Route Description - The North: Male-Ari-Baa-Male
The North: Male-Ari-Baa-Male
Available for:
10 Days 9 Nights
The Maldives archipelago is made up of 26 atolls and 1190 islands covered by palms and mangroves. No more than 200 islands are inhabited and about 100 host tourist resorts. It is difficult to define the exact number of islands in the archipelago: If sandbars and coral outcrops were included in the figure they would have been approximately 2000: The estimation is also complicated by the fact that the islands come and go: some of them combine, other splits in two and sometimes islets emerge from the coral reef. The majority of these islands are very small and they can be walked across in less than 10 minutes. Maximum height is usually 3 meters on sea level.
The word atoll (from Maldivian language Dhivehi: “Atholhu” indicates a reef belt of different sizes and shapes, including lagoons, islands, and reefs with passes or channels. Up to now, nobody knows the exact of these islands, but perhaps this is also the charm of the Maldives. It is possible to find islands with no name, not shown on any map, and with no footprint on them. There are channels of various sizes between the atolls used for navigation. Particularly the island nation is located in a strategic area with access to major international sea routes in the Indian Ocean. All the islands are encircled by a lagoon blessed with crystal-clear water. These islands are protected by a reef structure, housing one of the most exclusive and spectacular underwater life.
Itinerary Sample
Day 1:
The boat crew will transfer the guests from the airport to the ship. After a nice welcome briefing by the Cruise Director, cabin allocation and ship orientation will take place. Guests can familiarise themselves with the vessel, set up equipment, and get comfortable.
Day 2 - 7:
2-3 dives daily, including a night dive if possible.
You can request an extra dive if compatible with the daily and weekly itinerary.
Day 8:
On the final day of diving with 1-2 scheduled dives - cruise back to the harbor.
Day 11:
Check out in the early morning.
The crew will transfer the guests to the airport.
The last dive will be on the penultimate day of the trip.
Divers are recommended to wait for 24 hours before flying after the last dive.