Fast Manta Diving Krabi—Krabi’s first PADI Eco Dive Center—is proving that eco-conscious operations and world-class diving go hand-in-hand across Thailand’s Phi Phi and Ao Nang local islands. Founded by Kari Lehtonen on a core “Dive With a Purpose” philosophy, this Green Fins Digital Member actively integrates citizen science, single-use plastic elimination, and neutral buoyancy training into every daily trip aboard their custom catamaran, Ocean Manta. We spoke to Kari about Fast Manta’s sustainability journey.
Why did you decide to become a Green Fins Member?
Marine conservation has never been a marketing trend for us — it has always been part of who we are. We spend almost every day underwater around our local islands and Phi Phi, so we directly see both the beauty of the marine environment and the challenges it faces. Joining Green Fins was a natural step because it gave us a structured and internationally recognised framework & guideline to improve our daily operations and hold ourselves accountable.
Our entire philosophy is built around “Dive With a Purpose.” We believe every dive should leave a positive impact, whether through education, citizen science, responsible diver training, or reducing our operational footprint. Green Fins aligns perfectly with our values because it focuses on practical, measurable actions that dive operators can implement every day.
Since becoming a Green Fins Digital Member, what actions or initiatives have you implemented to promote environmental conservation — and which are you most proud of?
Becoming a Green Fins Member helped us review every part of our operation and ask ourselves: “How can we do this better for the ocean?” Some of the initiatives we have implemented include:
- Eliminating all unnecessary single-use plastics onboard
- Operating with reusable cup systems instead of disposable solutions
- Running paperless operations through digital forms and e-learning
- Promoting reef-safe sunscreen awareness in line with Thailand’s marine park regulations
- Making sure that all our guests are aware of local Marine Park rules already during their booking process and they must accept those during the booking process
- Integrating marine conservation education into all courses and daily dive & snorkelling briefings
- Teaching neutral buoyancy from the very beginning of diver training
- Conducting regular debris cleanups and citizen science reporting
- Collecting marine life, coral health, and debris data during our daily dives
- Working closely with marine conservation projects and researchers
One thing we are especially proud of is how conservation is now integrated into our everyday diving operations rather than being treated as a separate activity. Even recreational divers joining a fun dive trip become part of conservation through awareness, responsible diving practices, and data collection.
We are also very proud of becoming Krabi’s first PADI Eco Dive Center and combining that with Green Fins standards to create a stronger environmental culture within our team and community.
What challenges have you faced while putting sustainable practices into action, and how did you overcome them?
One of the biggest challenges has been changing habits — both within the industry and among guests. Sustainability often requires operators to slow down, rethink routines, and sometimes invest more time or money into better solutions.
For example, reducing waste and removing single-use items sounds simple, but in daily operations it requires constant planning, staff training, and guest education. Another challenge has been ensuring all divers understand why buoyancy control and responsible underwater behaviour are so important for reef protection.
We overcame many of these challenges through education and consistency. Instead of only giving rules, we explain the reasons behind them. When guests understand how small actions can damage coral reefs or marine ecosystems, most are very supportive.
Internally, we also focused on building a strong team culture where sustainability is not an “extra task,” but simply part of how we operate every day and that is the base to all new team members also in the future.
How has your team responded to the sustainability changes introduced through Green Fins?
Our team has become much more engaged and proactive over time. Sustainability discussions are now part of our daily operations, dive briefings, and long-term planning. Many of our instructors actively contribute ideas for reducing waste, improving diver education, and supporting citizen science initiatives. Because our team spends so much time in the ocean, they genuinely care about protecting the environment where they work.
We have also noticed that sustainability attracts like-minded professionals. Many instructors and divemaster candidates specifically choose to work and training with us because they want to be part of an environmentally responsible dive operation.
What does being a Green Fins Digital Member mean to you and your team?
Being a Green Fins Digital Member represents commitment, accountability, and continuous improvement.
For us, it means we are not just talking about conservation — we are actively measuring and improving our environmental practices. It also reminds us that sustainability is a journey, not a final destination. There is always something we can improve.
Green Fins helps keep environmental responsibility at the centre of our decision-making, from diver training standards to operational choices onboard our boat. It reinforces the idea that professional dive operators have an important role in protecting marine ecosystems for future generations.
How have your sustainable efforts helped you grow your business and attract new customers?
We have seen a clear increase in guests looking for meaningful and environmentally responsible diving experiences. Many divers today want more than just a standard dive trip — they want to understand the marine environment and support operators who genuinely care about conservation.
Our sustainability focus has helped us build a strong reputation internationally, especially among divers who value quality training, environmental responsibility, and small-group experiences. It has also created new opportunities through collaborations, conservation partnerships, media exposure, and professional-level training programs such as our Eco Divemaster programs and conservation-focused Dive With A Purpose courses and course packets.
Most importantly, sustainability has helped us attract guests and team members who share the same values, which creates a stronger community around our dive centre.
What advice would you give to other operators who are thinking of joining Green Fins?
Start with small actions, but start now.
You do not need to change everything overnight. Even simple operational changes can make a big difference when repeated every day across hundreds or thousands of dives. Green Fins provides practical guidance that helps operators move in the right direction step by step. The important thing is to create a genuine long-term commitment rather than treating sustainability as a marketing tool.
Our advice is also to involve your entire team in the process. When all team members understand the purpose behind the changes, they become much more motivated to support them and even create new ideas themselves.
Looking ahead, what new sustainability initiatives or projects are you planning to introduce?
We want to continue expanding our conservation and citizen science activities around Ao Nang Local Islands and Phi Phi.
Some of our future goals include:
- Expanding coral health and megafauna monitoring programs
- Increasing participation in debris tracking and marine data collection
- Developing more educational conservation workshops for divers and local communities
- Strengthening partnerships related to coral, seagrass, and mangrove restoration
- Continuing to improve our operational sustainability onboard and on land
- Expanding our “Dive With a Purpose” philosophy into more professional training programs
We also want to continue showing that high-quality diver training, strong safety standards, and environmental responsibility can all work together successfully in modern dive tourism.
Fast Manta Diving demonstrates that embedding conservation into daily operations enhances both guest experience and business growth. By leveraging Green Fins standards to guide diver education, boat operations, and staff culture, Kari Lehtonen and the team have built a resilient, purpose-driven brand. For dive operators ready to protect their local marine ecosystems while attracting ocean-conscious travelers, adopting a structured framework is the crucial first step.
Ready to elevate your dive business? Become a Green Fins Member today and start transforming your operational footprint.
