7 southern atolls snorkeling cruise

12 nights – 7 atolls
Male , Ari, Faafu, Dhaalu, Thaa, Meemu, Felidhoo

Arrival in Male usually in the morning. The program for this first day depends on international flight arrival times. Welcome at the airport and pick-up by your guide. Transfer to your boat (15-minute trip). Installation on board and presentation of the boat, crew and program. Lunch on board. Sailing (1 hour) and first swim in 30°C water near a sandbank. Sailing (1h30) to the south of the atoll. Anchor and overnight in Rihiveli lagoon.

Day 2: Rihiveli Lagoon - Dhigurah Island - South Ari Atoll

This morning, we have a great chance of meeting our first dolphins and enjoying an early morning swim in their company. We then lift anchor for a change of atoll, moving away from the hotel islands to play "Robinson" in the lagoons of Ari Atoll. Ari Atoll is world-renowned for its seabed, populated by numerous species including manta rays and whale sharks. We reach Dhigurah Island, after scouring the Maamigili reef for whale sharks. Back on board, books are available in the library to learn more about the varieties and species we'll encounter on our explorations. At the end of the day, we can go ashore to visit the small village of Dhigurah.

Day 3: Whale shark - Faafu atoll

After breakfast, another snorkeling trip in search of whale sharks. We then set sail for Faafu atoll. We sail to our evening anchorage in the middle of the atoll, near a deserted island close to Filitheyo.

Day 4: Dhaalu Atoll – Maaeboodhoo Island

We continue our journey by heading south to the next atoll. Still equipped with our masks and snorkels, we enjoy a snorkeling session to admire the vast expanses of coral home to hundreds of the shimmeringly colored fish that make the Maldives so famous. We sail towards the Dhaalu atoll, to find shelter near the village of Maaeboodhoo, which we can visit at the end of the day.

Day 5: Thaa Atoll – Mantas

This day will be spent exploring the underwater world, rich with fish-filled reefs. In the afternoon, we set sail for Thaa Atoll. Our goal will be to spot and observe whale sharks and manta rays. These species are common in this area. Sometimes, they can even be seen at anchor, attracted by the concentration of plankton in these areas.

Day 6: Madifushi Island

We spend the entire day in Thaa Atoll, the southernmost atoll on our trip. We then return to spend the night at the anchorage we had the day before, which can sometimes hold other surprises...

Day 7: Meemu Atoll

The morning begins with a short sail to Meemu Atoll. If snorkeling conditions are optimal, we take advantage of a stop to observe pelagic wildlife along the outer reef at the southern tip of the atoll, near Kolhufushi. We approach the village of Muli to discover a snorkeling site near our overnight anchorage.

Day 8: Fenboa Island

This morning, we sail northwest toward the deserted island of Fenboa. We spend the day and night near this beautiful island, where we can enjoy its beautiful stretch of sand and exceptionally rich reef.

Day 9: Felidhoo Atoll

Our day will be punctuated by sailing time and stops for more snorkeling. We swim in the small atoll of Vattaru and in the heart of the unforgettable Hulidhoo reef, east of Felidhoo atoll. Here, many fishermen cast their lines in this very fishy area. This evening, we will anchor near a beautiful sandbar, near Alimatha Island.

Day 10: Alimatha – Fulidhoo

After a morning snorkel in the northern pass of Alimatha, we head to the Kudi Boli sandbar to meet the turtles that inhabit its waters. We then head back north of the atoll for our overnight anchorage in the lagoon of the village of Fulidhoo, renowned for its wooden boat building. Wood in the Maldives is imported from Malaysia; coconut palms are too expensive and permeable; they would have to be coated with shark oil, which is now a protected species in the Maldives. We set foot on land and explore the village. The guide will explain the customs and lifestyle of these island people, whose daily lives are still closely linked to the sea.

Day 11: South Male' Atoll

Crossing of approximately 1h30 to go back up towards the atoll of Male South. We stop near the Vilivaru Velli sandbar where we can observe yet another diverse aquatic fauna. Here, octopuses and lobsters hide among the coral reefs. With a little luck, we might also encounter rays, triggerfish, or turtles. In the late afternoon, we continue our cruise towards the lagoon of Guraidhoo village.

Day 12: Guraidhoo Island – Male

We enjoy a morning of snorkeling near the Embudu reef, with beautiful corals and magnificent species of multicolored fish. In the mid-afternoon, we reach Male , the capital, for a short tour of the city. At 2.5 km long and 1.5 km wide, it is easily explored on foot. We discover the mosque, the presidential palace, the bazaar where all the import-export transactions of the Maldives take place. We finish with the fish market and the fruit and vegetable market (produced exclusively in the Maldives) where there is a lot of activity at this time of day. It is also an opportunity to taste some specialties (dried fish, local sweets such as huvadhoo bondi, unusual exotic fruits, chilies, etc.). At the end of the afternoon, we return to the boat for a last night on board.

Day 13: Departure

Then breakfast. Transfer to the airport for your return flight. If your flight is at the end of the day, we suggest you enjoy a day on the island-hotel of Embudu (or similar).

The cruise itinerary is given as an indication only and may be modified according to weather conditions, sea state and participants' arrival/departure times.

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