DESTINATION: MALDIVES

The Best of Maldives, North & Central Atolls & Hanifaru Bay (7-14 Nights) | From $257++/night

Note: MV Eco Blue is currently not in service, please contact us for some great alternative options.

MV ECO BLUE QUICK PITCH

Redesigned in 2017, the MV Eco Blue puts an emphasis on guests' comfort as they explore some of the best diving the Maldives has to offer. Catering up to 20 guests in 11 cabins, this boat offers something for everyone from the experienced diver to those on a family vacation. Managed by the Eco Pro Divers, the MV Eco Blue also puts an emphasis on marine conversation, with biodegradable or reusable products provided onboard. Guests interested in learning more about marine conservation and protection can learn a lot from the crew. 

You might also want to check out Eco Blue's sister liveaboard, Blue Shark One.

Dive Overview

The big attraction in the Maldives is the schools of fish that patrol the reefs in colorful packs: Humpback and Black and White Snappers, Trevally Jacks, Barracuda, Batfish, Unicornfish, Yellowback Fusiliers and Harlequin Sweetlips almost comical in design.

[See: Maldives Dive Travel Guide]

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Accommodations

Types of Cabins, Amenities and Photos

mv eco blue Cabin Details

The MV Eco Blue can accommodate up to 20 guests in 11 cabins. Guests can choose among the Upper Deck Cabins, Deluxe Cabins, and Standard Cabins which contain either a double bed or twin bed. All the cabins are fully airconditioned, and the en-suite bathrooms are equipped with a shower, sink, and toilet.

Upper Cabin (L) & Deluxe Cabin (R)

Standard Cabin (L) & En-suite Bathroom (R)

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General Facilities

mv eco blue Boat Features

• Sun Deck
• Leisure Deck
• Indoor Saloon
• Bar
• Library
• Audio & video entertainment
• Stand Up Paddleboard

MV ECO blue Dive Facilities

• Camera Station
• Camera room with table and charging point
• Charging stations
• Separate Rinse for UW Camera
• Outside Showers
• Snorkeling Equipment
• DIN Adaptors
• Nitrox 
• Rinse Hoses
• Dive deck
• Sidemount Diving
• Dive tenders

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Food & Drinks Aboard mv eco blue

The MV Eco Blue offers a variety of cuisine, from Western food to local Maldivian dishes. The crew also caters to guests' different dietary restrictions. The food is served buffet-style, with snacks available all day.

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mv eco blue Liveaboard Deck Plan

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SCHEDULE, RATES & AVAILABILITY

MV Eco Blue Schedule & Rates

Prices are in USD and per person.

[See also: Inclusions & Exclusions]

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Inclusions

• VAT
• Fuel Surcharge
• National Park Fees
• Port Fees
• Drinking Water, Tea & Coffee, Welcome Cocktails, & Beach BBQ
• Full-Board Meal Plan (All meals) & Snacks
• Diving Package, Snorkeling Guide
• Stand Up Paddleboard
• Beach Towels, Cabin Towels, Deck Towels.

Exclusions

• Required: Dive Insurance (20 USD), Environment Tax (6 USD per day)
• Optional Extras: Gratuities (10 USD per day), Local Flights, Alcoholic Beverages, Soft drinks, Extra Dives (45 USD per tank), Nitrox, Nitrox Course (200 USD), Private Dive Guide, Rental Gear, Scuba Diving Courses (200-300 USD), WiFi internet (20 USD).

RATES &  AVAILABILITY

For more information on rates and availability email us at info@bluewaterdivetravel.com or call us at +1-310-915-6677 and we will gladly help you plan your dream dive vacation!

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Dive Information & Destinations

Maldives Dive Overview

With clear blue water, white sand beaches, and great visibility, the Maldives is an idyllic scuba diving paradise. During a diving trip to the Maldives, you may see manta rays, whale sharks, reef sharks, soft & hard corals, and much more. The Maldives is also known for its great assortment of dive resorts and liveaboards for all kinds of budgets, from budget to high-end.

central atolls itinerary: whaleshark and manta

• Start/End: Male

  16-17 dives / 7 nights aboard

  Atolls: North Male, South Male, North Ari, South Ari, Vaavu, (Rasdhoo)

  When: All year-round. Itineraries prepared and specific dive sites are carefully chosen depending on the monsoon.

  For who:  30+ dives. Familiarity with drift dives recommended. Also snorkelers welcome

  Type of dives: Spectacular channel-drift dives, wrecks, pinnacles, world-famous night dives

  Marine life: Divers will be astonished by the variety of marine life. From nudibranchs and eels, through schools of reef fish, eagle rays, sharks, and turtles to manta rays and whale sharks. Simply the best of Maldives

  Dive Sites Description (*easy, **medium-difficult,***challenging):
• MALE ATOLL:
• Lankan Beyru (Manta Point) *
• The outer reef of the Paradise Island resort, not far from the airport island. The main attraction of the site is manta rays coming to the cleaning station during the southwest monsoon. The dive site is relatively easy to access, with small currents, and is very often considered as a good dive to start the week. The cleaning station itself is a large coral block covered with anemones and full of fish life. It is also very common to come across whitetip reef sharks, turtles, and napoleons.
• SOUTH MALE ATOLL:
• Kandooma Thila ***
• Definitely number one in the ranking of the best dive sites in South Male atoll. Long thila, located in the middle of the channel, offers spectacular conditions to observe grey reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, eagle rays, big schools of jacks, and snappers both with the incoming and outgoing current. The northside of the pinnacle is nicely covered with soft corals with the top of the reef being home to many reef fish and green turtles. Currents can be pretty strong so negative entry and fast descent are often required. Current hooks should be ready to use. Rasdhoo atoll
• Rasdhoo Madivaru ***
• Channel dive between Rasdhoo island and Madivaru offering a spectacular ridge facing the ocean to observe grey reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, eagle rays, and large dogtooth tunas. More pelagics are visible during strong incoming currents, the use of current hooks is advisable. The ridge dropping down to 50+ meters on the outside, expands to a sandy bottom inside the channel where it is common to see stingrays.
• If dived during the first rays of the sun, with incoming current and a bit of luck it is possible to encounter hammerhead sharks. In this case, the dive starts in the blue. Depending on the air consumption and no-deco time we continue the drive on the ridge and then drift into the channel.
• NORTH ARI ATOLL:
• Maaya Thila **
• The thila (a pinnacle) is about 80 meters wide in diameter and is considered one of the best night dives in the Maldives. The top reef at 5 meters makes it easy to access even with strong currents. The upcurrent side is always very active and busy with fusiliers and snappers. Big jackfish, whitetip reef sharks, stingrays, and moray eels can be spotted easily. Some overhangs around the thila provide shelter for turtles. Even though it has a reputation for a night dive it is also quite popular during the day. A few separated coral blocks south of the thila create a tunnel and are full of beautiful coral bushes. With the right current, this is a place to spot grey reef sharks as well. 
• Fish Head **
• One of the major attractions of the atoll, cannot be missed. Due to its exposure to the currents, it offers a rich presence of fauna and flora. Big schools of jacks and fusiliers on the upcurrent side as well as difficult to count the amount of blue-striped snappers hiding from strong currents inside the overhangs all around the thila are the highlights of the place. It is also popular with grey reef sharks, schools of barracuda, and dogtooth tunas in the blue as well as turtles and moray eels on the top reef. With strong currents, negative entry is recommended and current hooks should be ready to use.
•  Bathalaamaagaa Kanthila ***
• The long coral ridge in the middle of a channel, extended from the outer reef and sloping gradually down to 25 meters and deeper offering good conditions for observing grey reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, eagle rays, and napoleons as well as schools of jacks and fusiliers. The dive site is active during both incoming and outgoing currents but might be more challenging during outgoing currents of the northeast monsoon. Negative entry required and divers are recommended to hide below the depth of the top reef to protect from the current. Current hooks strongly recommended.
• SOUTH ARI ATOLL:
• Moofushi Kandu (Manta Point) **
• Drift dive with a chance to spot manta rays hovering over the cleaning station at the depth of around 14 to 25 meters. If mantas are spotted it is recommended to use current hooks and stay around the cleaning station for a longer time. The dive site is quite popular during the northeast monsoon and sometimes might be overcrowded with divers. Whitetip reef sharks are common visitors around the deeper part of the cleaning station with blue striped snappers and fusiliers being permanent residents. 
• Kudarah Thila ***
• The thila is a part of the Marine Protected Area and is often considered the most beautiful site of the atoll with exceptional diving conditions. Overhangs rich in sea fans and the top reef nicely covered with healthy soft corals are the highlights. It is also known for big schools of blue striped and midnight snappers, fusiliers, and jacks. It is worth having a torch to look inside small caves where often you will find big groupers hiding. The water entry might be challenging due to its exposure to strong currents and with the top reef at 15 meters negative entry is recommended. The use of current hooks might be required if the current is strong.
•  Maamigili Beyru (Maldives Whale shark search) *
• Located on the southern tip of Ari atoll within the Marine Protected Area of South Ari atoll. Shallow and very easy dive which might turn into a very exciting one as it is known as the best location in the Maldives for spotting the biggest fish in the world. Whale sharks can be seen cruising along the reef all year round. Most of the boats look for them from the surface. Once spotted, divers enter the water, go down and start swimming along with them. The code of conduct for whale shark encounters must be followed and is always discussed during the briefing.
• VAAVU ATOLL:
• Miyaru Kandu ***
• One of the channel dives that you don’t want to miss. With strong incoming current the list of possible encounters is impressive. Mainly grey reef sharks but also whitetip reef sharks, eagle rays, napoleons, and tunas are quite common and with the visibility reaching 40 meters during the northeast monsoon it can be the highlight of the trip. Outgoing current offer worse visibility but the sharks are still there. The site is not recommended for beginners, negative entry is often required and a current hook is a must to avoid causing unnecessary damage to the reef. Most o the time you will spend at the depth of 26 to 30 meters so checking air and no-deco time more often is strongly recommended.
•  Alimatha House Reef **
• Located on the south side of Alimatha island resort and considered one of the best night dives in the Maldives, being often a victim of its success and resulting in overcrowding of divers. Every night there is a show performed by a big number of nurse sharks, stingrays, and massive jacks. Maximum depth will not exceed 15 meters and most of the time you will be kneeling on a sandy bottom waiting for the sharks to come closer. Definitely not to be missed.  

SOUTH TO THAA ATOLL

• Start/End: Male
• 2-3 dives per day / 7 to 11 nights aboard
• Atolls: North Male, South Male, Vaavu, Meemu, Thaa Atoll 
• When: From November to April, Itineraries prepared and specific dive sites are carefully chosen depending on the monsoon.
• For who: Advanced divers with minimum 50+ dives. Experience with drift dives required. Nitrox recommended!
• Type of dives: Mostly channel dives. Sites exposed to strong or very strong currents
• Marine life: Mostly pelagic fauna. Reef sharks, whale sharks by night, mantas 
• Dive Sites Description (*easy, **medium-difficult, ***challenging):
• SOUTH MALE ATOLL
• Kandooma Thila ***
• Definitely number one in the ranking of the best dive sites in South Male atoll. Long thila, located in the middle of the channel, offers spectacular conditions to observe grey reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, eagle rays, big schools of jacks, and snappers both with the incoming and outgoing current. The northside of the pinnacle is nicely covered with soft corals with the top of the reef being home to many reef fish and green turtles. Currents can be pretty strong so negative entry and fast descent are often required. Current hooks should be ready to use.
• VAAVU ATOLL:
• Miyaru Kandu ***
• One of the channel dives that you don’t want to miss. With strong incoming current the list of possible encounters is impressive. Mainly grey reef sharks but also whitetip reef sharks, eagle rays, napoleons, and tunas are quite common and with the visibility reaching 40 meters during the northeast monsoon it can be the highlight of the trip. Outgoing current offer worse visibility but the sharks are still there. The site is not recommended for beginners, negative entry is often required and a current hook is a must to avoid causing unnecessary damage to the reef. Most of the time you will spend at the depth of 26 to 30 meters so checking air and no-deco time more often is strongly recommended.
• Alimatha House Reef **
• Located on the south side of Alimatha island resort and considered one of the best night dives in the Maldives, being often a victim of its success and resulting in overcrowding of divers. Every night there is a show performed by a big number of nurse sharks, stingrays, and massive jacks. Maximum depth will not exceed 15 meters and most of the time you will be kneeling on a sandy bottom waiting for the sharks to come closer. Definitely not to be missed.
• MEEMU ATOLL:
• Muli Corner **
• The reef is known as home to a lot of sharks during incoming currents but it also welcomes manta rays on a large cleaning station during the outgoing current. Entering the water with empty BCD and not wasting time on the surface is often recommended, especially with strong currents.
• THAA ATOLL:
• Whaleshark point *
• There is no specific place where diving would guarantee an encounter with a whale shark but the common practice is to use a strong light in the evening at the back platform of the boat to attract the zooplanktons which will further attract the whale sharks. Scuba diving while having the shark at the back of the boat is rather discouraged as the bubbles may disperse the mass of the plankton. The best experience is to grab a mask, fins and gently enter the water on the side of the boat, not to scare the whale shark away and then enjoy the view while snorkeling. Sometimes the whale shark will stay for hours, more than one visitor is also possible. Instructions given by the dive guides have to be followed and a code of conduct must be respected by all snorkelers to enjoy the moment to the fullest.

NORTH & CENTRAL ATOLLS: Hanifaru Bay

• Start/End: Male
• 2-3 dives per day / 7-14 nights aboard
• Atolls: North Male, Baa, Raa, Lhaviyani, North Ari Atoll (depending on conditions)
• For who: minimum number of 30 dives, AOWD or Deep specialty
• Thila and reef diving
• The exact routing depends on the weather! We will choose the best routing!
• BAA ATOLL:
• Hanifaru Bay
• Hanifaru Bay is a sanctuary for people who love snorkeling with manta rays and whale sharks. This UNESCO biosphere reserve in the Maldives is legally designated as a Marine Protected Area. There are strict regulations are in place to protect and preserve this amazing wonder. The whale shark season is from May to December. In this period, plankton get trapped in the funnel-like reef and the concentration of planktons attracts whale sharks and schools of manta rays. At any time there could be over a hundred mantas and several whale sharks feeding off the coral reef. This is the world’s largest feeding station known to exist.
• At Hanifaru Bay you can do snorkeling, diving is not permitted anymore.
• At some point, whale sharks and the manta population in Hanifaru Bay went to a drastic drop. The creatures might have been disturbed by human intervention. Hence, the regulations are important to keep this amazing wonder preserved.

BEST OF MALDIVES SOUTH

• Start / End: Male
• 2-3 dives per day
• Atolls: South Male,North Ari, South Ari, Vaavu, Meemu, Thaa, Laamu Atoll
• For who: Advanced divers with minimum 50+ dives. Experience with drift dives required. Nitrox recommended!
• Type of dives: Best of everything!
• Marine life: Mostly pelagic fauna. Reef sharks, whale sharks, mantas, macro
• Dive Sites Description (*easy, **medium-difficult, ***challenging):
• SOUTH MALE ATOLL
• Kandooma Thila ***
• Definitely number one in the ranking of the best dive sites in South Male atoll. Long thila, located in the middle of the channel, offers spectacular conditions to observe grey reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, eagle rays, big schools of jacks, and snappers both with the incoming and outgoing current. The northside of the pinnacle is nicely covered with soft corals with the top of the reef being home to many reef fish and green turtles. Currents can be pretty strong so negative entry and fast descent are often required. Current hooks should be ready to use.
• NORTH ARI ATOLL
• Maaya Thila **
• The thila (a pinnacle) is about 80 meters wide in diameter and is considered one of the best night dives in the Maldives. The top reef at 5 meters makes it easy to access even with strong currents. The upcurrent side is always very active and busy with fusiliers and snappers. Big jackfish, whitetip reef sharks, stingrays, and moray eels can be spotted easily. Some overhangs around the thila provide shelter for turtles. Even though it has a reputation for a night dive it is also quite popular during the day. A few separated coral blocks south of the thila create a tunnel and are full of beautiful coral bushes. With the right current this is a place to spot grey reef sharks as well.
• Fish Head **
• One of the major attractions of the atoll, cannot be missed. Due to its exposure to the currents, it offers a rich presence of fauna and flora. Big schools of jacks and fusiliers on the upcurrent side as well as difficult to count the amount of blue-striped snappers hiding from strong currents inside the overhangs all around the thila are the highlights of the place. It is also popular with grey reef sharks, schools of barracuda, and dogtooth tunas in the blue as well as turtles and moray eels on the top reef. With strong currents, negative entry is recommended and current hooks should be ready to use.
• Bathalaamaagaa Kanthila ***
• The long coral ridge in the middle of a channel, extended from the outer reef and sloping gradually down to 25 meters and deeper offering good conditions for observing grey reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, eagle rays, and napoleons as well as schools of jacks and fusiliers. The dive site is active during both incoming and outgoing currents but might be more challenging during outgoing currents of the northeast monsoon. Negative entry required and divers are recommended to hide below the depth of the top reef to protect from the current. Current hooks strongly recommended.
• SOUTH ARI ATOLL
• Moofushi Kandu (Manta Point) **
• Drift dive with a chance to spot manta rays hovering over the cleaning station at the depth of around 14 to 25 meters. If mantas are spotted it is recommended to use current hooks and stay around the cleaning station for a longer time. The dive site is quite popular during the northeast monsoon and sometimes might be overcrowded with divers. Whitetip reef sharks are common visitors around the deeper part of the cleaning station with blue striped snappers and fusiliers being permanent residents. 
• Kudarah Thila ***
• The thila is a part of the Marine Protected Area and is often considered the most beautiful site of the atoll with exceptional diving conditions. Overhangs rich in sea fans and the top reef nicely covered with healthy soft corals are the highlights. It is also known for big schools of blue striped and midnight snappers, fusiliers, and jacks. It is worth having a torch to look inside small caves where often you will find big groupers hiding. The water entry might be challenging due to its exposure to strong currents and with the top reef at 15 meters negative entry is recommended. The use of current hooks might be required if the current is strong.
• Kudhimaa Wreck **
• 50 Meters long cargo ship lying on a sandy bottom at around 30 meters depth, right next to a resort island called Machchafushi. It was sunk in 1998 and already offers good coral growth and a large variety of species living on it. Nurse sharks, batfish, stonefish, lionfish, and moray eels are permanent residents and can be spotted around the wreck. There are a few entrances allowing to penetrate the cargo hall as well as the wheelhouse. The site is nicely protected from the current so the only concern will be no-deco time as you will spend most of the time below 20 meters.
• Maamigili Beyru (Whaleshark search) *
• Located on the southern tip of Ari atoll within the Marine Protected Area of South Ari atoll. Shallow and very easy dive which might turn into a very exciting one as it is known as the best location in the Maldives for spotting the biggest fish in the world. Whale sharks can be seen cruising along the reef all year round. Most of the boats look for them from the surface. Once spotted, divers enter the water, go down and start swimming along with them. The code of conduct for whale shark encounters must be followed and is always discussed during the briefing.
• VAAVU ATOLL:
• Miyaru Kandu ***
• One of the channel dives that you don’t want to miss. With strong incoming current the list of possible encounters is impressive. Mainly grey reef sharks but also whitetip reef sharks, eagle rays, napoleons, and tunas are quite common and with the visibility reaching 40 meters during the northeast monsoon it can be the highlight of the trip. Outgoing current offer worse visibility but the sharks are still there. The site is not recommended for beginners, negative entry is often required and a current hook is a must to avoid causing unnecessary damage to the reef. Most of the time you will spend at the depth of 26 to 30 meters so checking air and no-deco time more often is strongly recommended.
• Alimatha House Reef **
• Located on the south side of Alimatha island resort and considered one of the best night dives in the Maldives, being often a victim of its success and resulting in overcrowding of divers. Every night there is a show performed by a big number of nurse sharks, stingrays, and massive jacks. Maximum depth will not exceed 15 meters and most of the time you will be kneeling on a sandy bottom waiting for the sharks to come closer. Definitely not to be missed.
• MEEMU ATOLL:
• Muli Corner **
• The reef is known as home to a lot of sharks during incoming currents but it also welcomes manta rays on a large cleaning station during the outgoing current. Entering the water with empty BCD and not wasting time on the surface is often recommended, especially with strong currents.
• THAA ATOLL:
• Whaleshark point *
• There is no specific place where diving would guarantee an encounter with a whale shark but the common practice is to use a strong light in the evening at the back platform of the boat to attract the zooplanktons which will further attract the whale sharks. Scuba diving while having the shark at the back of the boat is rather discouraged as the bubbles may disperse the mass of the plankton. The best experience is to grab a mask, fins and gently enter the water on the side of the boat, not to scare the whale shark away and then enjoy the view while snorkeling. Sometimes the whale shark will stay for hours, more than one visitor is also possible. Instructions given by the dive guides have to be followed and a code of conduct must be respected by all snorkelers to enjoy the moment to the fullest.

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Other Information

Boat Specifications

• Length: 32m
• Beam: 10m
• Top speed: 10 knots
•  Cruising speed: 9 knots
• Max guests: 20
• Number of cabins: 11
• Number of bathrooms: 11
• Tenders: 1 dhoni diving
• Water capacity: 6000 liters
• Fuel capacity: 10 tons
• Freshwater maker: 6 tons per day

Practical Information

• Time Zone: UTC+5
• Local Currency: MVR (Maldivian Rufiyaa)
• Language Spoken: English
• Electricity: 110 & 220 V
• Payment Onboard: Cash or Card

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Underwater Gallery 

Coming Soon!

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