We create experiences around bucket-list marine wildlife encounters; the kind of moments you’ll be proud of for the rest of your life.

OUR VALUES

• Ethical animal interactions

• Fair pay for staff and local suppliers.

• Professional Safety Procedures, and a safe staff/guest ratio.

• We give back. All expeditions involve an optional conservation activity, from coral planting to cleanups.

• Everything we do is legal, insured and permitted

• Transparency around inclusions, accommodation, facilities

OUR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

• Dedicated 24h support on expedition

• Convenient, low risk and secure booking process

• Regular communication about your trip

• Professional, experienced facilitators who know how to deliver unforgettable moments. Your host won’t be just a content creator who cares more about his own photos than your experience or safety

Perhaps these things seem obvious.

However, we can confidently say that right now we are running the safest and most legitimate freediving retreat operation in the world.

How do we know? Constant research and feedback. We’re serious about being the best freediving operation on earth.

Daily Tiger Shark Encounters: Enjoy respectful and careful interactions with sharks while snorkelling or freediving.

Expert Safety and Guidance: We’ll be diving with some of the Maldives' most experienced shark safety divers. You’ll also be in the great hands of the Immersia Freediving founder, one of Australia’s most experienced freedive coaches. We are there to help you develop those freediving skills even further. Finally, you’ll have one of Australia’s top wildlife cameramen on hand as your pro photographer.

Luxury Stay: Unwind at the Ataraxis Grand and Spa hotel, a modern hotel which is the perfect blend of comfort and elegance with stunning ocean views.

Interactive Workshops: Engage in enriching shark biology workshops, meditation sessions, and photography & cinematography tips from renowned wildlife cinematographer, Ewan Donnachie

Fun and Games: We really, really, really care about creating a good group vibe. Expect a lot of silly activities to break the ice with your expedition mates. Think: Beach Olympics, Human Pyramids, and more.

Gourmet Dining: Indulge in three nourishing meals a day, including a special beach BBQ night. Most dietary requirements can be catered for.

Captured Moments: You’ll receive a photo package of a selection of shots from your trip, making your memories last a lifetime.

Giving Back to the Ocean: We’ll be organizing a beach cleanup to do some important giving back to this beautiful island.

Shared Twin Room:

• USD$3400pp (approx AUD$5000 depending on exchange rate)

Private Room:

• USD$3600pp (approx AUD$5400 depending on exchange rate)

Discount available for guests from previous international retreats. Please reach out to us for a code!

Please make sure you read our Terms and Conditions before booking to avoid surprises or disappointment. Please note that deposits are NON-REFUNDABLE so think carefully before booking.

• 21-27 March 2025 - SOLD OUT

• Future Dates -Expressions of Interest

Missed out on your perfect slot? Join the mailing list to be the first to access new dates!

6 nights Accommodation

We'll be staying at the Ataraxis Grand hotel with a great top deck to enjoy the oceanic view and restaurant when we're not diving or workshopping.

Domestic Return Flights from Male - Fuvahmulah

We have an amazing booking agent on the island who can coordinate flight times so everyone arrives together

5 Days of Shark Freediving

Daily tiger shark dives, one pelagic expedition to find other shark species

Photography

We're honoured to host one of Australia's top wildlife cinematographers AND emerging photographers. Ewan will be capturing beautiful moments in the water so that you can treasure your memories forever.

All Meals

Nourishing, tasty meals served at our hotel, with a special Beach BBQ night. Most restrictions can be catered (enquire if you have complex requirements so we can confirm)

Freediving Training - Depth and Rescue techniques

Level up your freediving skills by training with Immersia’s founder, Bella Massey. Training in the deep, warm blue is an unforgettable experience.

Workshops and Presentations

• Shark Safety and Behaviour Presentation

• The Sciences of Sharks with a Professional Shark Biologist

• Starting a Career in Cinematography

• Freediving Equalisation Workshops

• Technical Workshops on Photography and Editing

• Equalisation for Freediving

Beach Cleanup

A voluntary activity organised in partnership with our dive partners. It’s our opportunity to give back to this amazing island.

Donation to PADI AWARE

We are in a privileged position to enjoy nature this way. We are serious about giving back and contributing to ongoing shark conservation globally.

NOT INCLUDED

• International Flights from your home country to Malé, Maldives

• Alcohol - is banned in Maldives. This also includes Malé, and other inhabited islands. That means alcohol will not be found anywhere and is not sold in supermarkets, grocery stores, etc.

• Specific snacks or food items you’d like to bring

• Freediving and camera equipment (weights are available for rental on the island)

• Private/personal photoshoots - Pictures are of a general nature, focused on the wildlife. We don’t guarantee any specific photos of each guest, due to the number of factors influencing a ‘good’ photo. If you would like to purchase a personal photo package please email us!

Sea Junkies: Do you feel most alive underwater? We’re your people.

Confident Merpeople: You do NOT need to be a deep freediver! However, we do need you to be very confident in the water, even if you can only dive a few metres.

If in doubt, just drop us a line!

Conscious Explorers: For those who value eco-awareness and wish to make a positive impact on the marine ecosystem.

Social Connectors: Great for individuals eager to meet like-minded adventurers and share unique experiences. We really care about the group dynamic and we hope our guests will too!

Safety First: Participants must be medically fit and ready to embrace the thrill of this adventure. We also really need participants to be willing to listen to instruction and read the trip guidance!

There are so many freediving retreat options out there. Let's make sure we are a good fit!

• We’re a value-led company and everything we do reflects these values; please check them out!

• We won’t force animal interactions for photos.

• We rise early, dive a lot, and go to bed pretty early. Also, alcohol is banned on this island. It's probably not the one if you want to party hard.

• The majority of guests are in the 27-45 age range, but we host all ages 18+, so please expect variety!

• We’re LGBTQIA+ friendly.

• We love respectful, tolerant, drama-free people!

• The atmosphere is often playful and silly - dancing, games, human pyramids… If this isn’t your vibe, there may be a better fit for you

We pride ourselves on being an inclusive, supportive, and super friendly place. Our guests are all treated equally. However, if you feel you may need additional levels of personal support, please contact us first for an honest discussion about how we can facilitate this.

Day 1

Meet your retreat group and catch a domestic flight from Male to Fuvahmulah. Enjoy an afternoon exploring our beautiful hotel, relaxing, and getting to know your retreat buddies over a welcome dinner.

Tonight, we have a workshop to learn all about interacting with sharks and shark conservation issues.

Prep your camera gear with the support of award-winning natural history cinematographer Ewan Donnachie

Day 2

Wake up early for breakfast and a morning with the Tigers! We will spend the morning freediving with Tiger Sharks, getting comfortable with them and letting them get comfortable with us.

After a delicious lunch at our hotel, we will participate in a beach cleanup to remove fishing gear and other trash from the beautiful beach.

In the evening, we’ll take a moment before dinner for meditation and a slow movement flow. After a filling dinner, everyone will be ready for a big sleep.

Day 3

Another morning freediving with the Tiger Sharks!

This afternoon, we’re heading out into deeper water for some freediving depth training. Polish those rusty freediving skills and enjoy the deep, clear blue.

Days 4-6

After spending the morning freediving with the Tiger Sharks, we’ll be taking a trip out into the blue to see what we can find. If we are very lucky we might find dolphins, mantas and more!

On one of our evenings, we’ll be treated to a relaxed beach BBQ near our hotel. There may be beach games. You’ll find out… It’s a great time to unwind and reflect on the week!

Day 7

Departure day!

Enjoy a group goodbye breakfast, pack up your room nice and slowly, and enjoy a chilled day of exploring the island. Flights depart late afternoon back to Male.

We understand that life is unpredictable. Here is our policy if something happens or you change your mind. Please think carefully before booking as we cannot make exceptions to this policy. We run small group adventures with a high level of personalized service, so late cancellations have a significant impact!

Full payment is due no less than 3 months before the trip start date, and late payment may result in the cancellation of your spot and loss of deposit.

• Deposit: Non-Refundable.

• Cancellation of trip up to 13 weeks before the start date: Refund or Credit less Deposit.

• Cancellation within 8-13 weeks of the start date: Credit of 50% less Deposit to be used within 1 year.

• Cancellation within 8 weeks of the start date: No Refunds or Credits. Name change may be available.

Please read our Terms and Conditions here. All guests are required to have comprehensive travel insurance to cover them in the event that they are sick or unable to attend with late notice.

Finally, if a guest has a medical issue it’s their responsibility to get a doctor’s sign off before the trip. Failure to do so will be treated as a guest cancellation and the standard policy will apply.