Maldive Islands

Luxury Liveaboard Diving on the World's Most Pristine Reefs
9 Day Liveaboard Adventure
Mar 9-17, 2013
$3495 dbl occy (estimated...final pricing available fall 2012)
Non-Diver subtract $250

You can combine this tour with our "India, Rajasthan and the Golden Triangle" tour for an India and the Indian Ocean trip of a lifetime! see India Tour

Maldive Islands

MARCH 8th, 2013
ARRIVAL in MALE ATOLL, JEWEL of the INDIAN OCEAN

If you were on the India land tour, this evening your flight from Delhi will arrive in Male, the capital of the Maldives. If you were not on the Indian land tour, you will need to arrive in Delhi earlier today (or the day before) in order to connect with our Male flight. You will have a transfer waiting for you at the airport in Male to take you to the Hotel Nalahiya.

The islands’ names unfurl like a string of pearls: Ihuru, Villivaru, Mirihi, Dhiffushi, Kuramathi, Mahaana elhi Huraa. Like those coveted gems, the coral-encircled islands of Maldives have been treasured since ancient times both for their beauty and for their precious borders: the deep blue waters of the Indian Ocean.

In the bygone era, these islands were prized for their strategic position along tremendously important trade routes and as the source of cowrie shells, a form of currency once used in Asia and parts of East Africa. Ships plied the waters between the islands, Arabia, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Java and Sumatra. Nowadays, Maldives is even more renowned for the treasures that lie under those very seas — including the haunting, coral-covered shipwrecks that serve as poignant reminders of piratical days.

The rest of the evening is free to relax, find a fun place to eat, and prepare yourself for the exciting adventure that starts tomorrow!

MANTHIRI...
LUXURY LIVEABOARD DIVING

Traveling divers will tell you: perhaps nowhere else is sea life as richly abundant and dazzling as it is in Maldives. More than one thousand tiny islands are scattered like gems across our crystalline waters. Long protected from commercial fishing, these seas offer unrivalled marine life and spectacular diving among the shallows and deep reefs — and no one knows those waters better than the team on Manthiri. Possessing expert knowledge of local marine life and of Maldives’ most remote and pristine dive sites, no other liveaboard in Maldives furnishes the topflight dive experience of Manthiri.

The gracious standard of Manthiri is evident the moment you step on board. The beautiful 85-foot liveaboard is powerfully built of fine tropical timber and custom-designed for dive cruises. The vessel's wide beam of 25 feet contributes toward a stable hull, and allows room for spacious cabins. No more than twelve guests are invited on each cruise and their attentive eleven-person crew ensures that every need is met.

Their separate, specially outfitted dive tender, called a dhoni, provides a home for compressors, Nitrox systems and dive gear, creating the equivalent of a 106-foot liveaboard on the main vessel — one with just six cabins and its own gracious dive deck. With the dhoni, that’s how spacious Manthiri feels.

Fastidiously maintained and in operation for fourteen years with a superb crew, Manthiri is widely acknowledged as one of the finest liveaboards in the world. We think you'll agree that the quality of the vessel and crew is key to exploring such a remote location. The Manthiri is legendary in the world of diving liveaboards, so you can rest assured you're with one of the best!



MARCH 9TH-15TH, 2013
DIVE, EAT, HAVE FUN, REPEAT

This morning you'll have a transfer to board this outstanding vessel and begin your dive adventure. From this point on the crew of the Manthiri will pamper you as you explore island after island, reef after pristine reef!

How to describe the underwater experience of Maldives? Pristine. Lush. Vibrant. Extraordinary. These are the only words that come close. Uninhabited islands and waters zealously guarded by Maldivians from commercial fishing provide shelter for dazzling aquatic species in stunning numbers, awaiting discovery by divers aboard Manthiri.

The garland-shaped chain of 26 atolls, stretching 750 kilometers across the Indian Ocean southwest of India, forms a strikingly diverse eco-system. This unique habitat acts as a magnet for exuberant marine life. Their emerald islands, ringed with coral and numbering more 1,190 in the archipelago, house species that run the gamut from blooming corals to big pelagics. It’s not simply the variety and drama of the species but also their sheer numbers that will astonish you. Friendly encounters with fish in the thousands, from the tiniest to the tremendous, are common experiences on the varied dive sites.

In Maldives, a decade-long commitment to preserving marine resources results in unsurpassed diving experiences. Armed with the expertise and in-depth knowledge of their expert dive guides, each tour underwater is a treat.

Water temperature in Maldives is an almost uniform 83º F to 85º F, making dives at any time a delight. Sea breezes command two distinct seasons in Maldives, which enjoys the luxury of being a year-round dive destination. From December to April northeast winds herald drier months to bring clear and bright blue skies.

Visibility is spectacular and, depending on current and sea conditions, can exceed 100 feet. With depths of 80 to 60 feet common all year, views of fish life are fabulous regardless of the season. Their warm sun, clear seas, and amazing dive experiences become the mid-winter fantasy of many tourists from colder climates.

Skipper Ibrahim and dive instructor Moosa, exploring the region since their teens, have gained an uncanny intimacy with the local waters, navigating their guests to exclusive dive spots unknown to other operations.

Safety is a primary concern on both of their vessels, so oxygen and essential first aid needs, although rarely needed, are handy on both vessels. Maldives is a renowned dive destination, so a recompression chamber and a hyberbaric doctor are handily accessible on Bandos Island, North Malé Atoll, close to the Airport, Kuramathi in North Ari, and Kureddu further north in Fadippolhu Atoll.

MARCH 16TH, 2013
FAREWELL TO PARADISE...

Unfortunately your Indian Ocean adventure winds down this morning as you make port back at Male Atoll and are transferred to the airport for you flight to Delhi. You'll long remember this experience, and images of your time in this incredible destination will be with you for the rest of your life...

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