News
Manta Trust joins WWDS in the Maldives and Thailand
Are you a manta lover and environmentally conscious? Then you will love what Worldwide Dive and Sail and the Manta Trust have prepared for you – two incredible itineraries in Maldives’ North Atolls and in the Andaman Seas of Thailand that are totally centred on manta behaviour and how to conserve them.
On both itineraries you will come up close and personal with manta rays with the help of Manta Trust experts. While the Maldives itinerary will mainly focus on manta feeding aggregations, the Thailand trip will be all about identification and tracking them. Both trips are designed for adventurers looking for something new and rarely offered in the Maldives and Thailand.
Photo: Glen Cowans
Formed in 2011, the Manta Trust is a UK and US-registered charity with a mission to conserve mobulid rays, their relatives, and their habitats, through a combination of research, education and collaboration. As part of this mission, the Manta Trust has teamed up with regional eco-minded tourism operators to provide ‘Manta Expeditions’—a series of liveaboard dive and snorkel trips that focus specifically on getting you in close proximity to manta rays, whilst imparting expert knowledge and skills.
Maldives Manta Expedition
This expedition on board the Maldives Master has been specifically timed to coincide with the most productive monsoon winds and lunar currents, which strongly influence the movements and feeding habits of reef manta rays. Explore the pristine and rarely visited northern atolls of Baa, Raa and Lhaviyani while looking manta rays.
Photo: Glen Cowans
Trip Leader: Dr. Guy Stevens, founder of Manta Trust
In 2011, Guy founded the Manta Trust, along with a collaboration of scientists, conservationists, photographers, filmmakers and communicators. His work with manta rays now takes him to other corners of the world, but for him the Maldives will always be the best place to see and study these amazing animals.
The Boat: Maldives Master
Boasting the largest dhoni in the area, Maldives Master has 13 comfortable cabins including three suites, a Jacuzzi, and seven social areas, including a sky lounge and bar, so guests can be assured they can explore these turquoise atolls in relaxed comfort.
When: 21 – 28 October 2019
More info: www.masterliveaboards.com/special-trips/manta-expeditions
Thailand Manta Expedition
Join the June Hong Chian Lee on this unique itinerary in Thailand, exploring the very best diving that this destination has to offer, taking in the highlights of Hin Daeng, Hin Muang, Koh Haa, Phi Phi, The Similan Islands plus Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and Richelieu Rock!
Trip Leader: Jamie MonManeerat, Project leader of Thailand Manta Project
A Marine Biologist with a distinction from Oxford, Jamie spent 3 months in 2014 working with the Manta Trust in the Maldives. After countless hours in the water with hundreds of manta rays, Jamie decided to develop the experience and knowledge she gained in Maldives into a manta project in her home country. In 2015, Thailand Manta Project was established with the goal to research the Manta population in Thailand and increase local protection to manta and mobula rays in Thai waters. Since then, Jamie has been dedicating her time to educate and raise awareness on manta rays and marine conservation in Thailand and its neighbouring countries.
The Boat: The Junk
S/Y June Hong Chian Lee or The Junk as she is commonly known, is a restored teak wood Chinese merchant sailing vessel that offers a unique liveaboard diving experience in Thailand. With an experienced crew and great food served on board, The Junk is the most charming and distinctive vessel in Thailand. So distinctive in fact that she has been used for several famous movies! The Junk can take up to 18 divers in 6 air conditioned cabins, offering a choice of double cabins, triple cabins and quads – all of them with their own private bathrooms with hot showers.
When: 12 – 20 January 2019
More info: www.thejunk.com/manta-trust
Contact Worldwide Dive and Sail today at bookings@worldwidediveandsail.com to book your space!
Stahlsac dive bags and travel luggage are built for our community of divers, surfers, kayakers and outdoor explorers who need bags that are constructed with durability, toughness, and 
the highest quality the industry has ever seen. We were founded by one man determined to build better watersports and dive bags, and today, that mission is carried on by many. Adventure doesn’t just present itself; it requires discovery. When we design dive bags, we make sure they are tough enough for you to explore in all conditions—warm and cold, wet and dry—to the nearest and farthest reaches of the earth. And for those times you want to push the boundaries of adventure, Stahlsac dive bags make sure you can truly GO ANYWHERE.
Abyss Duffels
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- A weatherproof duffel for trips, travel, and adventure
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Panama Mesh Backpack
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For more information about Stahlsac bags, visit www.stahlsac.com/dive-bags.
Sea & Sea is the home of Stahlsac and other leading diving brands in the UK.
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