Vivax Liveaboard, Colombia

Vivax is a Colombian-flagged diving support vessel built in 1991 and renewed in 2024. Operating as a diesel-powered special services vessel, the boat gives divers access to Malpelo Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Colombia’s most restricted offshore reserves. Because only one boat is permitted in the reserve at a time, trips aboard Vivax offer a highly controlled and remote diving setting.

The vessel measures 32 metres by 8 metres and is arranged for expedition-style diving, with rental equipment available and free Nitrox included. Vivax is described as one of the safest diving platforms for this region, supported by highly experienced guides and designed to provide comfort and safety during the expedition.

Cabin Types

Vivax offers accommodation in 2 couple rooms and 8 individual cabins. Cabin categories shown include Single Cabin Lower Deck, Single Cabin Main Deck, Queen Cabin Lower Deck, and Full Cabin. Each is presented as a calm and cosy room.

Diving
Diving around Malpelo Island is shaped by its position in the Colombian Pacific, where several major currents from the Pacific Basin and the Panama Inlet meet. This movement of water brings nutrients into the area and supports one of Colombia’s richest offshore marine environments. Around the island, divers encounter rocky and coral reef habitats with a high concentration of fish life; 395 fish species have been recorded in the Malpelo region.

Sharks are one of the defining features of diving here. Large groups of hammerhead sharks, silky sharks, and whale sharks can be seen in the area, along with deep-sea sharks sometimes referred to as monster sharks. Galapagos sharks, rays, groupers, moray eels, horse mackerel, barracudas, sea turtles, and marine mammals also form part of the underwater landscape. The biomass is strong enough to support a resident colony of around 20 dolphins, adding another layer to the island’s pelagic character.

Itinerary

Vivax itineraries focus on Malpelo Island, an oceanic island in the Colombian Pacific and a UNESCO Natural Heritage of Humanity site. The island rises from depths of more than 4,000 metres and is marked by steep volcanic coastlines shaped by marine erosion, rainfall, and strong winds. The main island is surrounded by 11 smaller islets, including Los Mosqueteros in the north, Vagamares and La Torta in the east, and La Gringa, Escuba, and Los Tres Reyes in the south.

The route gives divers access to the Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary, now recognized as one of the largest marine protected areas in the world. The island is monitored by the Colombian National Navy to help protect the area from illegal shark fishing and support conservation. With only one boat allowed in the reserve at a time, the itinerary offers a remote, tightly controlled expedition setting focused on volcanic seascapes, shark encounters, and nutrient-rich Pacific waters