'Amba' means 'To your health', and you will certainly feel like you are being pampered aboard this sleek boat. MV Amba received Dive The World's prestigious Operator of the Year award for 2019.
MV Amba offers nitrox diving and is the only Maldives liveaboard that operates some tours in the areas of the Haa Alifu and Haa Dhaalu atolls, meaning that there will be very few other divers in the area, and you will feel like you have the whole underwater paradise to yourself. All diving is conducted from the dhoni which features a Western-style toilet, a freshwater shower, and significantly more space for added comfort and convenience.
All 10 cabins onboard Amba feature air conditioning and en-suite facilities. There are 2 standards of cabin to choose from - standard lower deck cabins and 25 square metre luxury cabins on the upper deck which afford you breathtaking panoramic views.
The spacious saloon offers comfortable sofas from which to take in a movie or simply discuss the best dive of the day. There are ample sundecks for those wishing to top up their tan or find a quiet corner to relax, and the upper deck sundeck even has its own bar so there's no need to interrupt the sun worshipping to order an after-dive cocktail!
Quite unusually for the Maldives, the languages covered on the M/V Amba include English, German, French and Italian. Amba caters mostly, but not exclusively, to German speakers so you can expect a mixed range of nationalities on board.
Maldives Northern Atolls (9 Days / 8 Nights - 20 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, manta rays, turtles, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Baa Atoll, Hanifaru Bay, Raa Atoll
Day 1
A scented towel and cold drink appear shortly after you step aboard the MV Amba, and you are shown to your cabin to unpack and settle in. There is an introductory briefing in the late afternoon, followed by time to set up your dive gear on the dhoni with assistance from the dive crew if you need it. Dinner is served at 6:30 pm in the air-conditioned saloon. After the meal, the crew introduces themselves properly and runs through the safety briefing. The evening is yours to adjust your computer, chat with fellow guests, or simply watch the lights of the harbour fade as we prepare to slip our mooring.
Core Days
The cruise route centres on Baa and Raa Atolls. Throughout the week, the Amba liveaboard carries you between these atolls, positioning you where conditions and sightings offer the most. In Baa Atoll, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, the dive guides pay close attention to reports from Hanifaru Bay. During the plankton season from May to November, mantas gather here to feed. If the rangers call with news of a sighting, Amba may alter course immediately, even cancelling a planned dive to slip into the water with snorkels and fins among the feeding rays. On occasion, whale sharks join them, and those moments become the stories that linger long after the trip ends.
Outside the bay, the atoll's inner and outer reefs offer their own rewards. At sites like Dhigali Haa and Mendhoo Region, the current sweeps over thilas and channels where grey reef sharks patrol and schools of jacks turn as one. The dive guides know these waters well and lead buddy teams through swim-throughs and past overhangs where white tips rest.
Raa Atoll lies to the north, and here the character of the diving shifts. The reefs are less visited, the coral gardens more intact. Plate corals spread across the plateaus, and fusiliers drift in dense clouds above the bommies. At Kandholhudhoo and the surrounding thilas, you might encounter eagle rays gliding past or glimpse a guitar ray resting on the sand. The dives here are quieter, the underwater landscapes shaped by open ocean swells that bring nutrient-rich water and, with it, larger pelagics passing through.
On the day before departure, the final dive is scheduled for the morning. After that, equipment is rinsed in freshwater tanks and left to dry. The afternoon is free for a stroll through Male City, and the evening brings the official farewell dinner.
Day 9
A light breakfast is served before check-out. The crew transfers you by dhoni back to Male International Airport.
Maldives Central Atolls (11 Days / 10 Nights - 25 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, manta rays, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, very popular, wreck diving
Dive sites and activities: North and South Male, Ari, Felidhoo and Rasdhoo atolls
Day 1
MV Amba crew will wait for your arrival at Male International Airport and escort you by dhoni to the fantastic diving yacht. A scented towel, a refreshing soft drink, and then you are taken to your cabin to settle in. There will be an introductory briefing, then the rest of the day is all yours. You can start working on your tan on the sundeck, relax by watching a movie in the air con saloon, or start setting up your dive gear. Cocktails and dinner will be served and there is an opportunity for you to get to know the crew and the other guests better.
Core Days
There are 3 briefings per day followed by dives, with 2 scheduled in the morning at 07:30 hrs and 11:30 hrs, then one in the afternoon at 15:00 hrs, or a night dive at 19:00 hrs instead. Hot drinks and cookies are offered when you wake up, but the real breakfast happens after the 1st dive:
fresh fruit juice, cold meats, cheese, tomato salad, and scrambled eggs or spreads (jam or chocolate cream) on toast. Main meals are influenced mainly by European cuisine, using fresh vegetables for tasty salads and 2 or 3 hot dishes served for lunch and dinner of freshly-caught fish, chicken or beef. A freshly-prepared dessert always completes the meal.
Obviously the cruise is not only about delicious food. There will be drift dives in passages and channels, submerged pinnacles, manta cleaning stations, and a wreck dive or two. Miyaru Faru is aptly named since ‘miyaru’ means shark in Dhivehi and not surprisingly this is where you can encounter the ‘big boys’. An overhang protects you from the current and provides an excellent viewing spot for the impressive parade of pelagics and patrolling grey reef sharks, or even the occasional hammerhead. The channel at Felidhoo Atoll has a spectacular wall showcasing caves, swim-throughs and overhangs festooned with colourful soft corals and bushes of black corals. Other highlights during your safari may include dozens of huge nurse sharks, midnight snappers, kingfish, schools of eagle rays and mantas, and whale sharks in these plankton-rich waters.
Please note that there will only be 1 dive the day before departure in order to stay within the no flying-after-diving guidelines.
Day 11
Check out after a light breakfast you will be taken back to Male Airport.
Maldives Central Atolls (12 Days / 11 Nights - 28 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, manta rays, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, very popular, wreck diving
Dive sites and activities: North and South Male, Ari, Felidhoo and Rasdhoo atolls
Day 1
MV Amba crew will wait for your arrival at Male International Airport and escort you by dhoni to the fantastic diving yacht. A scented towel, a refreshing soft drink, and then you are taken to your cabin to settle in. There will be an introductory briefing, then the rest of the day is all yours. You can start working on your tan on the sundeck, relax by watching a movie in the air con saloon, or start setting up your dive gear. Cocktails and dinner will be served and there is an opportunity for you to get to know the crew and the other guests better.
Core Days
There are 3 briefings per day followed by dives, with 2 scheduled in the morning at 07:30 hrs and 11:30 hrs, then one in the afternoon at 15:00 hrs, or a night dive at 19:00 hrs instead. Hot drinks and cookies are offered when you wake up, but the real breakfast happens after the 1st dive:
fresh fruit juice, cold meats, cheese, tomato salad, and scrambled eggs or spreads (jam or chocolate cream) on toast. Main meals are influenced mainly by European cuisine, using fresh vegetables for tasty salads and 2 or 3 hot dishes served for lunch and dinner of freshly-caught fish, chicken or beef. A freshly-prepared dessert always completes the meal.
Obviously the cruise is not only about delicious food. There will be drift dives in passages and channels, submerged pinnacles, manta cleaning stations, and a wreck dive or two. Miyaru Faru is aptly named since ‘miyaru’ means shark in Dhivehi and not surprisingly this is where you can encounter the ‘big boys’. An overhang protects you from the current and provides an excellent viewing spot for the impressive parade of pelagics and patrolling grey reef sharks, or even the occasional hammerhead. The channel at Felidhoo Atoll has a spectacular wall showcasing caves, swim-throughs and overhangs festooned with colourful soft corals and bushes of black corals. Other highlights during your safari may include dozens of huge nurse sharks, midnight snappers, kingfish, schools of eagle rays and mantas, and whale sharks in these plankton-rich waters.
Please note that there will only be 1 dive the day before departure in order to stay within the no flying-after-diving guidelines.
Day 12
Check out after a light breakfast you will be taken back to Male Airport.
Maldives Central & Southern Atolls (12 Days / 11 Nights - 28 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, manta rays, turtles, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, very popular, wall diving, wreck diving
Dive sites and activities: Meemu, Felidhoo, Ari Atoll, Rasdhoo, Nilandhe, South Male, North Male
Day 1
MV Amba crew will wait for your arrival at Male International Airport and escort you by dhoni to the fantastic diving yacht. A scented towel, a refreshing soft drink, and then you are taken to your cabin to settle in. There will be an introductory briefing, then the rest of the day is all yours. You can start working on your tan on the sundeck, relax by watching a movie in the air con saloon, or start setting up your dive gear. Cocktails and dinner will be served and there is an opportunity for you to get to know the crew and the other guests better.
Core Days
There are 3 briefings per day followed by dives, with 2 scheduled in the morning at 07:30 hrs and 11:30 hrs, then one in the afternoon at 15:00 hrs, or a night dive at 19:00 hrs instead. Hot drinks and cookies are offered when you wake up, but the real breakfast happens after the 1st dive:
fresh fruit juice, cold meats, cheese, tomato salad, and scrambled eggs or spreads (jam or chocolate cream) on toast. Main meals are influenced mainly by European cuisine, using fresh vegetables for tasty salads and 2 or 3 hot dishes served for lunch and dinner of freshly-caught fish, chicken or beef. A freshly-prepared dessert always completes the meal.
Obviously the cruise is not only about delicious food. There will be drift dives in passages and channels, submerged pinnacles, manta cleaning stations, and a wreck dive or two. Miyaru Faru is aptly named since ‘miyaru’ means shark in Dhivehi and not surprisingly this is where you can encounter the ‘big boys’. An overhang protects you from the current and provides an excellent viewing spot for the impressive parade of pelagics and patrolling grey reef sharks, or even the occasional hammerhead. The channel at Felidhoo Atoll has a spectacular wall showcasing caves, swim-throughs and overhangs festooned with colourful soft corals and bushes of black corals. Other highlights during your safari may include dozens of huge nurse sharks, midnight snappers, kingfish, schools of eagle rays and mantas, and whale sharks in these plankton-rich waters.
Please note that there will only be 1 dive the day before departure in order to stay within the no flying-after-diving guidelines.
Day 12
Check out after a light breakfast you will be taken back to Male Airport.
Maldives Central & Southern Atolls (14 Days / 13 Nights - 34 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, manta rays, turtles, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, very popular, wall diving, wreck diving
Dive sites and activities: Meemu, Felidhoo, Ari Atoll, Rasdhoo, South Male, North Male
Day 1
MV Amba crew will wait for your arrival at Male International Airport and escort you by dhoni to the fantastic diving yacht. A scented towel, a refreshing soft drink, and then you are taken to your cabin to settle in. There will be an introductory briefing, then the rest of the day is all yours. You can start working on your tan on the sundeck, relax by watching a movie in the air con saloon, or start setting up your dive gear. Cocktails and dinner will be served and there is an opportunity for you to get to know the crew and the other guests better.
Core Days
There are 3 briefings per day followed by dives, with 2 scheduled in the morning at 07:30 hrs and 11:30 hrs, then one in the afternoon at 15:00 hrs, or a night dive at 19:00 hrs instead. Hot drinks and cookies are offered when you wake up, but the real breakfast happens after the 1st dive:
fresh fruit juice, cold meats, cheese, tomato salad, and scrambled eggs or spreads (jam or chocolate cream) on toast. Main meals are influenced mainly by European cuisine, using fresh vegetables for tasty salads and 2 or 3 hot dishes served for lunch and dinner of freshly-caught fish, chicken or beef. A freshly-prepared dessert always completes the meal.
Obviously the cruise is not only about delicious food. There will be drift dives in passages and channels, submerged pinnacles, manta cleaning stations, and a wreck dive or two. Miyaru Faru is aptly named since ‘miyaru’ means shark in Dhivehi and not surprisingly this is where you can encounter the ‘big boys’. An overhang protects you from the current and provides an excellent viewing spot for the impressive parade of pelagics and patrolling grey reef sharks, or even the occasional hammerhead. The channel at Felidhoo Atoll has a spectacular wall showcasing caves, swim-throughs and overhangs festooned with colourful soft corals and bushes of black corals. Other highlights during your safari may include dozens of huge nurse sharks, midnight snappers, kingfish, schools of eagle rays and mantas, and whale sharks in these plankton-rich waters.
Please note that there will only be 1 dive the day before departure in order to stay within the no flying-after-diving guidelines.
Day 14
Check out after a light breakfast you will be taken back to Male Airport.
Maldives Central & Southern Atolls (15 Days / 14 Nights - 37 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, manta rays, turtles, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, very popular, wall diving, wreck diving
Dive sites and activities: Meemu, Felidhoo, Ari Atoll, Rasdhoo, South Male, North Male
Day 1
MV Amba crew will wait for your arrival at Male International Airport and escort you by dhoni to the fantastic diving yacht. A scented towel, a refreshing soft drink, and then you are taken to your cabin to settle in. There will be an introductory briefing, then the rest of the day is all yours. You can start working on your tan on the sundeck, relax by watching a movie in the air con saloon, or start setting up your dive gear. Cocktails and dinner will be served and there is an opportunity for you to get to know the crew and the other guests better.
Core Days
There are 3 briefings per day followed by dives, with 2 scheduled in the morning at 07:30 hrs and 11:30 hrs, then one in the afternoon at 15:00 hrs, or a night dive at 19:00 hrs instead. Hot drinks and cookies are offered when you wake up, but the real breakfast happens after the 1st dive:
fresh fruit juice, cold meats, cheese, tomato salad, and scrambled eggs or spreads (jam or chocolate cream) on toast. Main meals are influenced mainly by European cuisine, using fresh vegetables for tasty salads and 2 or 3 hot dishes served for lunch and dinner of freshly-caught fish, chicken or beef. A freshly-prepared dessert always completes the meal.
Obviously the cruise is not only about delicious food. There will be drift dives in passages and channels, submerged pinnacles, manta cleaning stations, and a wreck dive or two. Miyaru Faru is aptly named since ‘miyaru’ means shark in Dhivehi and not surprisingly this is where you can encounter the ‘big boys’. An overhang protects you from the current and provides an excellent viewing spot for the impressive parade of pelagics and patrolling grey reef sharks, or even the occasional hammerhead. The channel at Felidhoo Atoll has a spectacular wall showcasing caves, swim-throughs and overhangs festooned with colourful soft corals and bushes of black corals. Other highlights during your safari may include dozens of huge nurse sharks, midnight snappers, kingfish, schools of eagle rays and mantas, and whale sharks in these plankton-rich waters.
Please note that there will only be 1 dive the day before departure in order to stay within the no flying-after-diving guidelines.
Day 15
Check out at around 08:00 hrs: after a light breakfast you will be taken back to Male Airport.
[Information is best estimate in ideal circumstances and subject to changes beyond our control. The itinerary is a guide only and may be adapted to best suit the weather, tides, currents, availability and other prevailing events. Price is for the cruise, not for an exact number of dives].
The crew comprises:
- 2-3 Divemasters
- 2 Captains
- Cook
- Kitchen Helper
- Compressor Boy
- Waiter
- Room Boy
- Dhoni Crew
Enriched air nitrox - Motorised wood hull dive tender and dinghy - 50m² saloon with bar, TV, DVD player, music system, internet facility, books and magazines - 70m² shaded area - 50m² sundeck with sun chairs - Stand-up paddleboard available at extra charge
There are either 1 or 2 diving
dhoni tenders accompanying the Amba on each trip. These dhonis are equipped with rinse tanks and camera tables, and also carry oxygen. All the dive gear is kept onboard the dhonis for the duration of the tour, with the compressors being onboard too. These boats will drop you at the dive sites and return you to the liveaboard afterwards.
Amba also has an additional tender for safety that doubles as a watersking / wakeboarding boat to while away those surface intervals!
