The Maldives, an island nation south of India, is best known among divers for abundant pelagic life, from whale sharks and oceanic mantas to Napoleon wrasse and hammerheads.

Many of the dives are in channels connecting an inner atoll lagoon to the ocean. The incoming and outgoing tides attract legions of hunters eager to take advantage of a surge that pushes a buffet of life in their direction. The opportunists include big schools of barracuda, giant trevally jacks, snappers and more. Beyond the rush and the big stuff, these islands are home to reefs teeming with the tiny — macro life such as nudibranchs and ghost pipefish are daily finds in this Indian Ocean outpost.

Altogether, this destination contains 1,190 islands, far more than any vessel could visit in a week. Because of this, Maldives Aggressor II splits its time between three areas and a total of eight itineraries.

In the area known as ‘Best of the Maldives,’ which includes North Male, South Male, North Ari Atoll, South Ari Atoll, Rasdhoo and beyond, guests can choose between three separate itineraries that focus on different islands within the region. Highlights of this area include drift dives alongside sharks, and dives on wrecks and pinnacles. View itinerary.

Diving in the “Southern Hemisphere” area is largely devoted to channel diving. Here, the rewards are many: oceanic mantas, whitetip reef sharks, gray reef sharks, and Napoleon wrasse, as well as massive schools of tunas and jacks. View itinerary.

The third area, referred to as “Far South” and “Deep South,” is visited in February and March, and targets some truly exceptional spots, like Whaleshark Point, and a night dive at Alimatha House Reef, where stingrays and jacks feed in an action-packed frenzy that makes for adrenaline-filled viewing. View itinerary.

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The white-sand beaches of the Maldives are legendary, not just for that sugar-soft sand, but also because, with so many atolls and such a small population, visitors can spread out, luxuriating in utter privacy. Plus, whether you’re traveling solo or with a loved one, this exotic island paradise warrants a few extra days of lounging on the beach or in an overwater bungalow, such as those of Bandos Island Resort or Lily Beach Resort and Spa, both of which Aggressor Travel can arrange.

Nearby Sri Lanka, which serves as the jumping-off point for most Maldives-bound travelers, is home to the Aggressor Safari Lodge. From this upscale tented lodge, guests will travel by open-air Jeep to the grass plains and watering holes of Wilpattu National Park to encounter leopards, sloth bears, water buffalo and more, and to Minneriya National Park to watch the socialization of groups of Indian elephants. Day trips can also target the 5th century-AD-built rock palace of Sigiriya, a wonder, much like Machu Picchu, built atop a towering rock formation.

NEED TO KNOW

• Dive Season: Year-Round
• Water Temperature: 80 – 86 F
• Travel Tip: The entire country is Muslim, so keep in mind that during the month-long holiday of Ramadan, mid-May through mid-June, some shops will close for prayer at various times in the day. That said, this time marks the start of low season, so better travel deals can be had.
• View All Itineraries

BOAT SPECS

• Length: 135 feet
• Beam: 28 feet
• Passenger/Crew Ratio: 22:16
• Number of Staterooms: 11

Contact info: 800-348-2628, www.aggressor.com