Renovated in 2015, the Moonima is a child- and non-diver-friendly liveaboard based out of the Maldives. The 30-meter ship is known for its cozy decor and trips to iconic dive sites. Accommodating up to 18 guests, the ship has rooms with double and double/twin setups. All rooms are located on the lower deck and include air conditioning, en-suite bathrooms, towels, hairdryers, and toiletries. There is an air-conditioned saloon, sun deck, and sun loungers on board. The restaurant offers western, local, and buffet-style meals as well as alcoholic beverages, hot and cold drinks, and snacks. Water and tea are complimentary,
Diving in the Maldives is popular year-round but ideal from November to May. The ship’s itineraries include tours of the Maldives’ famous atolls, such as North Male, South Male, Ari Atolls, and Baa. Divers will spot reefs, walls, pinnacles, drop-offs, reef sharks, and giant mantas on their dive trips. Popular stops along the North and South Male atolls feature caves, channels, octopuses, eels, white- and black-tip sharks, and a cleaning station for mantas. The Ari Atoll is known for diving encounters with pelagic life like whale sharks and plankton-enriched water. The average water temperature in the Maldives is 29° Celsius, and a 3mm wetsuit is recommended.
Known for its colorful coral and diverse marine life, the Maldives is a hotspot for underwater photographers. The ship has a photography station with separate rinse tanks and a camera charging station. Moonima provides dives with a ratio of one dive guide for every nine divers. Guests can go on two to three dives a day for 16-17 dives per week and take various diving courses. All dives are required to be buddy dives, and the maximum depth for diving is 30 meters. Decompression diving, solo diving, and technical diving are prohibited. Moonima offers nitrox for EAN-certified divers but does not support technical diving or rebreathers.
Narrative text and photographs courtesy of the Moonima.