Maldives Liveaboard in September?

[Lriemann]

Hi there!

Never been to the Maldives before, only Red Sea and a few days in Thailand.
I prefer the bigger stuff like sharks and mantas to macro life.

A friend wants to go on a Maldives Liveaboard in September, but I'm a bit wary because it's not the best season and it looks like the weather topside, and (maybe) visibility could be a problem.

Does anyone have any experience in the matter?
What kind of conditions and critters can we expect if we go?

Cheers

 

[scubaozy]

No one can guarantee the weather, sometimes it pays off to take the risk and go in the low season, especially if you got a good deal but if time and money is not unlimited, I would wait and go in high season. Visibility will depend on rain, sun and moon. I was there last month and we did not have the best viz despite clear weather, because currents were weak or we often caught by outgoing currents. I was told that the week before was extremely stormy. Overcast days are also not nice because colors just don't pop. Important to set your expectations as well; viz in Maldives is not as good as in the the Red Sea. Sharks are mostly reef sharks so they will be found all year around. Not guarantied but mantas are usually found, as well; I do not remember any LoB trip I didn't see one regardless of season.

 

[Lriemann]

Thank you, or should I say "Danke"?

It's between this September trip and a September trip to BDE and/or St John's.
We've both done a LOB from Sharm, but not in the South of the Red Sea.
We do love visibility though, so maybe we'll just Red Sea again and hope for at least one big shark...

 

[Dan]

If you want to see big Shark, like Tiger Shark, take the Maldives Deep South route and don’t miss the site called Fuvahmulah. I was there 3 months ago.


In Red Sea, you would see not so big, but the most beautiful, Shark (to me), which is Oceanic Whitetip Shark (Carcharhinus Longimanus).


Either way, you would have great time! Enjoy your liveaboard trip!

 

[Dan]

Another thing about the Maldives Deep South route, you can see lots of Sharks on Kandu (channel) diving. You just jab your reef hook on the ledge of the Kandu, let the current push you off the reef and let the rope hold you in mid water, flying like a Superman underwater and enjoy the parade of Sharks passing by.

 

[Dan]

Also don’t forget the mantas, which I haven’t seen in 3 visits to Red Sea.

 

[Lriemann]

Those are some great videos, Dan.
I will keep the Southern route on my list.

Looks like it's Red Sea all over again.

 

[Dan]

Those are from Maldives Deep South, not Red Sea Southern route (BDE). Not much to see in Red Sea BDE, other than a Hammerhead in Daedalus & 2 Longimanus in Elphinstone when I was there in December 2019.