Are you looking for the best liveaboard trips? Then you cannot miss out on the incredibly beautiful dive sites you can experience with a liveaboard in Maldives Island Chain.
This group of tropical islands in the Indian Ocean is famous for its secluded white sand beaches and the amazing biodiversity of marine life. Enjoy scuba diving in the Maldives atolls with clear warm waters, colorful coral reefs, and a variety of marine animals.
The main season for liveaboard and diving in Maldives Island Chain is from November to May but although the liveaboard holiday Maldives season does run all it may be more difficult to find the itineraries date to suit your needs outside of those months. This season is the best due to the sea being calmer and the weather better.
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10 Best Maldives Liveaboard Trips
The main attraction for diving in the Maldives is swimming with the variety of sharks, the whale sharks, grey reef sharks, and eagle rays along with the manta rays. Spinner dolphins are also frequently spotted in the area since the islands are close to their hunting grounds.
Book your favorite scuba diving holidays Maldives style on one of the liveaboards on our top 10 picks to experience an excellent and unique diving trip.
1. Best Budget Choice: Princess Dhonkamana
Although the Maldives is not a budget travel destination the Princess Dhonkamana offers you a great deal. You get incredible value for money on this smaller luxury yacht, with comfortable rooms, a hot tub, and three meals a day on this wonderful diving liveaboard Maldives yacht.
There are a dhoni and a tender following the main liveaboard for closer access to the main diving spots giving divers the excellent trips to the harder to reach sites. This way, there is space specifically for scuba diving while keeping the main yacht spacious enough for dining, and relaxing. Whether you are experienced or in the beginners’ category there will be something for you when you dive the Maldives.
Onboard is a crew of 13 to look after your needs, with three dedicated expert divers and a snorkeling guide, that will take you on 3 dives a day giving you plenty of dives to explore the amazing marine wildlife of the Maldives including mantas, reef sharks, and the famous whale shark and don’t forget the coral reef.
This certainly has to be the best way to experience Maldives diving and the amazing discoveries that are awaiting you in the nutrient-rich sea waters of the Indian Ocean. Along with the full board meals, airport transfer you will get drinking water, tea & coffee, beach BBQ, snacks, the dive package, fishing, and land excursions all included.
What We Liked
- Separate dhoni and tender
- Family cabins available
- Naturalist guide present
- Vegan meals available
2. Most Luxury: Ocean Divine
If you are looking for luxury then is definitely one of the more luxurious Maldives diving liveaboards. This five-star vessel has 6 unique staterooms each with an ocean view porthole and independent climate control, accommodating the maximum of 12 you will truly get one to one attention from the crew members, which also includes the owners of this beautiful vessel who have 30 years experience.
The crew of 10, which includes their own experienced top-level chef and masseuse, will provide superior service, delicious cuisine, and fully attentive service that is possible. Making your liveaboard diving vacation a unique and unforgettable one both during the day time dives and the nights on board. Operating between November and April, the best diving season the Ocean Divine will give 3 dives per day and the chance for 1 night dive per week.
All dives are done from well-equipped tenders that will take you to the most popular dive sites in the Maldives where the divers can discover manta rays, eagle rays, tuna, along with the whale sharks near the reef and even turtles on the shallow dives. With visibility being between 15 and 40 meters you can be sure you will get to see all the marine life the island has to offer and the waters go from 5 to over 40 meters deep.
As well as the world-class diving that you will have, there are also, beach visits, stand-up paddleboarding along with free-diving making this one of the Maldives liveaboards diving vacations that are both brilliant for beginners and experienced divers alike. Guests write great reviews of the dive guides, a French couple, that have excellent local wildlife knowledge and they are also very environmentally aware and teach you to do the same.
What We Liked
- Includes activities besides diving
- Small group, also during dives
- Freediving available
- Onboard spa
3. Designed for Diving: Nautilus Two
Next of the Maldives boats is the Nautilus Two that caters for up to 24 guests in 12 cabins and is another of the beautiful options for liveaboard holidays Maldives style that is perfect for experienced divers. With a dedicated diving dhoni called Dheeriya, this is the best option for those that love an adventure so the crew recommends scuba divers to have at least 40 logged dives before boarding this vessel.
Liveaboard diving from the Nautilus Two will usually include 3 dives per day along with night dives during the week. The 8 days/7 nights itinerary takes you to the best dive spots in the Central Atolls, with pick-up and drop-off in the capital Male. Expect to see plenty of the wildlife species of the Maldives in this area the mantas, whale sharks, and much more.
The depth can be anything from 5 meters to over 40 meters, some places can have strong currents and have visibility to match, making it an area that is also popular for night diving. The interior featuring an old fishing dhoni as a buffet table and the serving local specialties and delicious European cuisine. However, vegetarians might feel limited in their food choices and should contact the team before booking.
This package includes the airport transfer, full meal plan, snacks drinking water, and tea/coffee, and Wi-fi is also included. As for extras, if you want a little more from your trip, there are private dive and snorkel guides available, take a scuba diving course, rent kayaks and Stand Up Paddleboards, and snorkel gear, The ideal way to experience the Maldives and ensure you see all the marine life possible.
What We Liked
- Dedicated diving dhoni
- Custom built for diving
- Water sport activities besides scuba diving available
4. Most Environmentally Aware: Eco Blue Liveaboard
A true scuba diver is aware of the impact on marine health and biodiversity, whether diving in the Maldives or any of the international dive sites it is important to book a trip that equally cares about the environment whether that is a Maldives diving resort trip or liveaboard diving.
The Eco Blue is an excellent example of this as the focus is on the environment and sustainability, they produce their own drinking water, have reusable bamboo straws, and offer biodegradable toiletries, as well as many other efforts to be eco-friendly and don’t allow shark feeding. Making this one of the most eco-friendly Maldives liveaboard diving boats.
They offer different itineraries so you can pick the route you want and also pick from 7 to 14 nights year-round not just the peak diving season. Along with all the most popular spots around the Central Atolls from Male-Male, stopping at the north & south Male Atolls, Ari Atoll, and Vaavu Atoll, in the summer months.
The Baa Atoll offer includes the famous Hanifaru Bay and also the less-frequented North Atolls during a longer 11 days/10 nights trip, this is the ideal full tour for the Maldives dive travel you dream of. Do note that availability is dependent on the dive season but whenever you go you will still get to see the marine life diving in the Maldives offers.
Guests have been really pleased with how friendly the staff is as well, making this a great social vacation for divers. Some of the staff even provide live music to entertain you during drinks at night. The onboard design is simpler compared to the many liveaboard boats like the luxury vessels roaming around the Atolls but you are not missing out on comfort. The rooms are spacious and there are even upper deck cabins with large ocean-view windows available.
What We Liked
- Oceanview cabins available
- Family cabins available
- Eco-friendly
- Different itineraries available
5. Best for Charter: Sheena Liveaboard
If you are planning on a family reunion or have a big group of friends that all love to dive? Then consider booking this great Sheena liveaboard as a charter and make use of all 7 cabins that fit 14 people in total. There are two double bed cabins with sea view windows on the upper deck and five cabins with bunk beds, where it is possible to stay for friends wanting to share a room.
There are also indoor and outdoor lounging areas with four sundecks that are both shaded and unshaded. The focus of Sheena is touring the Southern Atolls which are less crowded than the Central Atolls so you can expect more sea space during your dives and a chance of seeing the famous whale sharks, manta rays and hammerheads that have their habitat in the Indian Ocean.
Their mid-range packages offer 8 days/7 nights having a route to some of the best dive sites the Maldives has to offer, including Meemu Atoll, North & South Male Atolls, the unexplored Gaafu Alifu Atoll and even up to Felidhoo Atoll.
The meals are served buffet style with the option for vegetarian food dishes, as well. As is standard for Maldive liveaboards, the packages all include full-board options.
What We Liked
- Visits less crowded dive sites
- Designed for diving
- Includes land excursions
6. Best for Nitrox Divers: Emperor Serenity
Nitrox is becoming increasingly popular among scuba divers. If nitrox has your preference then the Emperor Serenity is a smart choice of the liveaboards Maldives dive trips because the package includes free nitrox.
This vessel offers large spacious en-suite rooms that look like a hotel room rather than a boat cabin. There are several sundecks for soaking up the sunshine and an indoor lounge with a bar for friendly drinks at night.
This company only offers one kind of itinerary for 8 days/7 nights but it does take you to all the must-see dive spots in the Maldives. Even if you are not a diver, you can enjoy snorkeling with the guides or going on land excursions to the island.
All rooms have large ocean view windows which bring in plenty of light. There is also an onboard spa if you want to get a massage for ultimate relaxation.
What We Liked
- Large airy rooms with big windows
- Family rooms available
- Free nitrox
- Onboard Spa
- Includes airport transfer
7. Most Relaxing: Scubaspa Ying
Experience true comfort and relaxation on board the Scubaspa Ying – the name says it all. The staff on this large 50m liveaboard takes amazing care of you, including the expert spa therapists and yoga instructors, creating a vacation that feeds your soul.
The restaurant offers fine dining with an international flair and the finest wines and Scubaspa can accommodate 26 guests this ensures that the 30 crew members to cater to each guest very comfortably. The itinerary offers either 5day/4 nights or 8day/7night giving you the choice for the length of your trip.
However, you won’t forget that this is a scuba diving trip because there is a dedicated dive boat following the main yacht. Even here no luxury is spared because it is rated as a 5-star PADI resort, a floating dive center. There is always an exciting activity including stand up paddleboarding, kayaking, land excursions, yoga, and a beach barbecue.
You can choose to squeeze this all in in a shorter 5 days/4 nights trip or go for the standard 8day/7 nights aboard. This is no ordinary liveaboard, with a lot of the usual extras being included in the package this is great for non-divers that want to go on vacation with their diving partner for the first-hand experience. Another liveaboard that is great for relaxing while seeing the whale sharks, mantas, and coral reef.
What We Liked
- Full-time spa therapist
- Daily yoga
- Shorter itineraries available
- Vegetarian and vegan-friendly
8. Worth-It Splurge: Azalea
If you feel a little squeezed in on a liveaboard then give yourself the joy of large spacious rooms and en-suite bathrooms aboard the Azalea. This wonderful 36m yacht has 9 cabins, 6 Superior, 2 Ocean View Jr, and 1 Ocean View-Master all with individually controlled AC, en-suite bathrooms, and storage space for keeping your dive bags.
The ocean view rooms have amazing large windows that give you the best views of the stunning environment. There are also plenty of lounge areas with both indoor and outdoor dining, television room, bar, sundeck, and a jacuzzi.
This vessel is recommended for both scuba divers and non-divers since you can make use of snorkeling gear and other fun activities like yoga, fishing, and kayaking. No matter your choice of activity, there is a naturalist guide on board to make sure that you leave the environment in pristine condition.
The divers will have good visibility in the crystal clear waters that can be over 40 meters deep, and wonderful chance to see the whale sharks, manta rays, schools of fish and coral reef. The itinerary is 8day/nights visiting some of the best dive areas in the Maldives, including Ari Atoll, Male Atoll, Filidhe, and Baa.
What We Liked
- Spa and yoga available
- Naturalist guide on board
- Amazing views from suites
9. Best Cabins: Maldives Aggressor II
Since you will be spending more than a week onboard, it is important to find a yacht that is comfortable and makes you feel right at home. The design of the Maldives Aggressor II ticks all the right boxes with gorgeous cabins that give you a true nautical feel.
This 41m world class liveaboard yacht offers year-round diving cruises to the stunning Maldives Atolls. Specially designed for divers, you will find a dive deck on board with storage lockers, a camera table with appropriate rinsing hoses, air/nitrox refill stations, and rinse tanks for your gear.
Enjoy up to four incredible dives, every day, so you get to see all the amazing marine biodiversity like sweetlips, sharks, mantas, and different fish species for a true Maldives liveaboard diving experience. The full-board option gives a combination of both local cuisine and American fare, something for everyone’s taste buds. This includes wine with dinner and soft drinks all day.
You only have to read the Maldives Aggressor ii reviews to see how great this trip will be. Offering itineraries of either 8day/7 nights or 11 day/10 nights with Male to Male route for the trip around the Maldives.
What We Liked
- Designed for diving
- Great camera station
- Homey cabins
10. Best for Extra Activities: Blue Force One
If you set high standards for your liveaboard and want nothing but the best, the Blue Force One is a great choice for you. Besides visiting all the best dive spots, there is plenty of onboard entertainment for a truly fun vacation.
Examples of special activities are the disco room, supping, surfing, jet skis, and kayaking. The Blue Force One is the perfect combination of extravagance and active friendly fun.
This vessel still keeps the design modern and flamboyant with suite cabins – some en-suite bathrooms even feature a bath. Comfort is guaranteed with plush sofas, a 65-inch television room, sundecks, and two jacuzzis.
Including special trips at certain times of the year that will take divers ‘off the beaten track’ and experience pristine dive sites to the South. Surprisingly, you get all this excess for a still reasonable price making this well worth your money.
What We Liked
- Naturalist guide on board
- Lots of extra activities
- Friendly price for facilities
- Disco room
Summary
We hope we have given you some ideas for the liveaboards that are available for the Maldives. They range in price and from the simple but well equipped to luxurious with international fine dining. Here is a recap of our top 3 best selling liveaboard ships for scuba diving in the Maldives;
- Family Cabins
- Naturalist Guide
- Vegan Meals
- Land Excursions
- Freediving Available
- Onboard Spa
- 33 Meters
- Top-level Chef
- Full-time Spa
- Daily Yoga
- Shorter Itineraries
- Vegan-friendly
Although a lot are available all year round, the weather and dive conditions do change with the monsoon seasons and although generally, the sea is calm, in the southeast monsoon it can get rougher. Because of this certain areas are good for diving for only part of the year but the liveaboards obviously take this into consideration.
The current can be strong but that said the Maldives are good for both experienced and beginners where you have the experience of swimming with the sharks and schools of fish as well the manta rays and liveaboards are certainly the best way to dive in the Maldives.
