ULTIMATE MALDIVES A SNORKELING & DIVING ADVENTURE April 22 - May 5, 2021 | 14 Days | Aboard the Emperor Serenity MAP NOT TO SCALE Expedition Highlights KAASHIDHOO ATOLL • Cruise through the central islands of the Maldives to witness colorful reefs teeming with healthy populations of tropical fish. • Search for a variety of large pelagic species, including white-tipped reef RASDHOO NORTH sharks, hammerhead sharks, manta ATOLL MALÉ ATOLL INDIAN rays, turtles, and dolphins, as well as swirling schools of barracuda and tuna. Malé OCEAN NORTH ARI ATOLL • Enjoy two dive or snorkel excursions SOUTH MALÉ ATOLL daily, visit with locals, and step ashore MALDIVES on tiny islands for beachcombing and sundowner drinks. SOUTH ARI ATOLL • Explore the fascinating underwater topography—a dramatic landscape of VAAVU thilas, pinnacles enveloped in brilliant ATOLL corals and sea fans, and kandus, deep channels between reefs and atolls. VATTARU REEF • Itinerary .................................... page 2 > • Flight Information ...................... page 3 > • Ship, Deck Plan & Rates ............ page 4 > • Featured Leaders ...................... page 5 > • Know Before You Go ................. page 5 > © Thomas Baechtold Thomas © MORAY EEL HAWKSBILL TURTLE manta rays seen here (Madi means manta ray in the Maldivian Itinerary language Dhivehi) and depths range from 25 feet to almost 100 feet, making the dive particularly interesting and varied. Based on the expeditionary nature of our trips, there may be ongoing Manta rays are attracted to Madivaru because of the strong enhancements to this itinerary. Please note: Specific dive/snorkel sites currents that form a whirlpool effect in the deeper parts of the and landings are subject to change dependent on weather and sea site, where the manta rays can hover over the currents. You will conditions. also find several cleaning stations located around Madivaru. Snorkelers should have great views of the cleaning stations Thursday & Friday, April 22 & 23, 2021 near to shore, which are frequented by numerous fish along DEPART USA / EN ROUTE with the mantas and several species of shark. Board your independent flight to the Maldives. In the afternoon, step ashore on a tiny uninhabited island to relax on the soft, white-sand beaches, or for a bit of beachcombing. After dinner, attend a thrilling Bodu Beru drum Saturday, April 24 and dance performance. MALÉ Arrive in Malé and transfer by boat to Bandos Island Resort in time for lunch. The rest of the day is at leisure to relax after your travels. This evening attend a welcome reception and Wednesday - Friday, April 28 - 30 dinner at the resort. ARI ATOLL Spend three full days exploring along Ari Atoll, one of the largest natural atolls of the Maldives. North Ari Atoll is famous for sharks, manta rays, and other pelagic fish, including the elusive Sunday, April 25 whale shark. South Ari Atoll differs from many other areas in MALÉ / EMBARK EMPEROR SERENITY the Maldives and features many thilas (submerged pinnacles) The morning is yours to lounge by the pool and enjoy the both inside and outside the atoll lagoons, which act as sites of hotel’s amenities. Embark the Emperor Serenity in time for marine aggregation, making for wonderful snorkeling and diving lunch and set sail toward North Malé Atoll. The shallow, both in and around the pinnacles and in the kandus (channels). protected waters here are an ideal location for an orientation Depending on weather and tide conditions, here are a few of the snorkel or dive. Return to the ship for dinner. sites we hope to visit. Maamigili Beyru - Nearly seven miles of reef stretches along the Monday, April 26 south of Ari Atoll, where whale sharks often congregate to feed KAASHIDHOO ATOLL and where juvenile whale sharks can be found year round. While Test your skills on a morning snorkel or dive near this idyllic sightings are not guaranteed, we will make every effort to locate island. This afternoon, step ashore to visit the ruins of an 8th- these massive, yet elusive creatures. century Buddhist monastery. Set sail for Rasdhoo Atoll in the Rangali Madivaru - One of the best manta cleaning stations late afternoon. in the Maldives during the north east monsoon (December - April), this long stretch of reef starts at 26 feet and goes down to a sandy bottom at 78 to 98 feet. This area is teeming with Tuesday, April 27 cleaner wrasse, moray eels, leaf scorpionfish, and lionfish. RASDHOO ATOLL Mantas frequent the area after feeding and this is a great Schooling fish and jacks at Rasdhoo attract numerous white- site for both snorkelers and divers to get photos of mantas at tip reef sharks. Madivaru is named for the abundance of shallow depths, with good light. ZEGRAHM EXPEDITIONS | ULTIMATE MALDIVES: A SNORKELING & DIVING ADVENTURE < 2 > ORIENTAL SWEETLIPS BLACK-TIP REEF SHARK Rahdhiga Thila - This beautiful pinnacle impresses the second Sunday & Monday, May 2 & 3 you descend to 100 feet where you will find numerous gray VAAVU ATOLL reef sharks. The pinnacle overhangs are covered with beautiful The smallest and one of the least commercialized atolls blue, yellow, and orange soft coral, while table-top can be in the Maldives, Vaavu Atoll offers superb sites for both found near the surface. snorkelers and divers alike. The warms waters are teeming with fish and larger marine life, which you will discover on a Broken Rock - Named for a large broken rock at the center of number of excursions over the next two days. Fotteyo Kandu this dive site, Broken Rock is home to a beautiful array of soft is considered, by some, to be one of the best sites in the and hard coral formations that attract a wide variety of reef Maldives due to currents that bring a large diversity of fish life life. There is an interesting swim-through for divers where the looking for food. This narrow channel entrance is covered in rock is broken. Common sightings here include the pufferfish, colorful soft corals and leads to a pinnacle in the middle of triggerfish, moray eels, and Napoleon wrasse. the channel. Search the blue for eagle rays, gray reef sharks, Kudarah Thila - Declared a Protected Marine Area by the white-tip reef sharks, tuna, barracuda, and the occasional Maldivian government, Kudarah Thila is a popular dive site hammerhead. Bodu Miyaru Kandu, or ‘Big Shark Channel,’ that enjoys many incoming currents. Coral reef formations is another top site and features small caves, numerous here are bright and colorful, including a variety of soft and overhangs, and a slope covered in hard coral and soft coral. hard corals. Consisting of four pinnacles, which can be all visited in one dive, a swim-through at the south-east corner of the dive site makes this a particularly popular dive, as does the Tuesday, May 4 rich variety of marine life, which typically includes trumpetfish, SOUTH MALÉ ATOLL / DISEMBARK / MALÉ Enjoy one final snorkel excursion this morning. Disembark in snapper, gobies, dartfish, Oriental sweetlips, and groupers. Malé and check in to Hulhule Island Hotel with the afternoon at A little further away from the reef, divers are likely to see gray leisure to relax. Or, join a half-day tour of Malé, the Maldives’ reef sharks, Napoleon wrasse, and sea turtles. buzzing island capital—a mélange of high-rise buildings, lively Snorkelers will enjoy multiple excursions from the dhoni or markets, and busy streets. This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner from sandy beaches to discover placid lagoons, fringing at the hotel, then transfer to the airport for your independent reefs, and giris—submerged coral and rock patches. Keep homeward flight. an eye out for black- and white-tipped reef sharks, schooling fish, several species of sea turtles, manta rays, and numerous species of corals. Wednesday, May 5 USA Arrive in the USA today. Saturday, May 1 VAATARU ATOLL With only one channel, one island, and a few sandbanks, Vaataru Atoll provides a sense of utter remoteness. Relish the Flight Information luxury of isolation as you explore Rakheedhoo Corner, a deep channel with caves and stunning overhangs that are swarming You will need to purchase airfare from your home city/Malé and with white- and black-tipped reef sharks, barracudas, and, with Malé/home city. Please contact our in-house Air Department for luck, hammerhead sharks. Another great site lies ahead this fare quotes, reservations, or other air-related questions. afternoon at Vaataru Kandu, noted for its soft corals, crinoidae (feather coral), and plentiful fish and rays. There is also a sand bank and small deserted island for some relaxing beach time. ZEGRAHM EXPEDITIONS | ULTIMATE MALDIVES: A SNORKELING & DIVING ADVENTURE < 3 > Deck Plan The Emperor Serenity SUN DECK The 26-guest Emperor Serenity is a spacious diving live-aboard that cruises exclusively in the Maldives. The perfect size for exploring the archipelago with comfort and ease, the ship is equipped with state- of-the-art dive facilities and has the ability to offer multiple dive and snorkel excursions per day. All UPPER DECK staterooms have an ocean view with en suite bath- room, a small closet for storage, and individually 11 controlled air conditioning. The Emperor Serenity Bridge features a single-seating dining room, large open-air 12 sun deck, lounge, and a dedicated dhoni and skiff for 13 diving and snorkel operations and excursions ashore. Visit www.zegrahm.com/serenity for more MAIN DECK information about this ship. 9 10 Spa LOWER DECK 1 2 3 4 109 5 8 7 6 CATEGORY 1 CATEGORY 2 CATEGORY 3 Rates From $10,980 per person, double occupancy;