Liveaboards from Singapore

[KraftyWill]

Can anyone personally recommend any Liveaboards that leave from Singapore? I can find a few on the internet but we all now that quality can vary from the promises on the websites so I was hoping for some recommendations from personal experience. I look forward to hearing from you!

 

[Zippsy]

There are very few that leave from Singapore. The Black Manta is by far and away the best. The White Manta is a bit lower standard but still luxurious compared to the others but run by the same people as the Black Manta (Welcome to Whitemanta.com). These two boats run out of Phuket during the Nov-Mar season and Singapore from Apr-Oct. They mostly do weekend trips from Singapore but have some longer trips and charters too.

Then there is the Samudra Quest (Friendly Waters Seasports Services - Home) and MV Seaborne (http://seabornescuba.com) which are a little more to the budget side. (editted to add that I now think the Seaborne is no longer sailing. Also, you may find more boats of similar quality to these two sailing out from Mersing, Malaysia for weekend trips - a 3-4 hour drive from Singapore)

I work for the Mantas when they sail out of Singapore so I am biased but I think anyone else would have a similar view.

 

[Lj82]

I thought that MV Seaborne have stopped sailing too but I bumped into this other website that shows they have been sailing til the end of last season. This season's schedule is not updated yet so its probably best to just drop them an email to check with them.

Seaborne International Pte Ltd > Pleasure Cruise Chartering | Live on Board Scuba Diving

 

[Lj82]

I've emailed and received a reply from MV seaborne.
They are still sailing from Singapore. You can try to email them for more details. They reply pretty promptly.

**Disclaimer**
I am not affliated with MV Seaborne nor have I gone on a trip with them before. (Actually I've never done a LOB from Singapore for that matter..)

 

[Zippsy]

Really? You don't know what you're missing.

 

[Lj82]

Really? You don't know what you're missing.

You mean those spotted guppies you had us trying to believe that they are really the mythical whalesharks on our local forum?

Or those weird Dvds that the BM/WM fight to see?

Would love to do a local LOB one of these days actually...

Hopefully within this dive season.

 

[Zippsy]

A) those ARE whalesharks!
B) Borat IS a classic movie worth watching again and again (as is Into The Blue)
C) I look forward to spoiling you on-board so that you never consider doing the immigration / customs / bus ride / midnight crossings again.

and thanks for the info on the Seaborne. I guess they just split their website.

 

[Dave1w]

White Manta (and I imagine Black Manta) are good quality. Have no reservations going back and back and back.....
Dave

 

[KraftyWill]

Thanks guys. I am actually booked onto one of the mantas for the next long weekend and everyone speaks very highly of them, so really looking forward to that. However, in the current economic climes i cannot afford to go with them every month, so was looking for more basic options!

Went to p. aur last weekend by coach/boat, which was great, but it ends up being 16-18 hours of travel for 36 hours on the island. A great time, but not sure my body can take it every month as well.

While i obviously like the luxurious approach, what i really like is being underwater. I guess a mix and match of luxurious and basic should allow me to get my nitrogen fix over the coming months!

Thanks for the help guys.

 

[Zippsy]

I've been on all the boats mentioned but since I work on the Mantas, i'll keep quiet about those options. I also can not take the bus/ferry trip to Tioman or Aur very often but once in a while, I still do it to get wet. Sibu is a quicker option but being closer to the mainland, the diving is not as nice. I've not been there but I just heard someone say that you can leave Singapore by 6:00 on a Friday and have sand between your toes by 10:30. That's better than the 6:00am arrivals by a good bit. Also, keep an eye on budget flights and accommodations to places like Bali, Krabi & Phuket. You may an extra day off because of the flights but that may be an option sometimes too. As you say, mix & match.