Solomon Islands
Reef walls, caves, coral gardens and crittersThe Solomon Islands are located in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea and north-east of Fiji. Extending for 900 miles, there are hundreds of islands making up this archipelago; ranging from heavily forested mountainous islands, to low-lying coral atolls.
Fringing these islands are incredibly rich tropical seas – part of the South Pacific ‘Coral Triangle’ – where reef walls, caves, coral gardens and critter bays await you. Sharks, mantas, turtles and dolphins are commonly seen in the Solomons, as well as all the colourful reef fish and critters you would expect to find in the South Pacific Ocean. There are also some very good wreck dives to be found here, including historic WWII sites.
How to get there
There are many ways to get to the Solomon Islands, but the most popular route is through Australia. Flights to the Solomons operate from either Brisbane and Sydney, depending on the day of the week, and flight time is approximately 3.5hrs.
Stay a bit longer
Due to the time it takes to get to the Solomon Islands there are many options you can take if wishing to extend your stay. You can choose to stay on in the Solomons at a beach resort to relax or to join days tours to visit places of interest. You can also extend your stay in Australia. Whatever you may fancy adding on to your Solomons trip we will be happy to guide you and to assist with your travel needs.
Quick Guide: Solomon Islands
- Location: East of Papua New Guinea
- When to go: All year round (wettest Jan – Mar)
- Average air temp: Tropical 30°C
- Average water temp: 26°C – 28°C
- Recommended diver level: PADI Advanced (or equivalent) with minimum 25 dives
Dive
The 38m MV Bilikiki is a robust, steel vessel accommodating a maximum of 20 guests. The MV Bilikiki is long established in the Solomons, first offering dive cruises back in 1989, and has won many dive awards over the years for the excellent dive service it has delivered.
The MV Biliki offers 7 and 10 night itineraries combining the very best dive sites in the Solomons. Typically 4 dives per day are planned and trips also include a chance to go ashore to visit a local village to see custom singing and dancing and the traditional way of life.
The MV Biliki does not have set routings for trips, instead they they aim to go to the best sites according to the weather and the interests of the guests on board. The Solomons offers excellent diving, from drop-offs and sea mounts to critter diving and World war II wrecks.
To find out more about this area, visit our Bilikiki page.
Formally the MV Taka and now owned and operated by Master Liveaboards, the 30m steel hulled Solomons PNG Master was custom-designed for divers and accommodates 20 guests in 12 comfortable cabins. All cabins have air conditioning, personal reading lights, towels, charging station and plenty of storage with hair dryers and iPod docking stations available on request.
The 4 standard single cabins and 2 standard twin cabins are located on the lower deck and have shared bathroom facilities. The 2 classic double cabins, 3 classic twin cabins and 1 premium double cabin are all located on the upper deck and have en-suite bathrooms.
Between dives there is plenty of space to relax in the spacious lounge and dining area located on the main deck, with flat screen TV, DVD, library and dedicated Camera Area for the photographers on board. There is also a large sundeck with comfortable sunbeds, and a second deck which has a huge covered seating area where you can sit back and relax with a good book and cold beer.
The Solomons PNG Master offers itineraries which encompass some of the best diving in the Solomon Islands and also Papua New Guinea.
You can find out more about the liveaboard on our Solomons PNG Master page.
Ready for your next adventure?
Great Escapes Diving Holidays Ltd
Combs Tannery
Tannery Road
Combs
Stowmarket
Suffolk
IP14 2EN
United Kingdom
Office hours: Mondays to Fridays, 9am - 5pm
Tel: 01449 535010
Email: info@greatescapesdiving.com
All the flights and flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it. Please see our booking conditions for further information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.atol.org.uk/ATOLcertificate
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