Eco Blue
ECO BLUE LIVEABOARD; PASSION FOR THE OCEAN.
Eco blue liveaboard is an attractive wooden yacht that will be your home away from home for an unforgettable adventure. This dive boat was built in 2002 and has recently been renovated to modern standards.
With a love for the ocean and a passion for marine conservation, the experienced dive team of Eco Blue is ready to help you discover the richness of the underwater paradise in the Maldives.
There is a choice of 4 routes ranging from 8 – 15 days, following the seasons to visit the best atolls, such as the Ari atoll or Hanifaru bay at the Baa Atoll.
Accommodation
MV Eco Blue accommodates 22 passengers in 12 comfortable and spacious cabins. All have individual bathrooms, air-condition, a fan, and storage facilities.
Four staterooms with twin beds are located on the upper deck. These rooms have big windows. The rest of the quarters are located below deck and have double beds with a bunk bed on top.
The provision of towels, eco toiletries, and daily housekeeping are part of the service.
Lower Deck Cabin
Room size: -Max. occupancy: 3
Beds: 1 Queen + 1 Single
Private bathroom: 1
Air conditioning: 1
WiFi in the room:
Deluxe Cabin
Room size: -Max. occupancy: 2
Beds: Queen
Private bathroom: 1
Air conditioning: 1
WiFi in the room:
Upper Deck Cabin
Room size: -Max. occupancy: 2
Beds: Queen
Private bathroom: 1
Air conditioning: 1
WiFi in the room:
Comfort
The abundant use of fine woods enhances the nautical atmosphere throughout the Eco Blue interior. The dining room and bar are inviting places with great views of the passing seascapes while enjoying lovely food and drinks.
The lounge area is the place for relaxation and possible study in the library with fish ID and diving books. Wi-Fi internet is available. On the sun deck, you can enjoy the cool sea breeze in the shade or work on your tan on a lounger or bean bags.
Catering
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served in generous buffet style with local and western dishes. Everyone’s palate will be satisfied, and all bellies will be filled. When circumstances allow, we love to have picnics or barbecues on the beach.
Water, tea, and coffee are complimentary. Soft drinks, fresh juices, and beer on tap, and other alcoholic beverages are on sale.
Dietary restrictions shall be catered to if the crew is notified in advance.
Diving
Our dive guides take pride in providing the best possible in-water experiences for every individual guest. Seventeen dives are offered per week, including at least one night dive.
The dive sites on the itineraries bring a wide variety of marine life, with reef sharks, turtles, whale sharks, and manta, to name a view.
A dive dhoni brings you from the ship to the diving grounds. We offer a range of PADI and SSI courses on-board, from beginner to a range of specialty courses.
Nitrox is available, and we manage a rental store. New dive facilities include a Bauer air and nitrox compressor and a new oxygen kit, dive gear, and tanks.
SPECIFICATION
Year built: 2002
Year Renovated: 2017
Length: 32 meters
Beam: 10 meters
Top speed: 12 knots
Cruising speed: 10 knots
Max guests: 22
Number of cabins: 12
Number of bathrooms: 12
Tenders: 1 Dhoni diving
Water capacity: 6000 liters
Fuel capacity: 10 tons
Freshwater maker: 6 tons per day
NAVIGATION, COMMUNICATION, AND SAFETY FEATURES
✓ Radar
✓ GPS
✓ Radio VHF/DSC/SSB
✓ Emergency Rafts
✓ Life Vests
✓ Fire Alarm & Fire Extinguishers
✓ Oxygen
✓ First Aid Kits
✓ Satellite &mobile phones
✓ Searchlight
Eco Blue liveaboard has a passion for the ocean and marine conservation. Join her to the Best of the Maldives.
Available trips
Departure: 10 Apr 2022
Days/nights: 15 Days / 14 Nights
Day 1:
Meet & greet at the airport. Group transfer to the port. Onboarding, meeting the crew & briefing.
Days 2-14:
2- 3 dives per day
SOUTH MALE ATOLL
Kandooma Thila ***
Definitely number one in the ranking of the best dive sites in South Male atoll. Long thila, located in the middle of the channel, offers spectacular conditions to observe grey reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, eagle rays, big schools of jacks and snappers both with incoming and outgoing current. North side of the pinnacle is nicely covered with soft corals with the top of the reef being home to many reef fish and green turtles. Currents can be pretty strong so negative entry and fast descent is often required. Current hooks should be ready to use.
VAAVU ATOLL
Miyaru Kandu ***
One of the channel dives that you don’t want to miss. With strong incoming current the list of possible encounters is impressive. Mainly grey reef sharks but also whitetip reef sharks, eagle rays, napoleons and tunas are quite common and with the visibility reaching 40 meters during the northeast monsoon it can be the highlight of the trip. Outgoing current offer worse visibility but the sharks are still there. The site is not recommended for beginners, negative entry is often required and current hook is a must to avoid causing unnecessary damage to the reef. Most of the time you will spend at the depth of 26 to 30 meters so checking air and no-deco time more often is strongly recommended.
Alimatha House Reef **
Located on the south side of Alimatha island resort and considered one of the best night dives in the Maldives, being often a victim of its success and resulting in overcrowding of divers. Every night there is a show performed by a big number of nurse sharks, stingrays and massive jacks. Maximum depth will not exceed 15 meters and most of the time you will be kneeling on a sandy bottom waiting for the sharks to come closer. Definitely not to be missed.
MEEMU ATOLL
Muli Corner **
The reef is known as home to a lot of sharks during incoming currents but it also welcomes manta rays on a large cleaning station during outgoing current. Entering the water with empty BCD and not wasting time on the surface is often recommended, specially with strong currents.
THAA ATOLL
Whaleshark point *
There is no specific place where diving would guarantee an encounter with a whale shark but the common practice is to use a strong light in the evening at the back platform of the boat to attract the zooplanktons which will further attract the whale sharks. Scuba diving while having the shark at the back of the boat is rather discouraged as the bubbles may disperse the mass of the plankton. The best experience is to grab a mask, fins and gently enter the water on the side of the boat, not to scare the whale shark away and then enjoy the view while snorkeling. Sometimes the whale shark will stay for hours, more than one visitor is also possible. Instructions given by the dive guides have to be followed and a code of conduct must be respected by all snorkelers to enjoy the moment to the fullest.
FOAHMULA
Tigershark city
Day 15:
Check-out from the yacht, and transfer to the airport.
Marine life: Mostly pelagic fauna. Reef sharks, whale sharks, mantas, macro
Departure: 24 Apr 2022
Days/nights: 15 Days / 14 Nights
Day 1:
Meet & greet at the airport. Group transfer to the port. Onboarding, meeting the crew & briefing.
Days 2-14:
2- 3 dives per day
SOUTH MALE ATOLL
Kandooma Thila ***
Definitely number one in the ranking of the best dive sites in South Male atoll. Long thila, located in the middle of the channel, offers spectacular conditions to observe grey reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, eagle rays, big schools of jacks and snappers both with incoming and outgoing current. North side of the pinnacle is nicely covered with soft corals with the top of the reef being home to many reef fish and green turtles. Currents can be pretty strong so negative entry and fast descent is often required. Current hooks should be ready to use.
VAAVU ATOLL
Miyaru Kandu ***
One of the channel dives that you don’t want to miss. With strong incoming current the list of possible encounters is impressive. Mainly grey reef sharks but also whitetip reef sharks, eagle rays, napoleons and tunas are quite common and with the visibility reaching 40 meters during the northeast monsoon it can be the highlight of the trip. Outgoing current offer worse visibility but the sharks are still there. The site is not recommended for beginners, negative entry is often required and current hook is a must to avoid causing unnecessary damage to the reef. Most of the time you will spend at the depth of 26 to 30 meters so checking air and no-deco time more often is strongly recommended.
Alimatha House Reef **
Located on the south side of Alimatha island resort and considered one of the best night dives in the Maldives, being often a victim of its success and resulting in overcrowding of divers. Every night there is a show performed by a big number of nurse sharks, stingrays and massive jacks. Maximum depth will not exceed 15 meters and most of the time you will be kneeling on a sandy bottom waiting for the sharks to come closer. Definitely not to be missed.
MEEMU ATOLL
Muli Corner **
The reef is known as home to a lot of sharks during incoming currents but it also welcomes manta rays on a large cleaning station during outgoing current. Entering the water with empty BCD and not wasting time on the surface is often recommended, specially with strong currents.
THAA ATOLL
Whaleshark point *
There is no specific place where diving would guarantee an encounter with a whale shark but the common practice is to use a strong light in the evening at the back platform of the boat to attract the zooplanktons which will further attract the whale sharks. Scuba diving while having the shark at the back of the boat is rather discouraged as the bubbles may disperse the mass of the plankton. The best experience is to grab a mask, fins and gently enter the water on the side of the boat, not to scare the whale shark away and then enjoy the view while snorkeling. Sometimes the whale shark will stay for hours, more than one visitor is also possible. Instructions given by the dive guides have to be followed and a code of conduct must be respected by all snorkelers to enjoy the moment to the fullest.
FOAHMULA
Tigershark city
Day 15:
Check-out from the yacht, and transfer to the airport.
Marine life: Mostly pelagic fauna. Reef sharks, whale sharks, mantas, macro
Departure: 01 May 2022
Days/nights: 8 Days / 7 Nights
Day 1:
Meet & greet at the airport. Group transfer to the port. Onboarding, meeting the crew & briefing.
Days 2-7:
SOUTH MALE ATOLL
Kandooma Thila ***
Definitely number one in the ranking of the best dive sites in South Male atoll. Long thila, located in the middle of the channel, offers spectacular conditions to observe grey reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, eagle rays, big schools of jacks and snappers both with incoming and outgoing current. North side of the pinnacle is nicely covered with soft corals with the top of the reef being home to many reef fish and green turtles. Currents can be pretty strong so negative entry and fast descent is often required. Current hooks should be ready to use.
VAAVU ATOLL
Miyaru Kandu ***
One of the channel dives that you don’t want to miss. With strong incoming current the list of possible encounters is impressive. Mainly grey reef sharks but also whitetip reef sharks, eagle rays, napoleons and tunas are quite common and with the visibility reaching 40 meters during the northeast monsoon it can be the highlight of the trip. Outgoing current offer worse visibility but the sharks are still there. The site is not recommended for beginners, negative entry is often required and current hook is a must to avoid causing unnecessary damage to the reef. Most of the time you will spend at the depth of 26 to 30 meters so checking air and no-deco time more often is strongly recommended.
Alimatha House Reef **
Located on the south side of Alimatha island resort and considered one of the best night dives in the Maldives, being often a victim of its success and resulting in overcrowding of divers. Every night there is a show performed by a big number of nurse sharks, stingrays and massive jacks. Maximum depth will not exceed 15 meters and most of the time you will be kneeling on a sandy bottom waiting for the sharks to come closer. Definitely not to be missed.
MEEMU ATOLL
Muli Corner **
The reef is known as home to a lot of sharks during incoming currents but it also welcomes manta rays on a large cleaning station during outgoing current. Entering the water with empty BCD and not wasting time on the surface is often recommended, specially with strong currents.
THAA ATOLL
Whaleshark point *
There is no specific place where diving would guarantee an encounter with a whale shark but the common practice is to use a strong light in the evening at the back platform of the boat to attract the zooplanktons which will further attract the whale sharks. Scuba diving while having the shark at the back of the boat is rather discouraged as the bubbles may disperse the mass of the plankton. The best experience is to grab a mask, fins and gently enter the water on the side of the boat, not to scare the whale shark away and then enjoy the view while snorkeling. Sometimes the whale shark will stay for hours, more than one visitor is also possible. Instructions given by the dive guides have to be followed and a code of conduct must be respected by all snorkelers to enjoy the moment to the fullest.
Day 8:
Check-out from the yacht, and transfer to the airport.
Marine life: Mostly pelagic fauna. Reef sharks, whale sharks, mantas
Departure: 08 May 2022
Days/nights: 8 Days / 7 Nights
Day 1:
Meet & greet at the airport. Group transfer to the port. Onboarding, meeting the crew & briefing.
Days 2-7:
MALE ATOLL
Lankan Beyru (Manta Point) *
The outer reef of the Paradise Island resort, not far from the airport island. The main attraction of the site is manta rays coming to the cleaning station during the southwest monsoon. The dive site is relatively easy to access, with small currents and is often considered an excellent dive to start the week. The cleaning station itself is a large coral block covered with anemones and full of fish life. It is also very common to come across whitetip reef sharks, turtles, and napoleons.
Rasfari Corner *
Large and shallow plateau (3-5 meters) on the west side of the atoll, right next to the vast lagoon of Rasfari. It is covered with hard corals and hosts a cleaning station during the northeast monsoon. The most common way to dive here is to start on top of the reef, which is protected from the currents, and after spending some time with the mantas, continue the dive towards the wall that drops down to about 25 meters. The wall is nicely covered with hard corals, rich with fish life, and popular with turtles.
SOUTH MALE ATOLL
Kandooma Thila ***
Number one in the ranking of the best dive sites in South Male atoll. Long thila, located in the middle of the channel, offers spectacular conditions to observe grey reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, eagle rays, big schools of jacks and snappers, both with the incoming and outgoing current. The Northside of the pinnacle is nicely covered with soft corals, with the top of the reef being home to many reef fish and green turtles. Currents can be pretty strong, so negative entry and fast descent is often required. Current hooks should be ready to use. Rasdhoo atoll
Rasdhoo Madivaru ***
Channel dive between Rasdhoo island and Madivaru offering a spectacular ridge facing the ocean to observe grey reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, eagle rays, and large dogtooth tunas. More pelagics are visible during strong incoming currents; the use of current hooks is advisable. The ridge dropping down to 50+ meters on the outside expands to a sandy bottom inside the channel, where it is common to see stingrays.
If dived during the sun’s first rays, with incoming current and a bit of luck, it is possible to encounter hammerhead sharks. In this case, the dive starts in the blue. Depending on the air consumption and no-deco time, we continue the dive on the ridge and then drift into the channel.
NORTH ARI ATOLL
Maaya Thila **
The thila (a pinnacle) is about 80 meters wide in diameter and is considered one of the Maldives’ best night dives. The top reef at 5 meters makes it easy to access even with strong currents. The upcurrent side is always very active and busy with fusiliers and snappers. Big jackfish, whitetip reef sharks, stingrays, and moray eels can be spotted easily. Some overhangs around the thila provide shelter for turtles. Even though it has a reputation for a night dive, it is also quite popular during the day. A few separated coral blocks south of the thila create a tunnel full of beautiful coral bushes. With the right current, this is a place to spot grey reef sharks as well.
Fish Head **
One of the major attractions of the atoll cannot be missed. Due to its exposure to the currents, it offers a rich presence of fauna and flora. Big schools of jacks and fusiliers on the upcurrent side and difficult to count the amount of blue-striped snappers hiding from strong currents inside the overhangs all around the thila are the highlights the place. It is also popular with grey reef sharks, schools of barracudas and dogtooth tunas in the blue, and turtles and moray eels on the top reef. With strong currents, negative entry is recommended, and current hooks should be ready to use.
Bathalaamaagaa Kanthila ***
A long coral ridge in the middle of a channel extended from the outer reef and sloping gradually down to 25 meters and deeper, offering good conditions for observing grey reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, eagle rays, and napoleons, as well as schools of jacks and fusiliers. The dive site is active during incoming and outgoing currents but might be more challenging during the northeast monsoon’s outgoing currents. Negative entry is required, and divers are recommended to hide below the top reef’s depth to protect from the current. Current hooks are strongly recommended.
SOUTH ARI ATOLL
Moofushi Kandu (Manta Point) **
Drift dive with a chance to spot manta rays hovering over the cleaning station at a depth of around 14 to 25 meters. If mantas are spotted, it is recommended to use current hooks and stay around the cleaning station for a longer time. The dive site is relatively popular during the northeast monsoon and sometimes might be overcrowded with divers. Whitetip reef sharks are familiar visitors around the cleaning station’s deeper part, with blue striped snappers and fusiliers being permanent residents.
Kudarah Thila ***
The thila is a part of a Marine Protected Area and is often considered the most beautiful site of the atoll with exceptional diving conditions. Overhangs rich in sea fans and the top reef nicely covered with healthy soft corals are the highlights. It is also known for big schools of blue striped and midnight snappers, fusiliers, and jacks. It is worth to have a torch and look inside small caves where often you will find big groupers hiding. The water entry might be challenging due to its exposure to strong currents, and with the top reef at 15 meters, negative entry is recommended. The use of current hooks might be required if the current is strong.
Kudhimaa Wreck **
50 Meters long cargo ship lying on a sandy bottom at around 30 meters depth, right next to a resort island called Machchafushi. It was sunk in 1998 and already offered good coral growth and many species living on it. Nurse sharks, batfish, stonefish, lionfish, and moray eels are permanent residents and can be spotted around the wreck. A few entrances are allowing to penetrate the cargo hall as well as the wheelhouse. The site is nicely protected from the current, so the only concern will be no-deco time as you will spend most of the time below 20 meters.
Maamigili Beyru (Whaleshark search) *
Located on the southern tip of Ari atoll within the Marine Protected Area of South Ari atoll. A shallow and very easy dive might turn into a fascinating one as it is known as the best location in the Maldives for spotting the biggest fish in the world. Whale sharks can be seen cruising along the reef all year round. Most of the boats look for them from the surface. Once spotted, divers enter the water, go down and start swimming along with them. The code of conduct for whale shark encounters must be followed and is always discussed during the briefing.
VAAVU ATOLL
Miyaru Kandu ***
One of the channels dives that you don’t want to miss. With strong incoming current, the list of possible encounters is impressive. Mainly grey reef sharks and whitetip reef sharks, eagle rays, napoleons, and tunas are quite common, and with the visibility reaching 40 meters during the northeast monsoon, it can be the highlight of the trip. Outgoing current offers worse visibility, but the sharks are still there. The site is not recommended for beginners, negative entry is often required, and a current hook must avoid causing unnecessary damage to the reef. Most o the time, you will spend at a depth of 26 to 30 meters, so checking air and no-deco time more often is strongly recommended.
Alimatha House Reef **
Located on the south side of Alimatha island resort and considered one of the best night dives in the Maldives, being often a victim of its success and resulting in overcrowding of divers. Every night, a show is performed by a large number of nurse sharks, stingrays, and massive jacks. Maximum depth will not exceed 15 meters, and most of the time, you will be kneeling on a sandy bottom, waiting for the sharks to come closer. Not to be missed.
Day 8:
Check-out from the yacht and transfer to the airport.
Marine life: Divers will be astonished by the variety of marine life, from nudibranchs and eels, through schools of reef fish, eagle rays, sharks, and turtles to manta rays and whale sharks.
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