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As beautiful below as it is above, the warm sparkling clear waters hold a visual feast to delight the most well-traveled and spoiled diver/photographer.
Solomon Islands is an island nation located in the southwest Pacific, 1,500 miles west of Fiji and 1,200 miles northeast of Australia. Solomon Islands diving has gained an enviable world-wide reputation that's unsurpassed. Throughout these magic islands is an endless variety of dive sites to suit all tastes and levels of experience. Here, Mother Nature weaves her watery spell amongst the wrecks of World War II. You will experience an extraordinary array of differing structures and bio-assemblage, including shallow and deep coral gardens with magnificent drop-offs, ledges and swim-throughs, sharks, all manner of light game fish and an enormous variety of reef fish. Turtles, mantas and eagle rays are common sights. If luck is with us, we will even see hammerheads.
Bilikiki Cruises operates two vessels in the Solomon Islands, the MV Bilikiki and MV Spirit of Solomons. In 1989 MV Bilikiki sailed as the first full-service luxury liveaboard dive vessel in Solomon Islands. Since then she has gained a reputation as being among the best of the world's liveaboards. Following in her tradition in 1992 MV Spirit of Solomons joined Bilikiki Cruises Ltd. as sister ship. The ships are nearly identical, except for the number of cabins and the position of the dive deck. Both offer unparalleled comfort for cruising the Solomon Islands, with trips to local villages and land excursions. Both operate from Honiara, on Guadalcanal Island, to dive sites in the Florida Islands, the Russell Islands, Mborokua (Mary) Island and Marovo Lagoon in the New Georgia Islands.
The MV Spirit of Solomons is 125 feet long and has a 24 foot beam, making it a very stable ship designed for South Pacific conditions. It has immense sundecks, plenty of covered areas. It has 7 deluxe cabins and 6 single cabins. Deluxe Cabins have a double bed plus a single bed above, and have private shower, toilet and hand basin. Single cabins have two single bunks and an in-cabin hand basin, and are booked on a single occupancy basis only. The six cabins share two toilets and three showers. All accommodations are air-conditioned.
The cuisine is superb, being a blend of European, Island, and American cooking. Fresh fruits and vegetables are purchased daily from the friendly villagers en route. It features multi format video system, bar, friendly and experienced crew. With a crew of eleven plus two managers, the only time you will need to touch your diving equipment is when it is on your back. The crew will load, unload and rinse your gear for you.
How is the diving? In two words: diverse and amazing. The walls, reefs, pinnacles and coral gardens of Solomon Islands support an amazing variety and quantity of sea creatures. Within a few yards of each other, individually or in schools can be seen anemone fish, angel fish, butterfly fish, humphead parrot fish and other reef dwellers while just a short distance away schools of barracuda, big-eye trevally and other pelagics cruise in the blue waters.
Popular with underwater photographers are "muck dives". The amount and variety of unusual and mini sea life is astounding. Manta shrimp, ghost pipefish, and pygmy seahorses are only a few examples of what you may find.
Diving is from two 21-foot aluminum dive tenders which drop divers at the site and pick them up wherever they may choose to surface. No need to worry about swimming to the boat or fighting currents. The tinnie will be there when you need it.
Last time we were there, we were fascinated to know that the majority of the islanders had never been off the island. One young woman apparently had. She’d been educated on the mainland and she was the only woman dancer who wasn’t bare breasted; she was wearing a bra. The children were delightful, shy but friendly, all save the toddler who cried at the sight of Joe. He’d never seen a white-haired, white-bearded man before.
On the islands, we were the chief’s special guests and were treated to a pageant of traditional dances. It can also be arranged for us to visit taboo sites from their headhunting days, explore caves and see WWII sites. Parrots and cockatoos and wild orchids were everywhere.
7 nights, 8 days aboard the MV Spirit of Solomons
6 days of 5 daily boat dives
All meals and snacks daily
Boat guides, weights and belt
Roundtrip airfare Air Pacific from LAX
Roundtrip domestic air
Airport meet and greet in Honiara
Departure tax and Visa
All prices are double occupancy
No Additional Cost. Private cabin, shared bath
Permits @ $25 per day, Nitrox @ $20 per day,
alcoholic beverages, gratuities,
Fiji extension
Price subject to change
2 nights, June 9 & 10, at the Tanoa Hotel in Nadi, Fji
6pm late checkout June 11
Two free days to relax, sun, shop or whatever
$112.50 pp dbl occupancy
2 nights, June 9 & 10, at the Tanoa Hotel in Nadi, Fji
6pm late checkout June 11
Navua River Rafting Tour, June 10
Early am pick-up at hotel. Transfer to Pacific Harbor Departure.
. Raft through tropical jungle forests.
Grade 1 rapids and water cascades.
Return to hotel at approximately
6 pm.
$274.50 pp dbl occupancy
The Ultimate Shark Dive
2-tank dives called the best shark diving in the world. 8 species of sharks
and nearly 300 species of fish. An adrenaline rush under the safe watch of
shark experts.
Tiger sharks are usually encountered.
Includes 1 night at the Uprising Beach Resort June 9 with Continental Breakfast
Round-trip transfer from Nadi
1-night Tanoa Hotel June 10
6 pm late check-out June 11
$312.50 pp dbl occupancy
We depart from LAX Sunday, May 31, 2009. Check-in time is 8:00pm at Bradley International. Please be sure to check in at least three hours before departure time. Don't forget passport, dive card, etc. Please adhere to baggage and other vital travel information furnished you for this trip.
| Depart | Airline | Flight # | Departure Time | Destination | Arrival |
| LAX , May 31 | Air Pacific | 811Y | 11:30pm | Nadi, Fiji | 5:10am Tues, June 2 |
| Nadi , June 2 | Air Pacific | 261Y | 8:30am | Honiara | 12:10pm Tues, June 2 |
| Transfer to the MV Spirit of Solomons for 8 nights, 6 days of diving. | |||||
| Honiara, June 9 | Air Pacific | 260Y | 1:10pm | Nadi, Fiji | 6:30pm Tues, June 9 |
| Nadi, June 9 | Air Pacific | 810Y | 10:00pm | LAX | 1:20pm Tues, June 9 |
| Optional extension, June 9 –11 Two nights at the Tonoa Hotel in Nadi | |||||
Nadi June 11 |
Air Pacific | 810Y | 10:00pm | LAX | 1:20pm Thurs, June 11 |
What's the weather like in the Solomon Islands, and what's the best time of the year to go there?
Located just a few degrees below the equator, the Islands enjoy a year-round tropical climate. Rainfall averages 10 inches per month year round, ranging from 8 inches in the dry season to 12 inches in the wet. There is no monsoon season with extensive periods of heavy rainfall, but rain can be expected at any time, although it usually blows over fairly quickly. Humidity is usually high, particularly inland, but is significantly lower on the smaller islands and aboard ship.
What's the water temperature and what sort of wetsuit do I need?
Water and air temperature are pretty much constant, and vary only 2 - 3 degrees all year long. Water temperature is normally 82 – 85°F although it may get as low as 80°, and as high as 87°. Most divers are comfortable in a 3mm wet suit, or a combination lycra and shorty suit. Please keep in mind that although the water and air are warm, if you are doing 4 - 5 dives a day some thermal protection is recommended.
What's the diving like from the boats?
The diving will be the easiest you'll find anywhere. The immense dive decks give you lots of room for suiting up, and if you're a photographer, you'll appreciate the large carpeted camera tables right on the dive deck, where you need them. The crew will load everything you need in the skiff for you (called 'tinnies'), and help you into your gear when the tinnie gets on site. Then you just roll over the side and enjoy the riches of the sea. When you finish your dive, the tinnie will be right there, with the crew ready to take your gear. Then you just walk up the ladder and the tinnie whisks you back to your ship. There are two tinnies and one is always on site so there is no need to wait for other divers before heading back to the mother ship which is standing off only a couple of hundred yards away.
How many dives can I make a day and what are the limits on dive depths and duration?
The Spirit on the Solomons offers unlimited diving, with the dive day built around five daily dives. If your computer and past dive activities permit it, additional dives can be scheduled. Within the bounds of common sense and safe dive practices, divers are permitted to set their own dive profiles. A pre-dive briefing will outline the dive-site and any special factors.
What can I expect to see when I'm diving?
The Solomon Island waters are very nutrient rich, and they support the entire food chain from microscopic creatures to major predators. You'll have a good opportunity to see a variety of sharks, mantas, dolphins, turtles, and schools of barracuda in uncountable numbers. In shallower waters you'll see almost every tropical creature imaginable, and some that will stretch your imagination. Cuttlefish, octopus, schooling lionfish, and amazing numbers and varieties of anemonefish, not to mention amazing varieties of anemones. You'll see more varieties of coral than almost anywhere, and all this in 82 - 85ºF waters. Underwater terrain varies from walls to reefs, to passages to "bommies". You'll visit caverns with shafts of sunlight illuminating the interior. You'll swim 200 feet into a split in an island, and when you surface, you'll be under a jungle canopy listening to the parrots and cockatoos. You'll enter a tunnel on a pinnacle and exit minutes later in the deep blue ocean. In the shallows around almost every island you'll find channels, cracks and fissures stocked with an unbelievable variety of shells, fish, plants and corals.
Is Nitrox available?
Yes, Nitrox is offered to certified divers at the cost of $20US per diving day.
Will I get to see some of the Island people and their lifestyle, too?
Yes. A joyful and fascinating village visit is made at least once on every trip. You'll have a chance to meet the Islanders, see and purchase carvings and baskets and visit their schools and churches. When anchored off a village, the Islanders will come out in their canoes to market produce and carvings or just watch and wave. The children are a real delight. They are naturals in the water swimming or on it in their dugout canoes
What are the contact numbers and procedures while I am on board?
The ships carry all necessary navigation and communication equipment.
The ships maintain regular radio contact with the Bilikiki Cruises Ltd.
office in Honiara, and limited message capabilities, for emergency or urgent
communications, can be made available. Solomon Islands is a remote area
and cell phone coverage and internet access are not available on board
ship. There is a satellite phone available for outgoing calls, and calls
are charged by the minute. In case of emergency have your family or friends
contact the office in Honiara.
Phone 011 677 20412 Fax 011 677 23897 Email bilikiki@solomon.com.sb
What is the electricity and type of plug on board?
Power throughout the ship is 240 V 50 cycle, using Australia style 3-prong outlets. There are also plenty of American style 110 V 60 cycle outlets for charging cameras, strobes, dive lights, etc. These outlets are only for charging purposes so if you intend to use hairdryers, shavers, etc. you will need to bring adapters. These are generally available but it is best to bring your own.
Is dive insurance required?
Yes. Bilikiki Cruises Ltd. requires that all guests carry Divers Alert Network Evacuation Insurance (or equivalent), and strongly recommends that customers purchase comprehensive accident, medical, baggage and trip cancellation insurance. Bilikiki Cruises Ltd does not offer such insurance and any compensation for trip cancellation or reduction, for any reason, must be claimed against the customer’s insurance carrier.
Reprinted from the Solomon Islands Visitor Bureau Website
The Solomon Islands is third largest archipelago in the South Pacific, centered around longitude 160 degrees east and latitude 9 degrees south of the equator. Solomon Islands lie northeast of Australia and southwest of Hawaii. Solomon Islands comprises of 992 islands ranging from large landmasses with rugged mountains and virgin forests, to low lying coral atolls of which 347 islands are inhabited. The archipelago forms a double chain of islands covering 1.35 million sq km of sea and extends for 1.667km in a south-easterly direction from Papua New Guinea. There are six bigger islands of which are Choiseul, Santa Ysabel, Guadalcanal, Malaita and Makira. The country's capital, Honiara, is situated on the northwest coast on the island of Guadalcanal.
Tropical, with average daytime temperatures ranges between 25 to 30 degrees Celsius and high humidity. Evenings may be as cool as 19 degrees. Heavier rainfalls are between the months of October and April. There are no defined seasons, but November to May is known for the wetter months of which squalls and tropical cyclones may occur.
There are 87 indigenous languages including the Melanesian tok pisin which is used predominantly. English is used and understood throughout the Solomon Islands.
Informal light attire is appropriate for both day and evening wear. Pack a sweater for the occasional cool evenings. Bikini's and swimming briefs should be confined to Hotel or resort pool areas.
Appropriate malarial medication should be taken and it is wise to consult your doctor a few weeks before leaving home. Water is normally safe in the major resorts, but precautionary boiling is recommended in other areas. If in doubt, please do ask.
Citizens of the (British) Commonwealth, United States and most European Countries do not need visas. If you have a valid passport and return ticket or onward ticket, you can acquire a visitor's permit valid for three (3) months on arrival. The responsible authority on entry requirements and issuing permits into Solomon Islands is the Solomon Islands Immigration Department of the Ministry of Commerce, Industries & Employment
200 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco, 2 litres of spirits or equivalent. Goods in excess of SI$500.00 are dutiable. Departure Tax is SI$40.00.
11 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
240 volts. Available to Honiara, other major urban centres and other major resort areas.
The standard unit of currency is the Solomon Islands Dollar. AUD1.00 will buy approximately SBD6.00 and USD1.00 will buy approximately SBD8.00. Westpac, ANZ and the Bank South Pacific (BSP) open Monday to Friday 9:00am to 3:00pm, and offer the best exchange rates. There are ATM's available at several locations in Honiara. Credit cards and travellers cheques are not usually accepted beyond the main resort areas. Bank South Pacific offers full banking services throughout most parts of the country.
Solomon Telekom Ltd, Our Telekom provides the Telecomunication in the Solomon Islands. 24 hour international telephone, fax and internet services are available from Honiara, and most provincial centers (including major hotels and resorts in those locations). GSM mobile phone coverage is available in Honiara, Gizo and Auki, although overseas roaming is presently limited. Visitors may still have to purchase local SIM cards for their GSM handsets. GSM handsets sold by Telekom are not locked and can be reused outside of the Solomon Islands with an appropriate SIM. Most Telekom offices have an internet café, plus there are many privately run internet cafes. WiFi hotspots can be found at major hotels and several other locations throughout Honiara, at Gizo and also at the Telekom offices in Noro and Munda. Access to locally hosted websites through these hotspots is free. To access internationally hosted content, prepaid cards are available from Telekom offices and many agencies.
There are two television channels in Honiara, broadcasting the BBC World Service and the Australia Network. Local news and features are broadcast over the Australia network signal at 9pm each night (subject to scheduling changes) and again the next morning.
The people of the Solomon Island have a rich culture which observes many traditional "kastoms" which vary from province to province. Please ask about appropriate behavior and always ask permission before taking pictures of people or places.
Tanoa International Hotel Nadi Fiji is a Resort style hotel set amongst
15 acres of lush tropical gardens and conveniently located 5 minutes
from Nadi International Airport. Featuring 135 tastefully appointed rooms
and suites to cater for the business and leisure traveller. Private balcony,
in-room safe, hair dryer, TV, ISD telephone, tea/coffee making facilities,
refrigerator, swimming pool, sauna, fitness centre, floodlit tennis courts,
tour desk, restaurant, conference facilities and 24 hours complimentary
airport shuttle are just some of the thoughtful amenities, facilities
and services provided for that perfect combination of comfort and functionality.
