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There are many reasons why people are very active during March where this is especially true when it comes to sports, aquasports in particular. Aside from being the month where St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated and the start of spring, March is also a great month to go scuba diving, regardless of where your chosen destination is located. In the Caribbean, March is the dry season and conditions are highly conducive for diving. If you plan to visit the Red Sea and the rest of the Middle East, March is a good month to visit since weather conditions are optimal. For Asia and the islands situated in the Pacific, March is the best month to see large marine animals like manta rays and whale sharks. Since sea conditions are optimal, seafaring is also conducive where liveaboards around the world are busy taking divers to multiple world-class dive sites in just a single trip.
The Best Liveaboard Trips to go Scuba Diving in March: At a Glance
| Vessel | # of Rooms | Nitrox | Wifi | Length | Cost | PADI Travel | Liveaboard | DiveBooker |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Phinisi | 7 | Yes | No | 34m | $ | Check | Check | Check |
| Tortuga | 8 | No | Yes | 34m | $$ | NA | Check | NA |
| Nai’a | 9 | Yes | Yes | 37m | $$ | Check | Check | Check |
| Turks and Caicos Explorer II | 10 | Yes | No | 38m | $$ | Check | Check | Check |
| Smiling Seahorse | 8 | Yes | No | 25m | $$ | Check | Check | Check |
| Red Sea Aggressor | 10 | Yes | No | 34m | $$ | Check | Check | Check |
| Red Dhow | 8 | No | No | 23m | $ | Check | Check | NA |
| Sea Hunter | 10 | Yes | No | 36m | $$$ | Check | Check | Check |
| Solitude Adventurer | 8 | Yes | Yes | 36m | $$ | Check | Check | Check |
| Discovery Palawan | 20 | Yes | No | 49m | $$ | Check | Check | Check |
The Best Liveaboard Trips to go Scuba Diving in March: Reviewed
1. THE PHINISI
Year of Commission: 2007 (renovated 2018)
Capacity: 18 guests
Area of Operation: Thailand
Dive Destination: Phuket, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Haa and the Similan Islands
The Phinisi is a 34 meter (111 feet) custom built yacht that uses 7 traditional sails. It has 7 cabins that can accomodate 18 guests where your room choices includes the Quadruple Share Cabins, Double Bed Cabins and the Twin Bed Cabins. The main deck of this traditional sailboat features a large saloon that is fitted with comfortable sofas, charging stations for your electronic gadgets, a media center for watching videos, outdoor dining area that serves food in buffet style and a sun deck. On top of sailing to the top diving destinations in Thailand, the Phinisi also sails to the Myanmar and go diving in world-famous sites like Black Rock, High Rock, Tower Rock and Torres Island.
Check prices and trip dates: PADI Travel / Liveaboard / DiveBooker
2. TORTUGA
Year of Commission: 2004 (renovated 2015)
Capacity: 20 guests
Area of Operation: Cuba
Dive Destination: Jardines de la Reina Marine Park
The Tortuga is not your typical liveaboard vessel. This 34 meter (111 feet) open-air houseboat is not mobile, but rather, stationary as it is anchored in a protected channel. With this, guests will never feel seasick. This double deck houseboat has 8 air-conditioned cabins that can accommodate 20 persons where your room choices includes the Quadruple Cabin, Triple Cabin and the Double Cabin.
The Tortuga is strategically anchored the Cuba’s prime diving spot – Jardines de la Reina Marine Park where every dive site is just a 20-minute ride using tender boats. You will explore several diving sites in Jardines de la Reina that are known for giant groupers, eagle rays, Caribbean reef sharks and silky sharks. You will also have the chance to snorkel with small crocodiles.
Check prices and trip dates: Liveaboard
3. NAI’A
Year of Commission: 1979 (renovated 2010)
Capacity: 18 guests
Area of Operation: Fiji
Dive Destination: Bligh Water, Mutiny Mount, Wakaya Island and Nigali Passage
The Nai’a is a custom built liveaboard that operates in the waters of Fiji. It has 9 cabins that can accomodate 18 guests where your room choices includes the King Bed Cabins, King Bed with bunk bed Cabins and the Bunk Bed Cabins. Its onboard amenities includes a saloon that is designed with golden grains of Fijian hardwoods, a spacious dive deck with a dedicated camera and video room. Taking on a 7 or 10-day cruise, the Nai’a travels to the top diving spots of Fiji that is known for its unique underwater topography like canyons, caverns and swim-throughs that is filled with an immensity of marine life where it houses over 300 species of soft and hard corals plus over a thousand species of fish.
Check prices and trip dates: PADI Travel / Liveaboard / DiveBooker
4. TURKS AND CAICOS EXPLORER II
Year of Commission: 1995 (renovated 2005)
Capacity: 20 guests
Area of Operation: Turks and Caicos
Dive Destination: Providenciales, West Caicos and French Cay
The Turks and Caicos Explorer II is a 38 meter (125 feet) luxury liveaboard that has 10 cabins and can accommodate up to 20 guests. Your room choices includes the Lower Deck Staterooms, the Main Deck Staterooms and the VIP Staterooms. Each cabin are air-conditioned with private bathrooms, hot showers, towels, linens and wardrobes. The onboard amenities includes the main saloon that has bar and entertainment area, a sunbathing area and a wet bar on the flybridge. The Turks and Caicos Explorer II usually sets sail on a week-long journey towards world-class dive sites such as Black Coral Forest, Shark Hotel, G-Spot and Double D.
Check prices and trip dates: PADI Travel / Liveaboard / DiveBooker
5. SMILING SEAHORSE
Year of Commission: 2018 (renovated 2019)
Capacity: 16 guests
Area of Operation: Myanmar and Thailand
Dive Destination: Surin Islands, Richelieu Rock, Koh Tahcai and Koh Bon
This newly built 25 meter (82 feet) liveaboard vessel has 8 cabins that can accommodate up to 16 guests. Your room choices includes the Standard Cabin, Deluxe Cabin and the Master Cabin. All cabins are air-conditioned and has a private bathroom with hot shower. Its onboard amenities includes an open-air saloon, a huge sun deck with hammocks and a sundowner bar. The Smiling Seahorse usually sets sail on a 5 to 8-day cruise towards Myanmar and Thailand’s top dive spots like Surin Islands, Richelieu Rock, Koh Tahcai and Koh Bon.
Check prices and trip dates: PADI Travel / Liveaboard / DiveBooker
6. RED SEA AGGRESSOR
Year of Commission: 2014
Capacity: 20 guests
Area of Operation: Red Sea
Dive Destination: Ras Mohamed National Park, SS Thistlegorm and Daedalus
The Red Sea Aggressor is a 34 meter (111 feet) liveaboard that operates the waters of the Red Sea. It has 10 cabins that can accommodate up to 20 guests where your room choices includes the Deluxe Staterooms and the Master Staterooms. All the cabins have its own private bathroom, porthole, mirrored wardrobe, hairdryer, fresh towels and a 23-inch flat screen TV that has a selection of over 400 movies and documentaries. Usually taking on a 7-day journey, the Red Sea Aggressor goes to the popular diving spots in the Red Sea like the Ras Mohamed National Park that is known for grey reef sharks and black tip sharks or disembark on an amazing wreck diving adventure at the historic SS Thistlegorm.
Check prices and trip dates: PADI Travel / Liveaboard / DiveBooker
7. RED DHOW
Year of Commission: 2002
Capacity: 15 guests
Area of Operation: Oman
Dive Destination: Musandam Peninsula
The Red Dhow is a 23 meter (75 feet) traditional Arabic vessel that specializes in sailing the waters of Oman. Despite being small, it has 8 cabins that can accommodate up to 15 guests where your room choices includes the Standard Twin Bunk Style Cabins, the Lower Deck Standard Twin Bunk Style Cabin and the Double Bunk Style Cabin. It has onboard amenities that includes the indoor saloon, open-air dining area that serves freshly cooked dishes and the sundeck that is fitted with loungers. The Red Dhow usually sails for 6 days to the Musandam Peninsula and visit dive sites that are known for a great variety of marine life like sea turtles, eagle rays, kingfish and barracudas.
Check prices and trip dates: PADI Travel / Liveaboard
8. SEA HUNTER
Year of Commission: 2010 (renovated 2015)
Capacity: 20 guests
Area of Operation: Costa Rica
Dive Destination: Cocos Island
Formerly serving as a support boat for commercial diving, the Sea Hunter is now a full service liveaboard vessel that operates in the offshore waters of Cocos Island in Costa Rica. It has 10 cabins that can accommodate up to 20 guests where your room choices includes the Twin Cabins, the Double Cabins and the Suite Cabins. Its onboard amenities includes an air-conditioned lounge that has a library and computer for downloading your shots of the day, TV and DVD Player, a sundeck and a helipad. The Sea Hunter will usually go on a 10-day journey to Cocos Island and explore over 20 dive sites that are known for hammerhead sharks, whitetip reef sharks, manta rays and schooling jacks.
Check prices and trip dates: PADI Travel / Liveaboard / DiveBooker
9. SOLITUDE ADVENTURER
Year of Commission: 2000 (renovated 2017)
Capacity: 18 guests
Area of Operation: Indonesia
Dive Destination: Raja Ampat, Misool, Ambon, the Banda Sea, Maumere and Komodo
Fully renovated in 2017, the Solitude Adventurer is now a popular liveaboard vessel that operates the waters of Indonesia. This 36 meter (118 feet) luxury catamaran has 8 cabins that can accommodate up to 18 guests. Your room choices includes the Staterooms, Deluxe Cabins and the Family Room. Its onboard amenities includes a saloon fitted with audio/video entertainment system, a library, bar, sundeck and dining room that serves freshly prepared local and international dishes. The Solitude Adventurer usually sets on a 7 or 10-day journey towards Indonesia’s top diving sites like Raja Ampat, Misool, Ambon, Banda Sea, Maumere and the Komodo National Park.
Check prices and trip dates: PADI Travel / Liveaboard / DiveBooker
10. DISCOVERY PALAWAN
Year of Commission: 1972 (renovated 2006)
Capacity: 32 guests
Area of Operation: Philippines
Dive Destination: Tubbataha Reef, Palawan, Malapascua, Cebu and Bohol
Discovery Palawan is classified as a boutique liveaboard that operates the archipelagic waters of the Philippines. This 49 meter (160 feet) steel-hulled vessel has 20 cabins that can accommodate up to 32 guests. Your room choices includes the Standard Twin Room, the Upper Deck Twin Cabin, the Standard Double Room and the Upper Deck Double Cabin. From March to June, it changes its itinerary from the Visayan Islands of Cebu and Bohol to go on a 7-day journey towards the premier diving spot of the Philippines – the Tubbataha Reef of Palawan.
Check prices and trip dates: PADI Travel / Liveaboard / DiveBooker
Find other amazing scuba liveaboard trips around the world!
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