Scuba diving in Maldives

While both types of diving are available in the Maldives, if you want to experience the best the country has to offer then liveaboards are the way forward. The Maldives are probably one of the most famous liveaboard diving destinations in the world for a good reason. With thousands of little islands and reefs, hopping from one to the other on a liveaboard is ideal. Bear in mind that in the map below, the Maldives looks like a series of islands (the green area) it is not.  The Green areas is are archipelagos, and the dark line that surrounds it is made up of a series of tiny islands. 

View the map here: overview map

Liveaboards start in Male and return there. Some boats offer a short 4 and 5-day itinerary, although these are relatively rare. Most boats tend to operate a 8 day/7 night itinerary. The most popular liveaboard route in the Maldives is the Central route. This covers part of Male before heading towards Ari Atoll, it then heads south before heading back to the south of Male. This route is by far the most popular and takes a week to complete.

View the second map here: central route map

The Northern liveaboard route takes about 11-12 days to complete and is often labelled as the best of the Maldives, since it visits the famous Noon Atoll. You disembark before making your way back to Male.

View the map here: northern route map

Finally, the Southern route is often marketed as a shark trip, and tends to be heavy on big pelagics, currents and lots of action. It takes 11 to 12 days and tends to run in the winter months from January to April. Similar to the Northern route, you will have to catch a domestic flight at the end of the trip from Addu (GAN) back to Male.

View the map here: southern route map

Keep in mind that the Maldives are a tiny archipelago in the middle of the Indian ocean. This means that everything is imported and has to be moved around the islands by boat or plane. When compared to other dive destinations prices may seem high, and even cheaper dive resorts are relatively expensive. Being a year-round destination there are no seasonal prices for diving in the Maldives.

For a single shore dive expect to pay anywhere from US$70 to US$95 per dive, including tanks and weights but excluding equipment. If you are doing many dives, then you can expect to pay US$55 to US$75 per dive. The price excludes equipment hire and varies depending on which island you are on. Boat supplement fees are payable on top of the dive prices, and you can expect to pay anything from US$15 for a single dive, up to US$65 for a full day trip including a BBQ lunch.

The situation is similar with courses, and you can expect to pay anything from US$750 to US$995 for an Open Water Course including all fees, materials, and certifications. The Advanced Open Water Course will set you back between US$500 and US$700 depending on location. Although the prices tend to include certification and course materials, they do exclude equipment hire. 

When you factor in all the costs, Liveaboard diving in the Maldives works out much cheaper. Pricing per person per night on an all-inclusive basis starts at US$150 per day for a basic Liveaboard, and between US$170 and US$250 per day for more luxurious options, depending on amenities. Make sure to check that your boat offers free Nitrox included in the price.