Deep South (Malé - Kadhdhoo)
Departure
Malé
Malé Intl (MLE)
Return
Laamu Atoll
Kadhdhoo Airport (KDO)
Advanced divers with minimum 50+ dives. Experience with drift dives required
7 Nights
Approx. 17 Dives
Itinerary Highlights
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Southern atolls have been recently opened to tourism: it is now a perfect time to go and explore before the crowds.
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Speedy drift dives, mantas, lots of sharks, including Whale Sharks, Silkies, Hammerheads, Silvertips, Tiger Sharks and Grey Reef Sharks and dive several atolls.
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In the Far South itinerary you can expect to meet tiger and silver tip sharks.
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Night dive with hunting Nurse Sharks, Stringrays and Jacks.
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Most intriguing are the cleaning stations, Groupers, Snappers, Surgeonfish, Eels, Parrotfish, even Giant Napoleon Wrasse park casually in corners, while armies of wrasse, shrimp and other assorted cleaners pick at debris in their open gills and cavernous mouths.
Embark/Disembark: Guests will fly in and out of Malé International Airport and from there will take a domestic flight post charter week from Laamu airport (KDO) to Malé airport (MLE).
Domestic Flight Details:
Guests will fly out of Kadhdhoo, Laamu airport (KDO) at end of charter week, will take a domestic flight with Maldivian Aero. Domestic flights are not included in the charter price and we can help you book it.
Itinerary Description
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Safety briefing, crew introduction, necessary dive paperwork, cabin allocation and ship orientation will take place before departing the harbor.
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Journey to the first dive site for a check dive. Please take this opportunity to familiarize yourself with the vessel and make yourself comfortable.
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Please Note: This is a sample itinerary and nº of dives, dive sites, etc. may be subject to change due to weather conditions and other unforeseeable factors.
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All year round dive North Male, South Male, North Ari, South Ari, Vaavu,
Rasdhoorn. Spectacular channel-drift dives, wrecks, reefs, pinnacles, world-famous night dives. Divers will be astonished by the variety of marine life. From nudibranchs, eels, schooling reef fish, eagle rays, sharks and turtles to manta rays and whale sharks.
SOUTH MALE ATOLL
Kandooma Thila
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Definitely number one in the ranking of the best dive sites in South Male atoll. Long thila, located in the middle of the channel, offers spectacular conditions to observe grey reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, eagle rays, big schools of jacks and snappers both with incoming and outgoing current. North side of the pinnacle is nicely covered with soft corals with the top of the reef being home to many reef fish and green turtles.
VAAVU ATOLL
Miyaru Kandu
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One of the channel dives that you don’t want to miss. With strong incoming current the list of possible encounters is impressive. Mainly grey reef sharks but also whitetip reef sharks, eagle rays, napoleons and tunas are quite common and with the visibility reaching 40 meters during the northeast monsoon it can be the highlight of the trip. Outgoing current offer worse visibility but the sharks are still there. Most of the time you will spend at the depth 70 - 90 feet.
Alimatha House Reef
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One of the best night dives in the Maldives, every night there is a show performed by a big number of nurse sharks, stingrays and massive jacks. Maximum depth will not exceed 50 feet and most of the time you will be kneeling on a sandy bottom waiting for the sharks to come closer. Definitely not to be missed.
MEEMU ATOLL
Muli Corner
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The reef is known as home to a lot of sharks during incoming currents but it also welcomes manta rays on a large cleaning station during outgoing current.
THAA ATOLL
Whaleshark point
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There is no specific place where diving would guarantee an encounter with a whale shark but the common practice is to use a strong light in the evening at the back platform of the boat to attract the zooplanktons which will further attract the whale sharks. Scuba diving while having the shark at the back of the boat is rather discouraged as the bubbles may disperse the mass of the plankton. The best experience is to grab a mask, fins and gently enter the water on the side of the boat, not to scare the whale shark away and then enjoy the view while snorkeling. Sometimes the whale shark will stay for hours, more than one visitor is also possible. Instructions given by the dive guides have to be followed and a code of conduct must be respected by all snorkelers to enjoy the moment to the fullest.
LAAMU ATOLL
Fushi Kandu
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The most spectacular channel dive of the atoll. There are a few different ways to dive it but crossing the channel offers the most exciting encounters with big fish. Although it might seem very easy it is not recommended for not experienced divers due to washing machines created by the current. Staying close to the dive guide and same positioning will make crossing the channel easier. Negative entry is recommended.
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Diving in the morning and return to port after lunch followed by a Malé city walking tour (1 hour), dinner ashore and farewell cocktail party.
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Dinner is the only meal not included in your trip
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Cocktail party 6 pm, dinner 7 pm ashore at a local restaurant.
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Unfortunately our trip has come to an end and we have to say goodbye, but we hope to see you again soon!
Please note: the itinerary above is an example of the planned route and dive sites cannot be guaranteed. All dive sites are subject to weather conditions and the final route taken is at the absolute discretion of the captain and dive guides.