Manta Queen 5

Vessel photographs supplied through LiveAboard.com.

Manta Queen 5 dates and cabin pricesAffiliate link: Divezone may earn a commission if you book.

Ten twin cabins, one straightforward choice

Manta Queen 5 is a 23 m wooden-hulled boat with a 5 m beam, accommodating up to 20 guests in ten air-conditioned twin bunk cabins. Three shared bathrooms serve the accommodation. There is no double-bed or ensuite upgrade, which makes the decision refreshingly clear before booking.

Cabins are listed on the main and upper decks, with ocean-facing entrances and an area of about 4 m². These are small sleeping spaces, suited to people who are comfortable sharing a bunk room and keeping luggage compact. A solo traveller’s berth allocation needs confirmation; a twin cabin does not automatically mean sole occupancy. Friends who want separate beds and spend their downtime outside may find the arrangement quite enough.

The sundeck and dining deck do the social work

The original Divezone description highlighted the broad top deck and the shaded, open-air dining area. Those remain the spaces that give this modest boat its personality. Mats on the sundeck invite an unhurried surface interval, while the dining area keeps the sea in view through meals and post-dive conversations. It is a relaxed communal setting rather than a retreat built around private rooms.

Five dive staff and six boat crew support the operation. Help on the dive platform, getting back aboard and keeping the routine moving features strongly in recent guest feedback. Groups are advertised at roughly four or five divers per guide. Wi-Fi is offered where reception allows, so time offshore may still mean time away from messages.

Meals are cooked aboard and served buffet-style, with Thai dishes a recurring favourite in the guest accounts. Fresh fruit and snacks fill the gaps between dives; water, tea, coffee and soft drinks are included in the current operator package. Vegetarian preferences and allergies need an agreed arrangement before the kitchen provisions for the trip. The modest cabin price does not have to mean a modest appetite.

Four nights, from Similan boulders to Richelieu

The trip starts with check-in at the Khao Lak dive centre between 15:00 and 17:00, followed by an evening transfer to the boat at Thap Lamu. Four diving days then cover the Similan Islands and the northern sites before the return through Boonsung Wreck. The current programme is five calendar days, four nights and 15 planned dives; the former three-night trip is no longer the right basis for comparing prices.

This route has more range than a short cruise focused only on the northern pinnacles: the main Similan islands are part of the journey too. Richelieu Rock is scheduled, but reaching it depends on the conditions. The park name “Surin” can appear in descriptions because Richelieu lies in that marine park; it does not establish a separate visit to the Surin island group on this itinerary.

Route description below.

Indicative route: Thap Lamu harbour area (1) → Similan Islands (2) → Koh Bon (3) → Koh Tachai (4) → Richelieu Rock (5) → Koh Bon (3) → Boonsung Wreck area (6) → mainland (1). Markers show planning areas, not exact boarding locations or underwater entry points. The connecting line is not a navigation track; weather and access restrictions can change the stops and dive count.

A realistic starting budget

The checked entry fare is THB 24,000 per person sharing for four nights. For a foreign adult diver, the published THB 2,500 marine-park charge brings the starting total to THB 26,500. The examples below use operator rates checked on 9 November 2026.

The standard equipment set costs THB 2,000, a computer THB 1,000 and nitrox THB 2,500 per trip. Nitrox use requires the relevant qualification or arranged training. Insurance, courses, flights, hotels and personal spending sit outside these totals. Thai park fees differ from the foreign-adult example.

Full board, standard 12-litre tanks, weights, guiding and VAT are included. The operator also lists return transfers from specified Khao Lak and Phuket areas; pickup coverage and timing depend on the address. A mainland stay after the cruise makes onward arrangements less dependent on an offshore return time.

Manta Queen 5 dates and cabin pricesAffiliate link: Divezone may earn a commission if you book.

Qualifications and a full diving day

The operator requires qualification to 30 metres, a dive computer and insurance covering medical treatment and evacuation. An 18-metre Open Water diver must arrange the specified additional training. Underwater photographers need an Advanced qualification or at least 40 logged dives, and divers with 30 or fewer dives who have been inactive for over a year need the stated pool refresher.

Fifteen dives make this a busy four-day programme. A comfortable routine on the dive deck helps, but currents, sea conditions and individual experience still govern each dive. Guest reports about earlier trips with children or fewer dives are historical experiences, not confirmation that the same arrangement meets the present booking requirements.

Joining without diving

Non-diving companions are accepted, with their fare and activities confirmed for the particular sailing. The published foreign-adult non-diver park fee is THB 1,500. The shaded dining space and sundeck are pleasant places to spend the intervals, but this is a dive-led itinerary. Beach landings, snorkelling suitability and supervision are not a guaranteed daily package.

Guest feedback: generous hospitality, simple rooms

A short look around Manta Queen 5

▶ Manta Queen 5

An earlier boat video; interiors and equipment may have changed. Watch Manta Queen 5 on YouTube.

Manta Queen 5 questions, answered

Updated 9 November 2026 from current operator information, booking specifications and dated guest accounts. A researched guide rather than a firsthand inspection. Photograph capture dates are not supplied; prices and availability vary by departure.