Anyone looking for the best diving boat at Indonesia’s should certainly consider KM Raja Manta. This purpose-built liveaboard ship was designed by divers, for divers, and it was first launched in 2011. At 36m in length and 7.5m wide, Raja Manta is one of the largest, and therefore most stable, Indonesian liveaboards.
Raja Manta offers its guests unbeatable comfort & luxury at competitive prices. The trips are extremely well organized, making sure that nothing is forgotten or goes wrong. The air-conditioned cabins and communal areas are clean, large & well furnished. Divers enjoy excellent equipment & facilities, making entries exits effortless & safe. The amenities and service-minded staff make it difficult to leave at the end of the trip and many guests book to come back again.
Raja Manta started its life known as White Manta, and quickly built an excellent reputation for great service, comfort & safety. Until recently, the boat alternated between Thailand's Similan Islands, and Indonesia. But it now stays in Indonesia all year round, and offers cruises at the best locations for each month. Unlike many other Indonesia diving liveaboards which are based in one area and unable to travel great distances or use other ports, Raja Manta is very capable. The boat spends the high season in Raja Ampat, then moves to the eastern side of Borneo for the high season there. In between, there are 'crossing trips' which visit some amazing locations on the way. Wherever Raja Manta is, wonderful diving is guaranteed.
Due to the distances to cover between the islands, it’s important to sail on a large and comfortable boat. Raja Manta makes the journeys easily, ensuring comfort and luxury for everyone on board. Once at the islands, the diving and beach excursions are made easy thanks to two support dinghies fitted with 40hp motors.
The boat's cabins are on three decks. The uppoermost deck is where two double-bed cabins are, but these can also be converted into side-by-side twins. At the front of the main deck are two more double cabins. Also on the main deck are four cabins which have 2 or more single beds, but are normally only sold to two guests, unless a group of three really want to share. All of the cabins on the main and upper decks have private bathrooms, sea-view windows, and plenty of space to store luggage and personal items. On the boat's lower deck are three more cabins that have bunk beds and normally take no more than two guests. These cabins have wash basins inside, and share showers and toilets on the same deck, that are not available for other guests or staff to use. All of Raja Manta's cabins are air conditioned, and have plenty of electrical sockets and storage space. Guests who come alone are normally only placed with another guest of the same gender.
The communal areas include a large air-conditioned lounge saloon that has audio-video facilities. However, most guests spend their time aboard socialising or relaxing in the huge covered outdoor dining area which has plenty of space and five large tables. There is also a large sundeck on the top of the boat, where guests can sunbathe, read a book, or just gaze at the stars at night.
Prices & Schedule
KM Raja Manta Diver Prices Overview 2024 / 2025 | |||||
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Destinations | Duration | Standard Twin | En Suite Twin | En Suite Double | Upper Deck En Suite Double |
Boat Schedule and prices coming soon |
Itinerary
Raja Manta has several different itineraries, and some are happen the reverse order.
Please note, that the below itineraries are an example, but some trips see variations. The decision to make any changes is only made to firstly guarantee the safety of all on board, and secondly maximize their enjoyment. Factors which cause changes in the itinerary include sea and weather conditions, recent special marine life sightings, and the certification level and diving experience of those on board.
Facilites, Layout and Specifications
MV Raja Manta Layout |
MV Raja Manta Specifications | |
Built. | 2011 |
Length. | 37 metres |
Beam. | 7.5 metres |
Draft. | 2.0 metres |
Material. | Steel |
Tonnage. | 270 |
Engines. | 2x Cummins; 700 BHP total 1400 HP |
Max. Speed. | 12 knots |
Cruise Speed. | 10 knots |
Range. | 1,500nm |
GenSets. | 2 x100 Kva, 1 x30 Kva spare generator set |
Compressors. | L&W 450 liter compressor with air cooler, L&W 450 litre membrane nitrox compressor |
Enriched Air. | Filter & air cooling system; to ensure best best mixtures |
Support Vessels. | 2x chase boats / RIBs (5.8m) Yamaha 40BHP Outboard Motors |
Navigation. | Furuno Radar, Furuno & Navman GPS plotters, 2 sounders & auto-pilot |
Communication. | SSB & 2x VHF radio, 3x CB marine handsets, satellite phone & mobile phones |
Surveillance. | Engine room & dive platform cameras |
Water Maker. | 2 water makers at 2000 litres / day, also carrying 24 tons of fresh water |
TV. | 42" |
Media Centre. | AC Ryan Play-On HD 2TB in saloon |
DVD player. | Surround-sound home entertainment system in saloon |
Music. | 4-channel speaker system routed to dining & dive deck areas in combination or isolation. |
Emergency. | 3x 20 Pax. Survival life rafts; life jackets ( Adult Sizes ); Dedicated emergency medical-grade O2 cylinder 7.4M3 with demand |
Flotation. | Safety rings with beacons |
Oxygen. | Valve & continuous flow regulators; Non-rebreather mask, pocket mask with O2 feed; 2* 5.5l O2 clean stage tanks for portable O2 use; DAN O2 provider |
First Aid. | Complete MFA Kit and EFR primary (inc. CPR) & secondary care personnel |
Firefighting. | Fire extinguishers throughout ship |
Courses
PADI courses are easily taught on liveaboard trips. There are lots of options available, from a one or two dive mini-course, such as Deep Adventure Dive, to an Open Water Diver course for those who have never dived before. By far the most popular diving course on a liveaboard boat is the Advanced Open Water course. This is 5 interesting and exciting dives with a fully-qualified instructor. While the pricing of the diving coures on this particular boat is still under construction, please contact us for quotes and advice for taking part in a PADI diving course on Raja Manta's Indonesia mini-cruises.
Transfer details
Normally, the Raja Manta team offer free scheduled transfers from local hotels and the nearest airport.
Booking / Enquiry