Cruise Itinerary & Schedule 2014/2015

Day One (Monday)

Welcome to the Maldives Yasawa Princess will be anchored just off of Villigili, a convenient 20 minutes boat ride from Male International Airport. Our Guest Relations Officer (GRO) will greet you on arrival and assist you to the boat’s private tender for your transfer. This afternoon we will help get you checked into your cabin and complete a welcome briefing and introduction to your Yasawa Princess experi-ence. This is an informal session where you will meet guests onboard, the dive team and the crew members who will assist you throughout your cruising holiday. It is always pleasant to have a pre-dinner cocktail on the Bar/Restaurant deck and

watch the sunset over the Indian Ocean, and is always a social experience.

Day Two (Tuesday)

Kuda Bandos is an uninhabited picnic island in North Malé Atoll. Morning and afternoon will be spent on the island where you can snorkel off the house reef. Relax and Sunbathe on the white sandy beach that surrounds the island. There are nu-merous amazing dive sites within reach including a manta ray cleaning station in the summer season. Snorkeling, Sunbathing and relaxing at Kuda Bandos, Picnic island in the morning and in the afternoon.Enjoy the Sundowner of the day while getting to know your cruise mates for the week.

Depart from Male’ Anchorage and anchor at Kuda Bandos (Picnic Island) at North Malé Atoll.

Diving : Lankan Manta Point & Okobe ThilaLankan Manta Point – Outer reef edge of the Atoll, Manta Rays can be spotted during the summer season and Moray’s, Lion Fish, Napoleon Fish, Turtles. Can be spotted throughout the dive.Okobe Thila – submerged round pinnacle located near Thundufushi Huraa. Beautiful Overhangs and coral life, has a good fishlife.

Day Three (Wednesday)

Sexy Beach, beautiful sand bank located in south Male’ Atoll. The reef around this sand bank has beautiful coral and a good fish life for snorkeling or you can simply work on your tan and relax on the beach. Beach Umbrella’s will be placed if it is suitable with the wind conditions.Morning 1000Hrs - 1200Hrs & afternoon 1400Hrs - 1600Hrs Lunch will be served on the boat.Once everyone is back from the beach we will heave the anchor and head close to Maadhoo Finolhu for the night.

Diving : Maafushi Beyru & Kuda Giri (Wreck)Maafushi Beyru – Outer reef of local island Maafushi, nice and easy wall drift dive, different types of Moray Eels can be spotted, turtles, eagle rays, napoleon wrasse with a bit of luck.Kuda Giri – small pinnacle with a sunken steel fishing trawler, beautiful coral growth on the wreck, ideal for macro fans.Schools of Fussiliers are seen chased by Giant Travallys and Tuna’s.

Depart from Kuda Bandos and cross the narrow Vaadhoo Channel to South Male’ Atoll

Countinued.....

Best of Central Atoll ( Male’ Atoll / Vaavu Atoll / Ari Atoll)

Day Four (Thursday)

Maadhoo Finolhu Picnic Island. This Fullday excursion will start in the Morning at 1000Hrs and you will return back to the vessel at 1600Hrs. Picnic Lunch Will be served on the island. There is plenty of shade on the island to relax on the beach. This island has a big lagoon, therefore if you a keen snorkeler please request to the GRO, that you want to be dropped off the edge of the reef so that you do not have to swim all the way out or You can join the divers if the dive site is suitable for Snorkelling.Night Fishing from 1730Hrs to 1930Hrs using traditional Hand Lines with baits.

Diving : Guraidhoo Corner & kandooma ThilaGuraidhoo Corner – Channel corner, with current coming into the atoll this dive site offers varieties of larger pelagics, schooling eagle rays, Etc..kandooma Thila – 300m long underwater pinnacle inside Kandooma channel, thrilling overhangs with soft corals & sharks, Eagle Rays and other Big fish can be spotted on this site.

Day Five (Friday)

Alimatha Sand bank, located on the Eastern Edge of the Atoll. A big tur-quoise lagoon surrounds this sand bar and an attractive reef to snorkel. Morn-ing and afternoon will be spend on this sand bank. Lunch will be served on the Island. Sun Umbrellas will be placed for shade if the conditions are favourable. Optional: Night Snorkeling Session on Alimatha Resort House Reef, this excursion has been one of the favourites among our guests. Large Nurse Sharks, Sting Rays & Travallys can be spotted through out this experience.

Diving : Miyaru kandu & Devana KanduMiyaru kandu – Channel Dive, where you cross the channel from one side to the other looking out for larger pelagis like Sharks and Eagle rays passing by. Devana kandu – Narrow Channel with a reef in the middle. Ideal for Big Fis, like sharks, Napoleon and Eagle Rays. Turles can also be on the shallower part of the dive.

Early Morning Cruise to Vaavu Atoll and Anchor off Alimatha Sand Bank

Day Six (Saturday)Short Cruise in the morning to Vashugiri

Vashugiri, small picnic island located on the north western side of Vaavu Atoll. Easy access to the reef for snorkelers, Huts and sun loungers are available on the island for the Beach Lovers. Lunch will be served on the vessel.Evening BBQ, our crew will set up for dinner under the stars on the beach. This is probably one of the favourite and most memorable evenings of our cruise. Our chefs will prepare a Maldivian beach BBQ, with drinks and music, whilst we enjoy the amazing beauty and a spot of stargazing.

Diving : Kunaavasi kandu & Bodu KanduKunaavasi kandu – Channel Dive, for Bigger fish. Beutiful Coral and Schooling fish can be found on the submerged pinnacle in the middle of the channel. Family of Napoleons lives here. Bodu Kandu – wide Channel with a submerged reef in the middle. Ideal for Big Fis, like sharks, Napoleon and Eagle Rays. Turles can also be on the shallower part of the dive.

Day Seven (Sunday)Early Morning Cross the channel to South Ari Atoll

Oshagali Finolhu, tender will be ready as soon as we reach this sand bank in south ari atoll. Reef Surrounding the sandbank has lot of healthy hard corals, snor-kelers love this reef. Afternoon visit the Local island Dhangethi, to get a glipmse of island Life. Night Fishing Excursion will be arranged from 1730 - 1930 Hrs Optional (chargeable): Manta Ray / Whale shark excursion, guests will go out on the dive dhoni in search of this gentle giants. This region in the Maldives has the great-est chance in finding them.

Diving : Kuda Rah Thila & Hudhu ThilaKuda Rah Thila – Protected dive site, small pinnacle starting top reef at around 16m with soft corals and overhangs. Thousands of Blue Stripped Snappers can be found at the top of this reef. Hudhu Thila – Like any pinnacle inside Dhigurah channel, this pinnacle offers variety of small and large fish.

Day Eight (Monday)Early Morning Cruise to Ariadhoo

Ariadhoo, is an agricultural Island with lot of plantation. Guests continuing on the cruise for the second will be going to the island for swimming and sunbathin. One week Guests will dis-embark at this point to Maamagili Airport and take a domestic flight back to Male’ to catch the International Flights.

Diving : Will be arranged depending on the dhoni availability....

Day Nine (Tuesday)

Hurasdhoo, a small deserted island with white sandy beach surrounding the island. Nice House reef for avid snorkeler. Beach Umbrellas will be placed if the conditions are favourable. Lunch will be served on the Island. Night Fishing, Tonight’s fishing trip is targeting reef fish with traditional Hand line bottom fishing techniques. Whilst we encourage the practice of “catch and release” and sustainable fishing practices, we are also happy to help out and take back a fish for dinner.

Diving : Angaga Thila & Aiyabe ThilaAngaga Thila – Small pinnacle with a top reef of 6-8 Meters. Turtles feed the corals on the top reef while sharks cruis-es in the current. Can circle around the pinnacle.Aiyabe Thila – 100m Long Pinnacle, we only dive one side of this pinnacle, a large overhang covers the egde of the reef with beautiful hard and soft corals. Sharks can be spotted if there is a drift.

Cruise to Hurasdhoo

Day Ten (Wednesday)

Raiydhigaa, picnic island with a natural habour. the reef sorrounding the island has an enclosed lagoon with 2 narrow channels for vessels to enter. This island has a long white sandy beach on one end. Snorkelers can easily swim from the beach to deeper water. Picnic Lunch will be prepared by our Chefs. Guests will return to the vessel at 1600Hrs.

Diving : Dega Thila & Miyaru Gaa ThilaDega Thila – A Macro fans dream, 2 coral formations seperated from the main reef is full with soft corals and school-ing fish. Leaf Fishes & Ghost Pipe fishes can be spotted with some luck.Miyaru Gaa Thila – Small pinnacle with a top reef of 5-6 meters, ideal to dive slow looking for octopuses, scorpion and lionfish. Sharks and Sting rays can be found resting on the bottom.

Short Cruise to Raidhigaa

Day Eleven (Thursday)

Meerufenfushi, deserted island located in the center of ari atoll. The beach streches on one side depending on the monsoon, reef surrounding island is a good site for snorkelers. Morning and afternoon will be spent on the island. Lunch will be preapred on the boat.Late Afternoon crew members will set up the Evening BBQ dinner on the beach, after dinner evening entertainment will begin.

Diving : Fish Head & Alikoi FaruFish Head – Small Pinnacle which can be navigated around depending on the currents. Overhangs can be found around the site with soft corals. Turtles, Giant Travallys, Sharks and rays can be spotted on this site. Alikoi Faru - Easy dive along a long reef with well grown hard corals, lobsters can be found inside crevices.

Morning Cruise to Meerufenfushi

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Day Twelve (Friday)

Velidhu , a small, comfortable and relaxed holiday resort. an Ideal spot for snor-keling in the magnificent house reef or relaxing on the beach. It has a beachside restaurant and a bar. Buffet Lunch, Spa and other facilities from this resort island can be arranged if booked in advance ( all other services excluding landing fee has to be borne by the guest). Morning and Afternoon visits arranged, Tender will pickup the guests for Lunch.

Diving : Hafza Thila / Vissaara Dhuni / Maaya Thila (Night Dive) Hafza Thila – Submerged round pinnacle . Famous for its Grey Reef sharks, and abundance of fish Life.Vissaara Dhuni – Submerged pinnacle right next to a long reef located 10mins from Velidhu . Good Fish and Coral Life. Maaya Thila - one of the most famous night dive site in the Maldives, Sharks and sting rays hunt at this site at night.

Cruise to Velidhu Island Resort

Day Thirteen (Saturday)

Maayafushi Sandbank , a large sand bank located at the northern edge of ari atoll. Flocks of common Seabirds can be found on this sand bar. Reef with lots of nice coral and fish for snorkeling. Sun Umbrellas will be setup if the conditions are favourable for some shade. Night Fishing, Tonight’s fishing trip is targeting reef fish with traditional Hand line bottom fishing techniques. Whilst we encourage the practice of “catch and release” and sustainable fishing practices, we are also happy to help out and take back some fish for dinner.

Diving : Maaya Thila / Bathalaa Maaga Kan Maaya Thila - one of the most famous night dive site in the Maldives, Sharks and sting rays hunt at this site at night. Bathala Maagaa Kan - an extension of the reef sloping down inside a channel, with large pelagics crossing the chan-nel.

Cruise to Cruise to Maayafushi Sand Bank

Day Fourteen (Sunday)

Last Swim, for a final swim in the warm indian ocean we will stop at a sand bar on our way back to Male’. the journey from North Ari Atoll to Male’ will take around 4-5 Hrs. Once we reach Male’ our dhoni will be ready to take you to Male’ the capital of Maldives. you can visit the local & Fish market, wander around abit, have an ice cream or do some shopping for souvenirs.Special Dinner will be served as “Captain’s Dinner”.

Diving : We suggest a minimum pre-flight of 18+Hrs after Diving. Depending on your International Flight timing we will provide a morning Dive.

Have the last swim and head back to Male’

endCondition - Itineraries are subjected to change depending on Weather Conditions, Island Availability and at the discretion of the Captain. - If an island is unavailable under any circumstance, we will provide an alternative with similar activities. - Itineraries will be briefed at Dinner Time for the following day.

eYwPincewiheyouwondefulHolidy,HppyCuiing!!!

Day Fifteen (Monday)

he End Of A 2 week Cruise A nice relaxing breakfast overlooking the Indian Ocean before we arrange your departure, whether to the airport or onto another Island/resort. Guests staying onboard for the following cruise can enjoy a day of relaxation, either on Yasawa Princess, or we can arrange an optional excursion (chargeable) to either Kuda Ban-dos or nearby resort.