Another Bucket-List
Trip With
Rainbow Divers
&
Undersea Expeditions
Pristine Reefs
Pelagic Mantas, Sharks, Whale Sharks
Macro: Nudis, Pipefish & More
Led by
Tommy Tee &
Greg Hamman
*****
Waitlist Available
*****
December 29, 2024
Optional Sri Lanka Safari Lodge Stay
Elephants, Primates & More
December 22, 2024
10 Nights Aboard Carpe Vita
Join Rainbow Divers and UnderSea Expeditions to ring in the new year on a bucket list holiday trip to the Maldives, aboard Carpe Vita starting Dec 29, with an optional 1 week Sri Lanka Safari Lodge pre-trip. 10 nights accommodation and diving with up to 3-4 guided dives per day, plus a week exploring Sri Lanka to see wild elephants, primates, and more. With clear blue water, white sand beaches, and great visibility, scuba diving in the Maldives is an unforgettable experience in an idyllic paradise.
Cruising through the atolls of the Maldives during the peak season, we'll seek out the best diving this amazing archipelago has to offer. Three or four daytime dives (with a night dive offered most nights) are interspersed with a desert island BBQ and cruising through one of the most beautiful island landscapes on the planet.
Our special itinerary ten-night cruise allows us to explore multiple islands in this archipelago you may have always dreamed of visiting. Diving takes place from a large, separate "dhoni", maximizing space on board Carpe Vita, as well as keeping it dry. The feel is more like a luxury yacht than a dive boat.
Our planned itinerary includes Ari Atoll, where we usually spot at least one whale shark and multiple mantas. While such encounters are never guaranteed, the possibility of them is part of the "Magic of the Maldives". The topside scenery and schools of beautiful reef fish unique to the Indian Ocean will offer plenty to enchant you, with hope for icing on the cake.
This is your opportunity to explore the Maldives' best diving in the peak season in the company of gay divers and our friends on board a beautiful sailing yacht. Join us to experience Indian Ocean diving in luxury over New Year's!
Prices
*****
Waitlist Available
*****
- $4260 per person
Carpe Vita Suite Sold Out!
- $4195 per person
Superior Stateroom Sold Out!
- $3795 per person Lower Deck Stateroom
- $2295 Sri Lanka Safari Pre-trip
Payments
- $500 deposit to hold space
- $1000 due Jan 1 2024
- $1000 due May 1 2024
- Balance Due Aug 1 2024
Our Package Includes
- 10 nights aboard Carpe Vita in air-conditioned double occupancy staterooms with private bath
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus morning and afternoon snacks
- Bottled water, soft drinks, tea, coffee, juice as well as two glasses of beer and wine with dinner
- Up to 4 dives a day, including night dives some nights
- Airport transfers on day of cruise arrival and departure
- Tanks, weights and weight belt
Not Included: Airfare, dive gear rental if needed, hard liquor, tips (10% recommended), government taxes and fees (currently $6/night paid on board), any fuel surcharge if in place at time of final balance, Nitrox if desired ($150), internet service on board, final night dinner in town, dive accident insurance (required), and items of a personal nature.
Maldives is a moderate Muslim country. Visitors who drink alcohol will find it available for tourists, but at a higher cost and more limited selection than most diving destinations. No tourist may bring alcohol into the country. Hard liquor and additional beer and wine may only be purchased from the ship's bar, so please plan accordingly if you do care to drink.
Flights
If you are coming for the pre-trip stay tuned for recommendations on flights. If coming for just the diving you can follow these guidelines.
If you would like to travel on miles or points, you might find this blog post very helpful: http://thepointsguy.com/2013/11/top-13-ways-to-get-to-the-maldives-using-miles-and-points/
From North America most travelers will begin travel on December 27. Plan to arrive by 3 pm on December 29. Emirates offers non-stop service to Dubai from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Dallas, Houston, New York and Toronto, with continuing service from Dubai on to Male (MLE), capital of the Maldives. Qatar Airways offers good fares as well from gateways such as Washington-Dulles, Boston, JFK, Montreal and Houston Intercontinental.
For frequent flyers on United Airlines, it's probably worth a call to United reservations to book flights that include Star Alliance partner airlines such as Turkish Airlines or Singapore Airlines.
Singapore Airlines flies to Male through Singapore. If your flight arrives at night, plan to arrive on December 27and stay at the Hulhule Island Hotel next to the airport, or another cheaper hotel on Hulhulemale island.
Oneworld/American Airlines frequent flyers take note: Cathay Pacific offers connecting service to Male via Hong Kong.
Numerous airlines and charter flights depart from Europe to Male, including British Airways.
We'll depart the vessel at 8 a.m. on Sunday, January 7, 2025. Please schedule your flight home for that morning or plan to book a day room at Hulhule or in Male.
Feel free to contact us for suggestions with air travel and with hotel reservations if arriving early or staying longer.
Rainbow Divers is a 501(c)7 non-profit mutual benefit organization, and can only organize activities and trips for its members. Membership is cheap and comes with a bunch of new lifelong friends at no extra charge. So if you’d like to participate in this trip, please join us.
Payments are due within 10 days of sign up, and are generally non-refundable. If you sign up and your plans change there may or may not be someone interested in taking your spot. If you cancel without having made all payments it is your responsibility to find someone to pay your obligation in full. It is a very good idea to carry trip insurance to cover such an eventuality.
Trip payments may be made by PayPal or by personal check. PayPal will accept credit card payments, regardless of whether you have a PayPal account. The price is the same regardless of payment method. Please consider using PayPal, as electronic payment greatly simplifies the work of our volunteers. Please send PayPal payments to paypal@rainbowdivers.org
Divers are required to carry valid, in-force dive accident insurance, such as may be obtained from Divers' Alert Network (DAN).
Divers must agree to NCRD's Event Terms and Conditions to participate in this trip.
Event Terms and Conditions.pdf
Rainbow Divers Liability Release
The Northern California Rainbow Divers (NCRD) strives to provide high quality, good value, safe and fun trips to club members in relaxed and non-threatening environments and that respect the natural beauty underwater.