Maldives Siren
The Worldwide Dive and Sail team welcomes you aboard the S/Y Maldives Siren, their flagship luxury liveaboard dive boat that promises scuba divers a spectacular weeklong diving adventure in the Maldive Islands. The S/Y Maldives Siren travels four distinct itineraries in the Maldives to ensure you have the best scuba diving experience at the optimum time of year. Stunning island scenery and crystal clear waters make the Maldives a world renowned diving destination.
Located in the middle of the Indian Ocean approximately 250 miles (400 km) southwest of India and 430 miles (700 km) southwest of Sri Lanka, the Maldives span the equator, and is comprised of more than 26 atoll formations. The S/Y Maldives Siren takes you on a 10-night liveaboard diving safari to explore these atolls. The Maldives, with more than 3,000 coral reefs, support a wide variety of marine life. Monsoonal tides bring nutrient rich waters that attract all types and sizes of fish life. Every trip is different, and you will encounter small creatures, such as crustaceans, mollusks, and echinoderms as well as large pelagic fish including sharks, Manta and Eagle Rays, and schooling fish. Underwater terrains vary from shallow reefs to kandus, or deep channels, to coral covered walls, thilas, or pinnacles, and wrecks.
The Worldwide Dive and Sail team takes advantage of the weather and sea conditions to take you to one of four remote dive destinations in the Maldives: the Central Route from April to December, the Central and Southern Route from January to April, the Northern Route from August to November, and the Southern Route from January to March.
Maldives Central Route
From April to December, the S/Y Maldives Siren departs from Malé and travels to the atolls of Rasdhoo, Ari, Nilhande, Thaa, and Laamu. You will experience varying terrains such as kandus, shallow fringing reefs, coral-covered walls, thilas, and wrecks. In addition to large numbers of Grey Reef Sharks, you may also see great Blue Whales passing by on their annual migration journey to the South Pole.
At Rasfari reef and Rasdhoo Atoll you will dive with schools of Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks. From here you will explore the reefs, canyons, and wrecks of the atolls of North and South Ari. In addition to spotting Grey Reef Sharks, you will also encounter schools of Barracuda and Snappers. Eagle Rays, Mantas, and Whale Sharks also populate these waters. While scuba diving at Nilhande Atoll and Thaa Atoll you will experience additional exciting shark action. In the area of Laamu Atoll you will have an opportunity to see Blue Whales, the world’s largest mammal, as they migrate through these waters.
Your dive itinerary may include the Fish Head dive site at North Ari Atoll. For the best chance of seeing Grey Reef Sharks, this site is best dived at dusk. The underwater scenery and vibrant corals at Fish Head are amazing. Diving at Faafu at North Nilhande Atoll will provide an excellent opportunity for encounters with Whale Sharks. Other large pelagics commonly seen in this area include Manta and Eagle Rays, White-tipped and Grey Reef Sharks, Barracuda, Jacks and schools of Rainbow Runners. The Olhugiri Kandu dive site at Thaa Atoll presents a variety of dive terrains, including a channel, a steep wall, and a sand bank. Along the wall you will observe pelagics passing by, and on the outer reef you will be able to hunt for any of the numerous invertebrate species that can be found in this area. Also at Thaa Atoll is the Dhiyamigili Corner dive site, where you will see Hammerhead Sharks, Sting Rays, Snappers, and Napoleon Wrasses.
Maldives Central and Southern Route
Between January and April, the S/Y Maldives Siren departs from Malé and travels to the atolls of Felidhe, Mulaku, Thaa, and Huvadhoo along the eastern side of the Maldivian archipelago. You will dive a variety of sites which will include kandus, shallow lagoons, coral-covered walls, thilas, and wrecks. You will dive at some of the top-rated sites in the Maldives, where schools of fish, rays, reef sharks, and an abundance of macro critters abound.
This itinerary first travels to South Malé Atoll where you will dive the wreck of the Kuda Giri. You will then dive deep caves to hunt for Grey Reef Sharks at Felidhoo Atoll and on to Mulaku Atoll for encounters with Hammerhead Sharks. Next the S/Y Maldives Siren heads south to the atolls of Thaa and Laamu where you will see Grey Reef Sharks and other large pelagic fish. The remote Huvadhoo Atoll awaits you next with a variety of marine life in the kandus and pristine shallow reefs. This itinerary is also done in reverse, with departures from Kaadedhdhoo.
You can expect strong currents at the Mulaku Kandu dive site as well as a large number of White-tipped, Grey Reef, and Hammerhead Sharks. You can observe the sharks hunting or being cleaned if you hook in at the corner of the channel near the entrance. Frequent visitors to these waters also include Tuna and Giant Trevally. Photography and video opportunities abound at Fotteyo Reef-Felidhoo Kandu where you will see subjects of all sizes, ranging from rays and reef sharks to shrimps and turtles. Various species of reef sharks and rays can be seen along the deep channel at Edefaru Kandu-Northern Huvadhoo Atoll. Here you will also encounter Barracuda, Snappers, Dog-toothed Tuna, and Jacks. The corals are in very good condition and the reef here teems with life. The Kuda Giri Wreck at the South Malé Atoll lies at a depth of 65-115 feet (20-35 m.). A multitude of marine life resides at this site, including a giant Frogfish. As you go up the reef look for Scorpion Fish, Leaf Fish, and more among the Staghorn corals.
Maldives Southern Route
Traveling the circumference of the Huvadhoo Atoll, the Southern itinerary of the S/Y Maldives Siren lets scuba divers spend time exploring this unspoiled atoll in depth. The kandus and shallow reefs are rich in marine life. This unique dive excursion to the deep south of the Maldivian archipelago provides encounters with different species of sharks, including Tiger Sharks, huge schools of fish, a variety of rays, and reefs covered with anemones.
Along the western edge you will experience both juvenile and adult Tiger Sharks as they move into the channels. As the S/Y Maldives Siren moves eastward, you will stop at numerous kandus where you will encounter Eagle Rays and a variety of reef sharks. Further north you will find large schools of Tunas, Snappers, and Jacks, as well as beautiful Angelfish, Trigger Fish, Puffers, and colorful Coral Groupers. As you travel north you will experience more shark action. Inside the atoll you will explore the spectacular coral gardens.
Several of the dive sites you may visit include Vaadhoo Kuda Kandu, with its unspoiled reefs amazing fish life, and colorful corals; Maarehaa Kandu, known for its numbers of shark sightings; Kurehdhoo Island, with its stunning reef wall and other diverse marine life; and Vilingili Reef where your night dive will present opportunities to see Devil Fish, Octopi, Mollusks, and tiny crustaceans.
Maldives Northern Route
If large fish are what you seek, this is the itinerary for you. Between August and November the S/Y Maldives Siren travels between Malé and Hanimaadhoo so guests can enjoy the adventure of diving and snorkeling with large pelagics. Mantas and Rays congregate in Hanifaru Bay, but you will also be amazed at the sheer volumes of fish that swarm the untouched reefs of Komandhoo.
Your first stops on this itinerary are Rasfari Reef and Rasdhoo Atoll, where you will dive at the sites of two small wrecks where you may also be fortunate enough to see Hammerhead Sharks. Next at Baa Atoll you will dive the channels and snorkel in Hanifaru Bay where you will observe Manta Rays and Whale Sharks. You will dive two more wrecks at Laviyani Atoll and thrill to the schools of colorful fish. Other dive sites include Kuredu Express with its strong currents, Noonu Atoll, and Komandhoo Reef. You will encounter schools of Batfish, Eagle Rays, Guitar Sharks, and Marble Rays at Shaviyani Atoll. This itinerary is also done in reverse, with departures from Hanimaadhoo.
Highlights of this itinerary include Secret Shark Spot at Shaviyani Atoll, where large numbers of Grey Reef Sharks gather at the thila to feed. Other common sightings here include Eagle Rays, large Tuna, and schools of Snappers. You will be amazed at the numbers of Manta Rays that congregate at Hanifaru Bay, drawn by the plankton. Vibrant soft corals, black corals, and colorful Sea Fans, as well as small invertebrates are found along the channel walls at Bathaala Reef, where you may enjoy a spectacular night dive. The tiny reef of Lupo Thila provides some amazing encounters. Here you will see Jacks and Barracuda, schools of Batfish, Napoleon Wrasse, White-tipped and Grey Reef Sharks, as well as Guitar Sharks resting amid coral bommies.
For each of the S/Y Maldive Siren’s itineraries up to four dives are scheduled each day. Qualified divers should bring their certification card and log book along with them. Scuba diving with the Worldwide Dive and Sail team is suitable for divers of all levels of experience, although Advanced Open Water diving certification may be recommended for some destinations. Alternate itineraries may be selected if weather conditions present unsafe or unsuitable diving conditions at your chosen dive site.
The water temperatures remain constant, averaging 80°-85°F (26°-29°C) year round. A 3mm. wetsuit is usually enough protection for most divers. Visibility is always good, ranging between 50 and 100 feet or more (15-30 m.). The climate in the Maldives is monsoonal, made up of two distinct seasons when the winds blow from opposite directions. One is the dry season, when the northeast monsoon occurs, and the other is the wet season, when the southwest monsoon occurs. The temperatures are mild year round, ranging from lows around 78°-79°F (25°-26°C) to highs in the upper 80s or low 90s (31°-33° C).
The Worldwide Dive and Sail team strives to provide scuba divers and vacationers with the safest, highest quality and most innovative liveaboard experience possible. In addition to unmatched scuba diving, guests aboard the S/Y Maldives Siren will enjoy amazing photography and video opportunities, excellent accommodations, and delicious meals as part of their vacation package. Worldwide Dive and Sail dive boat excursions afford guests both safety and comfort as they travel to the best diving locations in the Maldives.
