at Felidhoo Atoll is a great place to find reef sharks and has a spectacular wall showcasing caverns, swim-throughs and overhangs festooned with colourful soft corals and bushes of black corals. There is also a spectacular night dive with dozens of huge nurse sharks, sting rays and giant trevallies. Ari Atoll is famous for its mighty whale sharks which can be regularly seen in its marine protected areas. Hammerhead sharks, manta rays and other pelagic fish are also commonly encountered here. North Male is characterised by reefs, caves, current-swept channels and drop offs. Highlights here include tuna, jacks, reef sharks, mantas and eagle rays.
A day on board the yacht runs like this - you start the day with a coffee, tea and biscuits, after a wake up call. Then guests leave on the dhoni for the first dive early in the morning. Then breakfast arrives. After relaxing for a while, the next briefing and dive is done. Lunch is served at 1 pm, followed by afternoon tea and snacks, then the 3rd day dive or sunset dive. During the evening, dinner is served.
Meals are taken at a central table in the open air main deck area if weather permits, otherwise in the air-con dining area. The waiters bring all the dishes starter, main course and dessert - to the table and the guests can help themselves to whatever appeals to them. Enjoy delicious Asian and European cuisine from the experienced Sri Lankan chef who takes pride in sourcing the freshest, quality ingredients - the staff fish every day and buy fresh fruit and vegetables just before departure and again during the trip so we always. Try the Maldivian breakfast of Masooni with Roshi. Lunch and dinner consist of sausages, pasta, spaghetti, pizza, tuna, fried rice, vegetables, salad, fresh juice. A BBQ on a beach/sand bank will also be held each week (weather permitting). Soft drinks, cocktails, wines and after-dinner liqueurs are available in the bar.
On the final full day only 1 dive will be scheduled before the yacht returns to Hulhumale.
Day 8
The trip is at an end. The crew will arrange your transfer to Male airport according to your flight schedule once you have had your breakfast on board.
[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].