Shamar Guesthouse • South Ari Atoll
Travel period
Features
Starting from
Diving Vacation in the Maldives: Shamar Guesthouse & Dive
Located on Maamigili Island, near South Ari Atoll, Shamar Guesthouse & Dive welcomes divers to a well-known whale shark hotspot, affectionately known as“Whale Shark Island”—a promising start to a diving vacation in the Maldives.
The draw of South Ari Atoll is undeniable, with numerous liveaboards visiting the area, lured by the many whale sharks. But Shamar Guesthouse & Dive offers more than diving with whale sharks. In the right season you can also dive here with manta rays as well as simply enjoy beautiful coral with tropical fish.
As a 5* PADI®-certified dive base, Shamar Guesthouse & Dive offers a cozy and affordable choice compared to liveaboards or luxury resorts. With space for only 13 divers, it is the ideal destination for smaller groups or dive clubs looking for an intimate and exclusive dive vacation in the Maldives.
Best Time to Visit for a Diving Vacation in the Maldives
Whale sharks are spotted year-round at South Ari Atoll in the Maldives. Manta rays are mainly spotted from December through April. We recommend going here between November and April. You then have the best chance of nice weather and little wind.
ENOS on board! ENOS, short for “Elektronisches Notruf- und Ortungssystem” or “Electronic Rescue and Location System,” is a German developed system for divers at sea. It enables Shamar Guesthouse to signal the location of divers as they float on the ocean surface, allowing them to be found and rescued quickly. This system is invaluable for diving vacations in the Maldives. Shamar Guesthouse considers safety very important and is the first dive resort in the Maldives with this technology. Diving in the Maldives thus becomes not only a fantastic experience, but also a safe venture.
Average Temperatures
Wetsuit Recommendations for South Ari Atoll, Maldives
In general, a 3mm wetsuit is sufficient for diving in the Maldives.
What will you experience on this diving vacation?
View itinerary here
Days 1 & 2 - Start of the diving vacation to the Maldives
Today your diving vacation to the Maldives begins with an overnight flight to Male, the capital city. From here, you will take another 30 minutes or so by propeller plane to the island of Maamigili where you will be picked up by our friends at the Shamar Guesthouse & Dive. A golf cart will take you in minutes to the guesthouse where you will stay for the next 10 days.
Days 3 through 9 - Diving around the South Ari Atoll
The upcoming week will be all about diving around South Ari Atoll in the Maldives. With a traditional dhoni (equipped with toilet & sun deck) and a very helpful crew you dive 2 or 3 times a day in the most beautiful places. The sea is generally very calm and the furthest dive site is at most 2 hours of sailing, and sometimes you are also in the water next to a whale shark within 15 minutes.
Fortunately, most of the best and most beautiful dive sites—such as Manta Point, Bodu Finolhu, Maamigili Corner, Sun Island Beru, and the Kudhimaa wreck—are also closer by, so you can often be in the water within an hour.
You will definitely experience the versatility of diving at the Maldives during this diving vacation. A good chance you will see manta rays, dolphins by the boat (and with luck underwater), reef sharks and, of course, the whale shark.
During the search for whale sharks, the captains of the boats are in contact with each other to pass on when they have spotted a whale shark.
Day 10 - Discover Maamigili
Since you’re boarding a flight tomorrow, you can’t go diving today. It’s a good time to relax a bit or see a little more of Maamigili Island. Feel free to ask at the guesthouse if they’d like to show you around the island. They’re happy to do so. Hospitality is very important to Shamar.
It is possible to go kayaking, supping, snorkeling, volleyball, badminton or if you want to relax sunbathe at bikini beach – where sunbathing in swimwear is allowed.
Days 11 & 12 - Back home.....
Unfortunately, your wonderful diving vacation to the Maldives has come to an end. Today you’ll fly back home via Malé.
Don’t want to go home just yet? Then consider, for example, going scuba diving with tiger sharks in Fuvahmulah or taking a tour of Sri Lanka. At EWDR, we can tailor these experiences just for you. Ask us about the options!
The accommodation
The stay and surroundings
Shamar Guesthouse
The Shamar Guesthouse is the only dive base on Maamigili and is located directly on the Indian Ocean. At the Shamar Guesthouse & Dive, you will stay among beautiful green gardens with no direct neighbors and a very nice direct ocean view. Also Bikini beach (where tourists are allowed in bikini) is 100m away where you can relax and enjoy the sun after diving.
The Shamar guesthouse is also the only dive center (PADI® certified) on the island. A golf cart will take you to the port for your daily dives. The island is very small so exploring everything on foot is also definitely an option.
At the guesthouse, daily requests are noted for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Here you can choose from delicious Maldivian dishes or European standards.
Furthermore, Shamar also offers individual excursions such as traditional night fishing, snorkeling with the whale shark, visiting uninhabited islands, where you can swim in the beautiful blue lagoon and much more. Sunrise cruises, where we try to find the dolphins to take unforgettable photos.
The rooms and your stay
At the Shamar Guesthouse you stay on full board. Breakfast, lunch and dinner with water and juice is provided. Every day before diving you are asked what you want to eat from the menu. We recommend the traditional Maldivian dishes are.
At Shamar, they further have several rooms. The Panorama Room, Garden View Room, Ocean View room and Family Room. All spacious rooms meet all the conveniences for the average diver. This guesthouse is small-scale and also highly recommended for small groups of divers up to 10 people.
Travel costs
What is included
This travel package costs US$ 2.202 per person, based on two people sharing a room. This diving vacation to the Maldives can be customized to your preferences, for example with a stay in Fuvahmulah (diving with tiger sharks) or a liveaboard trip before or after the main trip. A number of items are included as standard in this travel package.
Prices are subject to price changes, increases or changing exchange rates. Flights are always based on the cheapest possible booking class.
Want to know more about the possibilities? Get in touch with us!
Included in this trip, from US$ 2.202 p.p.
- 9 nights in a double room
- Return flight from Male to Maamigili (domestic flight)
- Full board accommodation (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
- Includes water, tea, and Nescafé (at the guesthouse and on the boat)
- Return transfers from the airport to the guesthouse
- Dive package consisting of 15 boat dives, 2-3 dives per day
- Green Tax
- VZR & Administration fee
Excluding
- Flight to Malé from US$ 784 p.p.
- Tourist tax: US$3 per person per day
- Dive insurance, mandatory
✈︎ The quoted (international) flight prices are indicative prices and based on departures from Europe. However, we can arrange flights from any location worldwide. Booking your own flights is of course also possible.
Optional
Attention! It is important to book the items below in advance. Upon arrival in the Maldives, these optional items are often no longer available AND also the prices are higher locally.
- US$ 16 Diving Equipment per Dive
- Nitrox US$ 6 per dive
- 15L Tank US$ 6 per dive
- 15L Nitrox Tank US$ 9 s per dive
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Frequently Asked Questions About Diving in the Maldives & This Diving Vacation
Diving general
You make boat dives here. The boat is only a few minutes away from the resort.
Read our inspirational article about diving in the Maldives to learn more about this diving destination.
The dive sites are up to 2 hours of boating. Usually, however, they stay closer to home. The best dive sites are between 30min and 1 hour maximum sailing time.
You can make a maximum of three dives per day. Two in the morning and one in the afternoon. The afternoon dive is possible from as little as one diver because they have discovered some great new locations that are close by.
Yes. This is possible. This requires a minimum of 3 divers.
No. You’ll always set sail by boat.
Yes. The diving school also offers PADI courses.
He’s at the resort.
Diving equipment
Yes. The charge for this is 5.5 USD per tank.
Yes. This is possible. Per 12L tank of nitrox you pay €5.50.
Yes, that’s possible.
Other activities & excursions
Yes. You can certainly do that here. You will then join the boat. Dive sites will be sought that are also of interest to snorkelers. Here, too, you have a good chance of encountering whale sharks or manta rays,
Unfortunately, if you don’t dive, there is little to experience. There is a small beach within walking distance of the guesthouse and by golf cart or walking you can get to the village where there are some stores. At the beach you can paddle or swim.
On the last day, you could look for the whale shark if you haven’t seen it yet. Furthermore, we recommend going fishing with the locals or having a barbecue on the beach organized by the guesthouse.
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