Maldives Aggressor II

Maldives Aggressor II is a 41-metre steel liveaboard that runs Aggressor's central-atoll weeks round-trip from Male. Eleven cabins sleep 22 guests: six twins on the lower deck, four upper cabins and a main-deck double suite. Diving works off a dedicated dhoni tender, so the mothership stays a calm base while the day boat ferries divers to each site. The core trip is the 7-night Best of the Maldives, running year-round across Male atoll, Vaavu, Ari and Rasdhoo. It strings together the white-tip action of Maaya Thila, the pinnacle life of Kudarah Thila, wrecks like Machchafushi and Kuda Giri, and Vaavu's Alimatha night dive for stingrays and nurse sharks. Two 10-night options extend the week: one south into Meemu, one north into Lhaviyani's current-swept channels for bigger fish. Those extensions cruise at the atoll level, so the exact reefs shift by departure. Expect three to four dives a day, night dives included. This is a recreational operation: technical diving, rebreathers, double tanks and scooters are not supported, so it suits certified recreational divers rather than tech teams. Nitrox to 32 percent is available for a surcharge, so a nitrox certification is worth carrying. Meals and beer and wine are included; the government green tax and GST, park fees, a fuel surcharge and the 10-night port fee are collected onboard.

Aggressor's Maldives week reads as the reliable central-atoll classic: a comfortable 22-guest hull with the fleet's familiar service standard, and diving from a separate dhoni that keeps the main boat a settled base. Guests point to the variety packed into one week, from the shark action of Maaya Thila and the pinnacles of Kudarah Thila to wrecks and the Alimatha night feed, with cruise directors keeping the days organised. The atmosphere skews comfortable and well-run rather than ultra-luxury. The 10-night trips draw divers who want to push north into Lhaviyani's currents or south into the quieter atolls of Meemu. The recurring note is that this is squarely recreational diving: no technical, rebreather or double-tank options, so it fits certified recreational divers who value an organised, no-fuss week, with a nitrox card worth bringing for the paid enriched-air option.