Manta Queen 1 Liveaboard Overview

By Torben Lonne – Editor and Co-founder at DIVEIN.com

Last updated: September 30, 2024

Published: December 17, 2021

The original boat in the Manta Queen lineup, easy to spot by the same navy blue hull carried across the fleet.

Manta Queen 1 liveaboard anchored in turquoise water, framed by tree branches from shore

Seen through branches from a nearby beach, the Manta Queen 1 sits at anchor rather than motoring back to port between dives, the entire point of a liveaboard trip.

Covered dining deck with bar fridges and wood cabinets on the Manta Queen 1 liveaboard

The dining deck runs on fridges and a simple galley counter, built to keep divers fed between dives rather than serve a restaurant menu.

Open deck aboard the Manta Queen 1 with bench seating and a ladder to the upper deck

A ladder up to the sun deck and rinse points sit right at the stern, the practical corner of the boat rather than a place built for lounging.

Mantis shrimp peering out of its burrow on a reef, spotted on a Thailand liveaboard dive

Known for one of the fastest strikes in the ocean, this peacock mantis shrimp retreating into its burrow is exactly the kind of macro find liveaboard divers hope to log.

Wood paneled four bed shared cabin with bunk beds on the Manta Queen 1 liveaboard

Four bunks share this cabin, the budget pick for divers happy to spend on dive time rather than deck space.

Dive deck of the Manta Queen 1 liveaboard lined with scuba tanks and a swim step to the water

Tanks pre-rigged along both benches and a wide swim step mean divers gear up and drop in without the deck congestion smaller boats suffer.

Wood paneled double cabin aboard the Manta Queen 1 with a made up bed and folded towels

A private double bed cabin like this is the pick for couples who would rather skip the bunk shuffle of the twin rooms.

Twin bed cabin aboard the Manta Queen 1 with matching pillows and rolled towels on each bed

Matching twin beds and a shared nightstand keep this cabin simple, the standard setup for solo divers or friends booking together.

Close-up of a nudibranch's ringed rhinophores and ruffled yellow and blue mantle edge

Sightings like this reward divers who slow down and scan the reef instead of just following the group past it.

Nurse shark resting on the sandy seabed beneath a coral covered rock ledge

Nurse sharks like this one spend the day wedged under ledges, only becoming active once the sun goes down.

Wood paneled saloon aboard the Manta Queen 1 with a flat screen TV and curved lounge seating

The saloon doubles as the boat's only real hangout space between dives, built for drying off rather than lounging in style.

Pair of harlequin shrimp with mottled blue and orange patterned bodies on the seabed

Harlequin shrimp this patterned are a macro photographer's target dive, small enough to miss without a guide pointing them out.

Turquoise water and granite boulders of the Similan Islands under a blue sky

This is the kind of clear water and granite scenery that puts the Similan Islands on every liveaboard itinerary out of Thailand.

Bow sundeck of the Manta Queen 1 liveaboard with blue mats laid out for sunbathing

Mats laid out topside give divers somewhere to dry off and nap between dives instead of crowding the saloon.

Exterior of the Manta Queen 1's wheelhouse with tinted windows and a yellow life ring on the railing

The life ring and dive operator's logo mark this as the working end of the boat, just below where the crew steers.

Where to book

PADI TravelSecure online booking Liveaboard.comNo booking fees

Manta Queen 1 offers comfortable dive safaris and has a crew that speaks French, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Chinese, and Japanese. The fleet offers one to five-day trips to accommodate almost any guest and any schedule hoping to experience Thailand’s world-class diving. For 5 days and 4 nights, Manta Queen 1 offers an exquisite diving experience in the Andaman Sea where we’ll be visiting Similan Islands, Richelieu Rocks, Koh Bon, and Koh Tachai; all of which are breathtaking and captivating areas often described as diving-heavens. The waters are well known for their clarity and richness with marine life and hard corals; it’s highly likely that we’ll encounter Giant whale sharks, spotted stingrays, dolphins and much more. The scenery of the place is unbelievable; green lands, white beach, and tranquil waters. All a curious soul asks for in an adventure is given in these Thai lands.

About this overview

To help you decide whether this liveaboard fits your dive style, budget, and comfort needs, we’ve researched the boat, itinerary, onboard experience, diving setup, and overall value.
We review liveaboards based on the details that matter most during a multi-day dive trip, including cabins, food, crew support, dive operations, safety, route quality, and how the boat compares with similar options in the destination.

Disclosure: We are reader supported, and may earn affiliate commissions when you buy through us.

Things we like:

Many people were happy with the friendly and caring staff.
Divers said there was an abundance of marine life and they had more than 17 dives.
The food was excellent and well prepared by the chef.

Things we don't like:

Many people were taken back with the gas smell in some of the cabins.
Some people noted that the dive shop had low quality products.
A few people claimed that the briefings was poor and not well organised.

Where to book

PADI TravelSecure online booking Liveaboard.comNo booking fees

Diving on the Manta Queen 1 liveaboard in Thailand

The 27m boat provides 10 air-conditioned cabins and a maximum capacity of 22 guests. You can choose the type of cabin to stay in; there are 4 doubles, 5 twins and 1 quad cabin. The Queen is kids and family friendly, so even if you are not a diver you can actually come along.

Any guest is welcomed to relax in the indoor saloon; it’s air-conditioned and it contains a flat-screen TV and an entertainment area at your disposal. You can also opt for an exotic tan in the sun deck while enjoying the beautiful views from the top deck.

The pleasant time around the dining table and the newly formed friendships is equally pleasant as the diving itself is. The food is prepared by our first-rate chefs; they were selected especially for their talent in mouth-watering international cuisine. You can, therefore, choose from a range of meals in our buffet; fine Thai and Burmese dishes, western food, and any other dietary exceptions if we’re informed in advance. Soft drinks, hard drinks, and snacks are also available all day long.

Our boat team is composed of 8 boat crew members and 5 for the diving staff; all of whom are professional, competent and very friendly. The team is also variously multilingual: they can speak Spanish, English, German, Thai, and other languages upon your own request. The dive staff will guide you through the diving in the sea experience and show you all the steps of the process. Nitrox is available aboard as well as some gear for rental if you didn’t bring any.

The boat leaves with life vests, emergency rafts, flares, bilge pump alarm, a crew coached in life aid and other necessities that will guarantee you’re well being.