Maldives was liberated from Portuguese invaders in the late 16^th century by Muhammad Thakurufaanu Al Auzam, ever since earning him the status of one of the beloved legendary heroes of the country. His epic struggle for freedom has been told and retold countless times, ever since the details of the story had disappeared into the mists of history.

One of the facts is quite clear, believable or not, that Thakurufaanu used to dart in between islands and entire atolls on boat a boat he built himself – The Kalhuoffummi. It is believed that this dhoani – a Maldivian boat – attained incredible speeds even though it was driven by the wind in the sails.

Misty-eyed Maldivian historians and elderly alike still praise the hero for his efforts in what was a short, intense battle when Thakurufaanu and his brothers overthrew André André’s garrison in the capital city, Malé, thus freeing the country in 1573.

The model of the legendary Kalhuofummi, the miraculous 'dhoni' of the Maldivian hero, Mohammad Thakurufaanu

Feeling historical already? Well this is your chance to experience the Maldives like no other has ever done before: Maldives Dive Travel has now acquired two boats that were designed with reference to the structure of Kalhuoffummi.

Named, Dhoni Stella I and II, the boats is designed with two cabin suites each that caters from two to six travelers, and since you aren’t going to be at war while on your vacation, instead of battle equipment, the safari boats are designed with all the luxurious amenities that is prerequisite for a lovely getaway in the most romantic spot on Earth.

Come up with your own vacation plan, or choose one that caters your desires, be it snorkeling, some light diving or intense under the ocean adventure for the experienced divers and the experienced captain and crew will take care of the rest.

Your time onboard Dhoni Stella I and II will alternate between the air-conditioned authentic wooden cabins that are sophisticated in its simplicity, the cuisine of Maldives with a dash of Italian favorites, the top notch service by the competent crew and a choice of four options to charter the vessel.

Tourists staying at resorts can use the boat for an exclusive full day trip or for excursions and return to the resort for the night. Travelers who prefer to go off the beaten path would love the full charter option of the vessel, where you can embark at Malé – the capital island of the Maldives or from any resort, and choose where to go.

Between choosing a combination of cruising itineraries with a where you get to spend overnights either on the vessel or a resort, and a full safari charter tailor made for divers, snorkelers and fishermen, one would be inclined for the latter if one is into the aqua scene, as this package is designed by Max Molteni, an expert on Maldives and author of the book ‘Maldives Cruising Guide’.

Dhoni Stella - the new Maldivian luxury yachts

Which boat to choose ?

The differences between the two boats are in design, as Dhoni Stella I is the best choice for a couple or a family as it has a ‘Master Cabin Suite’ for two adults and a ‘Twin Cabin Suite’ for two adults  and a child. Dhoni Stella II on the other hand, is best for two couples or two families as it has two ‘Triple Cabin Suites’ which has three adults and one child occupancy per suite.

Everything else is the same on both boats, as all the cabins have their own private toilet, fresh water from an onboard desalination plant, diving facilities, dive guide and gears, and fishing gears made available on request from the English-speaking crew members that include a captain, a chef and two stewards. The vessels are equipped with a motorized dinghy that facilitates transport onto and off islands and sand-bars.

While internet isn’t available on board, tourists are given a local SIM card which can be used to get online with a wireless modem on the 3G network that blankets almost the entire country.

Dhoni Stella one of the suites in sunset light

Offers by Maldives dive travel

Maldives Dive Travel is offering a package from 1^st July to 31^st August where children and teen-agers are free of charge on board. There are also special deals where you get free nights. If you stay for 7 days, you pay for only 6, stay for 10 nights and pay for 8, or stay for a fortnight and pay for only 11 days. This offer is valid from the 1^st of June 2012 to 25^th December 2012, and then from 7^th January 2013 to 25^th December 2013.

Visit the islands of the Maldives on boat Dhoni Stella I or II, and imagine the breathtaking beauty of the seascape afire in the setting sun; inspiration for the hero that saved the country so long ago. Have a beach barbeque with your catch of fish and eat under the canopy of the sparkling starry sky, a style that is truly Maldivian. Book now !

Scuba Diving

Maldives diving holidays are a great opportunity to experience diving in the Maldives. If you have any experience in scuba diving holidays, or have spent any time around keen scuba divers, you will most likely have heard that holidays spent diving in Maldives are some of the best diving holidays in the world. There are many reasons that make diving Maldives so great, but the best thing about Maldives scuba diving is the sheer abundance and variety of underwater marine life.

No matter how many times you visit the Maldive,scuba diving you will always find a new scuba diving experience waiting for you. There are many Maldives diving highlights, one of which is Hanifaru Bay diving, where you will have the chance to experience one of the most amazing natural phenomena in the underwater world. If you go Hanifaru diving, at the right time of year, you will see incredible numbers of manta rays that gather in this bay to feed on the massive amounts of plankton. You are almost likely to see several diving maldive whales sharks here, which also thrive on this planton. Diving Hanifaru Bay is just one of the many places where you can enjoy shark diving in Maldives. Maldives shark diving is possible throughout the archipelago, where you will see many different species of sharks, although whale sharks are perhaps the biggest attraction to divers in the diving Maledives, because of their enormous size and docile nature. If you’re keen on shark diving Maldives, you’ll be interested to know that you can also expect to see a variety of reef sharks and zebra sharks while in the Maldives.

Maldives Diving

The other great thing about diving holidays in the Maldives is that they can be enjoyed year-round. There are several Maldives diving season. The best time to enjoy Maldives scuba diving holidays is between December and March, when the weather is at its driest and the visibility at its best. Diving holidays February is probably the best month of all to enjoy Maldives diving trips, but since most of us don’t have the luxury to enjoy holidays in the month of February, Christmas diving holidays are a great idea and you might even see Santa Claus diving! Imagine enjoying the glorious sunshine and crystalline waters of the Maldives while your friends and family back home are shoveling snow! If you can’t manage a trip at Christmas to visit scuba diving santa and you don’t have a chance to experience the best scuba diving in February, you can enjoy liveaboard diving holidays every month of the year. When you go on a Maldives liveaboard diving safari, the experienced crew will know the best diving sites according to the time of year, and they will make sure you get the Maldives best diving experience possible for the time of year that you visit.

Liveaboard Diving

There are many different liveaboards to choose from when you’re looking for a Maldives diving holiday. You will find a liveaboard for every budget and level of comfort. Theia diving liveaboard is one of the most luxurious Maldive diving liveaboards, featuring Jacuzzis, massage tables and gorgeous finishings. Theia diving is quite expensive, however, so if the Maldives diving cost is something that concerns you, you might choose a different liveaboard, like Maldives diving Adventurer 2, that offers cheap diving holidays.

Other alternatives to Theia, Maldives diving include Black Pearl diving, another quality liveaboard that offers more cheap scuba diving trips. One thing is for sure, there is enough variety in the ships available to guarantee that you will be able to find the perfect diving holiday Maldives. And, while the Maldives diving price may vary significantly, last minute scuba diving holidays typically help you find the best diving Maldives price. To give you an idea of the diving prices, you should expect to pay around $180-250 per person per day, which will give you a diving holiday that includes all diving, meals and some excursions.

Diving Holidays

As well as giving you access to some great scuba diving Maldives, Liveaboard diving modern cruises are a great way to meet new people, and if you’re looking for a single scuba diving holidays, liveaboard diving trips are a great idea. Since you will be on a boat with a large group of other divers, a liveaboard presents a great idea for diving holidays for single travellers. In fact, as far as single diving holidays are concerned, there’s really no better option than a liveaboard diving holiday. Many times, people will go on all inclusive diving holidays in the Maldives without planning to be on a singles scuba diving holidays and because they are surrounded by people with similar interests, they meet a new dive buddy with whom they can then enjoy another scuba diving holiday.

Many divers will be keen to know the planned route for their Maledives diving trip. The exact route for your trip won’t be decided until everyone is on board, because the Maldives diving sites that you will visit depend on the weather conditions, the length of your safari and also the ability and experience levels of all divers on board. Most diving holidays Maldives last between 5 and 14 nights and typically visit two Maldives diving site each day. At the daily briefing, you will see a Maldives diving map
That shows the dive sites you will be visiting that day and tells you what to expect from each site. There are plenty of amazing sites for scuba diving in Maldives, these include Rasdhoo Kandu diving, among many others. At these dive sites, there will be opportunities for diving with manta rays and for enjoying sharks diving holidays. While scuba diving in the Maldives, if you choose to go liveaboard diving, which is the best diving in Maldives, you should know in advance that all dives are taken from a diving dhoni, which is a secondary boat that travels along with the diving liveaboard Maldives. All diving equipment is transported on the dhoni, and you simply travel from the liveaboard to the dive site each day on the dhoni. As these boats are far smaller than the liveaboards, they allow you to get much closer to the dive sites.

When looking to book your trip scuba diving the Maldives, there are plenty of resources. A quick search online will reveal many scuba diving blogs. A good scuba diving blog will be filled with useful information about diving prices in Maldives, travel diving in different destinations around the world and the best diving holidays. You will also find a variety of diving blog that have news about diving in general, the qualifications you need, places where you can buy diving kit and more. There is even a selection of diving screensaver available online. There is one particularly attractive Maldives diving screensaver which has gorgeous photos of underwater scenes in the Maldives.

If you are a really keen scuba diver, you might even have your own scuba diving websites, in which case you might think about joining scuba diving affiliate programs so you can make money from sending your diving traffic around the web. Make sure you take lots of Maldives diving photos, as these are by far the best way to get people interested in diving holidays in Maldives.

If you’re concerned about the cost of scuba diving in Maldives, you don’t need to worry. While it is true that Maldives diving prices can be very high, it is also possible to get a great deal on a diving safari Maldives. The most surefire way of getting cheap scuba diving holidays is to book last minute diving holidays. All of the Maldives diving liveaboards have a certain capacity they need to fill, so if the time comes for the safari to set sail, and the boat is not full, the operators would rather fill the boat with reduced-price passengers than sail a half empty boat, meaning that last minute diving holidays are available. Without getting a special deal on a Maldives diving safari, you will find that Maldives scuba diving prices vary wildly, depending on the length of the safari and the type of ship that you choose to dive from. For the cheapest scuba diving, you should book on one of the more basic liveaboards, which costs about US$180 per person per night, including all Maldives, diving and meals. If you are looking for a more luxurious scuba diving holidays Maldives, you should be aware that luxury liveaboard diving trips cost over US$200 per person per day, but conditions will be far more comfortable and elegant.

As you begin your research into diving holiday destinations, you will find that the marine life and the sheer beauty of the Maldives make diving Maldives one of the best diving destinations in the world. The best diving Maldives can be enjoyed at many times and places, although many people will agree that to enjoy the ultimate Maldives diving experience, you should come scuba diving in February.

Contact us to book your dream Maldives dive holiday!

Going diving in the Maldives is one of those experiences in life that stays with you long after you’ve left the country’s pristine islands, swaying palm trees and crystal-clear waters behind. One of the top destination of choice for divers from all over the world, this tiny Indian-Ocean Republic is made up of more than a thousand tropical islands crowning an intricate network of coral reefs, which spreads over some 900,000 square kilometers. Just beneath the water’s surface lie some of the planet’s best dive sites; home to an incredible variety of marine species. With stable politics, white sandy beaches, a balmy climate and friendly people the country’s overwater charms are also second to none.

In other words, choosing the Maldives as a diving destination is a no-brainer. But choosing between land-based or liveaboard diving can leave even the most seasoned scuba diver confused. Here is our guide to what makes liveaboard diving in the Maldives a firm favorite of the international dive community.

1. Mobility

   First things first: because they are mobile, liveaboards offer a level of freedom and ease that is unmatched by other kinds of diving in the Maldives. Imagine arriving at Male International Airport and, instead of facing a long transfer to a far-flung island, being personally welcomed and swiftly taken to your boat, which is already anchoring nearby. Then, imagine spending your days being chauffeured between the best dive sites in the Maldives, enjoying top notch onboard service and cuisine, visiting local islands and watching the exotic scenery pass by as you relax on deck.

2. Variety

   Because of their unique geography, the Maldives are blessed with innumerable world-class dive sites, many of which are yet to be discovered. In terms of offering easy access to as many of the best diving sites in the Maldives as possible, liveaboard cruises are simply unbeatable: no long transfers, no bumpy speed boat rides. Whichever direction your route takes, at the end of the trip your logbook is sure to feature plenty of stunning, and in some cases legendary, dive sites.

3. Big Fish

   One of the main reasons the Maldives are so popular with divers is their abundance of large marine animals. After all, whale sharks, manta rays and various kinds of reef sharks are among the common fish of the Maldives. Encountering one of these giants of the ocean is a riveting experience, not unlike seeing an elephant or a lion in the wild, which is why liveaboard cruises also often referred to as “safaris”.

4. Adventure

   Overall, boat holidays in the Maldives offer an irresistible sense of adventure. As the boat makes its way through the atolls, it often stops off at local fishing villages, anchors near uninhabited islands and crosses channels between atolls. Scuba diving cruises allow you to discover several atolls, meet locals and discover authentic Maldivian culture in a relaxed way. Not to forget that, on many liveaboards in the Maldives, you can spend your time between dives doing other exciting water sports such as water skiing, wakeboarding, jet skiing, fishing and canoeing.

5. Friendly Atmosphere

   Whether you are a single traveler, on your honeymoon or coming with a bunch of friends, liveaboard cruises offer a wonderfully relaxed, flexible and social way to enjoy the best diving in the Maldives. Comfortable communal spaces offer plenty of opportunities to make friends and swap diving experiences over dinner, while the spacious layout of our ships allows you to find your favorite spot to read a book or watch the sunset.

6. Affordability

   With the wide spread of luxury hotels and high-end services, the cost of scuba diving in the Maldives can be prohibitive. Though luxury liveaboards offer a superb level of services and facilities, prices are well below those of an island holiday. Also, package prices for cheap diving holidays in the Maldives tend to include numerous extras such as airport transfers, dive transfers, meals plus snacks and select beverages, island visits, sports activities and so on.

7. Conquering an Uninhabited Island

   Most safari boat excursions in the Maldives include free visits to uninhabited islands and, if the weather allows it, dinner is served on the beach. Having an island (almost) all to yourself is an unforgettable experience: once you land on the island and venture away from the shore, you might well come across a variety of exotic birds, flowers and butterflies. On a few islands, you can even find remains of old settlements and temples.

8. No Heavy Lifting, No Mosquitoes

   As mentioned at the beginning, diving from a liveaboard in the Maldives is easy. During the trip, there is no need to carry back and forth diving equipment, because all diving equipment is stowed directly on the “Dive Dhoni”, a refitted traditional Maldivian fishing boat, which acts as a floating dive base and accompanies the mother ship. Another great aspect of liveaboard diving in the Maldives is that, because there is usually a refreshing breeze and the ships anchor at a certain distance from the nearest island, you don’t need to worry about mosquito bites.

9. Sleeping Under the Stars

   For many, no diving safari in the Maldives is complete without spending at least one night on deck. The stars over this part of the world are simply breathtaking and it is not unusual to see several shooting stars before being gently rocked to sleep by the waves.

10. No Shoes, No News

    This famous holiday mantra is often heard on dive safari boats in the Maldives. If you want to completely switch off and get away from it all, there is no better place for it than a Maldivian liveaboard.

Contact Gundi or Barbara to book your next Maldives dream holiday!