{"id":593,"date":"2026-05-23T17:19:54","date_gmt":"2026-05-23T15:19:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cruising-maldives.com\/island-safari\/"},"modified":"2026-07-11T12:18:50","modified_gmt":"2026-07-11T10:18:50","slug":"island-safari","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/cruising-maldives.com\/en\/island-safari\/","title":{"rendered":"Island Safari"},"content":{"rendered":"
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<\/svg>Starlink on board<\/span><\/span>
\n<\/svg>Plenty of space for few people<\/span><\/span>
\n<\/svg>Well-coordinated team<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Island Safari<\/h1><\/div><\/div>\n\n

The Island Safari is deliberately designed for small groups of 14 to a maximum of 16 people \u2013 a clear advantage that is no longer a given in the Maldives. The tours offer everything divers need for a successful safari: challenging diving, relaxed procedures, and good organization. <\/p>\n

The boat is deliberately functional and kept comparatively simple, yet it offers everything that belongs to a classic liveaboard in the Maldives. The boat is made of wood, and the interior is also beautifully crafted with Maldivian woodwork and well-maintained.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Ship & Facilities<\/p>\n

Separate dhoni for all diving operations
\u2022 Spacious deck areas for relaxation between dives
\u2022 Salon and lounge areas
\u2022 Sun deck
\u2022 Dining area with international cuisine<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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Kabine<\/h5><\/div>
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Kabine<\/h5><\/div>
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Mitteldeck<\/h5><\/div>
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Sonnendeck<\/h5><\/div>
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Oberdeck Kabine<\/h5><\/div>
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Aufenthalt innen<\/h5><\/div>
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Essensbereich<\/h5><\/div>
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Island Safari mit Dhoni<\/h5><\/div>
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Island Safari aussen<\/h5><\/div><\/div>
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Cabins<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

Comfortable cabins with en-suite bathrooms
\u2022 Air conditioning, storage space
\u2022 Double and twin occupancy
\u2022 Limited single occupancy possible (surcharge)<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Safety Equipment (Excerpt):<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

\u2022 Standard navigation and safety systems according to Maldivian regulations
\u2022 Oxygen & first aid equipment
\u2022 Life jackets
\u2022 Dinghies \/ dhoni for diving operations<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Diving Operations<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

\u2022 Diving is done exclusively from the dhoni, where the diving equipment remains throughout the entire trip
\u2022 16\u201317 dives per week
\u2022 Sunday: 1 check dive (for arrivals by 1:00 PM at the latest)
\u2022 Monday\u2013Friday: 3 dives each, including at least one night dive
\u2022 Saturday: 1 morning dive
\u2022 Return on Saturday around 2:00\u20133:00 PM in Hulhumal\u00e9
\u2022 Optional visit to the capital, Mal\u00e9 <\/p>\n

Requirements<\/strong>:
\u2022 Minimum Advanced Open Water or equivalent
\u2022 Recommendation: at least 30 logged dives
\u2022 No beginner courses
\u2022 AOWD courses available on request<\/p>\n

Equipment<\/strong>:
\u2022 Own complete diving equipment required
\u2022 Limited rental equipment available for exceptional cases<\/p>\n

Requirements for Divers<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mandatory:<\/strong>
\u2022 Valid passport
\u2022 Visa \/ e-VOA if applicable
\u2022 Valid diving certification (min. AOWD recommended)
\u2022 Logbook with current diving experience
\u2022 Valid diving insurance<\/p>\n

Recommended:<\/strong>
\u2022 Experience with drift dives
\u2022 Reef hook
\u2022 Dive light for night & twilight dives<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Routes & Diving Areas<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

The port of departure and arrival is usually Velana International Airport \/ Hulhumal\u00e9.
The actual route taken depends on the date & season (see Dates & Prices).<\/p>\n

Central Atolls<\/strong><\/p>\n

Central \u2013 Best of Maldives (Mal\u00e9, Ari, Vaavu)
The most popular route with classic Maldivian diving: channels, thilas, mantas, sharks, and diverse reefs, suitable year-round.<\/p>\n

South Central Channels (Mal\u00e9, Vaavu, Meemu)
Famous for strong currents, abundance of fish, and reliable shark encounters.<\/p>\n

South Central Channels + Whale Shark at Night (Mal\u00e9, Vaavu, Meemu, Thaa)
In addition to impressive channels, this route offers very good chances for a whale shark night dive.<\/p>\n

\u2e3b<\/p>\n

Northern Atolls<\/strong><\/p>\n

Far North (Mal\u00e9 to Hanimadhoo, one way)
Pristine thilas, large schools of fish, and regular manta encounters.<\/p>\n

Northern Channels & Thilas + Hanifaru Bay
Combination of channels and thilas. Visit to Hanifaru Bay if conditions are suitable. <\/p>\n

Northern Thilas + Hanifaru Bay
Focus on manta cleaning stations and thila dives.<\/p>\n

\u2e3b<\/p>\n

Themed Safaris<\/strong><\/p>\n

Family & Friends \u2013 Diving Safari
Adapted route based on the Central Best of route. Ideal for divers, snorkelers, and companions. <\/p>\n

Far North + Manta Trust Foundation
Exclusive expedition route to the far north, accompanied by a Manta Trust scientist.
Focus on research, manta hotspots, and remote atolls.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Scope of Services<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

Included Services:<\/strong>
\u2022 Accommodation on board in the booked cabin category
\u2022 Full board
\u2022 Drinking water, tea & coffee
\u2022 Guided dives according to the program
\u2022 Tanks & weights
\u2022 Transfers on the day of embarkation and disembarkation (defined points)<\/p>\n

Services Not Included:<\/strong>
\u2022 International & national flights
\u2022 Travel & diving insurance (highly recommended)
\u2022 Single occupancy surcharge
\u2022 Nitrox (if offered, for an extra charge)
\u2022 Rental equipment, courses
\u2022 Alcoholic drinks & soft drinks
\u2022 Tips & personal expenses<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-593","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cruising-maldives.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/593","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cruising-maldives.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cruising-maldives.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cruising-maldives.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cruising-maldives.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=593"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cruising-maldives.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/593\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":594,"href":"https:\/\/cruising-maldives.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/593\/revisions\/594"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cruising-maldives.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=593"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}