Amba with her dive dhoni alongside. Photo: Amba Liveaboard.

Amba Dive Maldives · Long dive safaris for experienced divers · Updated 8 November 2026 · By Abdulla Maseeh

Amba Liveaboard, Maldives

Amba is a 32-metre, wooden-hulled dive liveaboard for up to 22 guests in 11 air-conditioned, en-suite cabins, built in 2004 and managed on board by her German owner. She runs long trips of 7 to 14 nights, most of them 11 nights through Ari, Rasdhoo, Vaavu and Meemu, with up to three nitrox dives a day from an 18-metre dhoni. Published prices start at €1,560 for an 8-night Hanifaru offer week and €2,048 for 11 nights on offer weeks (normally €2,409 to €3,550), with the Green Tax extra.

Check dates See dates and prices

Is Amba the right boat for you?

Boat32 m, 10 m beam, wood, 4 decks, built 2004

GuestsUp to 22 in 11 cabins, 2 with private terraces

Diving18 m dhoni, up to 3 dives a day, nitrox included

Trips7, 8, 11, 13 and 14 nights

Amba suits you if

you have 30 or more logged dives and a nitrox card
you want 11 nights instead of 7, to reach Rasdhoo or Meemu as well as Ari and Vaavu
you like an owner-managed boat with a settled crew
you speak German, Italian or Spanish and want briefings in your language

Think twice if

you are newly certified or have no nitrox card
you only have a week: most Amba trips are 11 nights
you want a jacuzzi, a big modern fibreglass boat or an all-inclusive price
non-divers are travelling with you

Amba’s tours

Most Amba trips start and end in Malé, so there is no domestic flight. The 11-night central tours are the core of the year; Hanifaru runs in the manta season and the Deep South in the calm months early in the year.

Amba’s six tours, from Amba’s tour sheets and website, checked 9 November 2026. Every tour includes up to three dives a day, with none on the arrival day or the last morning.
Tour	Nights	Where	Starts and ends	You need
Corals, Channels & Sharks	7	South Ari, Vaavu, Malé	Malé	30 logged dives, Advanced Open Water, Nitrox
Hanifaru Manta & Whale Shark	8	Baa and Raa, several days at Hanifaru Bay	Dharavandhoo (domestic flight not included)	10 logged dives, Advanced Open Water, Nitrox
Best of Central North	11	Rasdhoo, Ari, Vaavu, Malé	Malé	30 logged dives, Advanced Open Water, Nitrox
Best of Central South	11	Ari, Meemu, Vaavu, Malé	Malé	30 logged dives, Advanced Open Water, Nitrox
Deep South	13	Vaavu, Meemu, Thaa, Laamu, Huvadhoo, Fuvahmulah	Malé one way, Kooddoo the other	60 logged dives, Advanced Open Water, Nitrox
Christmas Special	14	Rasdhoo, Ari, Vaavu, Meemu, Malé	Malé	30 logged dives, Advanced Open Water, Nitrox

Amba liveaboard and her dhoni at anchor with the sun setting behind them, Maldives — Sunset at the anchorage. Photo: Amba Liveaboard.

Central North and South (11 nights). Both loop from Malé through Ari for whale sharks, mantas and thilas and Vaavu for channel dives and the nurse-shark night dive. North adds Rasdhoo’s channels, where hammerheads are possible early in the morning; South adds Meemu’s quieter reefs.

Deep South (13 nights). Malé to Kooddoo or the reverse, through Thaa, Laamu and Huvadhoo to Fuvahmulah for tiger sharks. 60 logged dives needed. Read our Deep South route guide before you book.

Hanifaru (8 nights). Baa and Raa from Dharavandhoo, with the manta peak in July to September. You book the domestic flight separately.

Amba dates and prices

Amba sells in euros through its booking system. Below is every departure to December 2027 with the places left: the winter weeks sell out early, the Hanifaru weeks and autumn 2027 are wide open, and offer weeks are 15 to 25 percent below the normal price.

Amba departures from November 2026 to December 2027, from Amba’s live calendar in Inseanq, checked 9 November 2026; 2028 dates are also on sale. Places left are shared places across all cabins. Price per person from, in euros, 17 percent tourism tax included; Green Tax of €12 a night is added. Struck-through prices are the normal rate before an offer.
Departs	Tour	Nights	From	Status
22 Nov 2026	Best of Central North: Ari, Rasdhoo, Vaavu, Malé	11	€2,959	Sold out
5 Dec 2026	Best of Central South: Ari, Vaavu, Meemu, Malé	11	€2,959	1 place left
19 Dec 2026	Christmas Special: Rasdhoo, Ari, Vaavu, Meemu, Malé	14	€3,766	Sold out
5 Jan 2027	Best of Central South: Ari, Vaavu, Meemu, Malé	11	€2,959	1 place left
18 Jan 2027	Best of Central North: Ari, Rasdhoo, Vaavu, Malé	11	€2,959	Sold out
31 Jan 2027	Best of Central South: Ari, Vaavu, Meemu, Malé	11	€3,399	6 places
13 Feb 2027	Best of Central North: Ari, Rasdhoo, Vaavu, Malé	11	€2,889 ~~€3,399~~	4 places
25 Feb 2027	Deep South: Malé to Kooddoo	13	€3,133 ~~€4,177~~	9 places
11 Mar 2027	Deep South: Kooddoo to Malé	13	€4,177	Sold out
25 Mar 2027	Best of Central South: Ari, Vaavu, Meemu, Malé	11	€3,399	Sold out
6 Apr 2027	Best of Central North: Ari, Rasdhoo, Vaavu, Malé	11	€2,048 ~~€2,409~~	1 place left
18 Apr 2027	Best of Central South: Ari, Vaavu, Meemu, Malé	11	€2,048 ~~€2,409~~	3 places
19 Jul 2027	Hanifaru Manta & Whale Shark, Baa and Raa (from Dharavandhoo)	8	€1,560 ~~€2,080~~	All 22 places
28 Jul 2027	Hanifaru Manta & Whale Shark, Baa and Raa (from Dharavandhoo)	8	€1,768 ~~€2,080~~	18 places
6 Aug 2027	Hanifaru Manta & Whale Shark, Baa and Raa (from Dharavandhoo)	8	€1,768 ~~€2,080~~	20 places
15 Aug 2027	Hanifaru Manta & Whale Shark, Baa and Raa (from Dharavandhoo)	8	€1,768 ~~€2,080~~	20 places
24 Aug 2027	Hanifaru Manta & Whale Shark, Baa and Raa (from Dharavandhoo)	8	€1,768 ~~€2,080~~	All 22 places
2 Sep 2027	Hanifaru Manta & Whale Shark, Baa and Raa (from Dharavandhoo)	8	€1,768 ~~€2,080~~	21 places
21 Sep 2027	Best of Central South: Ari, Vaavu, Meemu, Malé	11	€2,154 ~~€2,872~~	21 places
3 Oct 2027	Corals, Channels & Sharks: Ari, Vaavu, Malé	7	€1,864	All 22 places
11 Oct 2027	Best of Central North: Ari, Rasdhoo, Vaavu, Malé	11	€2,872	All 22 places
23 Oct 2027	Best of Central South: Ari, Vaavu, Meemu, Malé	11	€2,872	16 places
4 Nov 2027	Corals, Channels & Sharks: Ari, Vaavu, Malé	7	€2,178	18 places
12 Nov 2027	Best of Central North: Ari, Rasdhoo, Vaavu, Malé	11	€3,365	15 places
24 Nov 2027	Best of Central South: Ari, Vaavu, Meemu, Malé	11	€3,365	All 22 places
6 Dec 2027	Corals, Channels & Sharks: Ari, Vaavu, Malé	7	€2,178	21 places

In the price

Your cabin and full board: breakfast, lunch, snacks, fruit and dinner
Water, tea, instant coffee and juice
Up to three dives a day with nitrox fills, weights and belts
Airport transfers on arrival and departure day
17 percent tourism sales tax

On top

Green Tax: €12 per guest per night, paid in advance
Crew tips: US$10 per guest per night suggested, in cash
Beer, wine, soft drinks, ice cream and snacks from the kiosk
15-litre tanks, rental gear and courses
Hanifaru Bay and Fuvahmulah dive fees on those tours; domestic flights

A worked example: an 11-night Best of Central trip at €2,959 plus €132 Green Tax comes to €3,091 per person before tips and drinks, or about €281 a night. Our liveaboard prices guide compares that with all-inclusive boats.

Cabins and deck plan

Amba’s 11 guest cabins, from Amba’s cabin page. All are en-suite with a hot-water shower and individually controlled air conditioning; towels are changed daily.
Category	Cabins	Deck	Beds	Good to know
Luxury cabin	2 (10 and 11)	Upper	Double + single	Private terrace with loungers; row of windows
Upper-deck standard	3 (including 8 and 9)	Upper	Double	Windows, no terrace; slightly smaller
Lower-deck cabin	6	Cabin deck	Twin beds or a double	Portholes; beds can be pushed together

Private terrace with two turquoise loungers outside an upper-deck luxury cabin on Amba, Maldives — Private terrace of luxury cabins 10 and 11. Photo: Amba Liveaboard.

Upper-deck luxury cabin on Amba with a double bed and a row of windows, Maldives — Luxury cabin 10 or 11, upper deck. Photo: Amba Liveaboard.

Double bed with turquoise throws in an upper-deck luxury cabin on Amba, Maldives — Luxury cabin, upper deck. Photo: Amba Liveaboard.

Upper-deck cabin on Amba with slanted windows, curtains and a double bed, Maldives — Upper-deck cabins 8 and 9. Photo: Amba Liveaboard.

Lower-deck twin cabin on Amba with two single beds and a manta painting, Maldives — Lower-deck twin, cabins 1, 2, 6 and 7. Photo: Amba Liveaboard.

Lower-deck cabin 4 on Amba with a double bed and portholes, Maldives — Cabin 4, lower deck. Photo: Amba Liveaboard.

Lower-deck cabin on Amba with two beds and dark wood panelling, Maldives — Cabins 3 and 5, lower deck. Photo: Amba Liveaboard.

Guest reading in lower-deck cabin 6 on Amba with two beds and a porthole, Maldives — Cabin 6, lower deck. Photo: Amba Liveaboard.

Which to choose? The two luxury cabins, with their own terraces, are the ones to book early. Couples should ask for a double when booking, since lower-deck beds can be set up as twins or a double. Charging batteries in the cabins is not allowed; each guest has a charging compartment with a European socket in the saloon.

Amba liveaboard deck plan showing the sun deck, upper deck, main deck and cabin deck — Amba deck plan: sun, upper, main and cabin decks. Illustrative, not to scale. Photo: Amba Liveaboard.

How the diving works on Amba

Arrival dayPick-up at Velana airport between 12:00 and 16:00, kit set up on the dhoni at 17:00, dinner at 18:00 and the safety briefing. No diving.
Every diving dayA calm check dive first, then up to three dives a day including night dives, in buddy pairs with a guide leading the group.
Last diving dayThe final dive is at 07:30 on the day before you leave, so you can rinse and dry your kit, then a farewell evening.
Departure dayBreakfast and check-out by 08:30, with airport transfers from 06:30.

White four-deck Amba liveaboard at anchor on open water, aerial view, Maldives — Four decks, 32 metres. Photo: Amba Liveaboard.

The 18-metre dhoni carries the tanks and two Bauer compressors with a membrane for nitrox, and has wide exits so the group can drop in together, a freshwater shower and a toilet. Tanks are 12-litre aluminium as standard, 15-litre on request. Bring an SMB, a reef hook, a whistle and a nitrox-capable computer: they are required on every dive.

Life on board

The main deck holds the air-conditioned saloon, kept at about 25°C with two long tables that seat everyone at once. Above it, the shaded deck has fans, sofas and the kiosk, and the partly shaded sun deck has loungers; on warm nights guests can sleep out there on mattresses. The kitchen cooks international, Asian, Maldivian and Indian food, and the vegetarian dishes are generally vegan. Guests on liveaboard.com rate the food 9.7 out of 10.

Air-conditioned saloon on Amba with sofas, dining tables and a large TV, Maldives — The air-conditioned saloon. Photo: Amba Liveaboard.

Dining table set for a meal in the saloon of Amba, Maldives — Meals are served at two long tables. Photo: Amba Liveaboard.

Shaded deck on Amba with grey sofas, cushions and sea views, Maldives — The shaded deck with the kiosk. Photo: Amba Liveaboard.

Covered lounge corner with sofas at the stern of Amba, Maldives — Lounge corner on the shaded deck. Photo: Amba Liveaboard.

Sun deck on Amba with loungers under a canopy and open sea, Maldives — Loungers on the sun deck. Photo: Amba Liveaboard.

Sofas and a laid table in the saloon of Amba, Maldives — Sofas in the saloon. Photo: Amba Liveaboard.

Guest standing at the rail on the bow of Amba with the sea and islands behind, Maldives — At the rail on the bow. Photo: Amba Liveaboard.

Amba liveaboard silhouetted on the sea under a golden sunset, aerial view, Maldives — Sunset over the anchorage. Photo: Amba Liveaboard.

Amba liveaboard on calm water with the sun low on the horizon, Maldives — Evening on calm water. Photo: Amba Liveaboard.

Amba or a 7-night boat?

Amba against two Maldives dive boats in a similar price band, from each operator’s published prices, checked 9 November 2026. Ask us for a like-for-like quote.
7 to 11 nights, published	Amba	Emperor Leo	Princess Maani
Guests	22 in 11 cabins	24 in 12 cabins	28 in 14 cabins
Typical trip	11 nights	7 nights	7 nights
Price shown	From €2,959 for 11 nights	From US$2,840 for 7 nights	Rate plus fees
Green Tax	€12 a night extra	Included	US$84 a week extra
Nitrox	Included, required	Free	Free
Minimum experience	30 logged dives	None (Advanced recommended)	None (Advanced recommended)

Amba is not the cheapest boat per trip, but per night it is competitive, and the longer trips reach atolls that 7-night boats skip. If your budget is per week rather than per trip, compare with Emperor Voyager or Princess Haseena.

Amba: questions we get asked

How much does Amba cost?

Amba’s published 11-night Best of Central trips run from €2,048 on an April 2027 offer week to €3,550 in early 2028, with most 2026/27 weeks at €2,959 to €3,399. Eight-night Hanifaru weeks are €2,080 (offers from €1,560), 7-night Corals, Channels & Sharks from €1,864, the 14-night Christmas Special €3,766 and the 13-night Deep South €4,177 before offers. The 17 percent tourism tax is included. Add the Green Tax of €12 a night, paid in advance, and a suggested crew tip of US$10 a night.

How many guests does Amba take?

Up to 22 guests in 11 air-conditioned, en-suite cabins: two luxury cabins with private terraces and three standard cabins on the upper deck, and six cabins on the lower deck. Amba’s own pages also describe the boat as taking around 20 experienced divers, which is what most departures carry.

What experience do I need for Amba?

At least 30 logged dives, Advanced Open Water or equivalent and a Nitrox certificate for the central tours, and 60 logged dives for the Deep South. The Hanifaru tour asks for 10 logged dives. Divers dive in self-reliant buddy pairs and must carry an SMB and a nitrox-capable computer.

Is Amba good for beginners?

No. Amba is built for experienced divers: nitrox only, guided groups in current, independent ascents with an SMB and long trips of 11 nights or more. Newer divers will be happier on a 7-night Best of Maldives boat with no minimum dive count, such as Emperor Voyager or Princess Haseena.

Who runs Amba?

Amba is run by Amba Dive Maldives, a German-owned company whose owner manages the boat on board. Dive briefings are given in English, German, Italian and Spanish, and Amba has three captains with long Maldives experience.

Does Amba go to Hanifaru Bay?

Yes, on the 8-night Hanifaru Manta & Whale Shark tour in Baa and Raa, which starts and ends at Dharavandhoo airport and spends several days around the bay. Manta numbers peak in July, August and September. Hanifaru Bay itself is snorkel only; scuba is not allowed inside the bay.

What do guests say about Amba?

On liveaboard.com Amba scores about 9 out of 10, with the food rated highest at 9.7. Reviewers mention the crew, the quiet dive sites away from the busiest routes and the food; a few find the boat older than the newest Maldives liveaboards.

Why book Amba 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.

Ask about Amba

Keep planning

Written by Abdulla Maseeh, HolidayVibe Maldives, Malé. Boat facts from Amba’s website, cabin page and tour sheets; dates, prices and places left from Amba’s live calendar in Inseanq; review scores from liveaboard.com. Dates and prices from Emperor’s published schedule, checked 8 November 2026. Photos and deck plan: Emperor Divers.