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School of grey reef sharks over a reef in the Maldives
Grey reef sharks in a southern channel: the Deep South in one frame. Photo: Dune Black Manta / Dune Liveaboards.

Maldives liveaboard · Route guide · Updated 8 November 2026 · By Abdulla Maseeh

Deep South Maldives Liveaboard: Huvadhoo, Fuvahmulah and Addu

A Deep South Maldives liveaboard takes experienced divers to the three southern atolls: Huvadhoo for its shark-filled channels, Fuvahmulah for tiger and thresher sharks, and Addu across the equator for mantas and a wartime wreck. Trips run from January to April, last 7 to 12 nights, usually start or end with a domestic flight to Gan or Kooddoo, and cost from about US$3,455 per person on the boats we book. Below: the route options, every upcoming departure with live cabin status, a day-by-day example, what you need to qualify and how the flights work.

Check Deep South datesSee departures

Deep South at a glance

3atolls: Huvadhoo, Fuvahmulah, Addu
Jan to Aprthe southern season
7 to 12nights, one-way or round trip
50+logged dives, Advanced Open Water
US$3,455published from, per person
GAN / GKKdomestic airports at the ends

Most Maldives liveaboards never leave the central atolls. The south is a different trip: fewer boats, bigger animals and stronger water. Huvadhoo is one of the largest atolls in the world, ringed by deep channels where grey reef sharks, silvertips and eagle rays work the incoming current. Fuvahmulah, alone in the Equatorial Channel with no lagoon around it, drops straight into deep ocean and is famous for tiger sharks, threshers and oceanic mantas. Addu, the southernmost atoll, sits below the equator like Fuvahmulah and adds a manta cleaning station and the wreck of the British Loyalty, a tanker sunk during the Second World War.

The price of all that is distance. Huvadhoo is more than 400 kilometres from Malé, so operators either sail down over several nights, diving Vaavu, Meemu, Thaa and Laamu on the way, or start the trip in the south and fly you there. Either way you are committing to 7 to 12 nights, a domestic flight in most cases, and dives that reward experience. For divers who have done the central atolls, it is the trip they talk about afterwards.

The three atolls, and what lives there

HuvadhooGaafu Alifu and Gaafu Dhaalu. Channel dives such as Vilingili, Kooddoo, Nilandhoo and Mareehaa: grey reef, silvertip and blacktip sharks, eagle rays, schooling jacks and tuna, dolphins and the odd sailfish. Whale sharks are seen in the atoll at night.
FuvahmulahGnaviyani, a one-island atoll. Tiger Harbour at the harbour mouth for resident tiger sharks at 6 to 10 metres, the south plateau for threshers, silvertips and hammerheads on early dives, oceanic mantas in season. Strong current, deep blue all round.
AdduSeenu, the southernmost atoll, with Gan airport on the former Royal Air Force base. A manta cleaning station, the British Loyalty wreck, and reefs that see far fewer divers than the north.
On the wayLonger trips from Malé dive Vaavu, Meemu (a good chance of hammerheads), Thaa and Laamu, where channels and thilas see almost no other boats.
Spotted eagle ray gliding over sand in the Maldives seen from above
Eagle rays patrol the channel mouths on incoming current. Photo: Dune Theia / Dune Liveaboards.
Manta ray gliding overhead in blue water on a Maldives dive
Addu's manta cleaning station is often the last dive of the trip. Photo: Dune Black Manta / Dune Liveaboards.
Whale shark swimming in open blue water in the Maldives
Whale sharks turn up in Huvadhoo and Thaa, sometimes at night under the boat lights. Photo: Dune Theia / Dune Liveaboards.

Seven ways to dive the Deep South

Every operator packages the south differently. The real choices are how long you have, whether you mind a domestic flight, and whether you want the open crossing from Malé or every night spent in the south.

The ways operators run the Deep South. Exact sites change week to week with weather and current.
RouteNightsStart and endAtollsWhy choose itBoats we book
Far South core7Kooddoo to Gan, or Gan to KooddooHuvadhoo, Fuvahmulah, AdduDomestic flight at both ends; the most diving time in the south per nightSolitude Gaia Maldives (2028); others on request
Deep South from Malé7Malé to Kooddoo, or the reverseVaavu, Meemu, Thaa, Laamu, HuvadhooOne domestic flight; channels rather than FuvahmulahDune Theia, Dune Black Manta
Wild Deep South9 to 11Starts or ends at GanHuvadhoo, Fuvahmulah, Addu, plus Laamu on longer tripsThe full shark programme with time to repeat the best sitesPrincess Maani, Sachika
Deep South, 10 nights10Malé to Gan, or Gan to MaléVaavu, Meemu, Thaa, Laamu, Huvadhoo, Fuvahmulah, AdduSail south from the capital, fly back from GanDune Theia, Dune Black Manta
South Atolls one-way8Addu to Huvadhoo, or the reverseAddu, Fuvahmulah, HuvadhooShortest way to dive all three southern atollsPrincess Haseena, Princess Maani
10 Atolls, 2 Hemispheres10 to 12Malé to Addu, or Addu to MaléTen atolls from the central Maldives across the equatorA repositioning crossing at the start and end of the southern seasonPrincess Maani, Princess Haseena, Sachika
South Atolls round trip14Malé to MaléCentral atolls south to Fuvahmulah and backNo domestic flights at all; the longest optionDune, on request

For a first southern trip with limited time, the 7-night Kooddoo to Gan format gives the most southern diving per night. If you would rather not fly at the start, a 10-night trip from Malé to Gan, like Dune’s, lets you settle in on the central channels before the big water. The 10 Atolls crossings are repositioning voyages at the start and end of the season: the widest variety of any Maldives trip, and the best value per atoll. From late January to mid April, Luxury Yacht Maldives also runs one-week southern legs between Laamu, Huvadhoo, Fuvahmulah and Addu on Duke of York and Conte Max, with a domestic flight at each end. In February and March, Pearl Fleet’s White Pearl, the largest dive liveaboard in the Maldives at 56 metres, runs 7-night Wonders of the Deeper South trips between Kooddoo and Gan, built around Fuvahmulah’s Tiger Zoo. From late January to March both Blue Force yachts, Maldives Blue Force One and Maldives Blue Force 3, run 7-night Southern Hemisphere weeks between Kooddoo and Gan, with a 7 Atolls week from Malé to open the season and another back to close it; Blue Force 3 also runs the 10 and 11-night Best of the Maldives between Malé and Gan each January. Blue Force asks for Advanced Open Water, 100 logged dives and nitrox.

Upcoming Deep South departures

Every southern departure on the boats we book, soonest first. Cabin status for Princess Maani, Princess Haseena and Sachika loads from the operator’s sheet each time the page opens; Dune Theia dates are from Dune’s 2026/27 price list and checked with Dune when you ask.

Deep South, South Atolls and 10 Atolls departures on the boats we book. Prices are published retail per person, sharing; HolidayVibe quotes are often lower. Princess Maani, Princess Haseena and Sachika cabin status updates daily from the operator’s sheet; Dune and Solitude dates are from their published schedules and checked on request; Blue Force dates and places from Blue Force’s booking system, checked 10 November 2026. Snapshot checked 8 November 2026.
DepartsBoatRouteNightsPublished fromCabins
9 Jan 2027Maldives Blue Force 3Best of the Maldives, Malé to Gan10US$4,275Full
16 Jan 2027Maldives Blue Force One7 Atolls, Deep South Down, Malé to Kooddoo7US$3,590Full
19 Jan 2027Maldives Blue Force 3Best of the Maldives, Gan to Malé11US$4,745Full
23 Jan 2027Maldives Blue Force OneSouthern Hemisphere, Kooddoo to Gan7US$3,590Cabins available
30 Jan 2027Princess Maani10 Atolls 2 Hemispheres, Malé to Addu11US$4,713Cabins available
30 Jan 2027Maldives Blue Force OneSouthern Hemisphere, Gan to Kooddoo7US$3,590Cabins available
30 Jan 2027Maldives Blue Force 37 Atolls, Deep South Down, Malé to Kooddoo7US$3,190Full
6 Feb 2027Maldives Blue Force OneSouthern Hemisphere, Kooddoo to Gan7US$3,590Full
6 Feb 2027Maldives Blue Force 3Southern Hemisphere, Kooddoo to Gan7US$3,290Cabins available
10 Feb 2027Princess MaaniWild Deep South9US$3,856Cabins available
13 Feb 2027Maldives Blue Force OneSouthern Hemisphere, Gan to Kooddoo7US$3,590Full
13 Feb 2027Maldives Blue Force 3Southern Hemisphere, Gan to Kooddoo7US$3,190Cabins available
19 Feb 2027Princess MaaniWild Deep South10US$4,285Cabins available
20 Feb 2027Dune TheiaDeep South10US$3,995On request
20 Feb 2027Maldives Blue Force OneSouthern Hemisphere, Kooddoo to Gan7US$3,590Full
20 Feb 2027Maldives Blue Force 3Southern Hemisphere, Kooddoo to Gan7US$3,190Full
23 Feb 2027Sachika10 Atolls 2 Hemispheres, Malé to Addu12US$4,219Full
27 Feb 2027Maldives Blue Force OneSouthern Hemisphere, Gan to Kooddoo7US$3,590Full
27 Feb 2027Maldives Blue Force 3Southern Hemisphere, Gan to Kooddoo7US$3,190Full
1 Mar 2027Princess MaaniWild Deep South10US$4,285Full
3 Mar 2027Dune TheiaDeep South10US$3,995On request
6 Mar 2027Maldives Blue Force OneSouthern Hemisphere, Kooddoo to Gan7US$3,590Full
6 Mar 2027Maldives Blue Force 3Southern Hemisphere, Kooddoo to Gan7US$3,290Cabins available
7 Mar 2027SachikaWild Deep South9US$3,455Cabins available
11 Mar 2027Princess MaaniWild Deep South9US$3,856Full
13 Mar 2027Maldives Blue Force OneSouthern Hemisphere, Gan to Kooddoo7US$3,590Cabins available
13 Mar 2027Maldives Blue Force 3Southern Hemisphere, Gan to Kooddoo7US$3,190Cabins available
16 Mar 2027SachikaWild Deep South9US$3,455Full
20 Mar 2027Princess Maani10 Atolls 2 Hemispheres, Addu to Malé11US$4,713Full
20 Mar 2027Maldives Blue Force One7 Atolls, Deep South Up, Kooddoo to Malé7US$3,590Cabins available
20 Mar 2027Maldives Blue Force 37 Atolls, Deep South Up, Kooddoo to Malé7US$3,190Cabins available
25 Mar 2027SachikaWild Deep South9US$3,455Shared places only
3 Apr 2027Sachika10 Atolls 2 Hemispheres, Addu to Malé12US$4,219Cabins available
5 Feb 2028Princess Maani10 Atolls 2 Hemispheres, Malé to Addu10US$4,813Full
11 Feb 2028Solitude Gaia MaldivesDeep South, Malé round trip15US$9,900Full
15 Feb 2028Princess Maani10 Atolls 2 Hemispheres, Addu to Malé10US$5,000Cabins available
19 Feb 2028Princess Haseena10 Atolls 2 Hemispheres, Malé to Addu11US$4,900Cabins available
25 Feb 2028Princess Maani10 Atolls 2 Hemispheres, Malé to Addu10US$5,000Cabins available
28 Feb 2028Solitude Gaia MaldivesDeep South, Gan to Kooddoo7US$4,865On request
1 Mar 2028Princess HaseenaSouth Atolls Addu to Huvadhoo8US$3,571Cabins available
6 Mar 2028Princess MaaniWild Deep South11US$4,813Full
7 Mar 2028Solitude Gaia MaldivesDeep South, Kooddoo to Gan7US$4,865On request
9 Mar 2028Princess HaseenaSouth Atolls Huvadhoo to Addu8US$3,571On option, ask us
16 Mar 2028Solitude Gaia MaldivesDeep South, Gan to Malé12US$7,900On request
17 Mar 2028Princess HaseenaSouth Atolls Addu to Huvadhoo8US$3,571Cabins available
17 Mar 2028Princess MaaniWild Deep South9US$4,500Cabins available
25 Mar 2028Princess HaseenaSouth Atolls Huvadhoo to Addu8US$3,571Cabins available
26 Mar 2028Princess Maani10 Atolls 2 Hemispheres, Addu to Malé11US$5,500On option, ask us
2 Apr 2028Princess Haseena10 Atolls 2 Hemispheres, Addu to Malé11US$4,900Cabins available
3 Feb 2029Princess Maani10 Atolls 2 Hemispheres, Malé to Addu11US$5,500Cabins available
14 Feb 2029Princess MaaniSouth Atolls Addu to Huvadhoo8US$4,000Cabins available
17 Feb 2029Princess Haseena10 Atolls 2 Hemispheres, Malé to Addu11US$4,900Cabins available
22 Feb 2029Princess MaaniSouth Atolls Huvadhoo to Addu8US$4,000Cabins available
28 Feb 2029Princess Haseena10 Atolls 2 Hemispheres, Addu to Malé11US$4,900Cabins available
3 Mar 2029Princess Maani10 Atolls 2 Hemispheres, Addu to Malé11US$5,500Cabins available
14 Mar 2029Princess Maani10 Atolls 2 Hemispheres, Malé to Addu11US$5,500Cabins available
25 Mar 2029Princess Haseena10 Atolls 2 Hemispheres, Malé to Addu11US$4,900Cabins available
25 Mar 2029Princess Maani10 Atolls 2 Hemispheres, Addu to Malé11US$5,500Cabins available
5 Apr 2029Princess HaseenaSouth Atolls Addu to Huvadhoo8US$3,571Cabins available
13 Apr 2029Princess HaseenaSouth Atolls Huvadhoo to Addu8US$3,571Cabins available
21 Apr 2029Princess Haseena10 Atolls 2 Hemispheres, Addu to Malé11US$4,419Cabins available

Hold a cabinWork out the full cost

A 10-night Deep South, day by day

This is the shape of Dune’s 10-night trip from Malé to Gan, one of the routes in the table above. Sites change with weather and current; the cruise director decides each morning.

  1. Day 1, Hulhumalé. Airport pick-up at 3 pm, briefing, dinner and the first night on board.
  2. Day 2, North and South Malé to Vaavu. Check dive on a long reef, then south to Vaavu’s channels for sharks, rays and jacks.
  3. Day 3, Vaavu to Meemu. Steep channel walls and overhangs; the first real chance of hammerheads with grey reef and whitetip sharks.
  4. Day 4, Meemu to Thaa. Channels and thilas almost no other boats dive; anchored in Thaa overnight, sometimes with a whale shark under the lights.
  5. Day 5, Thaa and Laamu to North Huvadhoo. Deep canals with sharks, tuna and schooling jacks, then the long run south.
  6. Days 6 to 8, Huvadhoo. Three days on the great channels, Vilingili and Kooddoo in the north, Mareehaa in the south, where dolphins and sailfish turn up on the drifts.
  7. Day 9, Fuvahmulah. A full day, three dives, for tiger sharks, oceanic mantas and whatever comes up from the deep.
  8. Day 10, Addu. Two or three dives depending on your flight, usually the manta point and the British Loyalty wreck.
  9. Day 11, Gan. Breakfast, check-out by 8:30 am and the domestic flight back to Malé.
Aerial view of Princess Haseena liveaboard with her diving dhoni alongside, Maldives
Every southern trip runs with a diving dhoni; the mothership follows between atolls. Photo: Princess Haseena / Top Class Cruising.
White diving dhoni of Dune Black Manta under way on blue water, Maldives
Long open-water crossings are why Deep South trips run 9 nights or more from Malé. Photo: Dune Black Manta / Dune Liveaboards.
Tawny nurse shark resting under a coral overhang in the Maldives
Nurse sharks, Vaavu night dive country. Photo: Dune Theia / Dune Liveaboards.

Who the Deep South is for

This is not a first liveaboard. Operators set minimums because the southern channels run hard and the nearest help is a long way off, and a guide will keep you on the boat if the check dive shows you are not ready.

Requirements for southern routes, from operator terms and our own advice.
What operators askWhat we recommend
CertificationAdvanced Open Water or equivalentAdvanced plus nitrox, done before the trip
Logged dives50 (Dune and most fleets) to 100 (some UK operators)50+, with at least 10 drift dives in the last two years
KitDive computer and surface marker buoy compulsoryYour own computer, SMB with reel, reef hook, 15-litre tank if you breathe hard
FitnessMedical form; doctor’s statement over 45 with DuneComfortable swimming against current and doing negative entries
InsuranceDive and travel insurance compulsoryCover with medical evacuation; the nearest chamber may be far away

Our honest advice: if you have under 50 dives or have not dived in current recently, book a Central Atolls week first. You will see mantas, whale sharks and plenty of sharks, and you will be ready for the south the following season. Our liveaboard diving guide covers the rules, kit and courses.

Flights, timing and logistics

Getting to the boat

Gan International Airport in Addu and Kooddoo in Huvadhoo are both served by domestic flights from Malé. One-way trips start at one and end at the other, or link one with Malé. Build in time: international arrivals in Malé need to connect to the domestic leg on the boarding day, and the boats board in the afternoon. If your international flight lands late, stay a night in Hulhumalé and fly south in the morning. We book the domestic flight with the cruise so the times match.

Before you fly home

The last dives are on the penultimate day, with check-out around 8 am on the final morning. Keep 24 hours between your last dive and any flight, including the domestic one. Domestic baggage allowances are lower than international ones, so check your dive kit allowance when we book. See our guide to getting to the Maldives for the international side.

What the Deep South costs

Published rates for 2027 to 2029 on the boats we book: Sachika’s 9-night Wild Deep South from US$3,455, Princess Maani’s 9 to 11-night version from US$3,856 to US$4,813, Dune Theia’s 10-night Deep South at US$3,995, the 8-night South Atolls one-way on Princess Haseena from US$3,571, and the 10 to 12-night equator crossings from US$4,219 to US$5,500. Top Class boats add a service fee of US$215 to US$255 and Green Tax of US$12 a night on board; Dune includes both and adds only the oil-linked fuel surcharge. A Fuvahmulah tiger dive fee applies on some boats, and the domestic flight is extra on every one-way trip.

Southern routes cost more per night than central ones because of the fuel burnt on long crossings and the flights at each end, and because boats only run them for about four months a year. They also sell out first: several 2027 departures in the table are already full. Use our price calculator to compare totals, or ask us for the current rate.

Deep South liveaboards: questions we get asked

What is the Deep South on a Maldives liveaboard?

It is the group of atolls at the southern end of the Maldives, roughly 400 to 530 kilometres south of Malé: Huvadhoo (Gaafu Alifu and Gaafu Dhaalu), the single-island atoll of Fuvahmulah, and Addu, which lies just south of the equator. Liveaboards come here for sharks: grey reefs, silvertips and hammerheads in Huvadhoo’s channels, tiger and thresher sharks at Fuvahmulah, and mantas in Addu.

When is the best time for a Deep South liveaboard?

January to April. That is when operators schedule the southern routes, because the northeast monsoon leaves the southern channels calmest and the crossings shortest. Some fleets start in December. Outside that window, almost every boat stays in the central and northern atolls.

How much does a Deep South liveaboard cost?

On the boats we book, published 2027 rates run from US$3,455 per person for a 9-night Wild Deep South on Sachika to US$4,285 for 10 nights on Princess Maani and US$3,995 for 10 nights on Dune Theia, with 10 to 12-night equator crossings at US$4,219 to US$5,500. Add the domestic flight and the usual on-board fees. Our liveaboard price calculator adds them up.

How many dives do I need?

Plan on Advanced Open Water and at least 50 logged dives with recent experience in current; Dune asks for 50 on its southern trips, and some fleets ask for 100. The tiger shark dive at Fuvahmulah is shallow, but the channels in Huvadhoo are deep drift dives where you need a reef hook, a surface marker buoy and good air consumption.

Do I need a domestic flight?

Usually yes. Most southern trips start or end at Gan International Airport in Addu or at Kooddoo in Huvadhoo, connected to Malé by domestic flights. We book the flight with the cruise and time it around the boarding and check-out times. Only the 14-night round trips from Malé avoid flying.

Will I see tiger sharks?

Very probably, but never guaranteed. At Tiger Harbour by Fuvahmulah’s harbour mouth, resident tiger sharks appear on most dives; on the open plateaux they are a chance encounter. Some operators skip Tiger Harbour by choice and dive only the natural sites. Read our Fuvahmulah shark diving guide before you go.

Are there night dives in the Deep South?

Fewer than on central routes. Several fleets drop night dives in the south because of currents and long overnight crossings; Dune schedules at least one night dive per cruise, and boats anchored in Thaa or Huvadhoo sometimes attract whale sharks to the lights after dark.

Liveaboard or a land-based stay on Fuvahmulah?

If tiger sharks are the whole point, a few nights on Fuvahmulah gives you more time at Tiger Harbour for less money. If you want the southern channels, Addu’s mantas and the wreck as well, the liveaboard is the only way to do all three atolls in a week. Our Fuvahmulah liveaboard guide compares the two.

Can beginners join?

No. Open Water divers with few logged dives should do a central-atolls trip first and come south the following season. If you are close to the threshold, take the Advanced course and a nitrox course before the trip, not on it.

Why book your Deep South trip with HolidayVibe

  • Trusted brandHolidayVibe is a trusted brand in the Maldives travel industry, licensed by the Ministry of Tourism (MOT.O1.RS.TA.25.RD9933) and based in Malé.
  • We know the boatsWe work directly with the operators, hold their cabin-by-cabin availability and have walked the decks. No call centre in another time zone.
  • Full-cost quotesEvery quote lists the cruise, service fee, Green Tax, park fees, nitrox, gear and transfers, so the price you see is the price you pay.
  • Often better value than booking sitesOperators give local agents their best rates. We pass that on and still answer on WhatsApp within the hour.
  • Fishing, surf and dive on one deskNeed a fishing charter before the dive week, or a resort night after? One team books all of it.

Request a liveaboard quote

Keep planning

Written by Abdulla Maseeh, HolidayVibe Maldives, Malé. Routes from Dune Liveaboards’ published itineraries and Top Class Cruising’s route list; departures and prices from operator sheets and price lists, checked 8 November 2026; requirements from operator terms. Photos: Dune Liveaboards and Top Class Cruising.