Maldives Liveaboards

Liveaboard diving holidays in the Maldives offer a great way to enjoy some of the world’s most spectacular dive sites and an increased opportunity to view some of the most wonderfully diverse marine life. The extended time in the water and the great accessibility of the fully-catered boats allow you to delve much deeper into the depths of the fascinating waters.

Unlike liveaboards on the Red Sea, you can decide whether you’d prefer a 7 night, a 10 night, a 12 night or even a 14 night stay - and on a great range of boats. From the height of luxury to the more budget-friendly trips – the ancillary aspects of your Maldives diving holiday play second fiddle to the diving… and rightly so.

Great for the single traveller, a liveaboard is a fantastic way to meet like-minded people and add a social aspect to the magnificent activities of the day, with shared dining facilities and a similar passion for diving amongst your fellow liveaboarders; you’ll clearly have plenty to talk about! Due to the cool ocean breeze of the Maldives, you won’t have to worry about mosquitoes.

Speaking of that plentiful marine life in the place considered most at risk by climate change, the waters of the Maldives are teeming with an abundance of the world's exclusively elusive creatures, and have been labelled a 'Holy Grail' for the highly sought-after whale shark – amongst many other Pelagics considered local residents of the Maldives.

With several non-stop flights from London to Male each week, it's easier than ever to experience the paradise of the Maldives – and of course the incredible range of scuba diving holidays we have available here at Planet Dive.

Best Time to Visit: December to March (whale shark season)

Average Temperature: 25˚C to 30˚C

Hottest Month: April (marginally hotter than rest of the year)

Coldest Month:  December (marginally colder than rest of the year)

The Maldives are blessed with an incredible variety of marine species throughout the year, but the country is probably most famous for its whale sharks and manta rays - which can very often be seen feeding on plankton blooms and at the cleaning stations.

But, thankfully mantas aren’t the only rays found in the Maldives. Whilst on a dive, you may be closer than you think to eagle rays, devil rays, blue spotted rays even the enormous black spotted rays – so keep an eye out into the blue, as you never know what wonderful creatures may be swimming close by.

For the shark loving divers out there, the Maldives has a fantastic array of species that make for the most incredible of diving experiences. Amongst many other types to be seen roaming Maldive waters, there is a great range of black tip, white tip, leopard shark, and hammerheads – all of which can be viewed up close and personal in their natural habitat.

But it's not just the sharks and rays of the Maldives blue that draw in the diving crowds, as more than 2,000 species of fish have been identified in the waters, with approximately 300 reef fish. Some of the more famous and sought-after fish sightings to be found in the Maldives are of course the varieties of tuna fish, which make great viewing as they hunt smaller prey in large schools.

From the macro critters going about their daily business to the ranging variety of eels to have inhabited the great walls - the visuals of everything going on underwater are a magnificent sight and of course the friendly Napoleon & Maori Wrasse that shadow your every move!

Another firm favourite amongst voyaging divers are the characterful turtles, as the age old creatures are a mascot of your safety stops – lazily lounging around in the sun with just the occasional dip for a munch on the coral!

All in all, the spectacular range of marine life on offer in all corners of the Maldives nigh on guarantee an unforgettable time each time you delve into the waters, as the vast quantities of life and in such great variety ensures every one of your dives is as unforgettably unique as the last. 

The Maldives liveaboards we feature here at Planet Dive visit the best dive sites of the islands, and often the exclusive hot-spots that aren't accessible by island resort. The boats visit the top dive sites of Male Atoll, Ari Atoll, Rasdhoo, Baa Atoll, Raa Atoll, and the outer atolls.

Some of our favourite scuba diving sites, and recommended by customer reviews include: Lankanfinolhu, Finger Point, Kuda Giri, Maaya Thila, Fish Head, and Secret Manta Spot.

Special shark safaris, whale shark safaris, and manta safaris are available throughout the year on a range of different boats - with many new safaris to uncharted reefs becoming available for advanced divers later in the year.

Diving in the Maldives is characterized by three main types of dive sites:

Maldives Channel Dives:  The currents that flow between atolls attract sharks, large schools of fish and manta rays. These dives can either be exhilarating drift dives, or you can hook into the reef at the mouth of the channel - which allows you to 'hang out' with the larger Pelagics in the current.

Maldives Thila Dives:  The local Dhivehi word for coral bommie is 'thila'. A thila is a large isolated reef, similar to the shape of a mushroom that rises from the ocean floor inside the atoll. Thila dives can be treated almost as round wall dives, starting at the sandy bottom before slowly corkscrewing around the thila until you reach the top for your safety stop. Thilas are microcosms that often contain a myriad of marine life living in various environments - from the sandy ocean floor and the holes of the thila's wall to the sunny pinnacle at the top of the reef.

Maldives Outer Reef Dives:  The outer reefs of the atolls are usually steep drop-offs with caves and overhangs, housing many types of fish seeking protection. Dives along the outer reef of the atolls give divers the opportunity to enjoy a drift dive along a wall - whilst keeping an eye out to the blue for Pelagics passing by, such as sharks, eagle rays, manta rays and whale sharks. The vastly experienced and knowledgeable dive guides will point out the swim-throughs that lead to the inner atolls, amongst many other priceless tips that will make all the difference on your Maldives liveaboard diving holiday.

Most Maldives liveaboards require divers to have: 

Q:  I am a newly certified diver; will I be restricted on a liveaboard?

A:  Diving in the Maldives is suitable for certified divers of any level, but please be aware that you must stay within your recreational limitis. Dive guides may ask less experienced divers to sit out on some dives with extremely strong currents, but this is quite rare.