Notes: Child policy: Permissions are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Solitude Gaia Maldives do not offer childcare services onboard. At least one parent must remain onboard at all times to supervise their children.
Dive experience: Most itineraries are suited to certified divers with some experience in currents.
Cruise price per person includes: Cabin accommodation with air-conditioning, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, soft drinks, drinking water, hot drinks, round-trip transfers to the boat from local airport, service charge (i.e. crew tips), dives (as detailed in the trips above), experienced English-speaking divemasters (max. 6 divers per guide), Nautilus Marine Rescue GPS, SMB, 12 litre aluminium tanks, weights and weight belt, sales tax.
Cruise price per person excludes (mandatory, unless customer provides own): Scuba equipment (rate not yet finalised), dive insurance, Green Tax (USD 12 per night). Fuel surcharge. Hanifaru park fee (northern routes only: USD 30, cash only). Tiger Zoo park fee (Fuvahmulah routes only: USD 30, cash only). Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival (cash in USD, or bank card.
Optional extras: Alcoholic drinks, nitrox fills for enriched air certified divers (USD 15 per day), 15 litre tank (USD 10 per day), torch. 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: Embarkation for Solitude Gaia Maldives begins at 2 pm on Day 1 and concludes no later than 10:00 am on Day 2. Transfers from Velana International Airport (Malé) and nearby hotels in Malé and Hulhumalé are arranged during this window. If you are staying at a local hotel, the crew will coordinate directly with the front desk to confirm your pick-up time. Guests who are not arriving by air on embarkation day must arrange their meeting point and time in advance by emailing us. Meetings will be scheduled between 12 noon and 5 pm.
Lunch is included for guests embarking between 12 and 2 pm. For guests embarking after 2 pm, lunch is not included, although the team may be able to prepare something where possible. Dinner is included for all guests who embark by 5 pm. The 'Welcome Aboard' and safety briefing takes place at 6 pm.
The final day is a no-dive day. The last dive of the trip takes place on the penultimate day, with 2 morning dives scheduled. A mandatory minimum 18-hour no-fly surface interval is required before departure. Solitude Gaia Maldives returns to Malé on the final afternoon. Disembarkation is scheduled after breakfast, no later than 10 am. Transfers to the airport or your next accommodation are arranged after this. Extended onboard time after 10 am may be available by prior arrangement, subject to the vessel's schedule and an additional charge.
For more details, including airlines, see our How to get to the Maldives section.
Non-diver rate: 10% discount.
Single supplement (if you do not want to share accommodation): This is optional - solo travellers may agree to share a cabin and pay the regular price, or pay a supplement of 60% for sole use of a double bed cabin.
Dive clubs and group discounts: Pay for 9 guests and 1 extra person can join the cruise free of charge (total 10+ guests).
Whole boat charter rate (per night): Pay for 16 guests and 4 additional guests can join free of charge (max. 20 guests).
The Maldives has long been synonymous with world-class diving, and the Solitude Gaia Maldives liveaboard represents a considered addition to this celebrated destination. Launching under the Solitude Liveaboards banner, this 40-metre vessel with a steel hull and aluminium superstructure has been purpose-built for divers. With just 20 guests accommodated across 10 cabins on 4 decks, the emphasis is on space, personal service, and the flexibility to explore the atolls at a comfortable pace.
The Solitude Gaia Maldives offers a range of cabin categories to suit different preferences. The Ocean View Staterooms on the upper deck provide 21.4 square metres of space with private balconies overlooking the sea. On the main deck, 8 Deluxe Cabins offer twin or double configurations, cabins measuring 18 to 21 square metres. Every cabin features an en-suite bathroom with hot and cold water, individually controlled air conditioning, a safe deposit box, and daily housekeeping. The interiors draw on earthy tones and sea-green accents, creating a calm and uncluttered environment for rest between dives.
Beyond the cabins, the vessel offers generous communal spaces designed for relaxation and socialising. A Jacuzzi provides a comfortable spot to unwind after a day in the water. Kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, a slide, and a pool offer alternative ways to enjoy the ocean when diving is finished, making the vessel well-suited to mixed groups of divers and non-divers. A digital studio and a selection of multimedia content, books, and board games is available during downtime between dives. The bar offers a range of wines, cocktails, spirits, and beers for those who enjoy a drink in the evening. The galley team prepares meals catering to a range of dietary requirements.
The operator behind the Solitude Gaia Maldives brings a clear philosophy to its operations. Solitude World was founded in 2013 and has since grown into a collection of liveaboards and resorts across Indonesia, the Philippines, and Palau. The company emphasises 3 core values: Comfort, Safety, and Communication. This is reflected in the onboard experience, from the welcome briefing at 6 pm on embarkation day to the attentive service throughout the trip.
Diving operations on the Solitude Gaia Maldives are built around safety and flexibility. Unlike the majority of Maldives liveaboards, the vessel carries 2 dedicated aluminium dive tenders, essential for navigating the Maldives' channels and currents. Dives are limited to 4 per day, including a night dive, with each dive capped at 60 minutes. The guide-to-diver ratio is 1 to 6, ensuring individual attention. Enriched air nitrox is available for certified divers, with blends determined by the dive team based on conditions and profiles. A complimentary Nautilus Marine Rescue GPS is provided to every diver.
Solitude Gaia Maldives liveaboard cruises cover the classic central atoll routes as well as extended journeys to remote northern and southern atolls. These trips allow divers to experience the full range of Maldivian diving, from the manta cleaning stations of Hanifaru Bay to the channel dives of North and South Malé, Felidhoo, and Ari atolls. The vessel operates year-round, with routes tailored to seasonal marine life and current conditions.
For scuba divers seeking a Maldives liveaboard experience with a focus on space, service, and thoughtful diving operations, the Solitude Gaia Maldives liveaboard merits consideration. The combination of intimate capacity, purpose-built dive facilities, and an operator with a proven track record in the region makes this vessel a strong addition to the Maldives liveaboard market.
There are 10 guest cabins on the Solitude Gaia Maldives in total, comprising 2 Ocean View Staterooms with private balconies on the upper deck and 8 Deluxe Cabins on the main deck. Ocean View Staterooms are 19 sqm and can be arranged as king-double or twin bed. 6 Deluxe Cabins are 19 sqm and can be arranged as king-double or twin bed. 2 Deluxe Cabins are 16 sqm and king-double only. All cabins are equipped with an en-suite shower providing both hot and cold water, and a WC featuring a common water-flush system.
All the cabins have:
- Individually controlled air conditioning with climate control
- Windows on upper and main decks
- Private bathroom with hot water shower, toilet and bidet gun
- Toiletries, hair dryer, bathrobes, face / bath towels
- Private balcony in upper deck staterooms
- Daily housekeeping
- Safe deposit box
- Wardrobe organiser with ample hangers, and mirror
- Mains outlet 220 volts - 24 hours per day
- Universal electrical electric sockets
- Fire alarm, life jackets and fire extinguishers
- Bedding and luggage space
No. of bathrooms / showers - 10 / 10 - hot water
Maldives Central Atolls
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, Ari, Rasdhoo, South Male, Felidhoo atolls
Day 1
Upon arrival at Velana International Airport, the team will meet you and transfer you to the Solitude Gaia Maldives liveaboard. After a welcome onboard, settle into your cabin and explore the vessel's spaces, from the dive deck to the lounge and sun deck. In the evening, orientation and safety briefings take place, followed by diver registration and collection of atoll or marine park fees. Certification cards and logbooks should be kept handy for verification. Dinner is served onboard as the vessel anchors for the night, ready for the first dive day in North Malé.
Core Days
The Best of Maldives brings together the finest diving of the central atolls. In North Malé, sites such as Lankan Manta Point offer reliable manta encounters at cleaning stations, while Hulhumalé Shark Point delivers bold shark action in the channel. The Rasdhoo Channel, dived at sunrise, is known for schooling jacks, eagle rays, and the possibility of hammerhead sharks during the January to April window. North Ari's legendary thilas come next. Maaya Thila and Fish Head are regarded among the best dive sites in the Maldives, with reef sharks, snapper, and vibrant coral plateaus. A night dive at Fesdhoo Lagoon offers a rare spectacle: manta rays swooping through torchlight as they feed on plankton.
South Ari Atoll is the next focus of the Solitude Gaia Maldives, and its reputation for whale sharks is well-earned. Sightings are possible year-round, with peak reliability from October to December. The atoll also offers coral-laced pinnacles and drift dives teeming with reef life. Vaavu Atoll, known as Felidhoo, provides a different highlight altogether: the Alimatha night dive. Here, nurse sharks, stingrays, and giant trevally gather in shallow water beneath the lights, creating one of the Maldives' most celebrated nocturnal spectacles. South Malé Atoll rounds out the central circuit with relaxed drift dives among colourful coral reefs, reef sharks, and turtles.
Final Day
After breakfast onboard, disembarkation is scheduled, with transfers arranged to Velana International Airport or your onward accommodation.
[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].
The schedule of a typical day aboard the Solitude Gaia Maldives liveaboard is designed to maximise your time beneath the surface while ensuring you return to a welcoming, well-fed and comfortable atmosphere.
The day generally begins early, just as the Indian Ocean starts to lighten. Before the first dive, a light breakfast is served in the indoor dining area on the main deck: fresh fruit, sweet rolls, and filter coffee to fuel you without weighing you down. The pre-dive briefing follows on the dive deck, and shortly after, you'll be slipping into the water.
Emerging from the water, the main breakfast is waiting for you. The night before, the crew will have taken your preference for eggs, and they are cooked exactly as you like them. The spread is generous and varied: roti with coconut sambal, mushrooms, sausages, pancakes, baked beans, fresh fruits, beef bacon, puff pastry, hash browns, chicken ham, grilled tomatoes, and even banana fritters. A full breakfast of this scale sets you up perfectly for the diving ahead.
A few hours later, it's time for Dive 2. The Solitude Gaia Maldives is a diving platform first and foremost, and the crew are expert at positioning the vessel for optimum dive conditions. After your second dive, you surface to lunch. The cuisine blends international staples with local Maldivian flavours. Expect dishes like fried noodles, fish devilled, pasta, baked chicken, roasted potatoes, vegetable chop suey, chicken satay, and pizza, always accompanied by fresh salads. The dining team cater to dietary restrictions and allergies, but it is wise to mention any specific needs at the time of booking. Gluten-free options are available but limited, with pasta as the main option, so guests with more complex requirements are advised to bring supplementary items from home.
The afternoon holds Dive 3, and after the tanks are rinsed and the gear is stowed, the crew brings out afternoon snacks. A selection of savoury bites, fresh fruit, or small pastries bridges the gap until dinner. All soft drinks by the glass, tea, drinking water and instant coffee are included in your trip cost, so you can help yourself at any time.
Dinner is the social anchor of the day. As the sun sets, the crew serve an evening meal that is both satisfying and varied. Soups, pastas, grilled prawns, butter-fried calamari, BBQ chicken drumsticks, lamb, fish tandoori, and sesame fish are just a few of the dishes you might find. Desserts are not overlooked: cheese cake, chocolate mousse, panna cotta and caramel pudding often make an appearance.
After dinner, many guests gravitate to the bar. This is a casual space for socialising, where you can purchase a cold beer, a glass of wine, or a freshly brewed espresso, espresso lungo or cappuccino. Soft drinks in cans are also chargeable, while freshly brewed coffee comes at a small cost. The bar is where the evening unfolds, often into quiet conversation about the day's sightings, that grey reef shark patrolling the channel, the eagle ray gliding past, or the turtle resting on a coral ledge.
Life on the Solitude Gaia Maldives is focused on the underwater experience, so there are no island excursions arranged. Instead, the bar serves as a casual, friendly space to relax after the day is done. It is a comfortable setting to share photos or chat with fellow divers about the marine life you encountered. Whether you are prepping your camera or resting before the next day, the Solitude Gaia Maldives liveaboard ensures you are well looked after, from the first cup of coffee in the morning to the final relax at the bar.
