We're so super excited to announce that next year's SAGA dive trip will take place in the Maldives. We're looking forward to Manta Rays, Whale Sharks, Hammerheads and all sorts of reef sharks to join us, as well as you!
THE DETAILS
Dates: APRIL 17-23, 2021
20 SPOTS AVAILABLE
Where: SOUTH ARI ATOL, Maldives
REGULAR PRICE 2799 USD
EARLY BIRD PRICE 2655 USD
25% Due at booking
Activities Included
Underwater Photography and Post Production Workshop
Shark Identification Workshop
2 Daily Dives
Speedboat from Male City - Dhigurah Island - Male City
Whale Shark Research Program
Other Inclusions
Double Occupancy in 3-star Hotels
Local Guide throughout Trip
All City Transfers
Arrival Airport Transfer (until 6pm on first day)
Departure Airport Transfer (morning of last day)
Dive Gear Rentals
6 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches & 5 Dinners
In partnership with The Cool Effect, 1% of your booking will be donated to reduce carbon emissions through community-based initiatives around the globe. Learn more at cooleffect.org.
WORKSHOPS Underwater Photography and Post Production Workshop: Let's make sure we get to take home the best memories from this trip. Nick will walk you through the best camera settings and basic underwater Photography techniques, as well as some post production steps to make your shots look awesome. Shark Identification Workshop: On this trip, there's the potential to see a great variety of shark species, but which is which? You'll learn some basic shark behavior and identification techniques which will come in very handy on most of our dives! EXCLUSIONS
International Flights
Food & Alcohol (except as noted)
Visas & Travel Insurance
Airport Transfers Outside of Designated Time
ITINERARY
Day 1
Upon arrival at Male International Airport, you will be picked up and transferred by speedboat to the island of Dhigurah.
After freshening up and settling in, you’ll join the group for a welcome dinner and toast to adventures to come!
Overnight in Dhigurah
Arrival: Fly into Velana International Airport (MLE). TrovaTrip will provide 3 transfers between 8am and 5pm.
Included: Airport Transfer , Speedboat Male City - Dhigurah , Welcome Dinner
Day 2
Your diving adventure begins at Kuda Rah Tilla, featured as a top 10 dive site in the world and one of the most famous dive sites in the South Ari Atoll. You’ll discover a stunning small reef with large overhangs and an archway, covered by colorful soft corals. Turtles, napoleons and large schools of blue-striped snappers can be seen here, as well as the occasional white tip or grey reef shark.
Next you’ll head to Rheeti Thila, a small circular reef, split into five pieces by canyons, making it one of the most interesting formations in the atoll. Interesting overhangs, beautiful fan and whip corals, anemones, fusiliers being hunted by jackfish, big barracudas, scorpionfish, nudibranchs, schools of oriental sweet lips and white tip reef sharks make for an action-packed dive.
In the evening, you'll have the opportunity to participate in an Underwater Photography and Post Production Workshop. Nick will walk you through the best camera settings and basic underwater Photography techniques, as well as some post production steps to make your shots look awesome.
Overnight in Dhigurah
(All dives and dive sites are subject to change depending on visibility and weather)
Included: Breakfast, Lunch , Dinner, 2 Daily Dives
Day 3
Your first dive of the day takes you to ‘7th Heaven.’ Situated across a channel, this reef is completely covered in soft corals of every color imaginable. Look for turtles, white tip reef sharks, stingrays, torpedo rays, moray eels, scorpionfish, nudibranchs and much more.
Next, you’ll head to Manta Point which is a protected marine area and famous for its manta cleaning stations. The mantas come up from the deeper parts of the ocean where they feed and use the shallower waters of Hukuru Elhi Faru to free themselves of unwanted parasites.
This evening, you'll have the option to participate in our Shark Identification Workshop. During this time, you'll learn some basic shark behavior and identification techniques which will come in very handy on most of our dives!
Overnight in Dhigurah
(All dives and dive sites are subject to change depending on visibility and weather)
Included: Breakfast , Lunch, Dinner, 2 Daily Dives
Day 4
Today's dive starts at Dhidhoo Beru Faru, a sloping outer reef dominated by hard coral growth where you’ll swim with the whale sharks which are common during the right season. Divers can also see moray eels, lionfish and nudibranchs on the reef as well as eagle rays and mobulas passing by in the blue water.
You’ll then visit the Whale Shark Research Program, a research based conservation charity focused on studying the whale shark and fostering community based conservation initiatives.
In the afternoon it is off for dive # 2 as you’ll head to Broken Rock, aptly named for a large broken rock in the center of the dive site that ranges in depth from about 40 to 100 feet and has common marine life sightings like triggerfish, puffer fish, moray eels and napoleon wrasse. Divers enjoy swimming through the channel created by the halves of the broken rock, but should be cautious of the strong currents as to avoid being thrown against the beautiful hard and soft corals formations.
Overnight in Dhigurah
(All dives and dive sites are subject to change depending on visibility and weather)
Included: Breakfast , Lunch, Dinner, Whale Shark Research Program, 2 Daily Dives
Day 5
After breakfast, your first dive of the day heads to Maamigili Beru, a dive site located south of Maamigili Island. The reef starts at 4-12m with a plateau covered in corals, and slopes down to 35m on a sandy floor. Suitable for all experiences, you can expect to see moray eels, lion fish and nudibranchs, eagle rays, mobula mantas and of course whale sharks. Maamingili Beyru is famous for encountering not only whale sharks but also many big fish. If you are looking for whale sharks, snorkeling is the best option as it allows a longer observation time than diving.
You’re second dive will head to the western edge of South Ari Atoll to Dhigu Thila. Caves and overhangs dot the southern side of the reef, while the western side is characterized by pinnacles rising from 30-20m. Due to possible string currents, this area of the site is for experienced divers and offers the chance to encounter grey reef sharks. When currents are coming in, it is better to start diving at the east corner. When currents are going out, the west corner is a better location to start a dive trip. All other parts of the site are easy to dive, even with strong currents. At Dhigu Thila its possible to spot different kind of sharks, including grey reef sharks, whitetips and nurse sharks. In addition barracudas, tunas, eagle rays, napoleons, schools of fusiliers, jacks, moray-eels and many other reef fishes can be seen.
Overnight in Dhigurah
(All dives and dive sites are subject to change depending on visibility and weather)
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, 2 Daily Dives
Day 6
The last day of diving begins at Vilamendhoo Thila and is suitably planned for experienced divers and is also a must dive in the atoll. Here you will find rays and sharks present in every direction of the current. The various species you can encounter here include schools of snappers, sweetlips, fusiliers, jacks, sea fans, batfish, reef sharks and eagle rays and mantas in season. You will always be able to encounter sharks and eagle rays near the turbulence areas. It is also possible to encounter large stingrays on the sandy bottom.
The final dive of the trip heads Fish Head which is under marine protected status and is one of the best places in Ari Atoll for spotting sharks. The pinnacle which plunges from 32-115 feet (10-35 meters) is covered in black coral bushes and dotted with caves and overhangs. Residents include up to 16 grey reef sharks and thousands of blueline snappers. Due to unpredictable current and the depth at which most of the marine life is spotted, this dive is most suitable to intermediate and advanced divers.
Overnight in Dhigurah
(All dives and dive sites are subject to change depending on visibility and weather)
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, 2 Daily Dives
Day 7
Unfortunately all good things must come to an end but only until our next adventure! You will be transported back to Male City by speedboat and to the airport and bid a few final goodbyes.
Included: Breakfast, Speedboat Transfer Dhigurah - Male City, Airport Transfer
Departure: Fly out of Velana International Airport (MLE). TrovaTrip will provide two transfers on the last day.
We would love for you to join us. Booking can be done with a 25% downpayment right HERE.
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