THE EXTREME NORTH – From Male to Haa
Exploring the Untouched Northern Atolls

10 DAYS CRUISE
for both divers & snorkelers

EXTREME NORTH CRUISE – ATOLL HIGHLIGHTS
This itinerary through the northern Maldives explores a mix of iconic and remote atolls, each offering unique diving experiences and rich marine biodiversity.
North Malé Atoll, the vibrant heart of the country, features diverse reefs and frequent encounters with manta rays, turtles, and reef sharks. Further north, Kaashidhoo stands out for its nutrient-rich currents, ideal for drift dives among coral walls, caverns, and schools of pelagic fish.
Lhaviyani Atoll combines channel and reef diving, with excellent chances to spot grey reef sharks and seasonal manta aggregations.
Continuing north, Noonu Atoll offers dramatic reefs, caves, and canyons teeming with sharks, dolphins, and large schools of fish—perfect for more dynamic dives.
Shaviyani Atoll remains largely untouched, providing a pristine and uncrowded experience both underwater and on land. In the far north, Haa Alifu Atoll offers colorful soft corals, wide channels, and a peaceful atmosphere, ideal for combining diving with cultural discovery.
Finally, Haa Dhaalu Atoll completes the journey with pristine reefs, beautiful coral formations, and abundant marine life, including manta rays and whale sharks attracted by seasonal plankton blooms.

A ONE-WAY CRUISE THROUGH pristine atolls, followed by an unforgettable return flight over the stunning archipelago. To make the most of your time and avoid long, costly holidays, this 10-day journey lets you explore 7 unique atolls, each offering its own natural beauty and marine wonders.
METTERE MAPPA

RECOMMENDED PERIOD: available year-round.

TOP DIVE SITES in the EXTREME NORTH OF THE MALDIVES
Below are some must-visit locations for DIVERS seeking the ultimate underwater adventure.
Nerumathi (Malè north Atoll)
Also known as “Shark Tank,” is a popular dive site located at the entrance of Hulhumalé harbor, near the capital. It’s particularly famous for close encounters with various species of sharks, including TIGER sharks, BLACKTIP oceanic, HAMMERHEAD, Bull Shark, Lemon, SPINNER shark and Guitarfish. The dive depth ranges from about 8 meters to over 30 meters and the visibility is usually good, especially during the dry season. In addition to the thrilling shark encounters, Nerumathi offers another truly spectacular sight: the high concentration of stingrays passing through the area. Divers are often treated to the breathtaking view of dozens—sometimes even hundreds—of rays gliding gracefully in the currents, creating an unforgettable underwater ballet

LANKAN / PARADISE (Malè north Atoll) 
Lankan Manta Point is one of the most famous dive sites in the Maldives, known for being a key cleaning station for manta rays. Located at depths of 10 to 18 meters, it features a large coral block where mantas arrive during the southwest monsoon and outgoing currents to be cleaned by wrasse. While mantas are the main attraction, divers may also spot whitetip reef sharks, sea turtles, and lobsters. This diverse marine life, along with the stunning underwater scenery, makes each dive at Lankan Manta Point an unforgettable experience.

HELENGELI THILA (Malè north Atoll)  north-east
sharks, manta rays
Most sides of the thila feature gently sloping walls, except the west side, which drops steeply with overhangs and rich coral formations. The top of the reef lies at about 10 meters, while the thila is surrounded by a sandy bottom at 35 meters. During the northeast monsoon, a variety of marine life can be seen, including sharks and sea eagles, whereas during the opposite monsoon, the site often serves as a cleaning station for manta rays.

RASFARI CORNER (Malè north Atoll)
manta point (during the northeast monsoon)
A shallow plateau is surrounded by a rather steep cliff. The plateau is covered with hard corals and serves as a cleaning station during the outgoing currents of the northeast monsoon. The wall around the plateau is adorned with numerous corals that provide habitat for a variety of species, including leaffish, ghost pipefish, lobsters, turtles, and moray eels.

KAASHIDHOO KANDU (Kaashidhoo Atoll)
This drift dive along Kaashidhoo Island’s outer reef in the Kardiva Channel offers vibrant coral walls teeming with fusiliers, snappers, and unicornfish, with occasional giant trevally. Strong currents attract pelagics like grey reef sharks, eagle rays, and mantas. Highlights include a coral garden at 20 meters, full of nudibranchs and colorful shrimps, ending over a sandy slope with green turtles and fusilier schools.

KUREDU EXPRESS (Lhaviyani Atoll)
Kuredu Express, in Lhaviyani Atoll, is famous for its strong currents. A sandy channel leads to reef terraces at different depths—perfect for watching the action. Grey reef sharks, eagle rays, tuna, napoleons, stingrays, barracudas, and huge schools of trevally patrol the area. Two bays feature brightly colored soft corals, collared butterflyfish, and humpback snappers. The dive ends at the upper reef near a leaf fish.KUREDU

FUSHIVARU CORNER (Lhaviyani Atoll) WestAbundant Marine Life – Outer Reef
Located in a Marine Protected Area, this site teems with life. Snappers and trevally patrol the mid-water, while the great Napoleon wrasse glides nearby. Tuna, grey reef sharks, and silver-tip sharks can appear along the channel edge, with barracudas schooling inside and morays hiding among the corals.

TWO WRECKS AT THE SHIPYARD (Lhaviyani Atoll) WestThe Shipyard is a top wreck dive in the Maldives, featuring two shipwrecks over forty years old. Both are covered in soft and hard corals, attracting a variety of fish.
Skipjack 1 lies on its side at 20–30 metres, while Skipjack 2 sits nearby at 25–30 metres. Divers can explore around and inside the wrecks, home to glassfish, butterflyfish, wrasse, and more.
The site also draws nurse sharks, grey reef sharks, eagle rays, and a resident green sea turtle at 14 metres. Excellent visibility and rich marine life make this a must for intermediate and advanced divers.

ORIMAS THILA (Noonu Atoll) south
Overhangs, rays , white tips sharks
West of Kuda Funafaru lies a stunning thila, 80 meters long with a saddle at 15 meters. The east side drops steeply with huge overhangs, while the west slopes gently to 25 meters, often hosting stingrays. Large schools of batfish and barracudas patrol the reef, and whitetip sharks can be seen cleaning on the top.

CHRISTMAS TREE ROCK (Noonu Atoll)
The dive site is one of the best and most valuable thilas in Noonu Atoll .
This thila, with pinnacles stacked like a Christmas tree, is a paradise for macro life—nudibranchs, shrimp, crabs, and lobsters—while larger species like trevally, sharks, and turtles patrol the reef.

MAROSHI THILA (Shaviyany Atoll) south
Guitar shark
A pinnacle starting at 16 meters, Maroshi Thila is full of overhangs, canyons, and vibrant soft corals. Large schools of fish, leopard sharks, silver-tip sharks, and guitar rays make this dive site unforgettable. Soldierfish, nudibranchs, and glassfish often swim right past your mask, and several guitar rays may be spotted resting on the sandy bottom.

SIRRU FEN FUSHI – MANTA POINT (Shaviyany Atoll) west
This world-class dive site northwest of Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi is famous for manta-cleaning stations. Between 12 and 25 meters, divers can watch manta rays glide gracefully, alongside schools of humpback snappers and batfish. The site is at its best during the northeast monsoon (December–April), offering spectacular pelagic encounters.

SIRRU THILA (Shaviyany Atoll) south-west
A dive for experienced divers who enjoy strong currents and deeper sites. The northern thila is covered in overhangs and colorful corals, home to sleeping nurse sharks, rays, and hunting grey reef sharks. Nitrox is recommended for this thrilling Maldivian dive experience.

NELLAIDHO THILA (Haa Dhaalu Atoll) south
A must for photographers and pelagic lovers. At the pinnacle top, white and black tip sharks feed among flurries of smaller fish, while manta rays glide above alongside batfish and giant trevally schools. Moray eels and nudibranchs hide in coral crevices, and guitar and leopard sharks can sometimes be spotted resting on the sandy bottom.

FINEY THILA (Haa Dhaalu Atoll) south
One of the most colorful thilas in the area, with the top at 15 meters dropping to 30 meters. Walls are covered in yellow, blue, purple, and orange soft corals. A small canyon hosts napoleon fish, tuna, sharks, sea eagles, schooling fish, and a rich variety of macro life including shrimp, lobsters, and nudibranchs.

CATHEDRAL (Haa Dhaalu Atoll
A stunning reef wall descending to 30 meters, featuring a large natural arch. This site is teeming with marine life: tuna, groupers, fusiliers, sea eagles, nurse sharks, rays, and even dolphins and manta rays. Ideal for divers seeking both dramatic scenery and diverse encounters with large animals.

BARRAH THILA (Haa Alifu Atoll) South-EastA hotspot at 16 meters, with barracudas, Spanish mackerel, snappers, and Andaman sweet lips swirling around. Manta rays dominate the cleaning stations, while leopard sharks rest behind rocks at 30 meters. Even at 5 meters, mantas often circle above during your safety stop.

MAADHOO WRECK (Haa Alifu Atoll) An 80-meter wreck at 5–18 meters, alive with snappers, fusiliers, and coral-covered surfaces. Leopard sharks hide below the stern, and keep your eyes open for red-toothed triggerfish, scorpionfish, stonefish, and vibrant nudibranchs. A perfect dive for photography and reef exploration.

ALSO, FOR SNORKELING LOVERS
Snorkeling Adventure
Explore the vibrant reefs of the northern Maldives, from North Malé to the remote Haa Atolls.
Snorkel over colorful corals, swim with turtles, rays, and schools of tropical fish, and enjoy pristine, uncrowded waters. Seasonal plankton blooms in Haa Alifu and Haa Dhaalu attract manta rays and whale sharks, making each stop a unique underwater experience.

AND IN THE END…
When the cruise returns to Malé, guests have the opportunity to explore the capital city and its surroundings. They can visit its markets and cultural sites, or opt for an optional visit to Villingili Island, known for its strong commitment to sustainability. On Villingili, guests can explore the Save the Beach Centre and the coral restoration site. They will also have the chance to snorkel and witness firsthand the important work carried out by scientists and the local community to protect and restore the Villingili reef, accompanied by a Marine Biologist who provides detailed insights into the ongoing projects.

WE INVITE YOU to check the SCHEDULE & AVAILABILITIES of our Yachts, where you will also find the various ITINERARIES.