Are you looking for a dream trip to the Maldives? The Maldives is a paradise for holiday-goers and it’s also known for the best dive sites in the world, with many tourists now flocking to the best Maldives liveaboards.Â
It’s known for whale sharks, grey reef sharks, manta rays and marine life, making it a haven for scuba diving.  From the Northern Atolls to the Southern Atolls, the Maldives do not disappoint and one of the worlds most famous diving destination.
It can be difficult to pick the right liveaboard and that’s why I have decided to write this complete guide – helping you find the best boat, dive site and times to dive in the Maldives.
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Which Liveaboards in the Maldives to Choose?
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BEST VALUE
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BEST FOR LUXURY
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ECO PICK
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Looking to enjoy an unforgettable liveaboard experience?Â
Best Maldives Liveaboards
- Visits all of the most amazing Maldives locations
- Amazing shared areas with bars and lounges
- Tasty food and refreshments
- One of the more expensive liveaboard choices
Imagine this, you wake up and dive in the beautiful blue sea, dive again in the day, dive again on the night and then repeat. That’s right, you get chance to live and breathe it with Liveaboards in Maldives.
The Emperor Serenity has been designed to ensure divers can experience the best of Maldives. You can dive over 10 times in less than three days.Â
Maldives even has the word dives in it, could it be any more apt? You will get to sight manta rays, tiger sharks, whale sharks and more.
It really couldn’t and not because its name but the ocean is gorgeous and the beaches there are stunning. You will also be able to enjoy sites for experienced divers with drift dives.
This amazing boat stops off at all the sought-after dive locations, making it the number one choice. It is easy to book and you’ll love the interior of this classic liveaboard.
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- Visits all of the best Maldives sites
- Luxurious communal bar and lounge
- 13 Cabins
- Gear Rental & Equipment
- En-suites
Guests No
26
Air Con
YES
Dives
17+
WiFi
YES
Nitrox
YES
Food
YES
- Visits the best spots
- Spa therapy, from massages to face-masks
- A jacuzzi with a view
- It is one of the most expensive options
Embrace a personalised lavish experience on the Scubaspa Ying.
Rightfully named, this boat provides you the chance to enjoy massages, freshly squeezed juice, the jacuzzi and a private beach.
The staff here are tentative and constantly working on ensuring your comfort.
One joy of the ocean is that you never know what you will encounter, but you can be almost certain that you’ll pass a shark or manta ray or two.
Make the most of the full-time spa therapists, you’re bound to return home refresh and revitalised whilst nurturing yourself with care and your biggest passion, I encourage at least a week to make the best of this yacht.
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- Visits the most famous Maldives spotsÂ
- Includes a stop-off at a private beach
- 4 Decks- Sun, Leisure, Dive & Observation
- Jacuzzi at top of deck with amazing view
- 19 Cabins
- Gear Rental
Guests No
40
Air Con
YES
Dives
9+
WiFi
YES
Nitrox
YES
Food
YES
- PADI 5 Star Rating
- 8 Spa treatments
- South Asian Travel Awards Leading Liveaboard 2016 – 2018
- It is not cheap
Sister of Scubaspa Ying, the Yang provides a heaven with Asian spa therapy.
This is a different version of the aforementioned boat. The Scubaspa Yang is a spa holiday with luxury that can be enjoyed by both divers and non-divers alike. If your partner’s not too keen on attempting the world beyond the waves, then they can sit back and relax during the day.
Beach visits, kayaking, stand–up–paddleboarding, BBQs and fishing can all be enjoyed. As well as embracing the dive camaraderie you can make the most of some beautiful dives sites in Maldives.Â
There have been many spottings of grey reef sharks and other majestic sea creatures during these liveaboard trips.
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- Visits the best Maldives spotsÂ
- Lots of beach stop-offs and snorkelling in lagoons
- 4 Decks- Sun, Leisure, Dive & Observation
- JacuzziÂ
- 19 Cabins
- Gear Rental
Guests No
40
Air Con
YES
Dives
9+
WiFi
YES
Nitrox
YES
Food
YES
- Explores the best of the Maldives atolls
- Lots of support for new divers
- Upgrade opportunities available
- Can be quite expensive
The fabulous Emperor Explorer is a scuba diving leviathan, offering a huge 42m of living and sailing space! It freely welcomes up to 26 people across 13 different 13 cabins, with private areas and individual AC. There’s several relaxation areas and an open terrace for you to enjoy from scuba dive to scuba dive.
This highly popular Maldives liveaboard provides scuba divers with access to incredible dive sites across the Male Atolls, offering amazing chances to dive with local manta rays across seven spectacular days.
The Emperor Explorer offers all newbie and experienced divers could demand, with liveaboard trips complete with nitrox and equipment you’ll need on the go.
- ‘Sharktastic’ trips available to take in local toothy beasts
- Aircon available in every cabin
- Lots of relaxation space
- Equipment and nitrox available
- Al-fresco dining available
Guests No
26
Air Con
YES
Dives
18+
WiFi
YES
Nitrox
YES
Food
YES
- Lots of chances to see barracuda, whale sharks and more
- Can be affordable in certain seasons
- Complimentary refreshments
- Often very popular, limited spaces!
The Maldives Aggressor II is one of the best-loved liveaboards in the Maldives, largely thanks to its focus on sailing through the marine paradise of the atolls – there are some truly magnificent creatures to watch across dive trip to trip, and with private staterooms and AC available, you can always be sure of a relaxing rest on the back of each Liveaboard trip.
The Aggressor II sails across the year, making it more than just a seasonal visitor. There are three different itineraries to choose from, and you also have access to equipment and nitrox – with spare kit, camera tables and more available to use. The night dives are not to be missed!
Check out gorgeous whale sharks, wrasse, manta rays, parrotfish and more – these are the best dives for animal lovers!
- Wonderful five star dive liveaboard
- A choice of three different dive itineraries
- Opportunities to learn how to dive
- Strong focus on exploring marine life
- Dive insurance and hotel transfer available
Guests No
22
Air Con
YES
Dives
18+
WiFi
YES
Nitrox
YES
Food
YES
- Recently refurbished and refitted
- Wide choice of dive itineraries
- Affordable on average
- Some add-ons are chargeable
Any diving trip on the Emperor Leo promises to be an interesting one, and whether you are taking in the biodiverse dive sites around the North Male Atoll or towards the deep south, this is one of the best liveaboard diving experiences in the Maldives to give you the ‘greatest hits;.
With 12 roomy, airy cabins available, the Emperor Leo also serves as one of the comfiest and luxurious dive boats for its pricing – which is amazingly reasonable! There’s ample room to sunbathe and relax in between your diving adventures, too.
This also happens to be one of the top Maldives liveaboard trips for dive safaris – if you’re especially enamoured with the reef sharks and other elasmobranchs of the Indian Ocean atolls, there is a lot to see and enjoy.
- Roomy entertainment saloon on board
- Free nitrox when fully qualified
- Hot tub provided
- Takes you around the ‘greatest hits’ of the Maldives and atolls
- Lots of gear storage
Guests No
24
Air Con
YES
Dives
18+
WiFi
YES
Nitrox
YES
Food
YES
- A sizeable dive boat that's also pretty private
- Takes you around the highlights of the Maldives
- Dive guides and support available
- Can be very popular - tricky to book in advance!
The Azalea is a perennially popular Maldives liveaboard that gives you the chance to dive across the stunning Male Atoll, Baa, Ari Atoll and more – great for swimming amongst some truly spectacular wildlife.
One of the big selling points of the Azalea has to be the amazing jacuzzi on board, too – and there’s lots of dining space, as well as roomy, relaxing cabins. This is a fairly large boat but only welcomes 16 guests across 9 cabins – making it a fairly private experience, too.
The Azalea crew is experienced and attentive, with guides to help you snorkel and even explore nearby land, too!
- Free WiFi and nitrox
- Huge variety of drinking and dining
- Cocktails on arrival!
- Sails year-round
- See nurse sharks, manta rays and more!
- Night dives available
Guests No
16
Air Con
YES
Dives
18+
WiFi
YES
Nitrox
YES
Food
YES
- A double-deck yacht with tons of space
- Separate dhoni available
- Chances to swim with sharks, turtles and dolphins
- Some elements of the trip are chargeable yet free elsewhere
The Emperor Virgo is a fantastic example of a great Maldives liveaboard that provides a huge amount of space to a handful of divers lucky enough to get on board! Offering upper and lower decks, the views are amazing – and yes, there’s private AC in each cabin.
Welcoming 18 guests, the Emperor Virgo boasts a separate dhoni so that you can get ready for drift dives and more off the boat itself. Diving in the Maldives on the Emperor Virgo will also give you access to the south central atolls and more besides.
Food and drink on board the Emperor Virgo is delicious and exclusive, too – and there’s lots of space to stretch out and relax.
- Nitrox is free to certified divers and guests
- Full board available
- Flexible dive insurance
- Education available from guides
- Sails all year round
Guests No
18
Air Con
YES
Dives
17+
WiFi
YES
Nitrox
YES
Food
YES
- A genuinely eco-friendly liveaboard diving experience
- Great for family trips
- Free niitrox on offer
- More of a family focus - may not be everyone's desired trip
The Eco Blue is an absolutely wonderful liveaboard that focuses on sustainability. Offering scuba divers and snorkelers the chance to see whale sharks, manta rays and reef fish up close, guests will also be able to take a cruise to enjoy paddle boarding, kayaking and more.
Diving in the Maldives has never been more eco-friendly (hence the name!). With sustainable products and facilities on board, and education on marine conservation engrained into their practices, it’s a great trip to take if you want to give a little bit back to the planet.
The talented liveaboard crew on board the Eco Blue will also provide you with two diving trips a day, with diving itineraries generally extending up to 14 nights.
In my opinion, every liveaboard should aim to be as environmentally conscious as the Eco Blue.
- Lots of different activities on offer
- Brilliant approach to conservation and sustainability
- Dive guide available
- Affordable extras
- Towels provided
Guests No
20
Air Con
YES
Dives
17+
WiFi
YES
Nitrox
YES
Food
YES
- Three decks with tons of space
- Outdoor dining available on board
- One of the biggest yachts active for diving right now
- It's pricey
- Books up fast
The Carpe Novo is an enormous three-deck yacht that remains bigger than most liveaboards, and it’s certainly the largest in its fleet. There are 12 cabins with space for 22 guests, and there’s even provision for single divers and guests if you’re going it solo.
Boasting a brilliant dive crew, scuba diving with the Carpe Novo takes you across several of the big atolls, with the chance to spy curious creatures such as hammerhead sharks in the crystal waters.
This yacht also comes with a handy dhoni where you can suit up and store things away – and there’s an amazing bar and al fresco dining zone available if you need to take a load off.
- Seven to ten night trips available
- Dive insurance bookable
- Toiletries and towels
- Full board
- Nitrox available to all
Guests No
22
Air Con
YES
Dives
18+
WiFi
YES
Nitrox
YES
Food
YES
Not sure if diving in the Maldives is the perfect location for you?
Why not start off by reading my blog on where you can find some of the locations for best diving locations for more of a steer?
Full Maldives Liveaboard Guide
Hoping to embrace the best diving holiday in Maldives?
There are some world class dive sites available in Maldives and there’s availability for all budgets. You can visit the Red Sea and many of the best dives sites with drift diving, eagle rays and shark species.
It is a tantalising destination that has layers to it. It’s far more than a mere dive location, travellers from around the globe aspire to check out many of the sandy beaches and blue seas. Diving liveaboards ensure you see it all.
I take a look at reasons to book a liveaboard and the best way to gauge the seasons in Maldives, I was surprised by the length of the seasons and water temperature, read on to hear more.
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Why Book a Maldives Liveaboard?
Booking a liveaboard in Maldives makes it easy and cost efficient for scuba diving.
You won’t need to worry about the hassle of booking individual dives or forking out on travel. Instead this type of package ensures an all in one experience, you still get to participate in sight-seeing, restful beaches and snorkelling, experience it however you prefer.Â
If you have gotten this far into my blog and are still wondering why we rave so much about liveaboards, make sure you check out all the benefits of this type of trip by reading my big guide to liveaboards blog!
Diving in the Maldives differs from other locations, the reason for this is that they aim their packages at non-divers and snorkelers too. It’s a chance to capitalise on lavish settings. Maldives have a huge catalogue of diving holidays and I feel this is the best way to get a real connection with the Indian Ocean and its inhabitants.
With more than 99% of its territory covered in water, the Maldives is famous for its thriving coral reefs. The outer reef walls of the atolls are some of the most diverse in the world, and with depth, the coral communities change in front of your eyes.
If you love warm waters, excellent visibility and beautiful megafauna with spotting a Whale shark on your bucket list, then the Maldives needs to be your next trip.
I urge you to click on the price check links above, as you’ll also get a lot more info.
When to Dive in Maldives?
The best time to dive in Maldives is between January and April. The season for liveaboards lasts from November through to May. However, some dive liveaboards in the Maldives run throughout the year.
What Water Temperature Can You Expect?
Temperatures of the water remain at 28 degrees (82 Fahrenheit) throughout the year and reach 32 degrees (89 Fahrenheit) in lagoons.
It’s an amazing dive for all, from absolute beginner divers to more experienced, the water temperature remains hot all year round.  If you prefer these hotter climates then make the most of these world class diving boats and cruises.
Other Liveaboards You May Like
If you love Caribbean diving then you may want to check out our compilation of the best Caribbean liveaboards.
The above includes the likes of Bahamas Liveaboards and Cuba Liveaboards.
Maldives Liveaboards are some of the best dive locations in the world. Enjoy some of their luxurious cruises and amazing holiday spots using our help.
How about checking out Palawan and Cebu then click here for our favourite spots.
Raja Ampat is one of the most sought-after dive locations, find our favourite liveaboards on our Raja Ampat Liveaboards article.
One of the best diving destinations, take a look at some of the top rated Egypt and the Red Sea liveaboards.
If you have always wanted to dive in Mexico, take a look at our top pick Mexico liveaboards, it also includes a handy dive site guide!
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