Luxury Maldives Dive & Spa Experience 2028

Luxury Maldives Dive & Spa Experience 2028

Perfect for divers, snorkelers, and non-divers, this 7-night cruise onboard the Maldives' most luxurious liveaboard offers fantastic diving, exceptional snorkeling experiences, and a sumptuous spa menu to treat anyone looking for the ultimate getaway.

Why Join This Trip?

• Spend a week enjoying one of the Maldives' most luxurious liveaboards, ScubaSpa Yang
• This trip is timed during peak season in Hanifaru Bay, where hundreds of manta rays cyclone feed in one of nature's most impressive spectacles
• Perfect for divers and non-divers, guests can choose from a dive, spa, or mixed package, to make the most of their trip
• Diver to Guide ratio is 4:1
• 25% off rental photo gear from Bluewater Photo
• Fully refundable deposit until 12 months from departure

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Trip Overview

The highlight of this itinerary is snorkeling in Hanifaru Bay in the Maldives, which is thought to be one of the few places in the world where whale sharks congregate to mate. Our trip is timed to coincide with the peak of the largest gatherings of manta rays worldwide, with up to one hundred individuals feeding in the small inlet when the tide pushes plankton into the bay. Guests will be able to snorkel and observe this spectacular site. 

Guests can choose from one of three package options to ensure they enjoy their experience to the fullest: 

• The Scuba Package is for certified divers and includes 17 guided dives around the top Central Atoll sites. 
• The Spa Package can be enjoyed by non-divers and those wishing to relax and enjoy up to 8 Classic spa treatments from the spa menu. 
• The Scuba & Spa Package offers the best of both, with 6 dives and 4 Classic spa treatments. All guests are able to book try dives, additional spa treatments, and experience snorkeling with mantas in Hanifaru Bay.

Click the Manta Trust logo to learn more!

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Sample Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary and is subject to weather and other conditions.

• Day 1 – Saturday | Arrival & Welcome
  Guests meet at the airport at 12:30 for the first transfer to the main vessel, followed by additional transfers at 15:00 and 17:00. At 18:00, the crew introduction and safety briefing take place with the Cruise Director. The evening continues with a welcome dinner at the Al Fresco Restaurant at 19:00, and the spa opens at 20:00 for information and reservations.
• Day 2 – Sunday | First Dives & Beach Time
  The day begins with a yoga class at 06:00, followed by a morning orientation dive at 06:30 and breakfast at 08:00. Guests enjoy a second dive at 10:30, snorkeling at 12:15, and lunch at 13:00. The afternoon includes a third dive or snorkeling, water sports, and a beach visit. The day concludes with sunset drinks on a sandbank and a ‘Sunday Roast’ dinner at Al Fresco.
• Day 3 – Monday | Diving & Secluded Islands
  After early morning yoga and a dive, breakfast is served at 08:00. The morning features snorkeling, water sports, and a beach visit on a secluded island, followed by a second dive. Lunch is served at 13:00, with a third dive in the afternoon. The evening wraps up with a relaxed Mexican-themed dinner.
• Day 4 – Tuesday | Sandbanks & Beach BBQ
  The day starts with yoga and a morning dive, followed by breakfast. Guests enjoy a second dive mid-morning, lunch at 13:00, and beach time with water sports on a sandbank. A third dive follows in the afternoon. Sunset yoga is held on a picnic island, leading into a moonlit beach BBQ.
• Day 5 – Wednesday | Whale Shark Encounters
  Yoga and a morning dive start the day, followed by breakfast. Two whale shark search trips are scheduled—one before lunch and one in the afternoon—combining snorkeling and diving opportunities. The evening features a Greek dinner at Al Fresco and a starry-sky movie night on the spa deck.
• Day 6 – Thursday | Night Diving Experience
  After yoga, a morning dive, and breakfast, guests enjoy a second dive before lunch. The afternoon is dedicated to snorkeling, water sports, and visiting a sandbank. In the evening, guests experience a night dive and night snorkeling, followed by an Italian Fiesta dinner.
• Day 7 – Friday | Final Dives & Island Visit
  The final full day includes yoga, a morning dive, breakfast, and the last dive of the week at 10:30. Snorkeling continues during beach time before lunch. The afternoon features a visit to a local island, offering cultural insight and relaxed exploration.
• Day 8 – Saturday | Departure
  Guests settle onboard accounts between 06:00 and 08:00 while enjoying breakfast. Transfers to the airport begin at 07:00, with the final transfer departing at 08:45.

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Marine Life to Photograph

The Maldives is one of the world’s premier destinations for underwater photography, offering exceptional opportunities for both wide-angle and action imagery. Strong currents flowing through the atolls attract an abundance of pelagic life, creating dramatic scenes of manta rays gliding through cleaning stations, whale sharks cruising along reef edges, and schools of eagle rays, tuna, and jacks moving through the blue. Reef sharks, including grey reef and whitetip sharks, are a constant presence and provide striking subjects against clear water and vibrant coral backdrops. 

Beyond the big animals, the reefs and lagoons are rich in photographic detail. Colorful soft corals, sponges, and anemones host clownfish, moray eels, frogfish, and a variety of nudibranchs, making the Maldives equally rewarding for close-focus wide-angle and macro photography. Excellent visibility, combined with warm water temperatures, ensures comfortable diving conditions and consistent light, allowing photographers to capture the full spectrum of marine life in this iconic Indian Ocean destination.

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Diving Conditions

In August, diving offers warm water, and dynamic channel dives, although visibility can sometimes be reduced due to the plankton upwellings that bring the mantas and whale sharks. Topside conditions are more unsettled with higher humidity, occasional rain, and choppier seas due to the southwest monsoon. 

• Water temperature: 82-84F (28-29C) 
• Visibility: 50-80 feet (15-25m) 
• Depth range: 15-100ft (5-30m)

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Recommended Scuba Gear

Download our full scuba gear guide to the Maldives, Bluewater Travel guests receive 10% OFF! Click the image below to download (PDF).

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Trip Type

This is a GUIDED GROUP TRIP. Led by experienced Bluewater trip leaders or accredited local guides who will manage trip logistics and ensure your needs are met throughout.

What to Expect from Our Guided Group Trips

• Meet like-minded travelers - Our Group Trips are perfect for solo travelers or couples who enjoy sharing experiences and the support of a pre-arranged itinerary. Your trip leaders will arrange group activities to ensure everyone feels part of the Bluewater family.
• Problems solved - Your trip leaders will be on hand to assist with any issues you may have, ensuring your trip runs smoothly from start to finish.

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Inclusions

• 7 nights accommodation onboard ScubaSpa Yang, double/twin occupancy
• Full board meals
• Airport transfers on embarkation and disembarkation days
• Diving, Spa, or Diving & Spa Package as chosen when you book
• Welcome drink
• Unlimited drinking water, coffee, and tea
• Instructor-led yoga classes every morning
• Snorkeling equipment
• BBQ on the beach
• 5GB Starlink WiFi per cabin
• Excursions and standard dive/snorkel gear (tanks, weights, reef hooks, SMB)

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Exclusions

• International flights
• Upgraded Unlimited WiFi ($100 per cabin)
• Laundry, bar menu items, and extra dive courses
• Private guide options
• Gratuities and travel insurance

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About the Scubaspa Yang

For further details about the accommodation, visit our dedicated Scubaspa Yang page. Scubaspa Yang is a luxury liveaboard designed for divers seeking an exceptional balance of world-class diving, refined comfort, and holistic relaxation in the Maldives. Accommodating up to 40 guests in elegant sea-view cabins and suites, the vessel combines spacious social areas, gourmet dining, a fully equipped spa, gym, and yoga deck with a professionally run dive operation supported by a dedicated dive dhoni. From iconic Maldivian dive routes such as the Best of Maldives and Deep South to themed cruises focused on mantas, whale sharks, and solo travelers, Scubaspa Yang delivers a seamless, resort-style liveaboard experience where unforgettable marine encounters are paired with premium service, wellness, and understated luxury.

Connectivity

Scubaspa Yang provides free 5GB Wi-Fi per cabin. Once your data is used, you may pay an additional fee to upgrade your internet package to Unlimited data. Please note, we provide 4G speed data (up to 15mb/s). The yacht is covered with hot spots, and you can log up to 4 devices at once. The WiFi onboard is 4G speed data (up to 15mb/s), however, the range depends on the proximity of broadcasting transmitters located on local islands. Good reception is available most of the time, except when the yacht crosses open ocean (a few hours throughout the week) and in more remote areas in Vaavu Atoll.

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Trip Leaders

Dan Bishop

Dan is an accomplished underwater photographer based in northern Virginia. He did his first dive at age 14 and has been an avid photographer for more than 30 years. Initially a skydiving photographer and videographer, Dan transitioned his focus to the underwater world, driven by a desire to capture the ocean's stunning beauty. Dan is skilled in both wide-angle and macro photography and has a passion for sharing his knowledge with others, particularly in a structured workshop environment.

View more of Dan's work here: DanBishopPhotography.com

Read more about Dan Bishop.

Mark Hatter

Mark Hatter is an international award-winning photojournalist who has had over one hundred feature articles with many hundreds of images published in more than three dozen diving publications and fly fishing publications over the last three decades. His most recent destination features have appeared in Ocean Geographic and Asian Diver (UK) magazines.

Mark has traveled the world in pursuit of new underwater photography challenges, including cold-water destinations such as British Columbia and even Antarctica.

“Of course, I love shooting in tropical locations but I think cold water diving is a great forcing function to hone one’s photography skills as the environment and equipment are much more demanding of a diver. Good image capture in cold water is particularly rewarding.” Mark tells us.

Mark has been shooting underwater since the early 1980s and has worked in both film and digital mediums in his photojournalism pursuits. In 35 years of diving, Mark has logged over 2,500 hours, much of it doing underwater photography. Currently, he teaches underwater photography classes locally at Seminole Scuba in Lake Mary, Florida and works for Aggressor Adventures as a commercial photographer and writer.

Read more about Mark Hatter.

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How To Get There

Arrival

Guests should fly internationally to Velana International Airport in Malé (MLE). Most flights from the US transit through Middle Eastern hubs such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, or Doha. It is strongly recommended to arrive at least one day before embarkation to allow time to rest after long-haul travel and to accommodate any potential flight or baggage delays. A range of overnight hotel options is available in Malé and nearby islands, and recommendations can be provided to suit different budgets and preferences.

Airport-to-vessel transfers are scheduled for 12:30 PM, 3:00 PM, and 5:00 PM on August 5th. Guests arriving on embarkation day should book flights accordingly. Guests staying at a local hotel must return to the airport to meet the transfer, as transfers from local hotels are not available due to logistical constraints.

Please note that transfer times are approximate and subject to delays. Embarkation day is dedicated solely to collecting arriving guests, and no sailing or onboard activities such as diving, snorkeling, or spa treatments are scheduled on this day.

Departure

On August 12th, standard airport transfers are scheduled at 7:00 AM and 8:45 AM. The dive boat will transfer all guests to Velana International Airport in Malé for their onward flights. Guests continuing their stay in the Maldives will be met at the airport by their respective hotel transfers.

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Maldives Trip Extensions

Want to extend your trip? We can also help with that. Flying all that way merits a multi-destination vacation! Contact us for ideas and recommendations of packages we can add to your reservation: 

Read More.

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Payment Schedule

• Deposit: $1,000 to book your spot
• Payment 2: $1,000 due May 1, 2027
• Balance: Due December 1, 2027

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