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Maldives Liveaboards

The Maldives is the place to go if you want big fish encounters – this island nation has some of the most spectacular dive sites in the world, and a typical 7 day trip that begins from the capital Male – a mere 15 minutes from airport to boat – can almost guarantee encounters with manta rays, huge schools of fish and stunning visibility – plus a very good chance of seeing a normally elusive whale shark too if you head to South Ari atoll.

Manta Rays at Dhonkalo, Maldives

I’ve been to the Maldives several times since 2009 on three different boats – below are my comprehensive reviews of the MV Orion, MV Carpe Vita and MV Sachika if you are thinking of doing a Maldives liveaboard yourself. Liveaboards in the Maldives tend to be more like floating hotels and so they are level of luxury up from what most divers have encountered before – making them perfect for non-divers too. I’ve also written up a trip report on MV Orion, detailing how the seven day liveaboard itinerary pans out.

As well as this practical info, I’ve included a few other articles about Hanifaru, the place of stunning manta and whale shark encounters in August and September each year if you’re lucky, and also about unforgettable close up encounters with mantas I’ve had in the Maldives.

MV Orion

Maldives Liveaboard MV Orion Review

MV Orion provides a serious contender for those wanting luxury Maldives liveaboard scuba diving and island cruising (more…)

Carpe Vita Maldives Liveaboard

MV Carpe Vita — Maldives Liveaboard Review

Carpe Vita is latest luxury Maldives liveaboard to take to the waters, launching in March 2011. Here’s my detailed rundown of Carpe Vita’s operation after spending a week on the boat (more…)

Maldives Fah Thai Magazine Pages 1 and 2

MV Sachika: Luxury Scuba Diving In The Maldives

My story about luxury scuba diving in the Maldives on the MV Sachika was originally published in Fah Thai magazine. You can read the complete article below (more…)

MV Orion

Maldives Diving Liveaboard Trip Report: MV Orion

The new Maldives liveaboard MV Orion offers seven day trips that take in classic Maldives dive sites at Male and Ari atolls as well as visiting the whale shark haunt of Hani Faru (more…)

Manta Rays of Rangali Madivaru, Maldives

Maldives Manta Rays — A Spectacular Close Encounter

The Maldives is famous for manta ray encounters, and there’s few places better than Rangali Madivaru to see these spectacular creatures group together en masse in crystal clear water (more…)

Hanifaru by Christian Loader

Hanifaru — Where Manta Rays And Whale Sharks Meet

This has to be the most incredible underwater footage of manta rays and whale sharks I’ve ever seen – scores of them in a feeding frenzy at Hanifaru in the Maldives (more…)

Mantas, Maldives

Got The Shot: Maldives Manta Rays — Julian Cohen

The Maldives are famous for manta rays – here Julian Cohen describes how he finally got the shot of these elusive, beautiful creatures (more…)

Manta Ray Maldives MV Orion January 2011

Maldives Diving January 2011

A few underwater photos from my Maldives trip in January 2011 around Male, Ari and Felidhe atolls on MV Orion (more…)



Make Sure You Have Diving And Travel Insurance

World Nomads is one of the leading travel insurance providers and their coverage also includes scuba diving to 40 metres too if you select the relevant options. Make sure you're covered insurance-wise both above and below water.

Last Minute Liveaboard Deals

  • Last Minute Liveaboard Deals December 2019

Dive Happy Podcast

  • Dream Job: Liveaboard Cruise Director Podcast
  • Diving Triton Bay Podcast
  • Diving Tubbataha Reef Podcast
  • Diving Yap Podcast
  • Diving Truk Lagoon Podcast
  • Diving Sogod Bay Podcast
  • Misool Eco Resort Podcast
  • Diving Palau Podcast
  • The Manta Rays Of Myanmar’s Black Rock Podcast
  • Diving Myanmar Podcast
  • Diving Bali Podcast
  • Diving Cenderawasih Bay Podcast
  • Diving Komodo Podcast
  • Diving Raja Ampat Podcast
  • Dive Happy Podcast Home Page

My Recent Dive Trips

  • June 2019: Sogod Bay, Philippines
  • April 2019: Tulamben, Bali
  • December 2018: Sogod Bay, Philippines
  • December 2018: Anilao, Philippines
  • October 2018: Moalboal, Philippines
  • October 2018: Malapascua, Philippines
  • July 2018: Tulamben, Bali
  • June 2018: Raja Ampat, Indonesia
  • April 2018: Sogod Bay, Philippines
  • May 2017: Apo Island and Dumaguete, Philippines
  • April 2017: Tubbataha Reef, Philippines
  • April 2017: Sogod Bay, Philippines
  • March 2017: Triton Bay, Indonesia
  • March 2017: Raja Ampat, Indonesia
  • September 2016: Tulamben, Bali at Alba Dive Resort
  • August 2016: Cenderawasih Bay on Damai 1
  • April 2016: Sogod Bay at Sogod Bay Scuba Resort
  • February 2016: Raja Ampat and Banda Islands on Damai 1
  • April 2015: Anilao at Crystal Dive Resort
  • March 2015: Myanmar and Similan Islands on Thailand Aggressor
  • May 2013: Similan Islands on Thailand Aggressor
  • April 2013: Tubbataha Reef on Discovery Palawan
  • January 2013: Komodo, Indonesia on MSY Damai

My Less Recent Dive Trips

  • August 2012: Cenderawasih Bay, Indonesia
  • April 2012: Similan Islands and Southern Thailand liveaboard
  • January 2012: Similan Islands liveaboard, Thailand
  • August 2011: Hanifaru, Maldives
  • June 2011: Tubbataha Liveaboard Hans Christian Andersen
  • April 2011: Similan Islands and Southern Thailand liveaboard
  • April 2011: Carpe Vita Liveaboard, Maldives
  • March 2011: Lembeh Strait, Indonesia
  • December 2010: Menjangan, Bali
  • July 2010: Tofo, Mozambique
  • July 2010: Sardine Run, South Africa
  • May 2010: Sangalaki / Derawan, Tambora
  • March 2010: MV Flying Seahorse, Similan Islands
  • March 2010: MV Orion, Southern Maldives
  • January 2010: Big Blue Explorer, Palau
  • November 2009: MSY Damai, Banda Sea Liveaboard, Indonesia
  • October 2009: MSY Damai, Komodo Liveaboard, Indonesia
  • October 2009: MV Orion, Maldives Liveaboard
  • September 2009: MV Scubanet, Koh Losin, Thailand
  • May 2009: MSY Seahorse, Banda Sea liveaboard, Indonesia
  • March 2009: Sachika Liveaboard, Maldives
  • February 2009: Daytrips, Koh Lanta, Thailand
  • January 2009: MV Jazz, Burma (Myanmar) Liveaboard

Back In The Day Bragging Rights Dive Trips

  • November 2008: Borneo Explorer, Visayas Liveaboard
  • September 2008: S/Y Siren, Komodo Liveaboard
  • August 2008: Ocean Rover, Sulawesi Liveaboard
  • August 2008: NAD Lembeh Resort, Indonesia
  • June 2008: Koh Tao
  • March 2008: Maldives, Bandos Island
  • February 2008: MSY Seahorse, Raja Ampat Liveaboard
  • January 2008: MV Jazz, Burma Liveaboard
  • October 2007: Bali Dive Safari
  • September 2007: Davao, Philippines
  • July 2007: Great White Sharks, Rodney Fox Liveaboard
  • June 2007: Big Blue, Palau Liveaboard
  • May 2007: Whale Sharks at Exmouth, Australia
  • April 2007: Borneo Explorer, Tubbataha Reef Liveaboard
  • December 2006: Komodo Dancer, Komodo Liveaboard

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