There are no boundaries when it comes to liveaboard travel and adventure. These four liveaboard cruises are sure to get your heart racing.

CULTURAL CHRONICLES

^^I^^nfuse your vacation with cultural experiences by combining your liveaboard trip with topside tours that showcase a locale’s heritage and unique traditional customs.

Arguably the biggest cultural hub of the Caribbean, Cuba is known for its stunning old-world Spanish architecture, classic cars and customary music and dance — and for its extraordinary diving in Jardines de la Reina, or Gardens of the Queen, National Park.

While the Classroom-at-Sea and EcoExploration programs aboard the M/V Oceans for Youth liveaboard focus on the ecosystem of the Gardens of the Queen, the trip typically begins and ends in either Santa Clara or Camaguey, which are both big Cuban cultural centers, says Samantha Whitcraft, director of conservation and outreach for the Oceans for Youth Foundation.

“Camaguey’s historic core is as large as Havana’s, and both cities feature beautiful Spanish colonial architecture, complete with stone-carved balconies, ornate doorways and wrought-iron gates,” Whitcraft says. “Narrow cobblestone streets filled with music lead to restaurants with delicious Cuban cuisine and ever-friendly Cubans.”

You’re guaranteed to be submerged in the Cuban way of life on either end of your liveaboard journey, and on board Oceans for Youth, the signature magic of the country doesn’t fade away once you leave port. In fact, it gets even better.

The crew members and onboard scientists of Oceans for Youth are all Cuba natives, many of whom have lived their entire lives in and around the coastal towns associated with the Gardens of the Queen, Whitcraft says.

“The best part of Cuba’s diverse and vibrant culture is the Cuban people,” she says. “They love to celebrate life with music, dancing and new friends.”

It’s not always possible to add on a cultural experience in Cuba, but even when you can’t, Oceans for Youth manages to give a sampling of Cuban culture. While your days are filled with hordes of silky sharks, goliath grouper and the most well-protected coral reefs in the Caribbean, your surface intervals and evenings are all about homemade mojitos, Cuban home-cooking and salsa-­dancing lessons on the top deck.

By the end of your week in the Gardens of the Queen, you and your shipmates will feel more like a big Cuban family than just dive buddies.

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• Visit Bangkok after your dive vacation aboard Thailand Aggressor. In the unforgettable and welcoming Land of Smiles, try ­sampling street food, relaxing during a Thai massage, visiting the Grand Palace and viewing the Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho.

• The wooden sailing vessel Norseman can take you diving at the best sites in the Tyrrhenian Sea’s Tuscan archipelago; afterward, visit the island of Sardinia to see Bronze Age stone dwellings and experience its famed gastronomic delights.

MACRO MAGIC

^^E^^very macro shooter has his or her own bucket list of creatures to see underwater. On these liveaboards, you can count on crossing off more than a few little wonders.

Tucked into the corner of southeastern Sulawesi, Indonesia, lies Wakatobi, an eco-resort that’s as remote as it is luxurious. It’s surrounded by pristine white-sand beaches and even more stunning reefs, so once you get there, you might never want to leave. But there’s magic to explore far beyond the shores of this private paradise, and there’s only one way to get there: sailing on Pelagian, the resort’s five-star liveaboard dive yacht.

Sulawesi has long been regarded as the world capital of muck diving. While the most famous site — Lembeh Strait — is situated in the northern part of the island, just as incredible macro critters abound in the island’s southern region. This is in part due to the high levels of protection that the area enjoys, says Karen Stearns, marketing and media relations director of Wakatobi and Pelagian.

“The reefs surrounding Wakatobi are part of a private marine sanctuary funded by a portion of the resort’s revenue,” Stearns says. “This ensures the overall health of the reefs and allows the many thousands of unique creatures that call these reefs home to thrive. Guests traveling farther afield aboard Pelagian have access to both macro-rich reefs and the muck-diving sites of southern Buton Island.”

Indeed, one of the best things about a liveaboard is that you can concentrate on one type of diving, such as macro, and find bucket-list creatures. Raja Ampat Aggressor’s itinerary to the Derawan Islands is an example of how productive a macro habitat can be. And the longer you spend exploring the shallow reefs off Panjang and Derawan islands, the more you’ll find, such as frogfish, blue-ringed octopuses, sea dragons, and harlequin and tiger shrimp.

No matter what crazy, uncommon marine life you’re hoping to spot, the chances of finding it while enjoying dives off Raja Ampat Aggressor is high. Even the best masters of disguise can be picked out on the reef by the yacht’s dive staff. In Indonesia’s Forgotten Islands, the expert critter ­spotters on board Arenui are always willing to comb the reefs to find the specific critter you’re looking to photograph. Though this itinerary is getting popular for the possibility of encountering big animals such as hammerhead and whale sharks, sharp-eyed divers get the chance to dive with the unusual critters of Ambon Bay. Here, macro shooters will find pygmy seahorses, nudibranchs, ghost pipefish, octopuses, scorpionfish and dragon shrimp.

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• Visit the bizarro world that is Lembeh Strait, home to rare critters, aboard Raja Ampat Aggressor. Find macro lovers’ Holy Grails: weedy rhinopias, pygmy seahorses, flamboyant cuttlefish and orange-rimmed juvenile batfish, to name only a few.

• Aboard Kona Aggressor II, make the Big Island’s signature black-water night dive. Tiny invertebrates and larval fish — some that resemble miniature adults of their species and others that look nothing like their grown-up versions — come up from the mesopelagic, or twilight, zone of the Pacific Ocean.

OCEAN SAFARI

^^F^^or those seeking wild ­adventure, there are liveaboard itineraries that offer scuba safaris — unparalleled encounters with some of the planet’s most magnificent marine animals.

Sharks, sea lions, dolphins, ­humpback whales and orcas make up the aquatic “big five.” Seeing even one of these animals on a dive trip is incredible, but in Socorro and the rest of Mexico’s Revillagigedo Islands, you have the chance to see them all — plus manta rays. The only way to visit this spectacular center of life in the eastern Pacific Ocean is from a liveaboard.

You’ll have to prepare for a full day of sailing to reach your remote destination, but what will greet you when you arrive makes the trek well worth it, says Jorge Hauser, CEO of Pelagic Fleet, which operates the Solmar V and Socorro Vortex liveaboards. “These islands are the northern tip of what I like to call the ‘Pacific Pelagic Highway,’ which goes down to Cocos, Malpelo and Galapagos,” says Hauser. “A lot of sharks — like silkies, hammerheads and Galapagos — migrate through these islands. The Socorros also host whale sharks, the friendliest pod of wild dolphins in the world and Pacific giant mantas. If you’re lucky, during the right season you can encounter pilot and false killer whales, huge baitballs and feeding frenzies, as well as humpback whales and the ­occasional orcas.”

What you’re able to see depends on the time of year and where in the Revillagigedos you visit. The season for humpback whales is mid-February through mid-April, and whale sharks visit in November, December and May. One hot-spot location is Roca Partida. Surrounding this well-known pinnacle, you’ll find masses of hammerheads, giant schools of jacks and the occasional orca or humpback whale. Off Benedicto, a site called the Boiler is popular for its manta rays and sharks.

“Roca is a very small underwater peak that harbors tons and tons of marine life,” says Hauser. “The mantas are playful, and they really enjoy when the divers swim below them, blowing bubbles on their bellies — they enjoy it so much that we actually started using the term ‘manta sombrero.’ As you swim around the rock, you might find large schools of Galapagos sharks and whitetip sharks sleeping in caves.”

Because of its outstanding bio­diversity, the Revillagigedo chain was named a World Heritage Site in 2016. In 2017, Mexico announced plans to create the largest marine protected area in North America, a 57,000-square-mile area of the sea that encompasses all four of the archipelago’s islands.

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• Snorkel with humpback whales by booking Turks & Caicos Aggressor II from mid-January to late March, when the yacht transits to the Dominican Republic’s Silver Bank. Female humpbacks make the journey to these warm, shallow waters to calve. Magical.

• In the Maldives, the luxurious three-deck catamaran Four Seasons Explorer plies the waters of the Indian Ocean — including famed Baa Atoll — for encounters with whale sharks, mantas and dolphins.

BY LAND AND BY SEA

There are some destinations where it’s worth tacking on extra time to fit in a topside adventure to complement the liveaboard’s ­underwater one.

As far as scenic landscapes go, both ­topside and underwater, Palau is unbeatable. On the surface, lush, green vegetation-covered rock juts out of the western Pacific Ocean, intersecting shimmering turquoise lagoons. Beneath the waves, big pelagics such as whale sharks and manta rays swoop over colorful reefs, fascinating wrecks and sheer coral‑encrusted walls.

Sailing through the island nation via liveaboard, it’s possible to experience the best of both worlds, says Scott Arni, Aggressor Liveaboards Palau operations manager.

“Rock Islands Aggressor and Palau Aggressor II offer not only some of the best diving in the world, but also beautiful experiences in the famous Rock Islands that form Palau,” he says. “After your charter, our crew can assist you in planning some exciting excursions.”

A kayak and snorkel tour of the ­picturesque Rock Islands will have you fully immersed in the area’s unique ­topography. Paddling through the ­limestone rock formations provides a perfect secluded adventure (and with nobody else around, it also provides the perfect backdrop for your next Instagram).

Or, take a plane or helicopter ride to see the impressive contrast of green and blue from above, and snap that iconic aerial shot of the archipelago.

If you’re more into history, supplement your dives with a blast from the past. As one of the prominent Pacific battlegrounds of World War II, Palau tells a significant historical narrative.

“While on your charter, learn the ­history of one of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific Ocean theater of World War II,” Arni says. Then, “see the artifacts, memorials and museum while partaking in a Peleliu World War II land tour.”

Aggressor Travel offers two land ­excursions to delve deeper into Palau: a tour of the nation’s capital, Koror City, and a day exploring Palau’s biggest island, Babeldaob. Visit World War II sites, the capital building and Palauan historical sites, and top it all off with a hike to see beautiful waterfalls.

“Spending the week among the Rock Islands is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that not only gets you close to the best dive sites Palau has to offer, but also allows you to enjoy the beauty and serenity of this unique island nation,” says Wayne Brown, CEO of Aggressor Liveaboards.

After all, when you’ve traveled across the world to reach your destination, you might as well get the most out of your scuba vacation.

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• Once you’ve toured underwater from Indo Aggressor, see Komodo’s famous dragons, smoking volcanoes and untouched forests. The yacht departs from exotic Bali, so you might want to plan a few extra days to visit its temples, waterfalls and golden beaches.

• When Down Under, you will want to explore more than the famed Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Cairns is the jumping-off port for the Spirit of Freedom liveaboard, as well as a number of spectacular land tours, such as World Heritage rainforests and the Outback.