Manta Lodge YHA & Scuba Centre Hostel

I went diving with the team at Manta Lodge & Scuba Centre on North Stradbroke Island twice, and both trips were fantastic. The staff were professional, put safety first at every step, and still kept things relaxed and fun. The guides know their stuff, are patient, and clearly love the underwater world, especially Manta Bommie. Dive guide Jessie (Training Divemaster) and (Training Divemaster ) Alice were both amazing and made the dives enjoyable and supportive. Skipper James kept things light while staying safe and professional. From the first dive, it felt like being with old friends who treated me like family. The equipment was well maintained, the briefings were clear, and they went out of their way to make it a great experience. I’d highly recommend this centre for diving around North Stradbroke Island (Point Lookout area), whether you’re new to diving or experienced. You’ll be in good hands, and I’m already looking forward to coming back.

We spent two days diving with Manta Lodge in February, my wife and I with our sons, aged 11 and 12, and some friends. The marine life was incredible: manta rays, leopard sharks, turtles, shovel nose rays, wobbegong sharks and more. Sometimes there was so much going on around us that we couldn’t decide where to look. It felt like being right inside an episode of Blue Planet. Huge thanks to Tyler, Maddi and Ian, who crewed our dives. They were professional, friendly, patient with the kids and clearly passionate about their work. They made everything safe, memorable and a lot of fun. We’ll definitely return. Highly recommended. FYI, this review is only about the diving. We didn’t stay at the accommodation.

I had no expectations for the second day after several days of rain and the previous day’s cancellation due to the poor weather forecast. It turned out to be one of my best dives in a while. We saw mantas, guitarfish, wobbegones and leopard sharks on every dive, along with eels, octopus, turtles, nudis and scorpions. I couldn’t decide what to photograph first. The guides were amazing, with one at the front and one at the back to keep everyone safe. Shout out to Alisa and Jaime. Alisa led the group so well and made sure we saw everything. Jamie kept an eye on me when I went looking for other creatures while everyone else watched the mantas. Ian and James were nice and fun too, and came over to chat even though I didn’t dive with them. Super hero James even dived back down to retrieve my dive watch.

As beginners, we were a bit nervous about doing our open water course with Manta Lodge, but we felt well looked after and thoroughly informed throughout. Matt was a fantastic instructor, and the dive sites were stunning. Thank you to everyone at Manta Lodge for making it feel safe and supportive, and for an experience we won’t forget.