NEWS & SPECIAL DEPARTURES

International flights with Singapore Airlines will cost from £575pp plus approx £389pp taxes.
Take a look at our Komodo page for more information.
Price based on US$/£ exchange rate of 1.6 and is subject to rate fluctuation. Flights are subject to availability at the time of booking.

 

SEA OF CORTEZ
14nts Rocio Del Mar Liveaboard in the Sea of Cortez
05 Oct - 21 Oct 2012      £2698 per person + international flights
21 Sep - 07 Oct 2013     £2795 per person + international flights
Prices include transfers and 1nt’s accommodation in Phoenix at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Hotel in a twin/double share room with breakfast. Price also includes return transfers from Phoenix to Puerto Penasco, 14nts accommodation on board the Rocio Del Mar liveaboard in a twin/double share cabin, all meals, soft drinks and snacks, local beer and wine, all diving (typically 3-4 dives per day) with use of tanks and weights, hiking, kayaking and offered land visits to Santa Rosalia and Loreto.
Excluded: Nitrox at US $100per person/per week. Marine Park Fees US $25pp. US $15 Hyperbaric Chamber Fee. Gratuities. Entrance fees to places of interest during the land excursions.

International flights from the UK travelling on British Airways to Phoenix are expected to cost around £365pp plus £307pp taxes.
Take a look at our Sea of Cortez page for more information.
Prices are based on US$/£ exchange rate of 1.6 and are subject to rate fluctuation. Flights are subject to availability at the time of booking.

 

COCOS ISLAND (November 2012):
2nts Costa Rica + 10nts Liveaboard
Sea Hunter               07 Nov - 20 Nov 2012     Guide Price £3472 + flights
Price shown is a guide only and will be confirmed on booking. Price includes two nights bed and breakfast in San José, Costa Rica (one night arrival and one night departure), 10 nights on Sea Hunter, fuel supplement, park fees and transfers, Nitrox, soft drinks and local beer on board the boat.
Whilst this is our own exclusive charter date, we can also book you onto any one of the Hunter boats scheduled departures throughout the year subject to availability. Please ask us for a quotation.

Take a look at our Cocos section for more information.
All prices are guide prices based on US$/£ exchange rate of 1.6 and are subject to rate fluctuation.

 

SOCORRO ISLANDS
13nts Rocio Del Mar liveaboard
13 - 27 March 2013
£2735 per person plus international flights
We have just added an exclusive charter on board the Rocio Del Mar to dive the amazing Socorro Islands. March is a fantastic time to dive these remote islands for as well the huge pacific manta rays that the islands are famous for, we hope to see many species of sharks and to have amazing encounters with the humpback whales that come in to breed here. Our specially extended trip will also include diving at the less visited and most distant Clarion Island!

International flights with American Airlines are expected to cost from around £550pp plus approx £370pp taxes.
Take a look at our Socorro page for more information.
Price is a guide price based on US$/£ exchange rate of 1.6 and is subject to rate fluctuation. Flights are subject to availability at the time of booking.

 

RAJA AMPAT - Exclusive charter
3nts Manado + 11nts Pindito liveaboard
25 Oct - 10 Nov 2013
£3395 per person + international flights
Price includes 11 nights onboard Pindito in a twin shared/double cabin on a Full Board basis with all drinks (excluding wine), up to 4 dives per day (not on departure/arrival day), Nitrox, all offered land excursions and transfers to and from the boat. In Manado it includes a total of 3nts at the Tasik Ria Resort in a twin/double Pool View Room with breakfast and return transfers from airport. Price also includes return domestic flights from Manado to Sorong.
Not Included; Visa on arrival into Indonesia $25, Raja Ampat National Park Fee US$70 – payable onboard (subject to change, Nitrox Course $180, Gratuities (recommended $20 per day), Local airport departure taxes, Massage Service, Souvenirs.

Take a look at our Raja Ampat page for more information.
International flights with Singapore Airlines are expected to cost from around £575pp plus approx £389pp taxes.
Price is a guide price based on US$/£ exchange rate of 1.6 and is subject to rate fluctuation. Flights are subject to availability at the time of booking.

News...

MALDIVES AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT CHARGE (ADC) - UPDATE
The expected ‘Airport Development Charge’ of $25 which was scheduled to be applicable for all passengers departing from Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (Male) on international flights from the 01st January 2012 has been suspended until further notice. Once we have further communications about the implementation of this charge we will notify you in writing.

SRI LANKA VISA REQUIREMENT
From the 01st January 2012 a visa will be required for travel to Sri Lanka for stays of more than two days. Currently British nationals receive a 30-day tourist visa, free of charge, on arrival. This arrangement is being phased out and replaced with an online visa application process, the Electronic Travel Authority (ETA), and the following visa fees will be applicable per person:
FREE for single entry / transit up to 2 days
US $10 for single entry stays between 3 - 7 days
US $20 for double entry / or stays up to 30 days
Children under 12 years are free.

It is possible to apply for the visa on arrival in Sri Lanka but this will be at a higher cost than above (approximately US $5 per person - not including the free visa)

The ETA will be available to purchase from the 01st January and further details can be obtained from the ETA official website of the Department of Immigration and Emigration (www.eta.gov.lk). Please ensure that you have applied for your visa (and that it has been granted) before you travel.

HANIFARU LAGOON
Hanifaru Lagoon has officially been made a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves covers internationally-designated protected areas, known as Biosphere Reserves, which strive to demonstrate a balance between humans and nature and encourages sustainable development. This is good news for the conservation of Hanifaru, and the Manta and Whale Sharks that feed there, and rules and regulations have now been imposed to control the number of visitors there.

Currently the situation is that from 1st Jan 2012 scuba diving in the lagoon will no longer be permitted and visitors will only be allowed to snorkel. A number of Marine Park rules will come into force, including a restriction of no more than 5 boats allowed in the lagoon at any one time. Entrance will be via a dedicated channel and a place of anchorage and snorkellers will have to swim back and forth from the anchored boat into the lagoon, as the boats are not allowed to move into the lagoon for safety reasons, unless in an emergency. Entry is on a first-come-first-served basis and if there are more than five boats wanting access, then boats are only allowed to stay for one hour, giving snorkellers 45 minutes in the water. The lagoon will be monitored by official Park Rangers, who will be there to ensure boats and visitors behave. They will have the power to fine boats and visitors as well as refuse entry. To ease congestion, resort based clients are allowed access to the lagoon on even days of the month and safari boat based clients on odd days. Obviously, there is a strict no touch policy being introduced. Starting from the 01st January 2012 the Park Rangers will officially adopt the lagoon and only snorkeling will be allowed. We understand that all access will only be by an official Park Ranger vessel, which will operate from the local island of Daravandhoo, and there will be a Marine Park Fee of approx $35 per person. As the Marine Park Authority release further information we will keep you updated.

While Hanifaru Lagoon has been the place of many great encounters over the years, please remember it's not the only place to see whalesharks and mantas. Fortunately for us the Maldives is a fantastic place to dive and snorkel with mantas and whalesharks and throughout the 700km chain of a 1000 islands and 26 atolls there are many places where one can regularly encounter these beautiful animals. So, don't think its Hanifaru or nothing..!

AIRLINE NEWS...

Etihad Airlines exclusive 30kgs allowance for Maldives Scuba Tours customers
We are pleased to announce that we can now offer our guests the opportunity to fly to the Maldives with Etihad Airlines with a lovely 30kgs luggage allowance! Etihad operate an excellent service to Male with daily flights from Heathrow or Manchester at very competitive prices. Please ask for more details.

British Airways direct non-stop service to Male
We now have very competitive fares on British Airways direct non-stop service to Male from London Gatwick. This is an excellent service that operates three times per week. Please call for more details.

Exciting itineraries throughout 2012!
We are looking forward to another fantastic year ahead with some great trips lined up. At the end of January the Sea Queen will be heading up to the Far North for a series of trips cruising through these remote atolls. After three months she will once again move back into the Central Atolls ready to start the manta season there. Meanwhile, Sea Spirit will be preparing for a voyage south to the Equator starting at the beginning of June for two months of exciting Far South itineraries. Take a look at our Far South & Far North Atolls section for more information on these remote areas and our schedules page for all dates and prices throughout the year.

The Far North and Far South trips are hugely popular so early booking is strongly advised to avoid disappointment. Call our sales team now to find out what's available and to get yourself booked up onto one of these thrilling cruises.

More Maldives islands and worldwide destinations to choose from
Our database of carefully selected Maldives islands continues to grow, ensuring our customers get the right island for their needs. Our islands section features some of our most popular choices, but our team in the office have experience and information on many, many more. Over the coming weeks we will be slowly adding new pages to our website, so please do check regularly. For first-hand advice and information on what's right for you, please contact our sales team who will be happy to help. We can take care of everything for you to make your dream holiday a reality.

 

We will also be introducing on our website an international holiday combinations section. A cultural tour of Sri Lanka, or a city break in Dubai, have long been popular add-ons to a diving holiday in the Maldives. Now, with more airlines feeding into the Maldives, we are able to offer other exciting combination packages. Why not combine your dive trip to the Maldives with a visit to India and enjoy a stunning houseboat cruise through the backwaters of Kerala? Or 4x4 wadi-driving desert adventures in Oman..? Give our team a call to find out more about some of our amazing combination holidays.

Why travel with Maldives Scuba Tours?
Our liveaboards Sea Queen and Sea Spirit accommodate just 12 people giving you the optimum dive experience. Our Cruise Directors have 1000's of dives in the Maldives and we know where to go and when to go to get you the best encounters! Want to see more..? Then check out this sensational video clip that was shot by our cruise directors on board the Sea Spirit:

Maldives Island Offers...

Many of the resort islands have released special offers for 2012 so please call us for the latest updates!
All offers are subject to confirmation & availability at time of booking.

Check this page regularly for any upcoming specials we are running and our sailing schedules for details of all our trips. There will be lots of good diving to be enjoyed with every trip you choose and we look forward to seeing you all on board !

Happy Diving,
Rob Bryning.