Itinerary Highlights

This itinerary combines some of the best and most famous dives sites from our Best of Maldives and Hanifaru & North itineraries, creating a trip with highlights from what is generally referred to as the ‘Northern Atolls’ and it delivers exactly that.

A diverse marine mix of reef animals, hard and soft corals, abundant macro life, turtles, manta rays and various sharks await where you can get up close at the cleaning stations without disturbing the locals.

North Male offers the renowned Lankan manta point, Kandu Oiy Giri (Fish factory) and action packed Finger point reef. North Ari offer one of the best-known dive sites, Fish Head. For a chance of regular grey reef shark sightings, it’s a visit to Rasdhoo Atoll in North Ari. These 10 night trips also include the best chances for whaleshark and manta encounters is South Ari Atoll.  

Although diving is not permitted in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Hanifaru Bay, we are allowed to go in and snorkel with these gentle giants in the lagoon. After a manta has enjoyed its feed it needs to get cleaned, so we take you to known manta cleaning stations in both North Male and Baa Atoll. Hopefully, these will give you sightings all week long. Of course, sightings cannot be guaranteed but diving at this time means your chances are high.

Dive Sites

Click dive site markers for detailed descriptions.

Dive sites & areas that we may visit are subject to weather conditions.

Ari Atoll
North Male Atoll
Rasdhoo Atoll
Baa Atoll
Lhaviyani Atoll
Male Airport

Also Important

Check Dive & Depart Male

Once onboard there will be a safety briefing, crew introduction, complete and check dive paperwork, cabin allocation and boat orientation. Our boats moor in port on arrival day departing early next morning. The first dive is a check dive near port. Following the first dive we depart from Male port and commence the Northern Highlights itinerary.

Return to Male & Optional Land Visit

On the last diving day, 1 dive is available in the morning whilst observing the rule of no diving within 24 hours of reaching altitude. We return to port at approximately 1pm and moor here overnight. There is the option of an afternoon land-visit to stretch your legs and escape the boat whilst in port. Evening-time pack up diving equipment, settle any outstanding bills ready to depart for the airport at 7am the following morning.

Itinerary Experience

You do not need a minimum number of dives, but you should be comfortable with diving in current as they can be strong and unpredictable.

If you are an Open Water Diver, many dives are below 18m therefore we recommend having advanced experience or taking your PADI Advanced Open Water course on board to maximise your enjoyment from the trip. Inexperienced and beginner divers may find some dives challenging and may be asked by the Cruise Director to skip dives that are not suitable for their diving experience.

This is a great itinerary for everyone. No matter what your experience level this is a Maldives itinerary you can enjoy. There can be some drift diving so some experience of diving in currents in advisable.

All diving is made from dhonis to give precise entry and exit points.

To find out more about current strengths and how they are affected by the moon’s phases click here.

Learn to Dive Guarantee

Love it or your money back! When having a go at something new it’s essential that you feel confident and comfortable with the idea. The Emperor team is so certain that you’ll love learning to dive with us that, at the end of the first day of tuition if you decide not to proceed, we’ll give you your money back.

Please read our full Terms & Conditions (PDF).