Spirit of Maldives

Embark on a 7-night Heart of the Maldives adventure exploring the vibrant central atolls that have always captivated divers. The Heart of the Maldives itinerary offers a mix of thrilling shark dives, scenic coral gardens, and everything in between.

Enjoy Manta cleaning stations, blue & yellow soft coral caves, pinnacles teaming with life and favourite whaleshark and hammerhead sites. Also enjoy exhilarating night dives where often encounter sharks and mantas. Just so much to see, you’ll not be disappointed.

Embark on a 10-night Heart of the Maldives Adventure exploring the vibrant central atolls that have always captivated divers. The Heart of the Maldives itinerary offers a mix of thrilling shark dives, scenic coral gardens, and everything in between. Enjoy Manta cleaning stations, blue & yellow soft coral caves, and pinnacles teaming with life and favorite whaleshark and hammerhead sites. Also, enjoy exhilarating night dives where often encounter sharks and mantas. Just so much to see, you’ll not be disappointed.

The10+ night Heart of the Maldives adventure offers more flexibility in routing, and like to go a bit further afield as have more time to dive & explore. If the conditions allow, a Heart of the Maldives Itinerary may also include Baa Atoll where, from May to October there is the amazing opportunity to snorkel in the UNESCO Hanifaru lagoon where mantas and whalesharks can be found in huge numbers.

Journey and dive through North Male Atoll and cross the mighty Karshidu Channel to the Northern Atolls. These atolls boast their own unique charm and beauty and are renowned for their spectacular dive sites and diverse marine life.

While see mantas throughout the year on this itinerary, from May to October offers a slight variation. Baa Atoll is home to Hanifaru Lagoon which is a UNESCO Marine Reserve and during south west season (May to October) it is known for large numbers of manta rays and whale sharks congregating to feed on the plankton swept in by the prevailing current, this is a mesmerizing spectacle. Only Snorkelling is allowed in Hanifaru, but the experience is nothing short of extraordinary.

The 7 night Wonders of the Northern Atolls trips focus on Baa Atoll, whilst the 10 night itineraries venture on through the Northern Atolls to unveil a plethora of remarkable dive sites including the Shark Nursery, Horobadhoo Thila, Shipwreck Graveyard and Christmas Rock, to name but a few. Each dive reflects the Maldives' natural beauty and rich marine biodiversity. Would visit manta cleaning stations throughout the year which are an absolute highlight of diving in the Maldives.

Discover the southernmost realms of the Maldives as we venture into the Equatorial zone, where Huvadhoo Atoll, Fuvahmulah Atoll, and Addu Atoll await. Crossing the Equator, it's customary to pay homage to Neptune, marking the transition with reverence. Despite their southern location, these atolls are well-connected to the capital, Male, just 300 miles to the north and this itinerary requires a 60-minute return domestic flight to/from Kooddoo and Gan airports.

Huvadhoo Atoll is a deep atoll swept by the ocean currents. Here, the channel diving is spectacular and adrenalin filled with huge schools of pelagic fish, sharks and rays. Reef hook on the corner and watch the show, then drift in with the currents as you are bombarded by the kaleidoscope of colorful reef fish. Enjoy the tranquil shallow reefs inside the atoll with beautiful coral formations and macro life. At the other end of the extreme, we often have whalesharks coming to the back of the boat at night, attracted by the lights – such a privilege to see these amazing animals.

South of Huvadhoo Atoll lies Fuvahmulah, where the ocean floor rises 2000 meters to meet the atoll reef. Here, at a plateau around 100 feet (30 meters) deep, lies a renowned dive site offering thrilling drift dives. Keep your eyes peeled for hammerheads, threshers, silver tips, grey reefs, and the majestic tiger shark—frequent visitors to these waters.

Further south again, is Addu Atoll which is home to the historic island of Gan. Once a vital bunkering port for the British Navy and later a British airbase during the Maldives' time as a British protectorate, Gan holds a wealth of underwater treasures. Explore the depths to discover the wreckage of the British Loyalty, a poignant reminder of wartime history now transformed into a thriving reef. The eastern channels of Addu offer exhilarating drift dives, while to the north lies a mesmerizing manta cleaning station, where giant mantas glide gracefully as tiny cleaner wrasse attend to their needs.