Mantatastic Maldives

Maldives Northern Liveaboard

Join us for a dynamic Maldives liveaboard expedition that blends the energy of the northern atolls with the diversity of the central region. This Baa and Central route explores Baa Atoll, home to the iconic Hanifaru Bay, along with Rasdhoo and North Ari Atoll. The itinerary is designed around seasonal movement and marine life patterns to maximize amazing underwater encounters.

In Baa Atoll, dive sites range from vibrant reef systems to plankton-rich waters that attract large numbers of manta rays during peak season. Hanifaru Bay offers one of the most unique marine gatherings in the Maldives, while Rasdhoo and North Ari are known for current-swept channels, reef sharks, schooling fish, and open blue-water encounters.

For those seeking even more adventure, an optional add-on to Fuvahmulah is available — home to year-round tiger shark encounters in one of the Maldives’ wildest, most exciting dive environments.

Package Highlights:

Your Home for the Week

Ariyal is a 45-meter (148-foot) luxury liveaboard offering an unforgettable dive adventure in the Maldives for up to 26 guests. It features 13 elegant cabins with ensuite bathrooms, air conditioning, and modern amenities. 7 State Cabins (lower deck), 2 Sea View Suites (main deck), and 4 Deluxe Sea View Cabins (upper deck). The upper deck’s spacious layout includes a freshwater jacuzzi, perfect for unwinding, or enjoy paddleboarding, kayaking, and jet skiing between dives. All diving is conducted from a fully equipped 21-meter (68-foot) diving dhoni for maximum comfort and ease.

Yacht Features:

Cabins

Maldives liveaboard diving with sharks, manta rays, and luxury yacht experience by Blue Obsession Travel

Crafted for Peak Marine Life

Our Baa and Central Maldives itinerary is shaped by seasonal marine life patterns and years of regional diving experience. In Baa Atoll, home to the world-renowned Hanifaru Bay, dives are timed to coincide with peak plankton blooms that attract large gatherings of manta rays.

This route is crafted to showcase the Maldives at its most alive, combining manta encounters, pelagic action, and thriving reef systems in one seamless liveaboard journey.

Sample Itinerary:

Day 1 – Arrival, Malé Atoll
Arrive at Velana International Airport in Malé Atoll and transfer at 3:00pm to the yacht, where you'll be welcomed by the crew. The day includes a safety briefing, boat orientation, and time to settle in. Enjoy your first evening on the water with a relaxing dinner as we begin our navigation to Baa Atoll.
Day 2 – Baa Atoll
Begin with a relaxed check dive, then explore Donfanu thilla, known for its overhangs and chances for manta sightings. We will have a chance to snorkel in the famous Hanifaru bay. A third dive at Dharavandhoo Thila hosts beautiful coral and walls.
Day 3 – Baa Atoll
We will spend another day in Baa atoll to increase our chances of seeing the mantas in hanifaru bay. We will have a morning dive at Donfanu pinnacle, a manta cleaning station located beside a reef. The adventure continues with more thilla dives throughout the day, each offering vibrant reef life and dramatic underwater scenery. During the evening we will begin navigating to Rasdhoo Atoll.
Day 4 – Rasdhoo Atoll & North Ari Atoll
We will start the day exploring Rasdhoo Madivaru, a renowned site known for frequent sightings of grey reef sharks and eagle rays. In the afternoon, we navigate to North Ari Atoll for a sunset dive at Hafsa thialla, known for having juvenile grey reef sharks, octopus, and eagle rays. We will then navigate to Maaya thilla for a night dive featuring jacks, white tip reef sharks, and grey reef sharks.
Day 5 – North Ari Atoll
We spend the day exploring some of North Ari’s iconic thilas, starting with a morning dive at Maaya Thila, where barracuda, grey reef sharks, and the occasional hawksbill sea turtle make an appearance around the pinnacle. The adventure continues with more thilla dives throughout the day, each offering vibrant reef life and dramatic underwater scenery. After dark, we gear up for a night dive at Fesdhoo Lagoon, where manta rays may glide through the lights.
Day 6 – North Ari Atoll
Today we start with a dive at Fesdhoo wreck and thilla, a small ship known for hosting macrolife and the occasional leopard shark. Our third dive will be at Mahlos thilla, we will then travel to fish head, an iconic dive site known for hawksbill sea turtles, silvertip sharks, and eagle rays. We will end the evening with an island BBQ before navigating back to Malé atoll.
Day 7 – Malé Atoll
We return to Malé Atoll and kick off the day with an adrenaline-filled dive at Shark Tank, an famous site known for its thrilling encounters with hammerheads, tiger sharks, guitar sharks, and bull sharks. After the excitement, we wind down with a relaxed reef dive, soaking in the vibrant marine life one last time before the journey ends.
Day 8 – Departure Day
After one last sunrise at sea, it’s time to say goodbye. Guests disembark at 8:00 AM with a transfer back to the international airport. For those continuing the adventure with our optional Fuvahmulah extension to dive with tiger sharks, domestic flights have been arranged in advance for a smooth and seamless transition.

Straightforward, No-Surprise Pricing

We believe in transparent pricing with no last-minute add-ons. That’s why all port fees, government taxes, and standard surcharges are already included in your trip cost — so there are no hidden fees waiting when you arrive. From airport pickup to your final dive, the core experience is fully covered.

Optional extras like dive gear rental, courses and alcoholic beverages are available if desired, but completely up to you. Just pack your bag, and we’ll take care of the rest.

Package Includes:

Pricing is based on double occupancy. Single supplement available at 80% of the room rate.

Optional Extras:

Fuvahmulah Extension: Face the Tigers

Take your adventure even further with our Fuvahmulah add-on — a legendary island dive destination home to one of the largest resident populations of tiger sharks on the planet. Dive into the famous Tiger Port, where you have an almost guaranteed chance of encountering these powerful predators up close. Along the way, you’ll also have thrilling chances to encounter elusive threshers, hammerheads, and oceanic mantas. It’s the perfect finale for thrill-seeking divers and pelagic enthusiasts.

This 3-night, 4-day all-inclusive package is designed for a seamless, stress-free experience. Enjoy round-trip domestic flights from Malé, comfortable accommodations, delicious meals, refreshing beverages, and two full days of professionally guided diving — all included. Just bring your sense of adventure, and we’ll handle the rest.

Package Includes:

Maldives scuba diving with sharks and manta rays plus luxury yacht and resort experience by Blue Obsession Travel

Scuba diver with reef sharks in Maldives — A diver observing reef sharks up close during a Maldives dive trip.

Guitar shark swimming on sandy seabed with scuba divers in the background – scuba diving Maldives — A rare guitar shark spotted during a scuba diving trip in the Maldives with Blue Obsession Travel.

Sea turtle swimming over coral reef Maldives — A turtle gracefully swimming above a coral reef in clear waters.

Octopus resting on coral reef in Maldives — An octopus camouflaged on a vibrant coral reef.

Close-up of manta ray at night dive Maldives — A giant manta ray illuminated during a night dive.

Whale shark feeding at night in Maldives — A whale shark feeding during a night dive.

Diver with sharks underwater in Maldives — A scuba diver shares the reef with curious sharks.

Manta ray with divers at night in Maldives — A manta ray swimming past divers at night.

Manta ray gliding at night in Maldives — A manta ray captured gracefully gliding in the ocean at night.

Join us for the ultimate Maldives dive adventure — unforgettable sites, big encounters, and epic memories.