Notes: Child policy: Permissions are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Please contact with details of your request.
Dive experience: All divers with Spirit of Maldives must have open water diver certification or equivalent. Advanced or deep diver training is advised as some dive sites have recommended depths below 18 metres.
Cruise price per person includes: Cabin accommodation with air-conditioning, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinking water, hot drinks, 1 house beer/wine per night, round-trip transfers to the boat from local airport, Green Tax, service charge (i.e. crew tips), dives (as detailed in the trips above), nitrox fills for enriched air certified divers, Nautilus Lifeline, experienced English-speaking divemasters (max. 6 divers per guide), 12 litre aluminium tanks, weights and weight belt, SMB, reef hook, sales tax.
Cruise price per person excludes (mandatory, unless customer provides own): Scuba equipment rental (incl. dive computer: USD 199 per week), dive insurance, (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 EUR, or bank card.
Optional extras: Alcoholic drinks, soft drinks, 15 litre tank (USD 88 per week), torch. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival. Note: prices of items purchased onboard are subject to change.
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: Spirit Liveaboards provides return transfers from the airport to the Spirit of Maldives at 12 noon and 4 pm on check-in day. Guests arriving at Male (Velana) International Airport will be met by a representative in a Spirit Liveaboards uniform holding a sign, while those landing at Gan International Airport should look for the meeting point after passing through the arrivals hall. The vessel moors in port on arrival day, usually at Male or Gan, staying overnight before departing early the following morning.
At the end of the trip, the boat returns to port mid-afternoon the day before departure and remains there overnight. Check-out is at 7 am, with guests transferred to the airport by 7:30 am. No diving takes place on arrival or departure day, and a minimum of 24 hours must be observed between your last dive and your flight. Guests continuing their holiday in the Maldives will need to arrange onward transfers from the airport independently.
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 standard rate, or pay a supplement of 65% for private use of a double bed cabin.
Dive clubs and group discounts: Pay for 10 guests and 2 extra persons can join the cruise free of charge (total 12+ guests).
Whole boat charter rate (per night): Pay for 21 persons and 5 additional guests can join free of charge (max. 26 guests).
The Maldives needs little introduction to scuba divers in the know, but the vessel you dive from shapes the experience considerably. Launched in 2024, the Spirit of Maldives liveaboard is a 40-metre vessel built to current standards of comfort and design, carrying up to 26 guests across 13 en-suite cabins. Cabins are split between standard cabins on the lower and upper decks and suites on the main and upper decks, all air-conditioned with private bathrooms, safes and generous storage. Between dives, guests have use of a jacuzzi, a relaxed sun deck, an air-conditioned lounge with a library of books, films and documentaries, and a dedicated camera area for charging and equipment adjustments.
Diving with Spirit of Maldives runs from a 60-foot dhoni, which keeps tank filling, gear storage and entries separate from the main yacht. Nitrox is included free of charge for certified divers, with typical fills between 30% and 32%. Groups sit at around 5 to 6 divers per guide, depending on experience and conditions. Divers are required to carry a dive computer, SMB, reef hooks and a torch for night dives, and the team provides a Nautilus Lifeline to every diver.
Spirit of Maldives diving tours take in the central atolls, the northern atolls, the far north, the deep south and the equatorial atolls, with routes shaped around conditions rather than fixed schedules. Departures range from 7 to 14 nights, and dive counts reflect the length of the trip. Some itineraries require domestic flights, while the central and northern routes depart and return from Male. Non-divers are welcome on all tours, with a 10% discount on the cabin rate, and can snorkel with a personal guide or join island visits and guided kayaking while the divers are in the water.
The Spirit of Maldives liveaboard is backed by a team with genuine depth of experience in these waters. The founders are pioneers of Maldives scuba diving with over 30 years operating liveaboards in the archipelago, and the cruise directors bring more than 20 years of Maldives liveaboard experience between them. That knowledge shows in the routes chosen and in the way days are structured around currents, tides and the best of the conditions rather than a rigid plan.
Food is taken seriously on board the Spirit of Maldives. The vessel has moved to à la carte dining for dinner with a complimentary glass of wine or beer, alongside buffet-style breakfast and lunch. Menus draw on local and international dishes, with vegetarian and selective non-meat diets catered for, and themed buffet evenings add variety. Beyond the table, there are beachside BBQs on central tours, guided nature walks through local villages, and conservation lectures on marine awareness. All Spirit of Maldives dive tours are confirmed departures.
Safety is handled with more than the minimum. The vessel and its support boat carry fire and smoke detectors, CO2 monitors, firefighting equipment, AED, oxygen and comprehensive First Aid, with a 24-hour watch system and regular drills. Starlink satellite communication keeps the boat connected even in the remote atolls. For divers wanting a modern Maldives liveaboard with inclusive nitrox, transparent pricing and a crew that knows these waters intimately, the Spirit of Maldives liveaboard is a strong and straightforward choice.
Standard cabins comprise 7 on the lower deck (15-20 sqm) and 2 on the upper deck (18 sqm). Suites comprise 2 on the main deck (25 sqm) and 2 on the upper deck (19 sqm). All guest rooms on the Spirit of Maldives are 2-share and have a double bed and single bed, except for 1 standard cabin (11 sqm) on the lower deck that has a double bed only. All cabins have private bathrooms.
All the cabins have:
- Individual controlled air conditioning
- Windows on upper and main decks, portholes on lower deck
- Private bathroom with hot water shower and toilet
- Toiletries, hair dryer, bathrobes, face / bath towels
- Daily housekeeping
- Safe for valuables
- Bedside cabin and reading lights
- Wardrobe and shelves
- Spacious closets for hanging and organising belongings
- Universal 220 volts electrical sockets, - 24/7
- Fire alarm, life jackets and fire extinguishers
- Bedding and luggage space
No. of bathrooms / showers - 13 / 13 - hot water
Maldives Central & Northern Atolls (Express) (11 Days / 10 Nights - 26 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, shark action, manta rays, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, very popular, wall diving, wreck diving
Dive sites and activities: North Male Atoll, Rasdhoo Atoll, Ari Atoll, Felidhoo Atoll, South Male, Baa Atoll
Day 1
For divers wanting a central atolls itinerary with the flexibility to reach Baa Atoll, the Spirit of Maldives offers a well-structured 10-night route combining shark action, manta encounters and a broad spread of atolls. Boarding the Spirit of Maldives starts with a welcome drink, cabin orientation and the safety briefing, there is time to assemble dive gear and settle in. The vessel remains moored in port overnight, departing early the following morning.
Core Days
This 10-night Heart of the Maldives adventure aboard the Spirit of Maldives liveaboard takes in the central atolls that have long captivated scuba divers, departing and returning to Male. The route mixes shark-heavy channel dives with coral gardens, manta cleaning stations, whale shark and hammerhead sites, and night dives where sharks and rays are regularly encountered. With 10 nights, the vessel pushes further afield, reaching Baa Atoll where conditions allow.
North and South Male open the tour, with channel dives where grey reef sharks and whitetips work the current-swept edges, and coral gardens providing a gentler counterpoint. Rasdhoo brings one of the region's signature experiences: an early morning hammerhead dive, where these sharks are best encountered in deeper water before they move off. Pinnacles thick with life, blue and yellow soft coral caves, and reef formations crowded with anthias fill out the diving, while night dives often produce sharks and rays hunting along the reef.
Ari Atoll anchors the tour. Manta cleaning stations draw reef mantas through the day, and the atoll also holds reliable whale shark sites where these animals pass close to the reef. The diving shifts between drift dives at channel mouths, sheltered coral gardens, and pinnacles where schooling fish gather in numbers. Felidhoo adds quieter reefs and channels, often with excellent visibility and a healthy mix of hard and soft corals, with the occasional pelagic drifting through.
The extra nights allow the Spirit of Maldives to go further afield. The itinerary includes Baa Atoll, where from May to October the UNESCO-listed Hanifaru lagoon offers the chance to snorkel among mantas and whale sharks gathering in large numbers.
Day 11
After breakfast, the vessel returns to Male for disembarkation.
Maldives Central Atolls (8 Days / 7 Nights - 17 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 Atoll, Rasdhoo Atoll, Ari Atoll, Felidhoo Atoll, South Male
Day 1
The Heart of the Maldives route on the Spirit of Maldives liveaboard runs across the central atolls over 7 nights, departing and returning to Male. It takes in North Male, South Male, Ari, Rasdhoo and Felidhoo, combining shark-heavy channel dives with coral gardens, manta cleaning stations and the chance of whale sharks.
Board the Spirit of Maldives. After a welcome drink, cabin orientation and the safety briefing, there is time to set up gear and settle in while the yacht remains moored in port overnight, departing early the following morning.
Core Days
North and South Male set the tone, with channel dives where grey reef sharks and whitetips patrol the current-swept edges, and coral gardens offering a gentler pace between them. Rasdhoo adds a different dimension. The atoll is known for its hammerhead site, where an early start gives the best chance of encountering these sharks in deeper water before they move off. Pinnacles teaming with life, blue and yellow soft coral caves and reef formations thick with anthias round out the diving here, and night dives often turn up sharks and rays hunting along the reef.
Ari Atoll is the centrepiece of the Spirit of Maldives route. Manta cleaning stations are the headline, with reef mantas moving between them through the day, and the area also holds reliable whale shark sites where these animals pass close to the reef edge. The diving shifts between drift dives along channel mouths, coral gardens in the lee of the currents, and pinnacles where schooling fish gather in numbers. Felidhoo adds quieter reefs and channels, often with excellent visibility and a mix of hard and soft corals, and the occasional pelagic passing through.
Day 8
After breakfast, the Spirit of Maldives is moored Male for disembarkation.
[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].
A day on the Spirit of Maldives liveaboard tends to start early. Pre-dive breakfast is laid out between 5 am and 7 am, with something light to set you up before the first briefing and entry. Depending on weather, dive area and itinerary, the vessel runs 3 to 4 dives per day, including drift dives, channel dives and night dives where conditions allow. A fuller breakfast follows around 9 am, lunch is served between 1 pm and 2 pm, and dinner lands at 7 pm. Snacks, water, filter coffee and tea are available throughout the day.
Meals are served in the bar and dining area on the main deck, where the setting moves easily from breakfast to a post-dive lunch to an evening drink. The food draws on Maldivian and European styles, with a mix of local and international dishes. Breakfast is buffet-style and changes daily, with sausages, eggs, hash browns, toast and vegetables among the regulars. Lunch is also a buffet, typically built around 2 main meat dishes, 2 fish dishes and 2 vegetable dishes, with curries and rotating options keeping things varied. Dinner follows a similar format with a complimentary glass of wine or beer, and themed buffet evenings add a bit of theatre to the routine.
Once per trip, a Maldivian night dinner brings traditional local dishes to the table. On central Spirit of Maldives tours, a beachside BBQ is included when weather and route allow, with sunset views and grilled food served ashore. Vegetarian and selective non-meat diets are catered for, and anyone with allergies or specific requirements should flag these before arrival so the galley can plan accordingly.
Snacks are complimentary and appear through the day, whether cookies, biscuits, bananas or a sandwich before dinner. Water, tea and filter coffee are included, with a coffee machine available at extra cost. Soft drinks, fresh juices and alcohol, including cocktails, spirits, wine and beer, are chargeable with the Spirit of Maldives. A complimentary glass of wine or beer comes with dinner.
Between dives, there is room to settle into your own rhythm. Conservation lectures run on board, guided nature walks through local villages offer a change of scene, and movie screenings fill quieter evenings. Kayaks are available, snorkelling is offered, and land visits to local islands are arranged where possible. The structure of the day is consistent enough to plan around, with enough variation in the scuba diving and the destinations to keep a week or more interesting.
