An Expert Guide to Liveaboard Diving Itineraries in the Maldives – Discover the ultimate underwater adventure

Liveaboard diving in the Maldives is an incredible way to explore the country’s stunning marine life. These trips offer a unique opportunity to visit remote dive sites and experience the ocean like never before.

Why Choose a Liveaboard Diving Trip?

Liveaboard diving is perfect for those who want to maximise their time underwater. These trips allow divers to explore remote sites that can’t be reached on day trips, offering a more immersive experience. You’ll dive multiple times a day, with access to some of the best reefs and marine life the Maldives has to offer.

Where to Stay Before and After Your Dive

Many divers opt to extend their stay at one of the top resorts in Maldives before or after their liveaboard trip. A luxury stay at a property like Naladhu Private Island Maldives offers the perfect way to unwind after days of adventure, combining world-class diving with a relaxing island retreat.

Image via Naladhu Private Island Maldives

Popular Dive Sites on Itineraries

Most liveaboard trips in the Maldives cover famous dive sites like the North and South Male Atolls, Ari Atoll, and Baa Atoll. You’ll encounter everything from vibrant coral gardens to sharks, manta rays, and even whale sharks. It’s a dream come true for marine enthusiasts.

What to Expect on a Liveaboard

Liveaboards in the Maldives are fully equipped to cater to divers of all levels, offering comfortable cabins, delicious meals, and professional dive guides. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, there’s something for everyone, making it a fantastic way to explore the underwater world.

Fishing in the Maldives: An Overview of The Ultimate Ocean Adventure

Fishing constitutes one of the main livelihoods for the local communities in the Maldives. It is also one of the more popular activities that travellers love to try when they visit the island nation. If you are looking for your first fishing adventure for a truly cultural experience of life in the Maldives, here are some of the basic facts to know.

Types of Fishing Experiences

There are at least a couple of different experiences you can enjoy out on the water. Big game fishing if you want to have a good story to tell about a hefty catch. You’ll need to plan a chartered fishing trip many of which are available all year round. However, the best time of year for big game fishing is the dry season, from November to March.

If getting your hands on a larger fish seems a bit daunting you can always try fly fishing which will allow you to stick close to the coral reefs, sandbanks and flat areas without venturing too far out. Unlike big game fishing which requires the traditional pole and line, fly fishing requires fly rods, fly reels, fly lines and of course colourful lures to attract fish. Fly fishing will give you the chance to capture some colourful and unique reef fish which you’ll be required to release back into the water.

Whichever experience you choose you should be able to organise the required fishing tour in Maldives through the resort or hotel you are staying at, like the Naladhu Private Island Maldives.

Fish Species to Look Out For

The main reason why fishing is so popular in the Maldives is the vast array of fish species that inhabit the waters around the archipelago. If you’re out on a big game fishing adventure, you’ll likely come across larger fish species like Dorado, Marlin, Sailfish and even Barracudas. Alternatively, a fly fishing expedition will bring you up close with Triggerfish, Trevally, and Bonefish. Other species of fish to look out for include Yellowfin Tuna, Red Bass, and the Blue Marlin.

Fishing Techniques

The other benefit to embarking on a fishing adventure is the opportunity to learn various fishing methods and techniques. You’ll most likely be guided by tour guides or professionals who will show you techniques like the art of ‘jigging’, ‘popping’ and ‘trolling’ that involve manoeuvring bait to attract fish. You may also have the chance to learn the basics of other techniques like beach casting, reef fishing, shore fishing and more.

Image via needpix

Best Fishing Spots in the Maldives

When planning a fishing trip in the Maldives, it is important to identify the right areas, as several spots are protected areas and are thus off-limits. In most cases, guided tours and organized fishing expeditions will have pre-set areas based on the type of expedition. Popular fishing spots include Male, Fulidhoo, Dhiffushi, and Keyodhoo.

Each area may have its own set of rules and regulations for fishing so it is important to keep to these guidelines. These ensure that certain species of fish, marine animals and even coral reefs are protected.

Cruise Around the Maldives

There are many ways you can enjoy a cruise around the Maldives – be it from boarding a traditional boat called dhoni to sailing around in a luxury yacht – and you can do so during a holiday spent at a resort on one of the private islands Maldives has to offer such as Naladhu Private Island Maldives.

The Best Times

Between November and April, you’ll find the driest months of the year when there’s plenty of sunshine and clear blue skies; this spectacular weather brings the ideal conditions to go on a Maldives cruise.

Image Credit: Naladhu Private Island Maldives

Why Go on a Cruise?

This is the best way to see the many islands that make up the Maldivian Archipelago while accessing numerous diving sites and accessing some of the most-coveted beaches all in one package.

Boat Options

You may be offered several boat options for your cruise around the Maldives. It is possible to embark on this journey on a dhoni, a sailboat, a yacht, or a ship.

Types of Cruises

From catamaran cruises and multi-day cruises to shore excursions and whale watching tours, there’s a range of cruises out of which you can opt for one depending on your preference.