It Started with Good People Doing Good Work
I've known Tim, the founder of MANTAHARI Ocean Care, for a while now. He's one of those people who genuinely walks the talk when it comes to ocean conservation. I own plenty of Mantahari stuff myself - caps I wear constantly, bags I actually use, t-shirts that have held up through years of island life.
When we were building Coralbound and deciding what gifts to offer with bookings, I knew MANTAHARI should be one of the options. The products are solid, and I've seen what the company accomplishes for marine conservation in Indonesia.
Snorkeler collection plastic with manta ray beneath
What Makes MANTAHARI Different
They create premium apparel and gear from recycled recycled plastic. Every purchase directly funds marine conservation through their foundation. A big chunk of their profits go toward marine research, education programs, and ocean protection initiatives in Indonesia.
This isn't greenwashing. This is a company putting their money where their mission is.
Why This Matters for Indonesia Diving
You're booking a trip to dive Indonesia's incredible reefs. Raja Ampat. Komodo. Banda Sea. These aren't just diving destinations - they're some of the most biodiverse marine ecosystems on Earth.
The manta rays you'll encounter. The coral reefs you'll photograph. The whale sharks you'll swim alongside. All of this exists because Indonesia's waters remain relatively healthy and protected.
Keeping them that way requires ongoing research, education, and conservation work. Work that costs money.
Mantahari's contributions fund:
Marine research programs
Scientific studies on manta ray populations, coral health, and ecosystem dynamics. MANTAHARI directly funds the Marine Megafauna Foundation (MMF), who conduct manta ray research and conservation projects throughout Indonesia - specifically in Nusa Penida, Komodo National Park, Sangalaki Island, and Raja Ampat. This research informs protection policies and helps identify critical habitats that need safeguarding.
Education initiatives
Teaching Indonesian communities about marine conservation. Training local dive guides in sustainable practices. Building awareness about ocean protection among the next generation.
Manta ray adoption programs
Direct funding for manta ray research and protection through the Marine Megafauna Foundation. MMF works in Indonesia's key manta aggregation areas - Nusa Penida, Komodo, Raja Ampat, and Sangalaki. Each adoption supports photo-ID cataloging through MantaMatcher.org, population tracking, movement ecology studies, and habitat protection efforts across Indonesian waters.
Recycled plastic products
The material for their products comes from recycled plastic recovery programs. Every item produced means less plastic in Indonesian waters. Additionally, MANTAHARI's funding supports MMF's pioneering research into the impacts of marine debris on manta rays and whale sharks - critical work since Indonesia is ranked second in the world for marine plastic pollution.
Inside view of MANTAHARI Cap
How It Works
When you book an Indonesia liveaboard through Coralbound, you choose your gift package. You get one of three options:
1. Hotel night for two One complimentary night (3-4 star accommodation) either before or after your liveaboard trip. Makes your logistics easier and gives you a buffer day for flight connections or just to relax.
2. €50 Mantahari Ocean Care voucher Shop Mantahari's collection of sustainable dive wear, reef-safe products, and ocean-inspired gear. Everything made from recycled recycled plastic. A big chunk of their profit funds marine conservation programs in Indonesia.
3. €50 direct conservation donation We donate €50 directly to an Indonesian NGO working in the specific region where your liveaboard operates. Booking a Raja Ampat trip? Your donation goes to conservation work in Raja Ampat. Diving Komodo? The NGO works in Komodo. You're directly protecting the reefs you're about to dive.
All three options apply to every booking, regardless of price. Choose what matters most to you.
What happens with each option:
Hotel night: You get practical accommodation that makes trip logistics easier. One less thing to coordinate.
Mantahari voucher: You get premium sustainable products you'll actually use + your purchase funds marine conservation + recycled plastic gets removed from Indonesian waters.
Direct donation: Your €50 goes entirely to an NGO working in the exact region you're diving. Raja Ampat trip = Raja Ampat conservation. Komodo trip = Komodo protection. You're literally funding protection of the reefs you're about to explore.
All three options add value beyond just the liveaboard booking. The conservation options mean your trip actively contributes to protecting the specific ecosystems you're traveling to experience.
Why destination-matched donations matter:
When you choose the direct donation option, we don't just send money to a generic Indonesian conservation fund. We partner with NGOs working specifically in the region you're diving.
This creates a direct connection: You dive Raja Ampat's reefs → Your €50 funds Raja Ampat conservation programs → Those programs protect the exact reefs you explored.
You see the mantas, you fund the manta research. You dive the coral walls, you fund the coral protection. It's not abstract - it's the specific place you're visiting, getting the specific funding it needs.
Front view of woman wearing MANTAHARI Cap
The Bigger Picture
We can't discount liveaboard prices. Price parity agreements prevent that, and honestly, it protects the industry from destructive price wars that would hurt operators and reduce service quality.
But we can make your complete trip more valuable. We can ensure that booking through Coralbound means you're contributing to something beyond just your own adventure.
Our complete gift package approach:
- Hotel nights make your logistics easier
- Mantahari vouchers connect your trip to conservation
- Direct donations fund marine protection programs
Each option adds real value. The conservation options (Mantahari and direct donation) ensure your booking contributes to protecting the ecosystems you're traveling to experience.
Note: During special promotions like Black Friday, we sometimes add additional benefits like flight vouchers on top of these standard gift options. But these three core choices remain available year-round.
Snorkeler in the ocean in a sea of plastic
Why We Care
I've worked as a diving instructor across Asia for over a decade, with most of that time in the Maldives and now in Indonesia. I've watched reefs change. I've seen protection efforts make real differences. I've witnessed what happens when conservation funding disappears.
The incredible diving Indonesia offers isn't guaranteed to last forever. It requires active protection, ongoing research, and educated communities who value their marine resources.
When we built Coralbound, we wanted the platform to contribute to that protection, not just profit from it.
I've known Tim, MANTAHARI's founder, for a while. I own a bunch of their stuff - caps I wear constantly, bags I actually use, t-shirts that have held up through years of island life. I chose MANTAHARI as a gift option because the products are genuinely good and I've seen what the company accomplishes for marine conservation in Indonesia.
Offering Mantahari vouchers (and direct conservation donations) is one way we contribute. It's not performative environmentalism. It's putting conservation funding directly into the system, funded by the industry that benefits most from healthy reefs.
Your Choice
Not everyone will choose the conservation options. Some people need the hotel night for practical logistics. That's completely fine - we designed the gift options to serve different needs and priorities.
But if you want your liveaboard booking to fund marine conservation in Indonesia, both the Mantahari voucher and direct donation options make that happen. Real funding. Real programs. Real impact.
You're already investing thousands in experiencing Indonesia's underwater world. With the conservation gift options, your booking contributes to protecting it.
Same liveaboard price as everywhere else. Conservation contribution included.
Ready to book your Indonesia liveaboard? Browse trips and choose the gift package that matters to you.
Want to learn more about Mantahari Ocean Care? Visit their website to see their conservation work and product collections.
Questions about our gift packages or booking process? Contact us
See all our gift options: Read about our promotion