subject: Tips for selecting a liveaboard [print this page] Tips for selecting a liveaboard Tips for selecting a liveaboard
Liveaboard diving safaris provide divers with the best of what scuba diving is all about without the hassle of being tied to shore. There are no more inconvenient journeys back and forth from hotel rooms to boats, restaurants and other expensive facilities become on liveaboard holidays because you are literally living aboard your diving boat/resort hotel.
Since staying on a liveaboard diving vessel means being more exposed to the elements, it may make the most sense to choose a diving destination characterized by calm seas, comfortable weather and perhaps most important of all a top quality boat and crew.
Eating, sleeping, diving and relaxing all on the same boat means selecting the right boat is an important decision toward planning your liveaboard diving holiday. Fortunately there are a variety of diving destinations and a wide range of boats and liveaboard diving packages to choose from.
When selecting a liveaboard, there are some important things to consider:
What kind of diving are you interested in?
Are you a beginner or an experienced diver? What kinds of marine life, underwater wrecks and ocean topography would you like to experience? Are you in search of a variety of experiences within your liveaboard vacation? How much socializing and relaxing, as opposed to serious diving, would you like to do? Are you also interested combining your trip with more traditional sight seeing activities?
Climate and weather:
Do you prefer warm water to cold? Are you interested in combining your liveaboard holiday with swimming, snorkeling, visiting beaches and exploring tropical islands?
Comfort, safety and convenience:
Some liveaboards take place on luxurious yachts and have full service resort-like conditions including room service, air conditioned en suite cabins, catered meals, a bar and relaxation area. Others may suit those more accustomed to "roughing it". It is recommended that you seek out a liveaboard tour that features guided dives by skilled, certified PADI dive guides who speak English. Boats should come equipped with top quality dive gear, especially if you don't plan on brining your own.
Find out what other facilities the boat has. Do you plan on doing some fishing or swimming? Would you prefer a large or small boat or something in between? How convenient is your diving destination to reach from your country of origin? Is it easily accessible by plane? Do the country of destination require a visa, have hidden fees or a troublesome bureaucracy? How are weather safety conditions and security issues at your destination?
Price:
Liveaboard holidays can range from the luxurious to the bare-boned. Check what is included in your liveaboard diving holiday. Does the price include meals, airport pickup and other extras? Since a liveaboard usually combines all the features of accommodation and meals along with diving safaris, it is usually an economic choice for both the serious and beginner diver. Choose your destination and individual liveaboard holiday with these points in mind.
The Maldives
Among diving destinations, the Maldives is one of the world's top choices. A mild climate; calm, clear, warm waters; and a selection of diverse, unspoiled marine ecosystems make the Maldives ideal for divers of all skill and experience levels. Combine this with a fascinating collection of undersea wrecks, first class diving facilities, and an incredible array of diving spots among its 24 coral atolls and 1,190 islands. These islands make up only 1% of the Maldives' 90,000 square km (35,000 square miles) of territory. Only 185 of the islands are populated, leaving the vast majority of the Maldives unspoiled above and below its azure waters.
A liveaboard diving vacation is the perfect way to experience all the Maldives has to offer. By opting to take part on a liveaboard cruise rather than an expensive resort holiday, divers have the opportunity to reach the best locations and truly experience the wondrous variety of undersea flora and fauna that exist in the Maldives many pristine underwater ecosystems.
Another plus about the Maldives is that it is great for diving year round. Its seas are at their clearest and most calm from January through April, though due to the amazing variety of scuba sites in the country, some spots remain clear all year long. Those who wish to see larger marine animals like whale sharks and rays may opt for May and June, when temperatures are at their warmest, prompting plankton bloom and attracting those larger species who feed on it.
