Logo The Maldives

For many people the exquisite islands and coral reefs of the Maldives require little introduction. For once the holiday brochures do not need to exaggerate: these really are picture postcard islands, with swaying palm trees, white sand beaches and turquoise lagoons...

The Maldives is home to 23 species of cetacean, from the diminutive but super-abundant Spinner Dolphin to the mighty Blue Whale. Other species that we might see include Spotted Dolphin, Striped Dolphin, Common Bottlenose Dolphin, Indo-pacific Bottlenose Dolphin, Risso’s Dolphin, Fraser’s Dolphin and Rough-toothed Dolphin, Shortfin Pilot Whale, Killer Whale, False Killer Whale, Pygmy Killer Whale, Dwarf Sperm Whale and Sperm Whale. In addition, the Maldives has an international reputation for its beaked whales: Cuvier’s Beaked Whale, Blainville’s Beaked Whale, Longman’s Beaked Whale (long considered the rarest whale in the world) and Deraniyagala’s Beaked Whale (recognized only in 2014) are all seen regularly.

But what makes a visit to the Maldives so memorable for many is the quality of the snorkelling. The warm clear waters hold an abundance of technicolor coral reef fishes; Manta Rays and Whale Sharks.


Typical Itinerary

We run trips of 7-12 night’s duration, visiting more distant Maldivian atolls during longer trips. In all cases we make use of our considerable local knowledge to seek out the areas most likely to offer the very best cetacean sightings. These are wild animals, so we cannot guarantee sightings, but we fully expect to see hundreds if not thousands of individuals of up to 12 different species. All trips are kept flexible to make the best of these sightings, but for a one week trip the typical itinerary will be something like this:


Day 1
Arrival in Maldives. Arrive at Malé International Airport and transfer to our comfortable live-aboard boat. Depart around lunchtime. With a little luck we can expect our first cetacean sighting while still in sight of the airport! Tonight, and every night we will anchor in a sheltered location within one of the atolls. Depending on anchoring time there should be the opportunity for a swim, snorkel or island visit. This first evening there will be an orientation talk after sunset drinks, and most other evenings there will be an informative and engaging talk on local marine life and natural history.
Days 2-6
Whale and dolphin watching in the central atolls. Most mornings will start with a snorkel on a nearby coral reef, which in some cases may be frequented by schools of Spinner Dolphins. We then head out of the atolls into the deep ocean, in search of the rich diversity of whales and dolphins that inhabit these waters, at the same time keeping an eye open for turtles, flying fish and seabirds. Each evening we will anchor in the lagoon of an atoll, near a reef or island. Unless we have delayed by too many cetacean sightings (!), there should be time for a second snorkel or perhaps an island visit. And, depending on the season, we expect to visit at least one site where we can snorkel with magnificent Manta Rays.
Day 7
A final full day of whale and dolphin watching off Malé Atoll. In the afternoon we will return to our anchorage near the international airport. Farewell dinner and last night on board
Day 8
Malé. After breakfast transfer to international terminal for departure.