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Amba

Diving Squad Rating:

9.6/10

9.6 / 10

Despite being the absolute cheapest Maldives liveaboard out there, Amba is a comfortable and stylish yacht with excellent cabins and plenty of social areas. 

She is also one of the very few liveaboards to venture all the way up to the Maldives most off the beaten track region: the far north!

Great for: Far North, North, Central Trips, Cheap, Cabins W. Private Terraces, Island Visit, Beach BBQ. 

Trip Lengths: 7 – 10 Nights. 

Max Guest Capacity: 22

Operates: November – May

Amba yacht cruising along the sea.

Review:

  • “Classic / Best of Classic”: Explores the central Maldvies, which is known for lots of manta rays and reef shark action plus whale sharks and hammerhead sharks! 7 – 10 nights. Guests required to have advanced open water cert & 30+ logged dives.

     

  • “Best of North”: Explores the Maldive’s far north, which is known for mantas and reef sharks, plus rarer shark species like leopard sharks and guitar sharks. Some truly spectacular underwater features here, including huge caves and several shipwrecks. 7 nights. AOW & 30+ Logged Dives Required.

     

  • “Coming Home to North / “X-Mas Best of North”: Discover the central, north and far north regions all within the same trip! Awesome to see of some of the most popular Maldivian dive sites combined with the more of the beaten track areas. 10 nights. AOW & 30+ Logged Dives Required. 

All trips include an island visit, a beach bbq and the option for stand up paddleboarding. There are three dives a day, plus one night dive on a single evening of the trip.

Completely renovated in 2016, Amba offers space and comfort for it’s guests. The massive outdoor lounge has two zones, both with plenty of comfortable furniture and bean bags. 

In addition to there being one huge partially shaded sundeck on the top of the yacht, there are also a couple of quieter and more discreet sundeck areas for just two to four people. 

There’s also an outdoor lounge with furniture and beanbags as well as partial shading. 

Inside, there is an air-conditioned multimedia area with TV, DVD, HiFi, board games and a library. This is attached to the indoor dining area which also features a traditional bar..

Also, the 2 luxury cabins feature private terraces! There are 7 standard cabins also. All cabins have the option for a double or two single beds plus AC, windows and ensuite bathrooms.

Honestly, it’s hard to believe that the Amba is the all time cheapest Maldives liveaboard, considering the excellent cabin options, diverse array of social zones and the fact she offers explores some of the most off the beaten track regions in the entire Maldives. 

Sure, there aren’t any extra activities or experiences to be had as with other cheap Maldives liveaboards: You won’t get a hot tub like you would with Nautilus Two or an onboard spa as with Emperor Serenity.

But you will get the absolute lowest price for any Maldives liveaboard experience, whilst being on a comfortable and spacious yacht; which more importantly of all, takes you to some of the most spectacular dive sites within the entire Maldives. 

main lounge on amba

Guest Reviews:

Jonathon BSouth Africa
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"The crew was really good, especially the kitchen staff. They kept us well fed and didn't just serve the "normal" dive boat fare. We did 18 dives and each one was different from the next, ensuring that we experienced all that the North Maldives has to offer in one short week. Some advice - as the currents can be quite strong, remember to bring a reef hook along, although the boat and also provide"
Gregory FUnited States
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"The Manta dive was an awesome dive. The reefs were in very good shape for the most part and the amount of reef fish was mind boggeling!!"!
Peter WAustralia
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"Great! The Amba is currently the only dive boat operating in the Northern Maldives so the dive sites were not crowded with boats and divers. Sleeping out of the roof deck was wonderful! Great cabins too! Excellent food'
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Other features:

  • Western & local food with vegetarian options

  • Camera room with table and charging points

  • Camera station with separate rinse for u.w cameras

  • Rooms with balcony

  • Warm water showers

  • Outside showers

  • English and German speaking crew

  • Daily housekeeping

  • Paid internet

Jessica B from the United States said:

“The cabins are very spacious, and even the en suite was much larger than most liveaboards. The crew is fantastic and goes out of their way to keep guests happy. The main salon is large and comfortable and there are several outdoor areas to lounge.

Our only complaint was that the smoking section was the one and only covered deck, just behind the salon. Made it difficult to find a place to hang out away from the smoke when it rained.

Diving in the far north was amazing. We didn’t have great visibility, but the life was so prolific. And we never had to share a dive site with another boat. Would highly recommend this trip!”

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Written by:

Alex

Alex

Scuba-fanatic, travel-ecstatic and Grand Admiral of the Diving Squad