Central - South Atolls 10 Nights
Itinerary
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Day 1 Hulhumalé
Dune staff will pick you up at Male International Airport and bring you to the main boat. Enjoy a drink while listening to our Cruise Director welcome briefing. Dinner will be served in the evening and you will spend the first night at Hulhumale marina.
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Day 2 North Malé Atoll > South Malé Atoll
The trip will start by discovering the dazzling long reefs in North Male Atoll. Corals are abundant here, giving home to plenty of reef fish and small species. After the day, we will cruise to Vaavu Atoll for an unmissable night dive. There's nothing as exciting as watching nurse sharks, sting rays, and jacks in their feeding frenzy.
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Day 3 South Male to Vaavu Atoll
The trip will start by discovering the dazzling long reefs or a manta point (May to Nov only) in North Male Atoll and South Male Atoll. Corals are abundant here, giving home to plenty of reef fish and macro species. After the dive, we will cruise to Vaavu Atoll for an unmissable night dive. There's nothing as exciting as diving with nurse sharks, sting rays, and jacks in their feeding frenzy.
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Day 4 Vaavu Atoll to Faafu Atoll
Small caves, large overhangs, drop-off walls, and sloping reefs covered with corals can be found in Vaavu Atoll. Titan, triggerfish are common. Larger marine life such as grey reef sharks, white tip reef sharks, tunas, and barracudas are also found here. Some were even lucky enough to encounter hammerhead sharks !
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Day 5 Faafu Atoll to South Ari Atoll
In the outer reefs of Faafu Atoll, explore the channels to see grey reef sharks, white tip reef sharks, schools of jacks, bigeye trevallies, and barracudas. Moving north to South Ari Atoll, you will dive on beautiful pinnacles and observe bigger marine life. Dive into this aquarium offered by mother nature, finally meeting the stars of the trip.
If we are lucky, we will even be able to watch a whale shark at night time feeding in the plancton soup at the back of the boat! -
Day 6 South Ari Atoll
In the marine protected areas, our first stars, the mighty whale sharks regularly show up. Our crew will search for their presence and allow you a chance to snorkel or even scuba dive with them. Lucky or not, there are also many thilas and some wrecks in South Ari Atoll. Grey reef sharks, napoleon wrasse, moray eels, scorpionfish are definitely to be found here. Exploring Maldives is also setting foot in paradise. Our crew will lead a visit to the nearby local island just before dinner.
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Day 7 South Ari to North Ari Atoll
Cruising never stops, moving up to North Ari Atoll while taking a last chance to get a close look at whale sharks. In the north, channels are wider and the ocean is deeper. We will meet some more stars here. The currents attract many grey reef sharks, white tip reef sharks and even other large pelagic fish. When night falls, you will be invited ashore again and indulge yourself in the barbecue dinner prepared by our crew on a nearby desert island.
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Day 8 North Ari Atoll
Multiple manta cleaning stations, extraordinary thilas and wreck with rich marine life are the highlights of this area of Ari Atoll. You will also find eagle rays, hawksbill turtles, napoleon wrasse, school of blue-stripe snapper, batfish, and fusiliers here. The day will end with a manta night dive. Admire the enormous manta rays feeding right in front your torch.
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Day 9 North Ari Atoll to Rasdhoo Atoll
The combination of pelagic life and remarkable underwater landscapes in North Ari Atoll is irresistible. You may also dive on the beautiful reefs in Rasdhoo Atoll, observe the magnificent manta rays and experience a fascinating encounter with hammerhead. Drift among schools of fish while still keeping an eye on your preferred pelagic stars.
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Day 10 Rasdhoo to Male North
In North Male Atoll you will find stunning long reefs, small caves, colourful corals with prolific marine and reef life once again. Take a closer look at the squirrelfish, bannerfish, oriental sweetlips, frogfish, and nudibranchs. In the afternoon you will come back to Hulhumale marina to spend your last night on board.
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Day 11 Hulhumale
The trip is arriving at the end. Our crew will arrange the transfer to the airport once you have had your breakfast on board. We are also glad to help you plan for the day and booking for accommodations.
Time to come back home with fantastic memories!
Dates & prices
Departures for French-speaking groups:
No departure for now
Departures for English-speaking groups:
No departure for now
Departures for Chinese-speaking groups:
No departure for now
Trip code: 117
Included
- Transfers from the airport to the boat and to and from the marina.
- Double/twin shared cabin accommodation.
- 2 to 4 on-board guides (dive master and instructors)
- 12 liter aluminum cylinders + DIN/Int, and diving weights.
- 8 to 10 professional and experienced crew members onboard
- Meals and all soft drinks on board (excluding beer, spirits, wine, espresso coffee)
- 24 dives minimum, extra ones according to weather conditions and flights schedule
- Bath towels are changed at least once during the trip, depending on the duration of the cruise.
- The selected sea route will take into consideration the passengers' wishes.
- Dune reserves the right to limit dives frequency due to : weather conditions, dive level and physical conditions of passengers, and no refund would be applied.
- Nitrox - package and fillings. Nitrox is a service offered by Dune and no refund will be applied in case of malfunctioning of the compressor
- Wifi : subject to network availibility - some areas might not be covered
- Maldivian Government Tourist Tax
Not included
- International flights to and from Male.
- The supplement for a superior or sea view cabin.
- The supplement for a single cabin.
- Drinks such as beer, wine, etc
- Transfers by speed boat, airplane or seaplane depending on special routes or unscheduled arrivals and departures.
- Diving courses, rental equipment
- Service charge $170 for the crew, to be given at the end of the stay before leaving by cash.
- Fuel surcharge
Notes
*Surcharges: Dune Theia Liveaboard reserves the right to apply an appropriate surcharge to its prices should economic changes (such as exchange rates, fuel prices, etc) make a material difference to its pricing structure. - A minimum of 14 days' notice will be given before such a surcharge becomes effective. - No surcharge will be applied within 28 days of departure. - If the surcharge results in an increase of 10% or more to the price of the liveaboard, dive package/dive course, then cancellation with a full refund will be allowed. Notification of the intention to cancel must be made in writing within 14 days of the notification or the surcharge.
Practical info
Food
Accommodation
Transportation
My local agent
Benoit
- Dune Maldives Manager
- Destination
- Central Cruises
- Activity
- BEST-OF From December to May Liveaboard Manta Rays
- Duration
- 11 days
- Group
- 16 to 28 people
- Code
- 117
- Price
- From €2,930
- Level
- 4/5
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Language(s)
- French / English / Chinese