7th to 15th of December 2023
and
25th of January to 1st of February 2024
Male / Vaavu / Ari Atoll
Maldives
Port entry/ exit : Male

8 d / 7 n from 1.780 EUR/pp/shared two bed cabin 

​The Northeast season from November-April is the Maldivian summer though there is little difference in temperatures from season to season. Conditions are drier, visibility is generally good and the reef life is usually colorful. Current can be very strong dependent upon itinerary. Due to currents flowing from the northeast, there can be a lot of shark action on the east side of the atolls. During this season, the manta and whale sharks will mostly be found on the west side of the atolls.
Itinerary: Several to choose from – Central Island itineraries (consisting of North Male, Ari, Rasdhoo and South Male) are ‘typical’ of the Maldives. Because of their reputation, these itineraries are very popular with liveaboards and resorts alike. You will find itineraries that go north, some that go south and some that go deep south. Most itineraries that go north will be more like the ones described above in the Southwest Season. Those that go a little south will likely include Vaavu and/or Meemu where channel diving will be the norm. Here the currents are definitely stronger and you should be comfortable diving in variable up-and down-currents if you select one of these itineraries. For the deep south trips that start or end in Addu, even more experience is required. 

​These trips feature max. 3 dives a day, all channel diving and lots of transit time. These are exhilarating trips but should be reserved for divers experienced in diving in strong currents and who love diving with sharks!​Currents: On average, the currents begin to flow in November and get stronger through January. As we move into February they begin to subside a bit and April has more slack currents. But, it depends a great deal on what itinerary you are on – the further south you go, the stronger the current due to the amount of channel diving. In addition, April and November are months where the currents start changing therefore making them more difficult for the dive guides to predict.
Visibility: Should be very good on the east side of the atolls; can be a little reduced on the west side but that’s where you’re more likely to find the mantas and whale sharks.
Sea life: As mentioned above, same creatures year round but there will be more species of sharks the further south you go. The mantas will be found mostly on cleaning stations rather than feeding in lagoons. The reef life can be beautiful. Good photo opportunities but it can be very challenging on itineraries with strong current, especially with a large housing with strobes.

The ship
About the MV Amba

The ship is 34 meters long and 10 meters wide. With a width of 10 meters, the ship is a safe and calm ship. There are 4 floors in total, with the ship being built wider than taller for safety reasons. Since the crew is all very experienced, we never take any risks. Neither while driving nor under water. Even if the ship is very solidly built and is a very safe ship, it can happen that the Ari Atoll and the Vavuu Atoll cannot be approached, especially in the rainy season. (Even if other ships do sail)

​TECHNICAL
​Year of construction: 2004
Length: 34 meters
Width: 10 meters
Engines: Volvo Penta Marine, Yanmar Marine
Generators: 2 Fischer Panda 40 KW, 1 Kohler 80 KW
Compressors: 2 Bauer compressors, 1 membrane for Nitrox
Diving tanks: 12 liters aluminum, 15 liters aluminum, DIN valves with or without inlet
Navigation: compass, radio, GPS, depth gauge, 2 captains. With a bit of luck we will arrive ;)

More information via email to joinus@carolineontour.com

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