Many divers dream of the Maldives as one of blue-water horizons, coral-rich channels, and the simple pleasure of slipping beneath the waves in perfect conditions. The Pearl 111 liveaboard offers a way to experience this world that feels as authentic as the destination itself. A 30-metre, 3-masted wooden schooner, it combines the soul of traditional boat building with the practical comforts expected on a modern dive liveaboard. With a maximum of just 12 guests, the atmosphere on board is more like a private sailing expedition than a standard dive charter, fostering a genuine sense of escape and camaraderie.
Step inside the Pearl 111, and you’ll find an interior defined by warm, varnished mahogany. The 6 guest cabins are spacious and inviting, each with its own private bathroom and individually controlled air-conditioning-a welcome retreat after a day in the salt and sun. Life on board the liveaboard naturally revolves around the shared spaces. You can stretch out on the forward deck with a book and a bean bag, help yourself to complimentary snorkelling gear or the kayak, or simply watch the sunset from the sheltered aft deck dining area. Meals here are a genuine highlight, prepared by a chef whose talent for blending Asian and European flavours fuels conversation as much as it does your energy between dives.
The Pearl 111 diving program is built around the same principles of personal service and local knowledge. Your dives are made from a separate, dedicated dhoni - a traditional support vessel that gives you space to gear up and keeps the main schooner serene. Groups are kept to a maximum of 8 divers per guide, ensuring personalised attention and the freedom to dive at a comfortable pace. The crew’s collective experience in Maldivian waters spans decades, meaning they know not just the famous sites, but also when and where to find them at their best. All rental equipment is well maintained, and the approach to safety is thorough without ever feeling intrusive.
The Pearl 111 is more than just a well-appointed liveaboard boat; it is the realisation of a particular vision for travel. Born from a collaboration between friends who sought to create a natural extension of an eco-lodge in Sri Lanka, the vessel was sailed across the Indian Ocean to begin a new chapter in the Maldives. This backstory informs the atmosphere on board. The crew, selected from leading hospitality and marine institutions, understand that a memorable week is built on small details: a spontaneous fishing trip, a recommendation for the best snorkel spot at dawn, or simply the genuine warmth of their welcome. This is slow, respectful travel, where the journey itself is as valued as the destination.
A week-long diving trip with Pearl 111 liveaboard exploring the Central Atolls offers a rich cross-section of classic Maldivian diving. You might drift through the famous channels of North Male Atoll, encounter reef sharks and graceful eagle rays on the cleaner stations of Ari, or discover the quieter, lesser-known sites in between. The flexibility of a small group allows the crew to adapt the route based on conditions and interests. Whether you are watching a manta ray feed at a lagoon entrance or simply floating in crystalline water at the end of a dive, the experience feels personal and unhurried.
For certified divers seeking a genuine escape, The Pearl 111 represents a unique choice. It blends the romance of traditional sail with the reliability of a professional liveaboard operation, all set against the unparalleled backdrop of the Maldivian atolls. It is an invitation to explore at a different rhythm, returning each day not just to a boat, but to a home on the water, where the crew knows your name and the chef remembers how you like your coffee.
There are 6 cabins on Pearl 111 liveaboard - 4 triples (1 double bed and 1 single bed) and 2 doubles (1 double bed). Each cabin has its own personal bathroom with toilet and a separately enclosed shower unit. Each triple cabin can be used by 2 parents and a child.
All the cabins have:
- Air conditioning system
- Large portholes
- Toilet and hot water shower, hand basin, toiletries and towels
- Daily housekeeping
- Reading lights
- Bedside cabinet
- Wardrobe and shelves
- 2-pin European style mains outlet 220 volts - 24 hours per day
- International adaptors available
- Fire alarm, life jackets and fire extinguishers
- Bedding & space for luggage
No. of bathrooms / showers - 6 / 6 - hot water
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 collect you at Male International Airport and transport you to the yacht. Your Day 1 begins with a welcome drink and a briefing from the cruise director. Dinner is served in the evening, and you will spend your first night anchored at Hulhumale marina or nearby. This allows you time to relax and prepare for a great week of diving, fun, and adventure until nightfall.
Core Days
This classic Central Atolls cruise with the Pearl 111 liveaboard focuses on North Male, Felidhoo, and the famed North and South Ari atolls. The dive route is primarily geared toward finding seasonal sightings of manta rays and whale sharks, which gather in this region. The variety of sites includes current-swept channels, pinnacles, reefs, and dramatic drop-offs.
Ari Atoll is a major draw, celebrated for its marine protected areas where encounters with mighty whale sharks are regularly possible. The area is also known for sightings of hammerhead sharks, manta rays, and other pelagic species. In North Male, the diving highlights feature tuna, jacks, reef sharks, and eagle rays, drawn to the nutrient-rich channels.
Felidhoo Atoll offers a different kind of diving thrill, featuring a great channel dive known for reef sharks, and a spectacular wall that showcases caverns, swim-throughs, and overhangs covered in colourful soft and black corals. A unique highlight of the Pearl 111 liveaboard tour in this atoll is a spectacular night dive, where dozens of nurse sharks, stingrays, and giant trevallies gather.
Please note that on the final full day, only one dive will be scheduled before the Pearl 111 returns to Hulhumale.
Day 8
The departure morning marks the end of the trip. After you have enjoyed breakfast on board, the crew will arrange your transfer to Male airport according to your flight schedule.
[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].
On board the 3-masted schooner The Pearl 111 liveaboard, the style of hospitality feels both personal and unhurried. Your day typically begins before the sun climbs too high. A gentle wake-up call is followed by coffee, tea, and biscuits on deck - a quiet moment to watch the light change over the atoll. Soon after, you'll transfer to the accompanying dhoni for the first dive of the day, when the ocean is at its calmest and the marine life most active.
Returning to the main vessel, breakfast is waiting. Meals are a genuine highlight of the trip. They are served family-style at a central table, either in the open air on the main deck when weather allows, or in the air-conditioned dining area. The crew brings dishes to the table - starters, a main course, and dessert - and you simply help yourself to what appeals. The kitchen is overseen by an experienced Sri Lankan chef who takes pride in sourcing the freshest ingredients. The Pearl 111 staff fish daily, and the liveaboard stocks up on fruit and vegetables just before departure and again during the week. This dedication is clear at breakfast, where you might find a traditional Maldivian dish like Mas Huni (a finely chopped mix of tuna, coconut, and onion) paired with Roshi (flatbread).
The Pearl 111 dive schedule continues with a briefing before the second dive, leaving plenty of time to relax on deck, thumb through a book, or simply watch the horizon. Lunch is served around 1 pm: grilled tuna, fried rice, pasta, salads, and fresh pizza. In the afternoon, after a third day dive or perhaps a sunset dive, tea and snacks appear to bridge the gap until evening.
Dinner is the social centrepiece of the day. The menu draws on both Asian and European influences, making use of the day's catch and the freshest produce onboard. Sausages, spaghetti, curries, and vegetable dishes all make regular appearances, and there is always a well-stocked bar with soft drinks, cocktails, wines, and after-dinner liqueurs.
Once during the week, weather permitting, the crew anchors near a sandbank or beach for a barbecue under the stars.
