MV Manta Queen 8

Manta Queen 8 is a recently-renovated scuba diving liveaboard boat offering affordable-luxury scuba diving liveaboard trips to the best of the southern Andaman area. There are 3 cabin types, which are twin & double cabins on the main & upper decks. These have private bathrooms and lots of space inside. There are also two twin cabins on the lower deck which share a bathroom.

The boat is already well established in Thailand, and a favourite among the dive staff. Its size, design, facilities and cabins enable everyone to feel comfortable. Added to that is great food, service and value, and this boat is an instant success. Most MQ8 trips are fully booked, mainly due to the luxury and space available for the low prices. Now, MQ8 also has free Wi-Fi, when in range.

This liveaboard now sails from Khao Lak, not from Phuket or Krabi as it did in previous years. It leaves in the evening of departure day, and you wake up the following morning already at the dive sites. Manta Queen 8 trips are now 5D/5N in length. The trips start at an easy dive site, and get more exciting as the trips progresses.

A few misleading websites claim the trips are 6D/5N or 5D/4N, which is incorrect. And some websites have not updated their pages. From October 2024 the boat sails south from Khao Lak five nights and five days (5D/5N).

In addition to the comfortable guest cabins, Manta Queen 8 has plenty of communal areas where you can relax alone or socialise. These include the large partially-shaded sundeck and a dining area which has plenty of seating and tables. Most guests spend a lot of non-diving time here. There is also an air-conditioned lounge saloon.

For diving, the boat has a dive platform easily large enough for every diver to store equipment and to take the ‘giant stride’ from. Tender dinghies can collect divers who surface away from the boat or near the reef, as well as transport anyone to the beaches during the trip.

Prices & Schedule

Manta Queen 8 high-season trips depart from Khao Lak. The trips are 5D/5N to Similans, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, and Richelieu Rock.

You arrive at the boat in the evening for check-in. A light evening meal is served on board, and the diving starts early the next morning. Please click below for a detailed itinerary.

Beware that some other websites claim Manta Queen 8's trips are 6D/5N or 5D/4N, but this is incorrect and misleading. Do not trust out-of-date or misleading websites.