These are the ten liveaboard destinations British divers search for most, from familiar Red Sea wrecks to remote Pacific reefs. Each has its own rhythm, wildlife, season and level of experience required.
Maldives liveaboards
A Maldives liveaboard is the practical way to dive several atolls in a week, moving from channel to channel as the current pushes fish into the atoll. Classic routes out of Malé bring manta rays, grey reef sharks and schools of jacks, with whale sharks in the south of Ari Atoll. Routes change with the monsoon, but diving is possible year-round. The channels call for confidence in current, and Advanced Open Water makes the week more enjoyable. Prices start from £1,298$1,735€1,550, with 43 boats available.
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Egypt liveaboards
Egypt is the most accessible liveaboard destination, with departures every week from Hurghada or Port Ghalib and usually seven nights on board. Northern routes take in the Thistlegorm, Abu Nuhas and the reefs of Ras Mohammed. Southern routes reach the remote Brothers, Daedalus and Elphinstone, where oceanic whitetips and hammerheads pass depending on the season, or the coral mazes of St John's and Fury Shoals. It is a year-round choice, although the water is cooler in winter. Prices start from £534$714€638, with 90 boats listed.
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Galápagos liveaboards
The Galápagos liveaboard is the liveaboard of a lifetime, with hammerheads schooling around Darwin and Wolf. Whale sharks pass for part of the year, and sea lions play with divers. The water is colder than in the tropics and currents can be strong, so a thick wetsuit, Advanced Open Water and solid experience are expected. It is the most expensive destination in the table, with seven nights usual and the national park entry fee extra. Prices start from £3,283$4,389€3,921, with 11 boats listed.
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Philippines liveaboards
The Philippines offers two distinct liveaboard trips. Tubbataha is a marine park and UNESCO World Heritage Site reached only by liveaboard for a few months in spring, with sheer walls, sharks and turtles. For the rest of the year, boats work the Visayas, a macro paradise that includes Malapascua and its thresher sharks. Most trips last six nights, and prices start from £1,176$1,571€1,404, with 17 boats listed.
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Thailand liveaboards
Thailand liveaboards work the Andaman Sea from Khao Lak and Phuket, usually on short trips of three or four nights. The common route heads north to the Similan Islands national park, Koh Bon and Koh Tachai, where manta rays pass, then Richelieu Rock, where whale sharks are sometimes seen. The Similan Islands national park closes from mid-May to mid-October, so the season runs from October to May. Prices start from £444$593€530, with 35 boats listed.
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Indonesia liveaboards
Indonesia has the biggest liveaboard fleet, often made up of phinisi, traditional wooden sailing ships. Raja Ampat holds the records for coral and fish diversity, while Komodo is known for strong currents, manta rays and sharks. The Banda Sea and Alor have sites almost nobody dives, and boats follow the seasons, with Raja Ampat generally running from October to April and Komodo in the dry season. A week is usual, although routes of ten nights or more reach the most remote areas. Prices start from £471$629€562, with 94 boats listed.
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Seychelles liveaboards
Seychelles liveaboards loop round the granite islands from Mahé to Praslin and La Digue. Underwater, sculpted granite boulders sit among turtles, rays, reef sharks and big schools of fish, with whale sharks in season. The trips run year-round and usually last seven nights. It is a small fleet, with prices from £1,164$1,556€1,390 and 4 boats listed.
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Micronesia liveaboards
Micronesia brings together two Pacific legends. In Palau, Blue Corner has grey reef sharks in the current, while German Channel is known for manta rays. Truk Lagoon holds the Japanese fleet sunk in 1944, one of the largest wreck graveyards of the Second World War, still loaded with its cargo. Trips run year-round and usually last a week. Prices start from £1,541$2,061€1,841, with 8 boats listed.
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Mexico liveaboards
Mexico liveaboards head into the Pacific, usually for seven nights around the Revillagigedo Islands. Around Socorro and Roca Partida, giant manta rays circle divers, alongside dolphins and sharks. The islands are about a day's sailing from the coast, so this is open ocean diving where Advanced Open Water and solid experience are expected. Prices start from £2,007$2,683€2,397, with 8 boats listed.
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Bahamas liveaboards
Most Bahamas liveaboards sail from Nassau to the Exumas and Eleuthera, combining walls, reefs, wrecks and the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, which is closed to fishing. Shark trips often leave from Florida, with tiger sharks at Tiger Beach off Grand Bahama and great hammerheads at Bimini from December to April. Trips run year-round and usually last seven nights. It is a small fleet, with prices from £1,956$2,615€2,336 and 7 boats listed.
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