Africa
SEAFARI Explorer 2
Discover the Maldives aboard the Seafari Explorer 2 during AWATEHA's friendly cruises. All along the way, you'll be accompanied by experienced French-speaking guides to ensure you get the most out of your trip. exceptional experience.
The kitesurfing cruise of your dreams The journey
Discover the Maldives aboard the Seafari Explorer 2 during AWATEHA's friendly cruises. All along the way, you'll be accompanied by experienced French-speaking guides to ensure you get the most out of your trip. exceptional experience.
Cruising is the ideal way to exploring underwater treasures of the Maldives and will also enable you to be among the first on the dive sites. You will explore different atolls In a single itinerary, and thanks to domestic flights, you can even reach the less-frequented atolls of the far south or far north.
Our cruise ship is extremely comfortable, and a dhoni (traditional boat) carrying the diving equipment, the blocks and compressors always accompanies our boat. So our main boat remains a peaceful living space, which is particularly appreciated by non-divers, who are always welcome at these cruises scuba diving.
The dives, often drift dives influenced by currents, require a certain amount of expertise, and our cruises are designed primarily for experienced divers. The dhonis will drop you off directly at the sites, and the guides, whether international or local, will be on hand to help you, highly qualified, will ensure the success of your dives. The Maldives are famous for their pelagic fauna, the reefs are also home to a incredible diversity of species, These include anemones, blue ribbon moray eels, toad fish and scorpion fish. The coral reefs, perfectly preserved, offer a dazzling palette of colours.
In addition to the’underwater exploration, On one of our cruises, you'll discover deserted islands, sandbanks, car-free fishing villages, coral houses and sandy alleyways where you'll be greeted by the joyful laughter of local children. A complete adventure not to be missed!
When to leave? The perfect months
From December to April, there is a high concentration of pelagic fish in the east of the archipelago.
Manta rays and whale sharks to the south and west.
From May to November, pelagic fish in the south and west. Manta rays and whale sharks to the north and east.
The boat Sailboat or catamaran
The Seafari Explorer 2 was launched at the beginning of 2021 and offers 20 berths in 12 cabins: each has individually controlled air conditioning and is equipped with a mini-bar, bathroom, towels and bathrobes.
There is a large lounge and dining area, a library and audio-visual station (DVD, video, TV and CD), and a toilet. An ice-maker and a Nespresso machine.
In terms of safety, it has everything you need:
2 BAUER MARINER compressors, 11.2L ALU blocks, DIN/ETRIER outlets, NITROX 32%, safety equipment including lifeboats, first aid kit, oxygen, lifejackets and buoys, satellite phone, GPS...
The instructors are French-speaking and Maldivian. A diving dhoni on which the compressor and diving equipment are mounted: it is from this dhoni that the divers launch themselves into the water, for greater comfort.
Logbook Programme of your cruise
The routes of Seafari Maldives by AWATEHA:
2 to 3 dives a day are scheduled during the week. There are also stopovers on deserted islands or fishing islands and, weather permitting, dinner can be arranged on a beach. The itinerary is drawn up by your instructors according to the weather and diving conditions. On some inhabited islands, you can meet Maldivian fishermen.
- Central and South Atolls: 7 or 10 nights
The route through the atolls of North and South Malé (depending on the itinerary), Ari and Vaavu offers a multitude of sites, renowned for their abundance of marine life. You'll discover some of the most beautiful thilas in the Maldives.
The famous manta ray cleaning stations, the Thilas (dry below the surface) where the density of fish and fixed fauna are impressive, the fringing reefs where you can come across mobula mantas on patrol and the Kandu (passes) where the spectacle of pelagics, reef sharks, eagle rays, schools of jacks and tunas is one of the most beautiful in the world.
On Male Nord, Banana Thila is full of fish: jacks, turtles, napoleons, oriental gaterins, yellow snappers galore... Cocoa Corner and Kandhooma Thila are a must on the South Male atoll and one of the best places to see grey sharks being cleaned. On Vaavu Atoll, you can dive in the superb pass of Miyaruu Kandu, With a school of around thirty grey sharks.
Over 10 nights, you will also discover the atolls of Meemu and Ari Sud : Kahambu Thila, for turtle lovers.
An ideal tour for a first cruise or to rediscover the best of diving in the Maldives.
- Northern Atolls: 7 or 10 nights
From Male to the sites in the north of the archipelago, you'll have plenty of opportunities to dive with the manta rays, which are in large numbers at this time of year at their cleaning stations.
On the atoll of Baa, the Hanifaru Bay opens onto a wide channel that connects with the ocean, and at this time of year, the rising waters bring in plankton in huge quantities, attracting dozens of manta rays and whale sharks. It's a magical sight!
In order to protect pelagic fish, the government has placed restrictions in the bay, banning scuba diving, although snorkelling is permitted.
There are also some great dives on coral reefs populated by a myriad of multicoloured fish. An itinerary packed with thrills!
- South special: 10 nights
The itinerary covers the atolls of North Male, Ari, Vaavu, Thaa, Meemu and Laamu: a complete tour, off the beaten track, departing from Male or Laamu (Khadhdhoo airport) or vice versa with a domestic flight.
On Ari Atoll, Maaya Thila is a natural park 60m in diameter offering superb day and night dives: turtles and sharks. Fish Head is another must-see site: a superb thila populated by grey sharks, coral sharks, jacks, turtles and schools of jackfish.
On Vaavu atoll, Fotteyo Kandu is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful dives in the Maldives: exceptional hard and soft corals, eagle rays and grey sharks...
In Thaa, you will appreciate the site of Kalhufahala, A superb «housereef» for night dives with the whale shark.
The Vanhuravavalhi in the Meemu atoll will give you the chance to spot the albirmaginatus shark. A Fushi Kandu, At Laamu Atoll, you'll come across squadrons of eagle rays and schools of bigeye trevally.
This cruise offers a feeling of being at the end of the world, anchored by paradise islands or diving at exceptional sites where pelagics and marine life abound.
- Shark/manta expedition: 14 nights
Laamu, Gaafu Alifu, Gnaviyani, Seenu, departure or return from Laamu (Khadhdhoo airport) or Seenu (Gan airport)
This cruise is a real expedition, taking you beyond the mythical Equator Line: the «crossing of the line» will be a celebration for first-timers. You'll discover a wealth of pelagic fauna, as well as superb coral reefs teeming with tropical fish and healthy hard and soft corals.
Gaafu Alifu Atoll offers many passes with strong currents: Kuredhoo Corner, Nilandhoo, Kooddoo where reef sharks, eagle rays, jacks, barracudas and sometimes even tiger and hammerhead sharks patrol.
A few degrees south of the Equator, the Gnaviyani atoll offers two main sites: Foammulah West and South where you can see tiger and hammerhead sharks, molas molas and thresher sharks.
On Seenu atoll, Koattey Corner is a superb reef where grey sharks, white tips, large schools of jacks and tuna are often seen.
A unique itinerary through little-known, virtually untouched sites: great diving!
Formulas & Rates on estimate according to the number of people
Scuba diving cruise in the Maldives
- Return economy class flights Paris/Malé with stopover
- Air taxes and fuel surcharge
- All transfers
- Government taxes
- The 07-night cruise - CENTRAL ATOLS itinerary, in a double cabin to share on board the Seafari Explorer 2, full board, mineral water, tea and coffee, 2 to 3 dives per day, blocks and weights provided (2 dives on the last day).
- Nitrox for certified divers
- ASSUREVER repatriation-assistance insurance (including hyperbaric chamber costs)
- 1 per person donated to Sharks Mission France (SMF) to help protect sharks
7 days / 8 nights
Our opinion The 360° Travel print
This cruise is unique. The possibility of adapting your itinerary will allow you to enjoy all that the Maldives has to offer, both underwater and on land.
You'll like :
- The quality of the boat
- The many dives without anyone else
- Discovering the Maldives out of the water