MV Manta Queen 1

MV Manta Queen 1 is a very popular & highly-respected Similan diving liveaboard boat that takes up to 20 guests to the best diving sites in Thailand, including Koh Bon, Koh Tachai & Richelieu Rock. The boat’s cabins each take up to two guests, in twin or double bed layout. Most cabins have private bathrooms, but some of the twin cabins do not, and the price for these is lower. All cabins have air-conditioning. At nearly 30 metres in length, Manta Queen 1 has plenty of space for couples and groups to socialize over a meal or evening drink, and there are plenty of places (inside & out) for guests to find some privacy with a book or to just top up a tan.

In addition to giving plenty of space to guests, the large size of Manta Queen 1 ensures that any rough seas during the first or last months of the diving season are dealt with easily. There are 8 crew and 6 diving staff to take care of the guests, many of whom are hoping to enjoy some of Thailand’s best diving without having to break the bank.
Although diving from Manta Queen 1 is among the best-value liveaboard, guests don’t miss out on anything. All meals, fruits, snacks, tea, coffee, sodas & drinking water is included, too.

Manta Queen 1 happily accepts divers of all levels, including new fun divers, enthusiasts and even professionals. There is Nitrox available, as well as PADI courses. And now free Wi-Fi, that is dependent on when the boat is in range of a signal. Even though the prices are low, safety and quality remain a top priority. PADI professionals teach the courses and qualified & experienced Divemaster guides lead groups of no more than five divers, chosen to be at similar levels. Every year Manta Queen 1 undergoes a full overhaul and interior renovation, in order to maintain the best experience for all on board.

In the past few years Manta Queen 1 has offered 4-night and 5-night trip lengths. But from now on (2023-2024) the boat goes out for four days & four nights, offering up to 15 dives. Some other websites might still show its trips as 5D/5N and 19 dives. These websites are out of date. Also, there are some websites that show the trips to be 5D/4N, which is misleading. Maybe these websites show a 'per day' rate and dividing the trip price by five (instead of by four) shows the rate to be cheaper.

Departure is in the evening of the first day, and there's no diving until the following morning. The trips are less than 96 hours long, so we show them as 4D/4N.

Prices & Schedule

The 4-day 4-night Manta Queen 1 diving safari itinerary departs from Khao Lak in the evening. Guests sometimes meet at the dive centre first for balance payment, equipment fiting and to sign a couple of forms. But some are taken directly to the boat, there is a general briefing and a light evening meal is served on board. The boat sails into the night and the diving starts in the morning of the following day.

There are four dives per day for three days, then three dives on the final day, before the boat returns to the pier in the afternoon.

After the 'check out' process at the dive centre, guests are taken to their chosen destination in Khao Lak or Phuket.

Click below for more details.