Arora Virgo, Maldives

Arora Virgo, Maldives Liveaboard

Welcome aboard the Arora Virgo, a 35-meter vessel purpose-built for a luxurious and serene diving experience. Designed with a contemporary touch using light wood finishes, the Virgo creates an atmosphere of spaciousness and tranquillity, catering to a select group of just 18 guests.

At Arora Maldives, our priority is dive safety and exceptional guest service. Our professional yet welcoming team, many of whom have been with Virgo for years, are committed to ensuring your experience is nothing short of unforgettable, both above and below the water.

The Maldives stands among the world’s premier diving destinations, offering an underwater paradise like no other. This tropical wonderland spans 90,000 square kilometers, with only 298 square kilometers of land, leaving the rest as a vast playground for divers. It's 26 atolls, encompassing 1,192 coral islands, are teeming with diverse dive sites and stunning underwater landscapes—from thilas (pinnacles) and kandus (channels) to dramatic walls, sloping reefs, and tranquil lagoons. Thanks to strict fishing regulations and protected marine areas, the Maldives has become a sanctuary for marine life. With vibrant biodiversity, it’s a top spot to encounter a variety of fascinating marine creatures year-round:

Oceanic and reef manta rays
Whale sharks
Reef sharks (known for their curious approach to divers)
Tiger, bull, hammerhead, spinner, and thresher sharks
Turtles
Graceful eagle rays and stingrays
Massive schools of fish, including snappers, red-toothed triggerfish, playful batfish, napoleon wrasse, tuna, longfin bannerfish, and fusiliers, to name just a few!
Colourful critters like nudibranchs, ghost pipefish, frogfish, and leaf fish

The Maldives’ underwater scenery is equally captivating, with striking hard coral formations and lush soft coral gardens enhancing many dive sites. Whether you’re seeking thrilling big animal encounters or mesmerizing macro life, the Maldives offers an unforgettable diving experience in every season. Arora Maldives takes pride in offering one of the most exclusive diving experiences in the Maldives. With mid-week departures, Arora Virgo is strategically scheduled to visit the top Maldivian dive sites, avoiding the crowds. While they can’t always guarantee complete solitude at every site, this approach gives greater flexibility in planning routes and dive schedules, allowing for closer wildlife encounters, more vibrant marine life, and fewer divers in the water. Arora Virgo stands out for its generous space and smaller guest capacity compared to most Maldivian liveaboards. With diving groups kept small and a ratio of one guide per six divers, you can enjoy a more personalized and intimate experience. At 35 meters, Virgo is designed for stability and comfort, offering plenty of room to relax without ever feeling crowded. Their dedicated 17-meter diving Dhoni is fully equipped for precision drop-offs at dive sites, with onboard air and nitrox compressors, oxygen supplies, comprehensive first aid, and an AED for your peace of mind. Dive into the Maldives’ most breathtaking sites with the Arora Virgo and discover a world of adventure and relaxation.

Arora Virgo, Cabins

Upper deck: 2 cabins with twin or double beds Main deck: 2 cabins with twin or double beds Lower deck: 4 cabins with twin or double beds, 1 family cabin with double and single beds Arora Virgo Maldives Liveaboard Cabins

Twin beds that can be converted to one double
Private en-suite bathroom
Air conditioning
Comfortable mattress and bed linen
Extra towels
Window
Bathroom amenities provided

Scuba Diving Facilities

3 dive guides
Diving Dhoni: 17m tender with 3 staff, fully equipped with nitrox and air compressors, oxygen, comprehensive First Aid and AED.
Dive equipment rental: Full range on offer, must be arranged before departure. All divers are required to dive with a personal dive computer and SMB for every dive and a personal torch for night dives.
Dive tanks: Equipped with S80 (11.1 litre) Aluminium tanks as standard and C100 (13.2 litre) tanks on request. FREE Nitrox; up to 32% plus partial pressure system.
PADI courses available: Advanced Open Water, Adventure Dives and Specialties
Medical: Oxygen, comprehensive First Aid and AED available.
Camera facilities: Charging stations, air gun, rinse tanks and camera table

Intinerary

Best of Maldives

Dive Plan: Approximately 17 Dives Minimum certification level: Open Water Diver – No Minimum Logged Dives Required - Would recommend doing Advanced Open Water prior to travel to benefit from the deeper dives on this itinerary. This itinerary truly offers the Best of the Maldives! Explore the top dive sites across 4 spectacular atolls—Rasdhoo, North and South Ari, Vaavu, and North and South Malé Atolls—covering the most iconic locations this world-class destination has to offer. You’ll dive among friendly reef sharks, eagle rays, stingrays, turtles, and thriving reef fish, along with fascinating macro life. On this adventure, we specifically seek out manta rays by visiting their well-known cleaning and feeding stations, giving you the chance to get up close with these majestic creatures. We’ll also navigate South Ari Atoll, famous for its year-round whale shark sightings—one of the world’s best spots to encounter these gentle giants. Our itinerary remains flexible to align with seasonal conditions, ensuring we dive the most incredible sites for the best possible encounters and experiences.

Itinerary Highlights:

Rasdhoo Atoll: Hammerhead sharks and vibrant reefs with pelagic species North Ari Atoll: Grey reef sharks, Fish Head, Maaya Thila, multiple manta ray cleaning stations, and feeding grounds for consistent encounters

South Ari Atoll: Whale sharks, breathtaking pinnacles, channels, and walls

Vaavu Atoll: Schooling grey reef sharks and eagle rays

North and South Malé Atolls: Stunning pinnacles, pelagics, and large marine life

Discover Sharks Expedition

Trip Options: 7 nights – Approximately 17 dives

10 nights – Approximately 26 dives

11 nights – Approximately 29 dives Are you passionate about sharks? So are we! That’s why we offer these exclusive Discover Sharks and Discover Sharks Expedition itineraries. These trips follow a similar path to the Best of Maldives route but are timed for peak shark action. We target seasons when schooling reef sharks— sometimes hundreds strong, create the awe-inspiring "wall of sharks." Most of the dives focus on shark hotspots to maximize your chances of thrilling encounters. In addition, we’ll explore South Ari Atoll in search of whale sharks, and dive in North and South Malé Atolls for opportunities to spot tiger sharks, bull sharks, spinners, and hammerheads. Virgo keep the itinerary flexible, adjusting to seasonal conditions to ensure you experience the best dive sites and unforgettable encounters.

Itinerary Highlights: Rasdhoo Atoll:Hammerhead sharks, vibrant reefs with pelagics

North Ari Atoll: Grey reef sharks, Fish Head, Maaya Thila, multiple manta ray cleaning stations, and feeding grounds for year-round encounters

South Ari Atoll: Whale sharks, stunning pinnacles, channels, and walls

Vaavu Atoll: Schooling grey reef sharks and eagle rays

North and South Malé Atolls: Gorgeous pinnacles, pelagics, and large marine life

Whale Shark Adventure

Trip Options:

10 nights – Approximately 23 to 26 dives
11 nights – Approximately 26 to 29 dives

If you’ve been dreaming of diving or snorkelling with whale sharks, this is the trip for you! Designed with whale shark enthusiasts in mind, these trips follow a similar route to our Best of Maldives itinerary but focus on maximizing whale shark encounters by spending more time around South Ari Atoll—one of the world’s top locations for year-round sightings, especially from August to November. Since whale sharks are often spotted near the surface, some encounters may be better suited for snorkeling instead of diving, and we’ll adjust plans as needed. We’ll also schedule snorkeling opportunities between dives whenever possible. In addition to the whale shark hotspots, we’ll visit the best dive sites featured in the Best of Maldives itinerary. Itinerary Highlights:

Rasdhoo Atoll: Hammerhead dives, vibrant reef with pelagic species#
North Ari Atoll: Grey reef sharks, Fish Head, Maaya Thila, multiple manta ray cleaning stations, and feeding grounds for consistent encounters
South Ari Atoll: Whale sharks!
Vaavu Atoll: Grey reef sharks and eagle rays
North and South Malé Atolls: Stunning pinnacles, pelagics, and big fish

Mantastic Expedition Are manta ray encounters at the top of your wish list? Or perhaps you’re just as passionate about mantas as we are! The Mantastic trips are tailored to take you to the best-known locations and dive sites in the central atolls, with a focus on exploring manta ray cleaning and feeding stations. Along the way, you’ll also visit the standout dive spots from the Best of Maldives route, including Fish Head, Maaya Thila, and other world-renowned sites. Trip Highlights:

Rasdhoo Atoll: Hammerheads, vibrant reefs with pelagics
North Ari Atoll: Manta ray cleaning and feeding stations, grey reef sharks, eagle rays, and turtles
South Ari Atoll: Whale sharks, manta rays, stunning pinnacles, channels, and walls
Vaavu Atoll: Schooling grey reef sharks and eagle rays
North and South Malé Atolls: Spectacular pinnacles, pelagics, and large fish

Join us for an unforgettable adventure focused on whale sharks and the best dive sites in the Maldives! Join us for some of the most exhilarating shark diving in the Maldives!

Included

Taxes FREE Nitrox up to 32% for EAN certified divers Port fees Drinking water Tea and coffee Full-board meal plan Snacks Special dinner Land excursions (weather permitting) Diving package Airport pick up from airport to vessel at 12:00 and 16:00 All guests drop off from vessel to airport at 7:30 Cabin towels Deck towels SMB Reef hook