Mantamaria
SSI dive centre and PADI Resort at Vila do Porto marina, Santa Maria, Azores, running boat day trips to Baixa do Ambrósio's mantas since 2009.
Last updated September 2026
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About
Mantamaria opened at Vila do Porto marina in October 2009, registered as MT 10/2010 and AT 14/2015/RAA, on Santa Maria, the south-easternmost island of the Azores. It became an SSI dive centre and a PADI Resort in 2012 and still runs both agencies' course ladders side by side, from a first Discover Scuba dive through Divemaster and SSI's Dive Guide/Assistant Instructor levels. Five boats and an on-site Nitrox/Trimix compressor back a package-diving model: trips run to a fixed price list, from 58 EUR per person for a single dive, two dives per outing, with a minimum of eight divers per trip.
The signature trip is Baixa do Ambrósio, known for manta encounters, with the anchor line at 5-15 m over a 46 m bottom. Advanced Open Water is the centre's own stated minimum for that dive, deeper than the certification itself trains divers to, so the dive centre director reviews each diver's log before confirming a place. The same certification, or 25 logged dives, applies to the two farther offshore trips, Formigas/Dollabarat and Banco João Lopes. Baixa da Maia and Banco João Lopes both carry the centre's own moderate-to-strong-currents flag, while the more remote Formigas/Dollabarat run, some 30 miles out, carries a separate warning for a remote, strong-current site. Personal diving insurance is mandatory, and divers without their own cover are pointed to a named third-party provider, DiveAssure. Beyond diving, Mantamaria also runs manta and whale-shark snorkelling, freediving, and general boat tours around the island.
What divers say
Reviews are strongly positive, with only a small minority landing at the bottom of the scale. The same ground and boat staff, among them Nina, Pedro and Lena, turn up by name in reviews written years apart. Two independent accounts describe an unplanned whale shark turning up on a booked manta trip, with staff opening up an in-water swim with it on the spot. A recurring, minor complaint is that advance booking by phone or email can run slow during peak season, even as the same reviewers rate the on-water experience highly.
Dive Sites (5)
Facilities
Pricing
We do our best to show current pricing, but rates may change without notice. Last verified September 2026. Always confirm the latest prices on Mantamaria's official website before booking.
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Guided Dives
Other Services
Guided-dive packages run to a minimum of 8 divers; every trip includes two dives and is non-refundable once it goes ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Mantamaria run its own boats?▾
Yes. All diving described on Mantamaria's own site runs by boat from Vila do Porto marina, using a five-boat fleet built for daily multi-boat departures.
Is there a minimum number of divers to book a trip?▾
Yes, each package trip runs with a minimum of eight divers, priced per person from one dive up to a ten-dive package; every outing includes two dives, and the booking is non-refundable once the trip goes ahead.
Do I need Advanced Open Water to dive Formigas/Dollabarat or Banco João Lopes?▾
The centre's stated minimum is Advanced Open Water and/or 25 logged dives, with the final call made by the dive centre director case by case; divers below that bar can still join, for an extra guide-service charge.
Can I dive without joining the full package?▾
There is a smaller add-on option: an extra dive at Baixa do Ambrósio can be added below the package threshold for a separate per-dive charge, and a private guide can be booked per trip for an additional fee.
Can I snorkel with the mantas instead of diving?▾
Yes. Mantamaria runs manta snorkelling at Baixa do Ambrósio (minimum six people) and separately sells whale-shark snorkelling (minimum eight), alongside its dive trips.
How much does a course cost?▾
Mantamaria's own SSI and PADI course price lists are marked as under revision on its site; contact the centre directly for current course rates, since only its general dive, snorkelling and boat-tour pricing is published.
How do I book, and is there online checkout?▾
There is no online booking checkout on Mantamaria's own site. Reservations run through direct phone or email contact with the centre, and its own terms describe a booking flow through its website without an instant checkout step.
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