Bilikiki

The Manthiri is a beautiful 85 foot (25.9-meter) liveaboard vessel. It is built of fine tropical timber and custom-designed for dive cruises. The wide beam of 25 feet (7.6 meters) contributes toward a stable hull and allows for spacious cabins. No more than twelve guests are on each cruise and the attentive eleven-person crew ensures that every need is met.

A separate specially outfitted dive tender, called a dhoni, provides a home for all dive gear, compressors, and Nitrox systems. This dive boat also has a full bathroom with shower and one outside shower.  This is a very spacious boat as four people can giant stride into the water at one time and there is a very stable ladder to get back on board.

With over 20 years of experience diving the Maldives, the crew has discovered new dive sites that are exclusive to Manthiri guests. This, along with only 12 guests per voyage, means less diver congestion in the water. The crew also knows the best times to visit certain sites to see specific marine life based upon the time of year, currents, phase of the moon, etc.

Trained at a top Maldivian resort, professional chefs ensure a sophisticated twist on the contemporary flavors of the Maldives, a tasteful blend of East and West. With ten years of serving on board Manthiri, the chefs know precisely how to pamper divers with the finest seafood, aromatic local specialties, and global cuisine guaranteed to suit the palates of guests from around the world.

The Maldives is one of the top all-around dive destinations on the planet. Drift over channels, linger over pinnacles or drop-offs, and explore valleys of soft corals and gardens of hard corals crowded with fish. Marine life includes but not limited to tropicals to pelagics, morays, mantas, turtles, octopus, sharks, whalesharks and large schools of fish.  Encounters with 10,000 to 100,000 schooling fish or a dozen eagle rays are not uncommon.

Perhaps nowhere else in the world is the marine life as rich, diverse or colorful as in these warm waters of the Indian Ocean.  Located Southwest of India, the Maldives consists of 26 atolls stretching over 470 miles across the equator. The Maldives are defined by a garland shaped atoll chain dotted with countless reefs and 1,190 islands, nearly a thousand uninhabited.  This is one of the most exciting places for fish photography and a nearly perfect year-round dive destination.

The Manthiri operates 7 and 9 night trips throughout the Central Atolls where visibility in either season is equally spectacular and, depending on current and sea conditions, can exceed 100 feet. With depths of 80 to 60 feet common all year, views of fish life are fabulous regardless of the season. Keep in mind that the winter season in the northeast marks the busiest months in any tropical island paradise. Book early, as our warm sun, clear seas, and amazing dive experiences become the mid-winter fantasy of many tourists from colder climates. Skipper Ibrahim and dive instructor Moosa, exploring the region since their teens, have gained an uncanny intimacy with the local waters, navigating our guests to exclusive dive spots unknown to other operations.

Safety is a primary concern on both of our vessels, so oxygen and essential first aid needs, although rarely needed, are handy on both vessels. Maldives is a renowned dive destination, so a recompression chamber and a hyberbaric doctor are handily accessible on Bandos Island, North Malé Atoll, close to the Airport, Kuramathi in North Ari, and Kureddu further north in Fadippolhu Atoll.

Specifications & Amenities
Manthiri deck plans
Length - 85 foot/25.9 meters
Beam - 25 foot/7.6 meters
Propulsion - Cummins 400 HP, Model NTA855M
Power - G&M 45 KVA x 2 units
Accommodation - 4 twins and 2 doubles
Passengers - 12
Crew - 12
Electricity - 380/220 and 110 VAC
Cruising Speed - 9 knots
Desalinators - 2 x 6000 Litres
Air-conditioning - Throughout with individual controls
 

Vasantha deck plans (dive dhoni)
Length - 54 foot/16.4 metres
Beam - 17 foot/5.2 metres
Displacement - 45 tons
Compressor- 2 x 450 Litres/minute (16 cfm, each)
Scuba Tanks - 30 tanks 12 liter aluminum with DIN and Yoke type valve.
8 tanks 14 liter aluminum with DIN and Yoke type valve.
Nitrox - Available
Fiberglass Tender - 17 foot with 30HP outboard 
 

MANTHIRI AMENITIES & SPECIFICATIONS
Private cabins with en suite bathrooms
Daily cabin service
Individually controlled air-conditioning in all cabins
Daily fresh towels in cabins
Hot freshwater showers
Hairdryers and toiletries in all cabins
Electricity: British Standard 230VAC outlets requiring rectangular blade plug type G and American Standard 110VAC outlets requiring flat blade plug type A & B
Laptop computer for digital photographers
Camera tables
Freshwater camera rinse tanks
Air-conditioning in all indoor areas
Audio and video entertainment centre
Delicious dining and snacks
Icemaker and coffee maker
Warm towels after each dive
Dive-deck and camera assistance
Open air sundeck with shaded area
Twelve passengers/twelve crew
Up to four dives per day
Nitrox system for increased dive safety
Two support vessels: 54-foot dive dhoni and 17-foot fiberglass tender
Dedicated and knowledgeable dive crew