The Maldives are an island country consisting of many small islands in the Indian Ocean.  If you’ve seen those computer wallpapers of crystal blue waters and beach paradises that look almost too beautiful to be real, you may very well have been seeing images taken from the Maldives.  The water here is bluer then even your dreams of it, and there are plenty of quiet beaches are the islands to enjoy.  There really are so many reasons to spend your holiday in the Maldives!

Draws of the Maldives

The main draw to this tropical paradise is the ocean and sea life.  Diving is something that is not to be missed, as there are over 700 different fish to see under those blue waters!  The waters are such a big draw that many people even forgo the traditional hotel stay and instead stay aboard high-class ships that allow them to go as far out as they please.  There are small cozy vessels and some ships that can accommodate nearly 20 people, which work great if all your friends decide they want go on the holidays to the Maldives!  Many of these boats are like hotels on water, as they have all the amenities like soft beds, air conditioning and even a bar.  If you are looking online for more information do a search for “liveaboard diving”, as that is what it is called when you stay aboard the ship while diving for several days.

There is still more to do outside of the diving on your holidays to the Maldives.  Sunbathe on the quiet beaches while you sip tropical drinks and smile as you are living the dream.  You can play in the surf, or even be a kid for a little while and build a sand castle.  Don’t forget fishing too!  There is day and night fishing, as well as normal game and big game fishing to enjoy.  Of course island hopping and shopping are always a must when on vacation!  You can buy everything from trendy bags, to handmade jewelry and local produce.  Just know that some items are not allowed to be exported, such as anything made from red coral.

Daytime and Nighttime Amenities on Your Maldives Holidays

Holidays to Maldives can also include a spa day, complete with a relaxing massage.  If you are looking for excitement instead, then check out flights on seaplanes to explore an isnland or an underwater adventure with a submarine ride!  If you are looking for intellectual excitement, then be sure to check out the National Museum located in the Sultan Park, which houses many amazing artifacts.  If you are searching for cheap holidays in Maldives, know that night swimming, dancing on the beach at sunset and stargazing are all fun and free to enjoy every day.

If you are looking for Maldives holiday offers then check out our own site, MaldivesDiveTravel.com, for more information.  We also have a best price guarantee!!  Learn more about Liveaboard travel, as well as more activities that can be done in the Maldives.  There is so much to do, see, eat, and enjoy that this is sure to be one of the best holidays you’ll ever have!  Learn more about our offers and book your dream vacation for 2012 today!

Experience Holidays in the Maldives by MaldivesDiveTravel.com is a post from: Maldives Blog

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Have you ever thought about taking an exotic vacation?  Somewhere far away from the hotels the theater shows and the malls?  Then think about a scuba diving liveaboard journey!

When you choose a scuba diving “liveaboard” journey, you are not just taking a scuba diving adventure.  You literally live aboard the cruiser—for days on end!  It’s the perfect vacation because it is a cross between a cruise ship luxury holiday and an outdoor adventure complete with scuba diving, snorkeling and many other activities.

You Will Have Plenty to See

What can you expect from liveaboard scuba diving?  First, never feel threatened.  In fact, it’s sometimes annoying how often the crew does safety checks, just to make sure no one is ever faced with adangerous situation.  Then, the crew takes you aboard one of the ships (there are several, and each contains its own personality and level of luxury), and then chart a course.  Along the way, you will get
to see spectacular scenery involving the best of Maldives, including the ocean, islands and marine life from above the surface of the water.

Now when it’s actually time to scuba liveaboard style, you will see unbelievable sights, like rainbow-colored coral reefs and aquatic animals.  What are some of the species of life to look forward to?  We’re talking whale sharks, manta rays, reef sharks, napoleon wrasse and many other smaller fish.  You will literally see schools of fish passing by your head and the colors are unimaginable.  It’s definitely something to experience!

You Will Have Plenty To Do

However, the point of scuba liveaboards adventures is that there is more to see than just underwater life.  You can also come back to the cruise and enjoy hotel-quality cabins, lots of space to move around in, social activities, cooked meals, drinks and a very friendly staff.  Comfortable home settings wait for you here, such as air-conditioned rooms and hot showers.  Imagine what it would be like to spend a night under the stars and looking into the sky from the ocean with your sweetheart!

Besides luxurious amenities you can also enjoy an island visit for dinner, volleyball and football games (the staff is always eager to play!) and even snorkeling activities if scuba diving is too deep a thought for you.  There is also plenty of fishing activity to enjoy and you can catch red snapper, barracuda, tuna, jackfish and grouper, all of which the cook will make into a fine meal immediately after your catch.

Although carrying alcoholic beverages aboard is banned, you can still enjoy drinks courtesy of a licensed and trained bartender.  Airport travel is also provided, including a trip to and from the airport.  Safety is always a top priority here, as there is no diving activities scheduled in the last 24 hours of the trip, just to make sure guests are ready to fly.

Why not come experience an exotic vacation like no other?  It’s not just an adventure, it is an adventure and a spiritual journey!

Imagine the Fun You Will Have on a Scuba Diving Liveaboard Journey is a post from: Maldives Blog

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Just in… 2 incredible last minute offers on-board the MV Aquarius on a VERY unique Southern Sharks cruise.

This area is very secluded and remote.  There are only 2 resorts in the area and almost NO other boats or divers at this dive site.

This is an unspoiled area with masses of sharks and amazing hard corals, a site not to be missed!!!

January 23^rd – 30^th – Last Minute Steal!
Cruise: “Southern Sharks”
Price: USD $999 per person (includes 6% T-GST tax)
Atolls: Laamu, Huvadhoo, Formulak, Addu
Boarding Point: Kadhdhoo, Laamu Atoll
Disembark: Gan, Addu Atoll
Domestic Flights: Clients need to purchase additional domestic flights Male/Kadhdhoo and Gan/Male. These flights (approx. US$ 360 return) can be booked on here or we would be happy to do it for you!

February 6^th – 13^th – 7 nights for the price of 6!
Price: USD 1.177 per person inclusive 6% T-GST.
Cruise: “Southern Sharks”
Atolls: Laamu, Huvadhoo, Formulak, Addu
Boarding Point: Kaadedhdhoo, Huvadhoo
Disembark: Gan, Addu Atoll
Domestic Flights: Clients need to purchase additional domestic flights Male/ Kaadedhdhoo and Gan/Male. These flights (approx. US$ 360 return) can be booked on here or we would be happy to do it for you!

Book now before we are sold out.

Last minute specials for Southern Sharks Cruise… is a post from: Maldives Blog

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Where the maldives are is in group of islands around the Indian Ocean, where the temps revolve around 85 degrees. All things about maldives are inviting with white sandy beaches and lots of marine life, busy markets and shops. The maldives main focus is tourism and the great fishing and chances to dive around beautiful coral reefs. And maldives offers the ability to go on week or more living aboard cruises.

Looking back after a diving week in the Maldives with the MY Theia, I had a tremendous experience and lots of great encounters.

Walking off the plane from cold Vienna and being embraced by the very hot and very humid Maldivian climate in my winter outfit was my first experience. OK, the experienced travelers bring their tropical clothes in their carry on luggage and step out of the restroom in shorts and tank tops before landing, but not me

We got picked up from the airport and headed off to start our liveaboard dive trip for the week on board the MY Theia.  The ride to the boat was about 10 minutes, and wow – what a boat!! 15 divers with more than enough space on board, cabins were king size and beautiful.  We met on deck for briefing, hanging out with the guests and crew with 2 great bunches of the world´s best bananas – I became an addict.

1st dive, Check gear dive at the outer reef, almost no current but turtles, 2 murray eels and 2 white tip juvenile sharks – my best check dive so far. I like the liveaboard dive system, gear remains on the dive boat where tanks get filled during the trip, no carrying the equipment around.

2nd dive at a manta “cleaning station” where herds of small fish with beaklike snouts provide tweak out parasits-service to big fish like mantas on eastern outer reef of north male atoll. After 5 minutes close to the station 2 medium size mantas turned up out of nowhere and gave us a great show. Perfect photo op  for cameras

For the next dive at Rasdhoo, a small atoll between south & north male and ari atoll, we were late but were still able to dive which turned night dive for the 2nd half.  
The outer reef on Rasdhoo east side is a great location. Dive guide local Mikey found a camouflage colored 2´ leaf fish doddering under an overhang, don’t know how he spotted it, but we were sure glad he did. Divers from another boat took advantage also, we had our very own paparazzi

Next morning, same place but 50 m out into the blue before sunrise – the main hammer head area in the Maldives. We went down about 25-30m… waiting, looking around, down and up – at this time we had about a 50% statistical chance of no encounter.  No hammerheads today, maybe another time   Up to the dive boat and back to Theia for breakfast.  I LOVED the meal schedule – early morning dive at 7am after only coffee and crackers, after the dive a serious breakfast with all egg varieties and fruits tasting great after a good dive.

Next dive same place at the colorful reef with the great fish life and then we proceeded 2hrs to the Maayya Thila inside north Ari Atoll. A “Thila” is a kind of shallow inside atolls raging from 4-6 m.  This one is home of greys reef, white tip sharks, big murray eels, sting rays and turtles. 
 We did a night dive here as well, and it was one of best night dives ever – I tend to overlap night dives as they use to be done on good safe but boring sites – but Hussen, the ship manager convinced everybody that it´s not always like that, and he was so right. 
 Descending into a melting pot of white tips, murray eels, barracudas and sting rays hunting the thila mainly for restless fussilier schools which move over the thila top like a kind of liquid, in between an occasional stone fish (undetectable fish finding Mikey again) and sleeping turtles in overhangs on the side of the thila – a most memorable experience.

Next day 1st dive was at Makaruh thila, similar topography as Maayya thila with great coral growth on the top and in the overhangs around at 8-15m. The home of small fish like gobis, blennies and a cute sleeping baby white tip between 2 table coral storeys.
  At the up current side 2 cruising grey reef sharks, big fish seem to be mainly up current wherever you are if its a “thila” or a channel, a “kandhu” between open see and an atoll.

The next dive, Malhoss Thila, known as Blue Caves was my week´s favorite in respect of UW landscape and colors.  200m deep overhang adjusted with clear blue soft corals, schools of blue stripe snappers hang out in their blue living room.  At the top of broken out coral blocks of extreme coral growth diversity of 2 grey reefs. On the sandy bottom a bunch of white tips sleeping and swaying in the smooth current. 
3rd dive at the Thila with a swim thru chimney and zillions of glass fish forming different shapes. Who is the boss? Again a busy camera matter.

One main safari issue: whale shark. Cruising along the south side of Ari Atoll was really valuable – the crew watching from atop of the Theia for whale shark shapes and shadows near the outer reefs at some 10m depth were successful. We dropped close to the first whale shark, we had the honor of snorkeling with this 10m giant 
until my legs failed to move, a condition challenge.  
After getting picked up by the dive boat we continued to a dive site called Maamigilli Kandhu and were happy to encounter 2 whale sharks coming out of the atoll at slow speed which made it possible to follow even with dive gear. 10 memorable minutes with this gentle beast, a literally breath taking devotional dive.

Next dive which took us to the house reef north west of Dhigurah delivered another manta ray encounter + a king size sting ray hunting on the top reef – seriously productive dive again. Seems rays and shark have all 5 gills. On the way back from dive site to the Theia, some of the fitter divers went snorkeling with 2 further mantas who were cruising the lagoon of Dhigurah island near the night anchorage.

Next days diving an the Kudarah Thila in the middle of Dhigurah Channel showed a stunning landscape with tremendous rich fish life. Herds of trevallies cruising around, school of blue stripes, scorpion fish dwelling in their camouflage in spite of one who probably failed primary camouflage school, so I found it without Mikey. Good models as they hardly move and they have the most characteristic profile.

Famous last dive – Ranveli corner north of Dangheti on the east side of south Ari atoll. Good visibility, school of eagle rays, trevallies, white tips and turtles. 

I forgot the Raadhigaa Thila north of Raadhigaa island – an unspoilt shallow well exposed to currents in the Mandhu channel on the middle Ari atolls west side. Its like coral bleaching never took place. Pristine hard corals on the top reef, great overhangs with swim throughs on the south side, fantastic UW-landscape.

In summary – one week was not enough, without obligations I would have booked next week. The chefs from sri lanka did a great job, the service, the….ah well, everything!!! I just don’t have anything to complain about.

Jan Bouzon
Vienna

MY THEIA Dive Cruise Report is a post from: Maldives Blog

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Kite safaris starting in spring 2012 is a post from: Maldives Blog

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Is 2011 the Best Manta Ray Season Maldives has Seen in Years?

Manta rays are often photographed swimming close to scuba divers

Over the past few months, we have been swamped with reports of manta ray sightings in the Maldives, with overjoyed divers and dive guides agreeing that it has been a bumper year for manta lovers. Many of our boats, such as Theia and MV Aquarius, have responded by launching special “Manta Madness” cruises, which take guests to the best Manta spots of the Maldives.

The recovery of the manta ray population in the Maldives appears to be evident in the dive logs of all of the liveaboard diving cruise ships we work with, as well as from anecdotal evidence we’ve received from crew members and guests over the past few months.

The abundance of mantas is also something observed by the Save Our Seas Foundation. Guy Stevens, the head of the foundation’s manta ray conservation project in the Maldives, recently commented: “The Maldives is the perfect place for these reef mantas; there is plenty of food all year round, there are few natural predators, and most importantly in today’s world of human exploitation, there has never been a significant or commercial fisheries for manta rays in the Maldives.” To read the whole interview, click here.

Best Time to See Manta Rays in the Maldives

Traditionally, the summer months offer the best chances for diving or snorkeling with manta rays in the Maldives. This is because of the higher amount of plankton in the water, which has a significant bearing on the manta ray migration in the Maldives. A manta ray diet consists mainly of plankton and the prevailing winds and currents of the hot Maldivian summer can create such a high concentration of food in certain places that a manta ray feeding frenzy ensues.

One of the most famous places where so-called manta ray cyclone feeding can occur, is the now legendary Hanifaru Bay, a dive spot made famous by a breathtaking photo reportage published by the National Geographic in 2009.

Especially in August, it is not uncommon to see more than a hundred animals gathering here during the Maldives manta ray season to make the most of the site’s unique geographical position, which sweeps huge amounts of plankton into the bay at certain times. This manta ray behavior is sometimes referred to as a “manta ray feeding aggregation”. The Maldives is known for the world’s largest aggregations of such nature.

Manta Ray Cleaning Stations Maldives

Another important element in the lives of these fascinating and absolutely harmless sea creatures are the many manta ray cleaning stations of the Maldives, which can attract several mantas at once. Seeing a troupe of imposing rays queue politely for their turn at the cleaning station is an absolutely unforgettable sight. Experienced dive guides such as ours know the locations of the most highly frequented feeding stations, where chances of diving with manta rays in the Maldives are the highest.

A open-mouthed manta ray approaches the camera

The manta ray cleaning stations of the Maldives are essentially rock or coral formation where manta rays stop by regularly to let cleaner wrasses pick parasites and dead skin particles off their bodies. It’s a symbiosis that is mutually beneficial – the cleaner wrasses get a steady delivery of food, while the manta rays have better chances of avoiding skin irritations and potentially dangerous infections caused by parasites.

Responsible Tourism in the Maldives – An Economic Necessity

While it seems that mantas in the Maldives are adept at taking care of themselves in terms of food and skincare, they need our help to protect their habitats from the negative impacts of human activity around them.

Their playful behavior and seeming indifference – even curiosity – for human visitors is remarkable and plays a big part in the tourism industry of the Maldives. The question is: how to balance economic development and mass tourism with the protection of the manta ray habitats of the Maldives?

The answer lies in a responsible approach to economic opportunities. Unlike commonly assumed, tourism can play a vital role in conservation efforts. The logic is simple – the manta ray population Maldives is of crucial importance to the economy and, as such, must be protected.

Stevens explains: “The more people who visit the Maldives in search of an encounter with manta rays the better; tourism really is important for the long term survival of manta rays in the Maldives and elsewhere around the world. However, tourism needs to be managed so that it is truly sustainable. As specific sites, such as Hanifaru, become overwhelmed with tourists there is a growing need for effective management to ensure that this site does not become degraded.”

Close-up shot of a manta ray in Maldives

The great challenge that lies ahead is to find a solution on how to manage sensitive manta ray feeding sites and how to enforce existing laws. The wheels of policy and bureaucracy have been notoriously slow in the Republic of the Maldives over the last decades. However, the new government’s commitment to environmental issues provides hope for responsible tour operators and scuba divers alike.

As always, Maldives Dive Travel is fully supportive of marine conservation efforts in the Maldives. We do our best to educate our staff and guests about the importance of responsible diving. It is our aim to help ensure that the magnificent marine life of the Maldives remains as breathtakingly beautiful as it is now for the next generations of scuba divers.

Want to experience the thrill of diving with manta rays in the Maldives? Our experienced booking agents and dive guides are at your service.

The Best Manta Ray Season in the Maldives – 2011 is a post from: Maldives Blog

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As this idyllic island getaway destination continues to soar in popularity, we all know there are many reasons to travel to the Maldives, and each individual traveller will have his own list of wishes and priorities, but here are a few of the best reasons we know of to travel to Maldives.

1. Maldives Beaches

Beautiful Maldives Beach

Travel to Maldives will give you the chance to come face-to-face with some of the most incredible beaches in the world. The Maldives comprises hundreds of islands, each surrounded by perfect white sand, swaying palm trees and incredible turquoise blue sea.

All travel in Maldives is done either by boat or plane, both of which give you plenty of time to soak up the amazing beach views. When you’re not dashing about the islands, you’ll enjoy lounging around on these incredible Maldivian beaches or enjoying the view of the Maldives beaches either from your hotel room, swimming pool or scuba diving liveaboard.

2. Maldives Scuba Travel

Maldives scuba travel is widely considered to be some of the best dive travel in the world. The Maldives have been known as a scuba diving destination for many years now so you will find all dive crews and boat captains to be extremely experienced and knowledgeable about Maldives dive travel. There are many Maldives travel books and Maldives travel websites that will give you a good idea of what to expect from your Maldives scuba travel experience before you leave home and that will help you find the best deals and learn about the best time to visit. Just to give a quick overview of what to expect from Maldives diving travel, here are a few pointers.

The best Maldives dive travel experiences, and one of the main reasons people travel to Maldives is the liveaboard diving concept. A Maldives liveaboard trip involves divers living aboard a cruising yacht for any length of time (usually 1 – 2 weeks) and doing a couple of dives a day from the liveaboard. When you’re not diving, you can enjoy other aspects of Maldives travel, including sunbathing, going to the beach, island hopping, fishing and generally relaxing. Maldives liveaboards come in a range of styles; you’ll find that whatever your budget and personal preference, there’ll be a scuba diving liveaboard waiting for you in the Maldives.

Diving with a Whale Shark in the Maldives

Of course, there are opportunities to simply dive or snorkel from a resort’s dive centre, and that might be the right choice for you, but however you decide to discover the underwater world of the Maldives, one thing’s for sure – you won’t be disappointed!

A quick glance in any Maldives travel book will tell you that the Maldives is home to an amazing array of marine life, ranging from more than 15 varieties of shark, 2 types of turtles, several ray species and many types of eel, wrasse and tuna. The list is really endless, but a couple of the real “stars” of the Maldives dive travel world are the whale shark and the manta ray – definitely the country’s biggest aquatic attractions.

3. Aerial Views from Maldives Air Travel

One of the most enjoyable aspects of travel to the Maldives is the incredible views when travelling from the airport to your hotel or liveaboard, if you have the chance to travel by air. When researching your Maldives holiday on any Maldives travel blog, you’re sure to see many aerial photos of the islands, taken during Maldives air travel, which are simply spectacular. Aerial views of the islands really put into perspective how remote of a destination each of the islands really are and just how the colour of the ocean contrasts perfectly with that of the land. It really is the quintessential image of the tropical “islandscape”.

Check out this stunning aerial video shot whilst approaching the Maldives.

4. Visiting Secluded Maldives Islands

Following on from the idea of the quintessential island image is the opportunity to visit some of the Maldives’ desert islands. Many of the islands are completely uninhabited, or perhaps inhabited only by very small villages of people, who are only to happy to show you around their pristine island and introduce you to their way of life. Villagers will treat you to dances, feasts and other shows of their individual culture and visits to these islands are a very common part of Maldives cruise travel.

5. Incredible Maldives Marine Life

Fascinating Coral Formations and Marine Life

As you would expect from a world-class diving destination, the marine life in the Maldives is nothing short of spectacular. Expect to see brilliantly coloured coral formations, vibrant shoals of reef-dwelling fish, incredibly large pelagic species and, of course the magnificent whale shark. The Maldives is one of the few places in the world where you can expect to glimpse a whale shark throughout the year, which means that travel to Maldives is possible 365 days a year.

When it comes to planning travel in Maldives, there are thousands of resources to help you make the best decisions. Online you will find a selection of Maldives travel agents all offering a wide variety of travel deals to Maldives. It can be difficult finding the best travel agent to book holiday to Maldives, so in these days of social media, the best advice is to ask around, check out blogs on Maldives travel and ask fellow travellers their own experiences and opinions.

Rare Lion Fish Spotted in the Maldives

One of the biggest issues to consider is the price of your Maldives dive safari, which can vary wildly depending on the type of diving cruise you wish to embark upon. With both the resorts and the liveaboards in the Maldives, there is an extensive range of accommodation available. As far as Maldives liveaboards are concerned, you should expect to pay anywhere from USD $150 to USD $300 per person per night, plus the cost of your flights. This will include all scuba diving, meals and accommodation, but not alcoholic drinks. If you’re looking for a resort, the prices vary enormously – it would be unfair to put a price, but you can definitely find everything from mid-range hotels to absolute luxury. There are also many packages available, especially from the UK, but again these vary wildly in price.

Maldives Dive Travel, a travel agent specialising in Maldives scuba travel, maintains the interesting and informative Maldives dive travel blog, which highlights important information about scuba travel in the Maldives, tells you when is the best time to travel to Maldives and updates you with news of special travel deals to Maldives. You can find out more on our website www.maldivesdivetravel.com.

Top 5 Reasons to Travel to the Maldives is a post from: Maldives Blog

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10. Ten Reasons to Love Liveaboard Diving Cruises in the Maldives

Maldives Dive Travel proudly introduces the MV Aquarius, the latest addition to our fleet: A majestic high-tech vessel offering rebreather diving, double-tanks and a thrilling sense of adventure, the Aquarius offers unparalleled recreation and scuba diving features. Starting in August, this 101 foot liveaboard ship will be cruising the waters of the Maldivian islands, enabling scuba divers and dive safari enthusiasts to reach much greater distances than the current norm.

Maldives Liveaboard – MV Aquarius

Refurbished in 2011 with the most modern on-board technology and diving equipment, it is for this very reason the Aquarius can reach destinations not usually attainable with other ships, and state-of-the-art technology like underwater stabilisers and rebreather diving facilities allows divers to explore the stunning depths of the Maldives in greater detail.

The MV Aquarius will without a doubt become a frontrunner for liveaboard dive safaris in the Maldives, so be sure to reserve your spot for a unique dive experience of a lifetime.

MV Aquarius Details

The Aquarius measures an impressive 101 ft. in length and is 25.5 ft. wide, providing ample space for generous interior and exterior facilities. Constructed in the year 1998 it was fully refurbished in 2011; it holds up to 16 guests at a time, excluding the crew of 10. With two turbo-diesel engines, the cruising speed lies at 12 knots, and with Lloyd Standard certified security features like a 48 mile radar, autopilot, 3 independent steering systems, auto-inflating rescue rafts and strong search spotlights, this vessel is supremely equipped for high waters. Further features of the Aquarius MV at a glance:

The MV Aquarius on a Maldives Dive Safari

• Water Supply: 2 desalination plants on board
• Power: 220V / 50Hz supplied by 2 diesel generators
• Dhingy: Zodiac with outboard engine
• Extra Diving boat (Dhoni): 60 ft. dive dhoni, fully equipped for scuba diving
• DAN first aid box, oxygen, fire extinguishers, life vests
• 2 auto-inflatable rescue rafts
• Yacht-Control-System
• Bord Radio System
• Automated fire extinguishing system in engine room
• Fire hose connections on all decks
• Life vests and signal lights in every room
• First aid equipment in ship and Dhoni
• Rope cutter on propellers

But the Aquarius doesn’t just score high on safety, she also offers a great range of top recreational facilities; with sound systems on all decks, DVD player, wide-screen projector, satellite TV and internet access, the MV Aquarius guarantees you will find your time both on and off board a pleasant and enjoyable experience. And to make sure you keep those vivid memories for the future, all rooms are equipped with power sockets, and there are docking stations for cameras, video recorders and the like available on the main deck.

Diving Information

Imagine gliding along deep in the Maldivian waters when you see hundreds of sharks approaching close to you, yet you remain undetected due to the absence of water bubbles from your rebreather scuba tanks. The rebreather involves using oxygen and recycled exhaled air from the diver. As a closed circuit system this is more space efficient, as well as making the diver lighter and more compact. You can last for longer underwater, and sink to much deeper regions thanks to this sophisticated technology, and not worry about time while you admire the underwater marine life.

Check out the following video of a scuba diver swimming alongside a Maldives grey reef shark.

Liveaboard dive safaris aboard the MV Aquarius are sure to be popular along the south where there is an abundance of deep drop offs and ship wrecks. The diving equipment on this ship is remarkable; following are a few of the exclusive perks of travelling with the Aquarius:

• Twin Tanks with Isolated Manifolds on board
• Haskel Booster Pump for O2 and Helium, allowing easy and hassle free filling of mixed gases
• Evolution & Inspiration Rebreather bottles on board so clients don’t need to bring their own, thus saving weight
• Softner Lime for Rebreathers available for sale on board
• O2 cleaned Stage bottles and Stage rig kits

Dive Cruise Info

The MV Aquarius is active this season from 1st July 2011 – 30th April 2012. Starting July, the Aquarius will be sailing Monday through Monday at following cost:

p/p/n $ 185
Single occupancy $ 259
Full charter 16 guest max. $ 2.590

There is currently a special offer for travellers in large groups; with a group of 16 guests, number 15 and 16 are free of charge.

The price includes accommodation in air-conditioned cabins with windows, en-suite showers (hot water) and toilet. Bath towels provided along with full board, meaning breakfast, lunch and dinner. Tea, coffee and water are available free of charge at all times. Soft drinks and liquor can be purchased at the well-stocked bar. There are 17 dives during a seven night safari (including check dive and a special night dive, tanks with DIN/INT, lead belts, and the use of the extra diving boat. Guidance is provided by a qualified and highly experienced English-speaking dive guide, helping you to feel relaxed and secure in the care of a seasoned professional. You can also enjoy the use of fishing gear – local style, including hook, fishing line, weight and baits. Also on the agenda is a picnic on an uninhabited island (depending on weather and route), where you can enjoy some delicious local cuisine and if you are lucky, even experience a spontaneous traditional drum and dance session.

Sunset Beach Picnic

Not included in the price is bed tax: US$ 8 per person, per night and only payable on board. The fuel surcharge, that is to say if the crude oil price on the international markets reaches USD 100/barrel, US$ 6 p/p/n will be charged on board. Any domestic flights, air fares and/or airport taxes are also not covered in the package price. You can bring your own dive/snorkel equipment, or you can choose to hire them on board. Bear in mind the use of US Dollars is widely accepted, along with the local currency the Rufiya. Dive & travel Insurance is also excluded.

Cruise Details

Currently there are three liveaboard cruise offers running on the Aquarius from August 2011 to April 2012. Each cruise is tailored to a different route around the Maldives, and benefits from seasonal perks with regards to the very popular and unique marine life.

Scuba Divers Catch Sight of a Manta Ray

1. August – October: “Manta Madness”

Male, Baa, Rasdhoo, N. Ari Atoll. There is an abundance of Manta Rays at this time of year along this exact route. For all scuba divers interested in this fascinating creature, don’t miss out on a chance to witness phenomena like the manta feeding frenzy. You can read more about manta rays on our page on Maldives marine life.

2. November & December: “Best of Maldives”

Male, Rasdhoo, Ari, South Male Atoll. This liveaboard cruise encapsulates all that is fascinating about the Maldives. With dives at various world-renowned dive spots populated with whale sharks, turtles and clownfish to name a few, this cruise is perfect for exploring the Maldives both above and under water.

3. January – April: “Southern Sharks”

Addu, Foammulah, Huvadhoo (Guests Fly to Addu (Gan), and fly out from Huvadhoo (Kaadedhdhoo). New guests fly into Huvadhoo, out from Addu, alternating each time. Addu is notorious for boasting an abundance of manta rays and ship wrecks. Foammulah is the home to numerous tiger sharks and silver sharks, and along the entire route you may even spot several whale sharks. Diving amongst these imposing creatures is definitely a once in a lifetime experience.

For more info about cruise schedules and reservations contact us right here. We look forward to hearing from you!

Introducing the MV Aquarius – The New Frontrunner in Liveaboard Cruisers is a post from: Maldives Blog

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Maldives Safari Boat Information. Now you know there are plenty of Maldives liveaboard dive boats to choose from, there are a few more snippets of information you’ll need to know before you’re ready to start finding the right boat for you and looking into booking some Maldives boat trips. It’s important to understand that the prices for liveaboard holidays do not include flights from your home country to the Maldives, but do tend to include transfers from the airport to the Maldives holiday boat. Likewise, while the boats are typically equipped with a complete bar, alcoholic drinks are not included in the packages and so are charged separately at the end of your trip.