Emperor Serenity, Maldives

High-Intensity Best of Maldives Itinerary This is an itinerary that covers the iconic dive sites of Male, Ari, and Vaavu atolls. From pinnacle dives to channel dives and cleaning stations, there will be a number of underwater landscapes visited on this tour. Divers will see mantas, reef sharks, and an array of macro life. Other highlights include Fish Head in Ari Atoll, a protected pinnacle and regular haunt of grey reef sharks, turtles, and fusiliers. Schools of blue line snapper and trevallies often pass through for some dramatic underwater scenes. Another standout is the night dive at Alimatha in Vaavu Atoll, where a plethora of nurse sharks, some well over three meters in length, congregates every evening. On occasion, hammerheads and whale sharks may appear on this trip, adding some infrequent but exhilarating encounters. This also gives the vessel sufficient flexibility to change route according to weather, currents, and marine activity to ensure optimum diving conditions. Flexibility like this offers divers a chance to experience underwater treasures in the Maldives

Diving into the remote southern atolls with experiences of large marine species and pristine diving conditions, this itinerary takes the diver across Huvadhu, Fuvahmulah, and Addu atolls, each being unique. Pelagic life dominates Fuvahmulah, and one can regularly see tiger sharks, silky sharks, thresher sharks, and oceanic mantas. At Huvadhu, which boasts one of the deepest lagoons in the Maldives, sightings of hammerheads, grey reef sharks, and whale sharks are possible, especially at nutrient-rich channels such as Vilingilli and Mareehaa. Addu Atoll has a mix of history and marine life, including the HMS British Loyalty wreck and manta cleaning stations. Easy-going finishes to the dives come from the Demon Corner drift dives throughout the itinerary. The best diving season is from December until March. This coincides with the active shark species and pelagic encounters. The vessel operates on a basis of natural encounters and in no way uses bait or chum. Routes and dive sites are subject to change according to weather and sea conditions for safety and quality

The Maldivian underwater world depicts various marine species. The Central Atolls host divers with mantas, whale sharks, and reef sharks. Turtles, Napoleon wrasse, and reef fish such as triggerfish, clownfish, and snappers are on the coral ecosystem. Seasonal currents attract schooling barracudas and jackfish. The Deep South Atolls have hammerhead sharks, tiger sharks, silky sharks, and other pelagic species. Grey reef sharks frequent the channels while thresher sharks occasionally show up. Macro life comes in the form of nudibranchs, ghost pipefish, and many others that add detail to underwater dynamic landscapes

The diving season differs within different atolls of the Maldives. Central Atolls have excellent conditions during the northeast monsoon-from November to April-when the sea is very calm and visibility is great, and mantas and whale sharks visit cleaning stations in big numbers. The Deep South Atolls are best visited during the months of January to March. It is within this period that large food variety, above all in the channels, attracts pelagic species like hammerheads and tiger sharks by strong currents. This is a great time to see sharks and to enjoy some amazing drift dives. Each season and every region offers its special experiences under the water, meaning it is always a good time to go diving in the Maldives