Maldives Far South Liveaboard
Tiger sharks, silvertip sharks, manta rays, and the British Loyalty wreck across the Maldives' three southernmost atolls
From $3,150 USD per person
21st - 28th February, 2028
Discover the Maldives Far South
Join Pixel Expeditions aboard Maldives Master for 7 nights across the three southernmost atolls of the Maldives, a stretch of ocean that many liveaboards never reach. The route covers Huvadhoo, the world's second-largest atoll, with its walls, channels, and current-driven pelagic encounters; Fuvahmulah, a UNESCO biosphere reserve built on a single island and best known for tiger shark sightings at Tiger Harbour; and Addu Atoll, where year-round manta rays and the 140m British Loyalty wreck, a WWII fuel tanker scuttled in 1946, sit at the far south of the archipelago.
Strong currents are the norm here. This is an advanced itinerary with a minimum requirement of PADI Advanced Open Water (or equivalent) and 50 logged dives.
*Header image courtesy of @summitstoseas
Your 7-night Liveaboard Adventure With Pixel Expeditions
The Far South sits beyond the reach of most Maldives itineraries, and it is only diveable by liveaboard for a few months each year. Getting here means a domestic flight, but the atolls reward it.
Huvadhoo's 40 reef segments give way to Fuvahmulah's reliable tiger shark encounters, a site so consistently productive that it's become one of the most talked-about dives in the Indian Ocean.
Addu closes the loop with feeding mantas and a wreck you can spend an entire dive on without covering half of it.
A Day in the Maldives’ Far South
A typical day on this expedition includes up to 3 dives, including early morning or night dives timed with spawning events:
Light breakfast → briefing → Dive 1
Full breakfast → relaxation → briefing → Dive 2
Lunch → relaxation → briefing → Dive 3*
Snack → relaxation
Dinner & downtime
*The third dive may not run on days with longer overnight transits between atolls. On the final day of diving, two morning dives are scheduled before the vessel returns to port after lunch.
February falls in the Maldives' northeast monsoon season, the dry season, which brings calm seas, lower humidity, and good visibility across all three atolls. Water temperature sits at 27–29°C (80–84°F), so a 3mm wetsuit is standard.
All dives are conducted from Blue Shadow, the Maldives Master's purpose-built 19m dhoni diving tender. Each diver has their own gear station on board. Separate camera and equipment rinse tanks, a toilet with a shower, and two handheld deck showers keep things comfortable between dives. The dhoni being used as a dive platform means that Maldives Master is dedicated to comfort and relaxation.
Huvadhoo Atoll
Walls, Channels, and Pelagics
Huvadhoo is the world's second-largest atoll — a circular expanse of deep central lagoon enclosed by 40 reef segments. The diving combines exhilarating walls and current-fed channels with consistent pelagic encounters. Grey reef sharks, schooling trevallies, eagle rays, and occasional whale sharks pass through sites where the current concentrates marine life. Drift diving here is fast and productive.
The scale of the atoll means each site feels different from the last. The coral coverage across Huvadhoo is in good condition, and the hard coral gardens in the shallower sections contrast well with the deeper wall dives.
Fuvahmulah: Tiger Harbour
Tiger & Silvertip Sharks
Fuvahmulah sits in the Equatorial Channel between Huvadhoo and Addu. The entire island and its surrounding ocean are a UNESCO biosphere reserve. Divers come for Tiger Harbour, where tiger sharks appear with a regularity found nowhere else in the Maldives, sometimes multiple individuals in a single dive, alongside a consistent resident population of silvertip sharks.
Tiger Harbour carries a mandatory additional fee, payable in USD cash on board. The site has strong currents and is one of the more demanding dives on the itinerary.
Even when tigers are absent, Fuvahmulah puts silvertips in the water in genuinely unusual numbers. Hammerhead sharks also pass through on occasion.
Addu Atoll: Mantas and the British Loyalty
Year-Round Manta Rays
Addu sits at the southern tip of the Maldives, just north of the Equator. Manta rays are present year-round at several cleaning stations across the atoll, and February's dry-season conditions support good visibility at the key sites. Feeding and cleaning station activities are both common; the cleaning stations in particular give close, extended encounters.
The British Loyalty Wreck
The 140m British Loyalty lies inside Addu Atoll at around 33m. The vessel was a Royal Navy fuel tanker, deliberately scuttled in 1946 to block the harbour entrance after a torpedo strike left her damaged beyond repair. It's the largest wreck in the Maldives. Decades of growth have covered the hull in soft and hard coral, and the wreck now holds turtles, nurse sharks, schooling fish, and the occasional white-tip reef shark. A single dive covers only part of it.
Note: Inclusion of Addu Atoll on 7-night Far South itineraries depends on season, weather conditions, and logistics. The cruise director will confirm the final itinerary at departure.
Your Liveaboard: Maldives Master
Built in 2024, Maldives Master is a 42m fibreglass vessel carrying up to 26 guests. She carries 14 cabins across three categories: eight Premium Twin/Double cabins on the lower deck, two Superior Double and two Superior Twin/Double cabins on the main and upper decks, and two Premium Single cabins on the upper deck; all en suite with individually controlled air-conditioning.
Onboard amenities include:
Indoor dining area and bar
Air-conditioned sky lounge
Outdoor jacuzzi
Multiple sun and viewing decks
Ocean deck at the stern (close to the water)
Equipment rental (pre-book required)
Wi-Fi available (surcharge applies)
On many evenings, the stern floodlights illuminate the water off the ocean deck to attract plankton, a draw for feeding manta rays. Cameras are worth keeping ready.
Pixel Expeditions
delivers more than a liveaboard
We deliver a true adventure to some of the Maldives' most remote and rarely dived atolls.
Adventure is calling. Will you answer?
What’s Included in Your Maldives Liveaboard?
From $3,150 USD per person
Return shared transfers between local airport and vessel
Full board: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks
Unlimited drinking water, tea, coffee, and soft drinks
Up to 3 dives daily
11-litre cylinder with air fills
Weights, weight belt, and SMB
Obligatory surcharges:
Maldives Green Tax — $84 USD per person (payable on board)
Maldives Service Charge — $150 USD per person (cash only on board)
Maldivian Goods & Services Tax (17%, applies to on-board purchases)
Fuel surcharge (subject to change)
Not Included:
Flights, hotels, and additional transfers
Tiger Harbour fees at Fuvahmulah (USD cash on board)
Equipment rental
Nitrox
Beer, cocktails, wine, and spirits
Wi-Fi
Crew and dive guide gratuities
Frequently Asked Questions
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The Far South covers the three southernmost atolls of the Maldives: Huvadhoo, Fuvahmulah, and Addu. Over 7 nights, you dive walls, channels, and current-fed pelagic sites across Huvadhoo; visit Tiger Harbour at Fuvahmulah for tiger and silvertip shark encounters; and explore Addu's year-round manta ray sites and the 140m British Loyalty wreck. Several overnight transits are included to reach atolls that day-trip boats cannot access. Inclusion of Addu is subject to conditions and duration.
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This itinerary requires PADI Advanced Open Water (or equivalent), a minimum of 50 logged dives, and prior experience in strong currents. Strong currents are present at most dive sites throughout the route. The crew reserve the right to restrict participation in specific dives where conditions require it. This itinerary is not suitable for beginner or novice divers.
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The 7-night trip includes full-board accommodation, return shared transfers between the local airport and the vessel, up to 3 dives per day, an 11-litre air cylinder, weights, weight belt, and SMB. Tea, coffee, soft drinks, and drinking water are included throughout. Obligatory surcharges: Maldives Green Tax, Service Charge, and GST, are payable on board and are not included in the trip price.
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Personal dive equipment is recommended. A dive computer is mandatory, all divers must dive with one. A 3mm wetsuit is standard for February. Nitrox is available to pre-book. Tiger Harbour fees at Fuvahmulah must be paid in clean, undamaged USD cash on board. Equipment rental is available but must be pre-booked to ensure correct sizes are on board
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Tiger shark sightings at Tiger Harbour are frequent and well documented, but cannot be guaranteed on any single dive. February falls in one of the more reliable periods for encounters. Silvertip sharks are a consistent presence even when tiger sharks are absent. The site carries an additional fee payable in USD cash on board.
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Up to 3 dives per day are included. No night dives are scheduled on this itinerary. On days with longer overnight transits between atolls, only 2 dives may be possible. On the final day of diving, 2 morning dives are typically scheduled before the vessel returns to port.