Maya's Dugong | 塞舌尔

Boat

Maya's Dugong was originally built as a research vessel by the Canadian Government in 1966, It was completely retro-fitted in the early 2000s as a private yacht, before being overhauled once again in 2009 to accommodate charters and cabin cruise voyages. It now serves as an oceanographic and expedition cruising vessel throughout the Indian Ocean, as ideal platform for discovering the islands’ most exclusive and hard-to-reach places.

Maya's Dugong is a 43 meters long, 8.5 meters wide welded steel hull - aluminium vessel. It can be utilised for a variety of different maritime needs. Effcient and economical, this hybrid vessel boasts powerful lifting capacity, large deck space areas and modern equipment to handle a wide range of tasks at open sea.

Maya's Dugong offers a number of different areas aboard, from the two-tiered sundeck toward the bow, to the covered back deck and leisure area, ensure ample space for passengers to unwind. Meals can be enjoyed in the air-conditioned dining salon, or 'al fresco' on the back deck’s dining table.

The cruises are full board (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and also include afternoon tea/coffee and cake. A dedicated chef prepares an enticing blend of authentic Indian Ocean cuisine and traditional European fare. Beverages, table water and tea & coffee are served with all meals. A full range of beverages are also available on board at extra charge. Price list available on request. ​

Maya's Dugong has a high staff-to-guest ratio to ensure all of our passengers are well looked after throughout the expedition. In addition to the captain, engineer, and two deckhands, all expedition cruises are staffed with 2 stewardesses, a dive instructor and a dedicated chef. ​

Cabin

Maya's Dugong has 7 guest cabins, accommodating 14 - 17 guests per trip:

All cabins are air-conditioned with ensuite bathroom, ample storage space, outlets, and other facilities. Cabins are cleaned by the hostesses on a daily basis.​

1 Commander Cabin :
Located on the upper deck, this cabin comes with one double bed and an extra single bed, windows.

1 Commander Cabin :
Located on the upper deck, this cabin comes with two single beds side by side, windows.

1 Commander Cabin :
Located on the main deck, this cabin comes with one double bed, windows.

1 Explorer Cabin :
Located on the lower deck, this cabin comes with one double bed and an extra single bed, portholes.

3 Explorer Cabins :
Located on the lower deck, each cabin comes with 2 single beds and extra bunk beds, portholes.

Diving

• 2 - 3 days per day, depends on the real time conditions.
• No dive provided on the day of arrival and departure.
• All diving will provide experienced guide to lead the dive.
• Be sure to bring plenty of REEF-FRIENDLY sun-screen.
• Bring suitable footwear for walking on the beach/shore.

Other information

• Nitrox：Not available at the moment.
• 15L Tanks：Available with surcharge.
• Technical Dive:Not available at the moment.
• Dive Equipment Rental：Available with surcharge.
• Dive insurance：Divers must have valid dive insurance
• Wi-Fi Internet ：Not available at the moment.
• Laundry Service：Available with surcharge.
• Massage Service：Not available at the moment.
• Payment on board：Cash only (Euro is preferred)
• Crew Number：10, include 1 dive guide

Aldabra Expedition Program | 15D/14N

Aldabra has inspired ancient explorers, some of the world's most famous scientists and the modern travellers of today. The name itself is a mystery, believed to be a word of Arabic origin but with any number of theories about its actual meaning, which could be 'green' or 'door-knocker' or possibly the navigational star Aldebaran.

Charles Darwin himself, whose work in the Galapagos is largely responsible for the archipelago's esteemed status as naturalist's paradise, recognised Aldabra's unique natural properties, as well as being the only other place in the world aside from the Galapagos where giant tortoises could be found naturally. He also recommended to British authorities that they ensure the atoll would be protected from exploitation or development.

Despite its status as one of the world's most strictly protected natural wonders, travel to Aldabra is still – and will likely always be - incredibly difficult due to its extreme isolation. With expedition vessel MV Maya’s Dugong, operated by Silhouette Cruises, one of the most recognized names in live-aboard cruising in the Seychelles, a handful of visitors will be able to experience the atoll of Aldabra and its fascinating sights and treasures as part of an in-depth eco- tourism and diving expedition.

This is your opportunity to be one of them.

​Day 1 – Embarkation aboard the MV Maya's Dugong at Mahé
​Day 2 – Desroches Island
​​Day 3 – Alphonse
​​Day 4 – Crossing towards the Aldabra Group
​​Day 5 & 6 – Cosmoledo
​​Days 7 & 8 & 9 – Aldabra
​​Day 10 – Assumption
​​​Day 11 – Astove
​​​Day 12 – Crossing towards Bijoutier
Day 13 – Bijoutier (Alphonse Group)
Day 14 – St Joseph (Amirantes)
Day 15 – Disembarkation at Mahe, at approx. 11:00AM

There's cruising, and then there's expedition cruising. For travellers who consider themselves adventurers and not just tourists, who seek fulfilment from a holiday and not just leisure, and who appreciate the excitement and unpredictable nature of travelling to isolated locales in a unique way, there may be no better way to make use of a holiday than on an expedition cruise.

One of the most exciting aspects of an expedition is the fact that natural events and sightings can help shape our journey. For this reason, the expedition plan featured in this document should only be used as a general guide instead of being treated as an exact scheduled itinerary.

It is expected that no two expeditions will be exactly alike, because weather, tides and chance nature encounters will influence the day-to-day activities that are possible throughout a given week. Therefore, we kindly ask for the patience and understanding of all of our guests if there are certain adjustments to the expedition plan to cater for these events.

Rest assured our crew will do their utmost to ensure the proposed activities for each day are in the spirit of the expedition plan and aimed at providing the maximum possible level of enjoyment for all our guests.

Activities

A variety of interesting dive sites will be accessible throughout the expedition, and may vary on each voyage depending on sea conditions, visibility and itinerary timings.

Drift dives in the channels are possible but are recommended only for experienced divers and strong swimmers.

Throughout the expedition there will be opportunities for snorkelling, the use of the is free of charge. It is recommended that only strong swimmers should take part in the activity near the channels of the lagoon.

Each day onboard presents a new opportunity to explore the remote atolls, protected nature reserves, uninhabited islands and colourful underwater life.

Please note that Aldabra is a 'no- take' nature reserve, meaning that fishing is prohibited on this cruise, and visitors are not allowed to collect shells or to damage or interfere with the plants and animals. No biological or geological specimen can be collected, and visitors are also required to abide to sanitary measures to avoid introducing alien plant seeds. All visitors to Aldabra must at all times be accompanied by an Aldabra staff member and it is not permitted to wander about unsupervised.