Soleil 2

Boat

Soleil 2 is a new superior dive liveaboard built in the Maldives during 2015, measuring 44 meters long and 13 meters wide, cruise at 10 - 12 knots per hour, it is perfectly shaped for cruising the Indian Ocean and the Maldivian Atolls.

Soleil 2 offers large spaces dedicated to the comfort of every guest onboard. There are several areas are especially designed for you to share time with guides after amazing underwater experience:

The air-conditioned saloon will offer you a very nice place to relax with an entertainment system fully equipped with a TV, a film projector, a sound system and a DVD player. Guests also can find two spacious dinning areas: one indoor dinning room with air-conditioning located on the main deck, and the other one is located on the upper deck with open air covered seatings.

In between the meals, freshly squeezed fruit juices, milkshakes and sandwiches are available, as well as hot tea and coffee. There is a large sun deck for relaxing between dives or enjoying the amazing sunset views from the jacuzzi.

Soleil 2 provides diving from the dedicated dhoni powered with a 25HP engine and fully equipped with compressors and dive gear storage to maximise space and reduce the noise on the mother ship. The dhoni also comes with a photo/video loading station.

Cabin

Soleil 2 has 15 guset cabins, which can welcome up to 30 guests per trip.

All cabins are in good size, and each cabin has air conditioning, a private bathroom with shower and toilet, ample storage space, mirror, closet with coat hangers, power supply with 220 volts is available.

6 Balcony Suites :
Located on the upper deck, 15sqm in size, each cabin comes with 2 single beds (0.9m x 2.0m) or 1 double bed (1.8m x 2.0m), wardrobe, pravite balcony, seaview windows.

1 Deluxe Cabin :
Located on the main deck, 25sqm in size, with 2 single beds (0.9m x 2.0m), wardrobe, a double seats sofa, a table, seaview windows.

1 Deluxe Cabin :
Located on the main deck, 25sqm in size, with 1 double beds (1.5m x 2.0m), a wardrobe, a double seats sofa, a table, seaview windows.

3 Standard Plus Cabins :
Located on the lower deck, 15sqm in size, each with 2 large single beds (1.5m x 2.0m), wardrobe, portholes.

4 Standard Cabins :
Located on the lower deck, 11sqm in size, each with 2 large single beds (1.5m x 2.0m + 1.2m x 2.0m), wardrobe, portholes.

Diving

• 17 dives per week (1 night dive is included per week).
• No dive on the embarkation and disembarkation day.
• Only 1 - 2 dives will be provided on the last diving day.
• All diving will provide experienced guide to lead the dive.

Other Information

• Nitrox：Available with additional cost
• 15L Tanks：Available with additional charge
• REBREATHER Dive：Not available at the moment
• Technical Dive：Not available at the moment yet
• Dive Equipment Rental：Available with additional cost
• Dive insurance：Divers must have valid dive insurance
• Wi-Fi Internet ：Available with additional cost
• Laundry Service：Not available at the moment
• Massage Service：Not available at the moment
• Payment on board：Cash only (USD/EUR/MVR)
• Crew Number：16, include 3 - 4 dive guides

Central Maldives Classic Route, Male - Male, 8D/7N

Day 1 - Hulhumalé : Dune’s staff will pick up at Malé International Airport and bring you to Soleil 2 for boarding. Refreshments are offered while getting information you need from our Cruise Director. Dinner will be served in the evening. As soon as all the guests are on board and settled in, we will set sail to the first dive site.

Day 2 - North Malé Atoll > Vaavu Atoll : The trip will start with discovering the dazzling long reefs or manta point (during season May to Nov only) in North Malé Atoll. Corals are abundant here, giving home to plenty of reef fish and macro species. After the day, we will cruise to Vaavu Atoll for the action packed night dive you cannot miss. There are no other experience alike as to join the nurse sharks, sting rays, and jacks in their feeding frenzy.

Day 3 - Vaavu Atoll > South Ari Atol : Small caves, large overhangs, drop-off walls, and sloping reefs covered with corals can be found in Vaavu Atoll. Titan triggerfish are common. Larger marine life such as grey reef sharks, white tip reef sharks, tunas, and barracudas are also found here. Moving west to the South Ari Atoll, you will encounter beautiful pinnacles and bigger marine life. Dive into the aquarium of mother nature, meeting the stars of the trip.

Day 4 - South Ari Atol : In the marine protected areas, our first star, the mighty whale sharks regularly show their appearances. Our crew will search for their presence and allow you a chance to snorkel or even scuba with them. Lucky or not, there are also many thilas and some wrecks in South Ari Atoll. Grey reef sharks, napoleon wrasse, moray eels, and scorpionfish can be found here. Exploring to the most, diving in and also setting foot on the paradise. Our crew will lead a visit to the nearby local island just before dinner.

Day 5 - South Ari Atoll > North Ari Atoll : Cruising never stops, moving up to the North Ari Atoll while taking the last chance to get up close easily with whale sharks. In the north, channels are wider and water is deeper, we will meet some more of the stars here. The current attracts many grey reef sharks, white tip reef sharks and even other large pelagic fish. When night falls, you will be invited to go ashore again and indulge yourself in the barbecue dinner on nearby desert island prepared by our crew.

Day 6 - North Ari Atoll : Multiple manta cleaning stations, extraordinary thilas and wreck with rich marine life are what you will dive in here. Apart from the above mentioned, you will also find eagle rays, hawksbill turtles, napoleon wrasse, school of blue-stripe snapper, batfish, and fusiliers here. The day will end with a manta night dive. Spectating the enormous manta rays feeding right in front your torch.

Day 7 - North Ari Atoll > North Malé Atoll : Dive in once more in North Ari Atoll with the pelagic life and the cruise will head back to North Malé Atoll. Here you will find stunning long reefs, small caves, colourful corals with prolific marine and reef life. Take a closer look at the squirrelfish, bannerfish, oriental sweetlips, frogfish, and nudibranchs. Meanwhile, the trip is arriving at the end. Sad to say goodbye but we all hope to see you again at Dune.

Day 8 - Hulhumalé : After breakfast, Dune's staff will drop all the guests back to Male airport around 8AM. This last day is left free. Nevertheless, for your comfort, Dune Maldives offers you the choice of: 1. A Day-Use of the Hulhule Island Hotel (on the airport island), or at a Resort close to Malé, or in a Guesthouse on the island of Hulhumalé (additional services are subject to availability); 2.A visit to Malé.

Please Note : Your last dive will be at least 24h before you take your return flight.

Typical day On board

A typical day on board our boats includes 2 to 3 dives and follows the schedule below:

06:30 am: Alarm, tea/coffee
07:00 am: Briefing for the 1st dive on the main boat and departure from the Dhoni
09:00 am: Breakfast on board the main boat
11:00 am: Briefing for the 2nd dive on the main boat and departure from the Dhoni
1:00 pm: Lunch on board the main boat
3:30 pm: Briefing for the 3rd dive on the main boat and departure from the Dhoni
5:00 pm: Snack, tea/coffee
7:00 pm: Pre-dinner drinks!
8:00 pm: Dinner

In the event of a night dive, dinner (and the pre-dinner drinks!) are obviously delayed until after the dive which takes place around 7pm.