Bucket-list moments nearly outnumber the islands in the Maldives

For two hours we'd squinted out over the glaring water as our 40-foot dhoni climbed the big Indian Ocean swells that rolled beneath us to shatter into thunderous clouds on the reefs of South Ari Atoll. Yet we had seen not a sign of the whale sharks we'd hoped to find warming themselves in the shallows.

Finally giving up, we had turned back toward the M/V Four Seasons Explorer just visible in the lagoon beyond the reef when we were roused by a shout from Musa, the ship's videographer: "Whale!"

Indeed, it was a bucket-list blue whale, and for the next hour we trailed along as it surfaced and dove every few minutes. When finally it rolled its impossibly long, glistening back, lifted its immense fluke and dove deep, we all cheered.

The experience encapsulated my four-day cruise aboard the luxury liveaboard catamaran Explorer as we sailed from Baa Atoll to Ari Atoll in the central Maldives. While I never knew what we'd encounter next, I was sure it would be another experience I wouldn't forget, whether it was night diving with mantas that brushed us as they passed or the jaw-dropping diversity, abundance and color of life on the pillars known as thilas.

When to Go: May to December is the best time to encounter mantas and whale sharks seeking swarms of plankton. When the monsoon reverses from December to April, the visibility can reach 130 feet or more.

Still, at times I would have at least a hint of something special to come, as when we were gearing up to dive the pass at Rasdhoo Madivaru and I noticed that our cruise director Akshay — always a cheerful fellow — wore an even bigger grin than usual. "This is my favorite dive," he explained.

As we dropped down to tuck behind a current-swept section of reef ledge at 65 feet where we had a clear view of the deep blue water surging through the channel, I could see why. With the southwest monsoon driving deep-ocean currents rich with nutrients and plankton through the pass, seemingly every creature on the reef was assembling here for a piece of the action. Small fish darted everywhere to grab a bite of plankton while trying to avoid being grabbed themselves by something further up the food chain. Gray and whitetip sharks, tuna and jacks prowled the pass, and every few minutes a bit of commotion and a tumbling cloud of silvery scales told where a hunt had ended with success. Craning my neck upward to where a flight of eagle rays glided effortlessly into the stiff current I could hear myself oohing and ahhing into my regulator.

Too soon our dive master Sabrina reminded us it was time to head to the surface. I regretted having to leave, but I took with me a warm sense of satisfaction. I'd found my favorite dive, too.

Trip Highlights

Day 1 From Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru in Baa Atoll, board Four Seasons Explorer for the cruise to nearby Hanifaru Bay, world-renowned for its aggregations of mantas.

Day 2 Take advantage of the early dive with huge schools of triggers and snapper on the stunning pillar at Muthafushi Thila before the Explorer heads south across open water to Ross Atoll.

Day 3 The rush of the flood tide at Rasdhoo Madivaru acts as a dinner bell, drawing an astonishing variety of life — all struggling to eat without being eaten — for us divers to see.

Day 4 A hunt for whale sharks along the southern reef of Ari Atoll puts us instead in the path of a blue whale — a first for most on the boat, and an encounter we’ll never forget.

Four Seasons Explorer

Total passengers: 22

Cabins: 10 staterooms; 1 explorer suite

Total crew: 7

Length: 129 feet

Number of decks: 3

Trip Tips

Say Goodbye to Stress

A resident spa therapist is stationed on board, available for private treatment on the upper deck or on a secluded beach — either way the setting is sure to relax.

Catch a Wave Spice up your surface interval with extreme watersports. If you’re cruising between January and March, the conditions are perfect for wakeboarding.

Find Your Inner (and Outer) Balance

Take your flexibility and focus to the next level with a class on stand-up paddleboard yoga.

Make the Most of Your Time

The Enriched Air Diver course is offered on board so you can dive with nitrox. That way, you can extend your bottom times and handle several dives a day.