Inexpensive Maldives liveaboard suggestions please

[Damselfish]

As a comparison, we were in the Maldives one January and had good encounters with Mantas. A couple nice ones where we peacefully watched feeding Mantas without a crowd, just like 10 folks from our liveaboard and maybe one other boat sometime. And one time where a school (at least 100) swam overhead.

 

[Popeye328]

What is a reasonable price for a lob?
Scuba tours are among the most expensive ones, the cook is not so good, the boat is a bit small and old but they have a good reputation regarding serous diving.

 

[LaMissJude]

Mantas a few times? I thought the Maldives was a mecca for Mantas ?

"Dr Marshall has discovered that the larger giant species of manta ray dives deeply, and migrates 700 miles (1,100km) in just 60 days to the Maldives, the longest migration known for a fish living in the Indian Ocean."
BBC - Earth News - Manta ray's secret life revealed

We still know little on their migratory patterns, but we know that they do migrate.

Mantas can be seen in the Maldives all year round, but not everywhere in the Maldives at the same time, or always in the same spot, but don't forget Maldives is a 820 km long country, 130 km wide, within an area of 90 000 square km of water, 26 atoll and 1190 island, small country but a lot of place in the water

Hope you will have fun on your trip and that you'll get lucky on mantas!