During the period from January to April, experienced divers can head to the deep south of the Maldives on a wonderful liveaboard itinerary. These trips get away from the crowds by venturing deep south and take advantage of the strongest currents and best visibility to enjoy the abundance of sharks the Maldives has to offer.

ITINERARY HIGHLIGHTS

• Experience thrilling current diving on the Maldives’ remote southern dive sites
• Look in the blue for patrolling grey reef sharks
• Enjoy possible encounters with manta rays, eagle rays and white tips
• Possible encounters with tiger sharks and hammerhead sharks

This trip is suitable for experienced divers only due to the currents and number of channel dives involved. The itinerary is focused on seeing lots of sharks including possible thresher and tiger sharks, hammerheads, whale sharks and mantas plus the possibility of seeing the rare mola molas (sunfish). 

There can be three variations to this itinerary. The first is to begin in Malé and head south, taking a domestic flight back to Malé. The second begins and ends in the southern Maldives, focusing solely in the southern dive dives. The final alternative begins with a flight to the southern Maldives to join the cruise, journeying north to finish in Malé. 

These routings take place during peak high season (February/March/April) when the currents are strongest and visibility at its best to enjoy the abundance of sharks the Maldives has to offer. Most of the dives will be so called channel dives, whereby the diver descends near the corner of a channel, hooks on and enjoys whatever the current brings.

Some of the dive sites you may visit on your liveaboard include:

Huvadhoo Atoll: This remote area of the Indian Ocean is only accessible by liveaboard and therefore, remains mostly unchartered. There are two distinct districts, Northern Huvadhoo Atoll (Gaafu Alifu) in the north, and Southern Huvadhoo Atoll (Gaafu Dhaalu) in the south. The atoll is the 10th largest in the world, giving ample reef rim space for diverse marine wildlife. There are more than 230 islands at the center of its lagoon - more than any other atoll in the Maldives. The sapphire-coloured lagoon inside the atoll is one of the deepest in the Maldives, the lagoon bottom is covered with sand and reaches a maximum depth of 90 metres. The strong currents bring lots of pelagic and reef life; whalesharks, silkies, hammerheads and grey sharks all frequent this area. Channel dives like Vilingilli, Nilandhoo, Mareehaa and Kondeey and reef dives like Gazeera and Vaadhoo are not to be missed. Divers can experience unforgettable displays of manta rays, eagle rays, sea turtles and reef sharks. Staghorn coral reaches toward the sunlight as black and white tip reef sharks patrol the ecosystem below. Angelfish, clownfish, anemones and lionfish guard their small patches of reef. The Hitraadhoo Nature Reserve provides shelter to nesting turtles.

Foammulah Atoll: Also known as Fuvahmulah Atoll, this solitary island lies within the Equatorial Channel between Huvadhool Atoll to the north and Addu Atoll to the south. It consists of a low lying coral formation that spans 4.5 km in length and stretches 1.2 km wide. What sets this unique atoll apart from other Maldives dive sites are the frequent sightings of thresher sharks, oceanic white tips and tiger sharks.

Addu Atoll: The British Loyalty Wreck is an oil tanker that used to supply Gan and was torpedoed in 1944 by the German submarine U-183. The wreck lies in 33m of water with its port side about 16m below the surface; it has a good covering of soft corals. Turtles, trevally and many reef fish inhabit the encrusted decks, making it a fascinating place to dive.

Extended itineraries starting or ending in Malé may also take in the following diving highlights:

Meemu Atoll: You are almost guaranteed to see manta rays on every dive. The eastern and western rims are characterised by deep channels with currents that sweep in plankton-rich water, sustaining healthy soft corals and thriving marine life. Large numbers of a variety of pelagics populate the channels. In addition to manta rays and the occasional appearance of a magnificent whale shark; grey reef sharks, mobulas and eagle rays can be spotted almost everywhere. The Mulaku Kandu channel in the north east is peppered with submerged pinnacles covered in predominantly soft corals whilst snappers and jacks are abundant in some parts. Rays and sharks can be spotted as you descend and further north along the reef is an overhang rich in soft coral. The wall below is home to moray eels, while sting rays sleep in the depths and groupers look for snacks in the coral formations. At Medhufushi Thila, you descend through the warm, clear waters of a north eastern channel situated between 2 wide lagoons,. Dolphins might accompany you to the start of your dive on the northern side of the thila. Peaking at 4m below the Indian Ocean's surface, the thila is covered in a colourful selection of hard corals. You could descend to as low as 35m to take a look at the steep wall with overhangs, but remember to save bottom time to scout out the caves and marvel at the countless reef fish. The current is virtually non-existent here, making it one of the few Southern Atolls sites that are suitable for scuba divers of all skill levels.

Thaa Atoll: One of the least-explored areas of the Maldives and a good location for whale sharks. Whilst these gentle giants are rare, some of the other Maldives favourites can be seen regularly, such as schools of eagle rays, and big reef fish like Napoleon wrasse. Healthy corals decorate the craggy wall at the site 7-Up, and nearby, a large garden of gorgonian fans makes a pretty landscape for circling manta rays. The strong currents of Thaa's large kandus ensure that sharks are plentiful, especially whitetips.

Laamu Atoll: Big schools of fish like tuna and jacks can be found in deep channels. In fact, some say that Laamu tops all the atolls of the country in terms of large schools of fish. While drift-diving these kandus, expect to see whitetip reef sharks and eagle rays as well. The lagoons, some of which are over 70 metres deep, also hold incredible fish biomass.

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: You must be an Advanced Open Water diver or equivalent and have logged a minimum of 50 dives to join this safari.