MV Virgo, Sharktastic, one week Maldives Liveaboards

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Travel information

Our 7 nights Package onboard MV Emperor Virgo is including:

  • 7 nights onboard in a shares double/twin cabin
  • 3 meals per day, afternoon snacks, unlimited drinking water, tea & coffee
  • A total of 17 dives per week (2-3 dives per day but no diving on the first day of travel)
  • Experienced dive guide(s)
  • Round trip local transfers f/t the airport in Male
  •  A grill event on an unihabited island (weather permitting)
  • Male city tour with a guide (upon request)
  • Free Nitrox (for Nitrox certified divers)
  • Dive tanks and weights included.
  • Beers, wine, spirits as well as soft drinks are available onboard for purchase
  • All taxes and environmental taxes (green tax) are included in the package


Grupp Discount
6 pay + 1 free
12 pay + 2 free


M/V Emperor Virgo
Think top liveaboard Emperor Serenity and now say a warm 'hello' to her smaller version, Emperor Virgo. Just like her big sister, Serenity, she exudes quality, style, space and a promise of a diving holiday to remember for years to come.
Cruise the atolls of Male and Ari knowing you're getting great value on a liveaboard that is also ideal for non-divers!
Accommodating 18 divers over her 32m length, all her cabins have double/twin beds, and cabin 3 can be booked as a triple. All cabins are ensuite. Upper and main deck cabins have large windows giving amazing views to the ocean and islands beyond.
Decorated in light wood and contemporary style, the main deck has a large saloon with comfy sofas. The bar is fully licensed so you can enjoy your favourite tipple as the sun dips below the horizon. The upper deck has loungers for sun bathing and just kicking back.
A complimentary glass of wine is served with dinner.
All diving is done from her large dhoni giving more living space and getting you to the perfect dive spot every time.
As with all Emperor Maldives boats, we offer FREE Nitrox
Virgo is one of the few liveaboards in the Maldives that is rebreather friendly and supports Poseidon MKV1, AP vision and manual megaldon units.

Specification

Type: Wooden hull
Length: 32m - Beam: 9.1m
Engine: 500 HP Mitsubishi - Water Makers: 9500lt/day
Navigation and Communication: VHF radio, GPS chart plotter, Telephone, Mobile

Diving facilities

Compressors: 2 x Coltri + Nitrox
Nitrox diving: FREE
Dive equipment rental: Full range on offer, must be pre-arranged before arrival in resort. SMB & dive computer compulsory on every dive.
Safety: Oxygen/Medic First Aid Kit
Dhoni: Large diving dhoni, fully equipped with compressors, tanks & oxygen kits
Camera facilities: Charging stations, air gun, rinse tanks & camera table

All cabins: Ensuite, with individually controlled air con and fan. Hairdryers available on board by request.

 

 

 

 


Map

Sharktastic

Sharktastic - visiting 4 Atolls (January - April)

This itinerary is not for beginners. Most dives will involve going to depth and currents can be strong. We recommend you have 30 logged dives to join this trip and require that you are Deep Diver/Advanced Open Water or equivalent. If you are an Open Water Diver, some dives are below 18m therefore we recommend having advanced experience or taking your PADI Advanced Open Water course on board to maximise your enjoyment from the trip. Divers may find some dives challenging and may be asked by the Cruise Director to skip dives that are not suitable for their diving experience. All diving is made from dhonis to give precise entry and exit points.

South Ari Atoll: Whale Sharks, Beautiful Pinnacles
South Male Atoll: Grey Reef Sharks, Eagle Rays, Other Pelagics, Beautiful Macro Wreck.
Vaavu Atoll: Beautiful channels with magical soft corals and pelagic delights. Action packed night dive with Nurse Sharks and others.
Meemu Atoll: Beautiful channels with pelagic action, Sailfish, Grey Reef Sharks, Eagle Rays and beautiful soft coral. Manta cleaning station.

In this period the clean ocean water flows in from the eastern side of the Maldives. That means currents running from Sumatra, Indonesia to the Maldives bring with them not just fantastic visibility up to 40m but also a variety of pelagic surprises coming to the reef for a quick feed.

The Channel dives of the eastern coast of the Maldives are the main order of the day. These Kandus, as they are known in the local language (Dhivehi), attract grey reef sharks, dog tooth tuna and eagle rays as standard but look out into the blue and you never know what surprises await. The outer walls and corners of the channels in Vaavu and Meemu have the added bonus of beautiful overhangs draping in the blues, yellows and pinks of the majestic soft coral.

After the adrenaline pumping channel dives of eastern Maldives we cross over to South Ari Atoll to look for the whale sharks and mantas at Maamagili and Rangali Madivaru (Dhivehi for Manta Place) among other great sites such as Kudarah Thila and Kudimaa Wreck known for its potential leaf fish and frog fish.

Equipment Rental - (all prices are per person per week)
A 12% sales tax charge will be applicable on any payments on board. Book before you go!

  • Full Set - Regulator, Octopus, BCD, Wetsuit, Mask, Fins, SMB  248 Euro
  • Full Set - Regulator, Octopus, BCD, Wetsuit, Mask, Fins, SMB and  Computer 276 Euro
  • Regulator with Octopus  110 Euro
  • Computer  83 Euro
  • BCD   83 Euro
  • Wetsuit 3 mm  shorti 55 Euro
  • Mask 28 Euro
  • Fin 28 Euro
  • Torch 83 Euro
  • 15 litre tank 83 Euro
  • Dubbeltank (2 x12 liter) 166 Euro
  • Side Mount SM550  110 Euro
  • Rebreather tank  110 Euro
  • Stage S40 (5.7 ltr)  110 Euro
  • Stage S80 (11.1 ltr) 110 Euro

Dive Requirements
Maldivian authorities state that the maximum depth for diving in the Maldives is restricted to 30 metres. All divers are required to carry a Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) and a dive computer on every dive.

 


Liveaboards in Maldives

Liveaboard is definitely the best choice for the ultimate dive trip in the Maldives. Liveaboard gives you the opportunity to enjoy many different dive sites on the same trip. You make up to 3 dives per day and all food is included. Your holiday begins immediately after arrival in Malé Airport. Here you will meet our representatives who will help you with the transfer to the boat, a short boat ride followed by a welcome drink. Wellcome on board!

On a Liveaboard vacation in the Maldives, you will stay on board throughout your dive holiday. You can also choose to combine your vacation with a few days on a Resort island or fly home immediately after the cruise ends. The boats have both twin-bed cabinets but also double-bedded cabins. You make up to 3 dives daily. Full board, tea, coffee and water are included as well as bottles, weights and diving services. There is diving equipment for hire if you do not want to bring your own.  During the week and on most of our tours, you will also be offered a barbecue evening on a so-called "Desert island" (If weather allows).

 

About the country

Welcome to the Maldives! 

Welcome to one of the most appealing and dreamed-of dive destinations in the whole wide world. The Maldives is an island nation located south of Sri Lanka and India in the Indian Ocean. With 26 atolls, the diving is at a drift pace with currents carrying you along in waters that simply surge with nutrients, attracting the richness of marine life for which the Maldives is best known. With 99% of the country consists of water, the Maldives offers a perfect opportunity for those who want to experience a huge range of fantastic diving. Maldives is a great destination for those who want to lie on a beach and enjoy the beautiful views but an exceptional destination for those who want to experience life even under the water onboard a Liveaboards Cruise the beautiful islands while diving and relaxing!

The temperatures are stable: highs are around 30 °C (86 °F) and lows around 25 °C (77 °F) for most of the year. Relative humidity is high and stable throughout the year as well, around 80%. However, between February and May, there is a slight increase in temperature, and even in the feeling of sultriness, especially in the northern atolls, given that in this period the maximum temperature rises to 31/32 °C (88/90 °F), and the minimum temperature to 26/27 °C (79/81 °F). 

Here are the average temperatures of the capital Malé. 
Average temperatures - Malé

Malé Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Min (°C) 25 25 26 26 26 26 25 25 25 25 25 25
Max (°C) 30 31 31 32 31 30 30 30 30 30 30 30