Maldives Central Atolls (8 Days / 7 Nights - 18 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, South Male, Ari, Felidhoo (or Rasdhoo) atolls
Day 1
Arrive at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport in Male and meet the Sunseeker tour leader. A short dhoni trip from the airport and you are finally on board the liveaboard that will be your home for the next few days. A welcome drink and a detailed boat introduction will be given to you and the other guests that take part in this amazing diving adventure. Once you have been assigned to your cabin and enjoyed a buffet style lunch, if all guests have arrived in good time, the bell will ring to announce that your first dive is about to begin, a check dive at a nearby site. Back to the boat, a well-deserved hot shower, and more time to relax while waiting for dinner to be served. The boat departs the harbour only on the following morning.
Days 2-7
The cruise will have many highlights as the days go by. Some strong currents around the border of the atolls, called 'kandus' in the Dhivehi language, will bring large predators like whitetip and grey reef sharks, but also schools of tuna and oceanic manta rays. A 'thila' is instead an underwater island that can vary in size: it can be so small that you can dive all around it in just one dive, or so big that several dives can be planned. They are usually home to a beautiful array of soft and hard coral formations that attract a wide variety of marine life. Pufferfish, triggerfish, moray eels, and giant Napoleon wrasse, to name just a few of the colourful fauna that the Maldives Central Atolls are famous for. Looking for a better use of your wide angle lens? Manta rays frequent the atolls in large numbers, and whale sharks are a common sight in the waters of Ari Atoll.
3 amazing dives a day - 2 morning dives and an afternoon dive. Your day starts at 6:30 am with hot drinks and biscuits while listening to the dive briefing. The dhoni then takes you to the site where you will jump in with your group. A 2nd dive follows a bigger breakfast that includes fresh fruit, cereals, yoghurt, eggs, sausages, toast, beans, and cooked vegetables. Tea and coffee, drinking water, biscuits, bread/toast, cakes and fruit, are all available throughout the day. The chef is always trying to outdo himself and you can clearly see his culinary passion, especially the small bites (coconut pieces, mini sandwiches or local trifles) after the dives.
The food is a mixture of Italian and Maldivian cuisine and never fails to impress its guests. Lunch and dinner are succulent fresh salads, rice and pasta, Sri Lankan curries for a taste of local cuisine, fresh fish, meat and lots of vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, green beans and spinach. Desserts such as rice pudding or crème caramel are always appreciated at the end of a meal, especially when you are on a vacation. Then enjoy a refreshing drink from the upper deck bar and a dip in the Jacuzzi.
A game of beach volleyball and a delicious barbeque on a deserted beach is also on the schedule for the week.
Please note that there is only 1 dive on the last full day of the trip, before heading to Male for a tour of the city. Back onboard the boat in time for dinner.
Day 8
A last chance to enjoy a meal on Sunseeker, as after breakfast a dhoni transfer will take you back to the airport.
[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].