On most of the websites that have pieces about the Maldives you’ll hear people gushing about their experiences while at the Maldives, and we believe it’s all with good reason. The Maldives, located smack in the middle of the warmest ocean on Earth, the Indian Ocean, boasts of gleaming creamy white sandy beaches formed by eons of surf washing over the dead bits of coral reef.

Speaking of Coral, nearly everywhere in the Maldives, the reefs are quite the vision. Glowing in neon lights in the midday sun, the tips of these corals appear to be hard and strong, but are very fragile, and can die with the slightest disturbance. Which is why, a trip to the North will bring you to one of the more unvisited territories in the islands, where you can dive in peace knowing that the natural beauty is what it should be.

Your trip to the Nautilus Two will begin when you take a domestic flight to the island of Hanimaadhoo. This gigantic island has an airport that caters to these small planes, while the population lives about an hour’s journey on foot towards the other end of the island.

Major dive spots of the North

Once you board the liveaboard, you’ll be taken on a route that covers three of the north atolls, the Haa Alif, the Haa Dhaal, and the Shaviyani Atolls. The idyllic life above sea level belies the spellbounding beauty of the underwater vistas that unfold before divers and snorkelers alike. At the Nellaidhoo Thila, you’ll spot scores of black and white tip reef sharks hunting the lively fish all around, while huge trevallies and manta rays glide through water like as if it was mere air. The geography of the site is just as vivid, with moray eels peeping out of their homes, and nudibranchs in various shapes and colors, crawling upon the living coral makes for an interesting background. Read more about the underwater world in the Maldives.