MV Manta Queen 1 Overview
MV Manta Queen 1 offers some of the best-value Similan Island diving safaris available. There are three different cabin options, all of which are air-conditioned. The twin-bed cabins with shared bathrooms are the best value. There are also eight more twin and double-bed cabins which have a private bathroom. The boat is nearly 30 metres long, making it larger than most for its guest capacity, and ensures safety & stability at sea. MQ1 takes a maximum of 20 guests on each trip, and these divers are separated into groups of no more than five per Divemaster. Usually this is done to group together divers of similar levels and experience, but can often end up being groups of friends or couples. Budget travellers and backpackers find diving on Manta Queen 1 ideal, especially considering that pick up from hotels and guest houses in the local area is included in the price. She is a comfortable vessel and offers very sociable trips at almost unbeatable prices. There are large sundeck & saloon areas for relaxing between dives and in the evenings. 
But due to the boat’s size, there’s always somewhere to find some privacy, although most guests enjoy each others’ company until it’s time for bed. There is a dinghy to retrieve divers who have surfaced too near the reef and to transport any passengers to beaches or snorkelling areas.
Although not the newest boat in the Manta Queen fleet, MQ1 is still very much a favourite among the staff and guests. This is mainly down to the large size of the boat, designed more for comfort than to cram in as many people as possible. Also, the experienced crew and captain ensure that every trip runs smoothly, safely and with lots of fun.
Many divers choose to take part in a PADI or SSI diving course aboard Manta Queen 1, and these are extremely-good value. PADI Advanced Open Water Diver and Nitrox (Enriched Air) are the most popular. Of course, there are Nitrox filling facilities aboard Manta Queen 1, as well as other amenities to maximize guests’ safety, comfort and convenience. All meals, tea & coffee, snacks and drinking water are all free, as well as pick up and drop off in Khao Lak & Phuket areas on the days of departure and return. Now MQ1 has free Wi-Fi when it is in cellular range.
In recent years MQ1 has changed between 4-night and 5-night trip lengths. Now, for 2024-2025 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 are out of date. Also, there are some websites that show the trips to be 5D/4N, which is misleading. 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.
MV Manta Queen 1 Pictures
MV Manta Queen 1 Facilities, Layout & Specifications
| MV Manta Queen 1 Layout | |
 |
|
| 8x | En suite main deck cabins |
| 2x | Std twin lower deck cabins |
| MV Manta Queen 1 Specifications | |
| Length. | 27m. |
| Width. | 6m. |
| Hull. | Wooden. |
| Engines. | 2x Hino 450hp 10 cylinder. |
| Generators. | 1x 40Kw. 1x 50Kw. |
| Nitrox filling station. | Nitrox tanks. |
| Cruising Speed. | 8-9 knots. |
| Navigation. | GPS Sat.Nav, depth sounder, compass. |
| Water. | 14,000 litres. |
| Accommodation. | 10 air-conditioned cabins. |
| Amenities. | Lounge saloon, sundeck, tea & coffee. |
| Crew. | 1 Captain, 1 Engineer, 1 Cook, 4 Assistants. |
| Diving. | 30x 12 litre aluminium tanks, int'l valves. |
| Safety. | VHF Radio, life jackets, life rings, first-aid kit. |
| Dinghy. | 2x4m. with 40hp outboard motor. |
MV Manta Queen 1 Courses
There is a selection of PADI & SSI diving courses available on Manta Queen 1, including Enriched Air Nitrox (EANx), and the usual selection advanced courses. While nearly all of them can be completed on board and without notice, it is always advisable to let us know in advance.
| Courses | |
|---|---|
| Courses | Prices |
|
Adventure Deep (30m.)
Including: Certification
|
1,500
THB |
|
Specialty courses
Including: Manual & Certification
|
8,000
THB |
|
Advanced Open Water
Including: Manual & Certification
|
9,000
THB |
|
Nitrox
Including: Manual, Certification, Computer & fills
|
9,500
THB |
MV Manta Queen 1 Itinerary
The 4D/4N Manta Queen 1 diving safari itinerary is as follows.
Manta Queen 1 sets sail from Tab Lamu Pier just to the south of Khao Lak in the evening. When documentation checks, equipment fitting and checks, and final payments are complete, the boat sails into the night.
After being shown to their cabins and allowed a short time to sort themselves out, guests are invited to enjoy a buffet style dinner on board. Manta Queen 1 arrives at The Similan Islands in the middle of the night, ready to start the trip’s wonderful diving first thing in the morning.
The first dive of any liveaboard safari is very important for the Divemasters, instructors and trip leader to properly establish how experienced and capable the divers are in the water and to see which of them may need some help. This first dive is always performed at a safe and easy diving spot.
The ship returns to the pier mid/late afternoon on the final day and guests are transferred either to Phuket or Khao Lak, depending on their plans.
More details are on the link below.
The itineraries below are the most-common for each trip, but these can sometimes be changed for a number of reasons. Small changes are made due to weather & sea conditions, special marine life sightings, overcrowded dive sites, local-authorities' instructions, and the needs & requests of the paying guests. The safety & comfort of all guests is most important at all times.
MV Manta Queen 1 Transfer Details
Free scheduled pickups and drop offs around Khao Lak's hotels & resorts at 4.00-4.30pm.
Guests coming from (or returning to) Phuket can get free scheduled transfers at set times in the afternoon.
For customers who would like a private taxi please see below for details.
(Click below for a rough guide to the rates you can expect to pay ‘per vehicle,’ not ‘per person’.)
MV Manta Queen 1 Schedule & Prices
| Destinations | Duration | Twin Cabin | Twin en Suite Cabin | Double En Suite Cabin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock, Boonsung Wreck ( 15 dives) | 4D / 4N | Twin Cabin 28,000 THB | Twin en Suite Cabin 30,000 THB | Double En Suite Cabin 30,000 THB |
|
Do you have a large group and want to charter the whole boat?
click below to find out more |
7 Reasons to Book with us:
- Best-price guarantee, AND get FREE gifts.
- We don’t ask for any payment or your card details until you are ready to confirm your booking.
- For safety reasons, it’s impossible to complete a booking instantly online , as some other websites claim to offer. We always check first as each boat has a different criteria regarding diver details & experience .
- We offer each boat’s booking & payment policy (below). Some other websites have standardised terms, asking for full payment but many boats’ payment terms are a 20-30% deposit, and the balance paid on arrival.
- Our Thailand-based staff are experts about logistics, the dive sites & all the boats . Take a look at the reviews on our site & tripadvisor.
- Our team are always online to answer your questions. We always respond the same day , usually within a few minutes
- Customer service is everything!
For example, if a trip is cancelled, we will ensure you can choose between an alternative similar trip or a full & unconditional refund .
The booking process for MV Manta Queen is very simple & convenient. Firstly, ask us to reserve a space in the cabin of your on the date/trip that you would like to join. We are happy to do this for free, and without any commitment from you. When you are ready to confirm your booking, we ask for 30% of the cruise price as a deposit. This payment is most-commonly made via PayPal, (Transfer)Wise or direct bank transfer in a wide choice of currencies, without fees. You don't need a Paypal account, although PayPal normally encourage you to open one. The PayPal invoice can be sent to any email address and payment can be made by anyone.
Nowadays, most of our guests choose to pay through a local direct bank transfer in a choice of currencies, including USD, EUR, GBP, THB, AUD & NZD. This gives you the very best exchange rate and there are no fees. This is possible because we have bank accounts in each of those territories.
The 70% balance and national park fees are due 60 days before your trip's departure date. Transfers and any equipment rental and/or courses can be paid when you arrive in Khao Lak. There is an ATM at the dive centre and several banks in Khao Lak.
.Cancellation policy:
Cancellation fees depend on the time and reason for cancelling. Please contact us for details. The management of MV Manta Queen are both considerate & flexible whenever possible regarding customer cancellations.
The official cancellation policy is as follows:
30+ days before departure = refund of money paid, minus any bank fees incurred doing so.
15-30 days before departure = refund of 50% trip balance or postpone to a future trip (subject to availability) but in some cases we are able to refund this to you. If the national park ticket has not been purchased yet, we can also refund the fee.
1-14 days before departure = loss of all monies but in some cases cancellations made late can be adjusted to help you.
Most travel insurance policies can protect you from unforeseen cancellation penalties.
Call us: (+66 89 136 3121)
or fill out the form below
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