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The Solomon Islands
The Solomon Islands is an archipelago of rain forest clad mountainous islands
and low-lying coral atolls. The Solomon Islands are serviced by Solomon
Air Airlines. The main international gateway to this area
is Australia where you connect from Brisbane to Honiara.
The country has very limited development and intends to keep it that
way. There is a selection of small resorts in isolated locations, accessible
by light aircraft.
The Solomon Islands offer extraordinary diving opportunities. The
surrounding crystal clear waters offer prolific marine life, home to
great varieties of fish and corals. These islands were the sites of many
WWII battles and there are some outstanding wreck dives.
GENERAL INFORMATION:
CLIMATE: The Solomon Islands lie
in the tropics and enjoy a year round temperature of around 29 degrees
Celsius (about 85 Fahrenheit).
CURRENCY: The Solomon Island Dollar
is the unit of currency. One Australian Dollar is worth approximately
6 Solomon Island Dollars and One US Dollar is worth approximately 7
Solomon Island Dollars.
DRESS: As the climate is warm and humid, take along light cotton casual
clothing. Women should dress modestly in public places.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: Australian and New Zealanders require a valid passport
with a validity of at least 6 months beyond their intended stay. US and EEC
passport holders require an entry permit, which is obtained on arrival and
is valid for 30 days. There is no charge for this. All travellers must have
return or onward tickets and sufficient funds for their stay.
HEALTH REQUIREMENTS: Consult your
doctor for recommended medication and inoculations.
LANGUAGE: The official language is English with about 87 Melanesian dialects
spoken.
TIME ZONE: 11 hours ahead of GMT
TIPPING: This is not a Solomon Island customs and visitors are asked not
to do this.
HONIARA
Honiara is the international gateway and capital of the Solomon Islands. In Wourld War II, Honiara was a major battle area and many ships sunk and planes were shot down during this period. The region is known to the locals as "Iron Bottom Sound". The waters surround Honiara are now host to over 60 WWII wrecks, many of which can be dived.
KING SOLOMON HOTEL
Located in the town of Honiara, this property offers views of Iron Bottom Sound. Guests are transported to their rooms by a ground surface cable car past landscaped gardens, swimming pool and waterfall. There are 58 rooms on the terraced hillside with air-conditioning, satellite TV, in-house videos, International Direct Dial telephones, refrigerator and tea/coffee making facilities. There is an open-air restaurant featuring local seafood and a brasserie offering snacks from early morning to late evening. The hotel has two bars and the only nightclub in the Solomon Islands. There is also a souvenir shop and guest laundry.
  
KITANO MENDANA HOTEL
Located beachfront, the hotel is situated near the main shopping area. There are 96 guestrooms all with air-conditioning, tea/coffee facilities, refrigerator, International Direct Dial telephones , in-house videos and satellite TV. The hotel offers a restaurant, bar and swimming pool. Other features are a souvenir shop, guest laundry, travel desk and safe-deposit boxes.
 
INVADER CHARTERS
Invader Charters are proud to offer the most comprehensive recreational and commercial diving service in the Solomon Islands. Located within the premises of the Honiara Hotel, they are able to offer you the best diving in Guadalacanal and the Florida Islands, with style, comfort, and a zest for adventure! With their 100ft vessel, they are the only operator that can provide a comfortable dry crossing to and from the Florida's. Invader Charters can accomodate 35 people on transfers and up to 20 divers in our two custom built boats.
BILIKIKI
Bilikiki is the premier live-aboard dive operator in the Solomon Islands operating out of Honiara to the Russell Islands. Featuring two vessels, MV Bilikiki and MV Spirit of Solomons, where guests are offered superb diving opportunities. Both MV Bilikiki and MV Spirit of Solomons are 125 ft long, and have a 24 ft beam, making them very large and stable ships designed for South Pacific conditions. Both ships offer immense sundecks, plenty of covered areas and airconditioned accommodation. The walls, reefs, pinnacles and coral gardens of Solomon Islands support an amazing variety and quantity of sea creatures. The varieties of fish are staggering.
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GIZO
Hidden amongst the many islands and cobalt waters of the Western Privince lies Gizo, the second largest town in the Solomon Islands, and the home to the well known Japanese World War II shipwreck, the "Toa Maru".
GIZO HOTEL
Gizo is the second largest town in the Solomon Islands and serves as a provincial centre for the Western Province. The hotel is located in the main street runs along the waterfront, which is lined with small stores and an open-air market. The view in most directions is of palm tree studded islands ringed by coral reef and crystal clear waters. The island is ideal for walking tours to Gilbertise and Melanesian villages. Sail boat hire is also available to explore the nearby islands.
 
SANBIS RESORT
Total Exclusivity! Located on a secluded island approximately 7 minutes from Gizo by boat, Sanbis Resort will offer premier accommodation with each bungalow having its own private beach, Ensuite with hot water and a stunning view accross the lagoon. You will enjoy uninterrupted views accross the lagoon with a fantastic reef right at your door step. The number of bungalows has been limited to six to ensure privacy and luxury for guests ... you will be spoilt in every way possible. The resort boasts a gourmet kitchen with a fully stocked bar.
FATBOYS GIZO
Fatboys Bar & Restaurant is situated 100 metres out atop the crystal clear waters of Mbabanga Island, an 8 minute boat ride from Gizo, the provincial capital of the Western Solomons. Our tastefully appointed bungalows are situated on the waters edge of Mbabanga Island, affording the most magnificent views to Kennedy Island (JFK fame), the majestic volcano Mt Kolombangara and beyond. The bungalows have been constructed using a blend of traditional leaf and local tropical hardwoods. Great care has been taken and the imported furniture and bedding will ensure your stay is as comfortable as possible. There are 3 bungalows, 2 in a duplex each with 1 Queen size bed and 3 single beds and 1 bungalow with 1 Queen size bed. Enjoy an ice cold bevy, a plate of fresh crayfish pan fried in lime juice and butter, a game of pool, or simply kick back and be mesmerized by the myriad of tropical fish swimming underneath you. Our well stocked bar includes a modest wine list and our locally grown produce, including catches of fresh seafood everyday enable us to create mouth-watering dishes for you. We are open for lunch everyday and take bookings for dinner.
 
ADVENTURE SPORTS / DIVE GIZO
Since 1985 Adventure Sports Gizo ("Dive Gizo") have been exploring the waters around Gizo, Solomon Islands. Their experience has allowed them to locate dive sites that will suit everybody's level of experience and interest.Adventure Sports can cater for singles, couples or groups, operating four dive boats and have a wide range of rental gear for visitors. Adventure Sports is a complete tourist facility, providing services for divers, snorkellers, bush-walking enthusiasts and WWII buffs. Cultural tours can be arranged for those interested in the rich and friendly Melanesian customs and culture, or you can be dropped at your own deserted island (a great way to spend the surface interval between dives).
 
SOLOMON WATERSPORTS
Solomon Watersports are another Dive Operator in Gizo. Apart from Scuba Diving they also offer all sorts of exciting watersport activities. Game fishing, windsurfing, parasailing, sailing, kayaking, water-skiing, snorkeling trips and knee-boarding! For surfers staying at Sanbis Resort, we offer exclusive boat charters to the nearby reliable and awesome left and right hand breakes at Titiana and Paelongge.
 
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TULAGI
Tulagi is reached by boat, which departs Honiara and takes approximately 50 minutes crossing the famous "Iron Bottom Sound" to reach Tulagi wharf. Looking for a good mis of incredible wrecks and stunning reefs? Here you'll find seaplanes, a mine sweeper, oil tanker and the spectacular American destroyer " The Aaron Ward". The unspoilt reefs feature soft corals, drop offs, huge fans, giant sponges and are all packed with an abundance of tropical marine life.
VANITA MOTEL
Vanita Motel is clean and comfortable, offering both dormitory and ensuite rooms. Restaurant and bar facilities adjoin the lodge or you can make use of the BBQ facilities. The Lodge is situated across the road from the Tulagi wharf and offers single or twin share accommodation. All rooms have power and ceiling fans, 2 rooms have private facilities, the rest dormitory style accommodation with shared facilities (no hot water).
TULAGI DIVE
Tulagi Dive has a well equipped dive shop, with highly trained professional staff that will ensure that your every need is met. In the beautiful waters around Tulagi some of the worlds best diving can be found, from pristine reefs to spectacular WWII wrecks. The “Twin Tunnels”, only 10 minutes away, is one of the best reef dives to be found anywhere on the globe. A coral platform rising from 70 meters to 12 meters at is top and approximately 120 meters in diameter, two natural tubes plunge down from the reef top to meet in a common cavern that then exits onto the reef wall. Leaving the cavern to the reef wall, you are met by a myriad of baitfi sh, which attract the large pelagic feeders - kingfi sh, tuna and shark. After watching this amazing spectacle, you return to the top of the reef, where a kaleidoscope of coral and reef fish, huge anemones, and more colour than you can imagine awaits.
 
Images courtesy of Kapiti Underwater Club, Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand.
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UEPI
Uepi Island is a barrier reef island, covered in rainforest, defined by fringing reef and sandy beach; flanked by the warm waters of the lagoon on one side, and the oceanic depths (2000m) of "The Slot", a deep marine abyss, on the other. Travellers fly to the airport of Seghe where they are met and transferred by motorized boat some 12 kilometres across Marovo Lagoon to Uepi Island Resort - an exciting beginning to a truly unique experience. The island comprises about 250 acres of raised coral reef covered with lowland rainforest and is situated centrally on the Barrier Reef surrounding Marovo Lagoon. The marine ecosystem is extraordinarily diverse and the terrestrial ecosystem is unique. The environment is very much in an undisturbed state. The island is 10km from the nearest village and 150km from the nearest port of supply. Diving is extremely varied and includes coral gardens with magnificent drop-offs, ledges and gutters, featuring sharks, all manner of game fish, and an enormous diversity of reef fish. Turtles, mantas and eagle rays are fairly common sights together with the friendly Uepi hammerheads (in season). Uepi can arrange fantastic wreck diving but as these World War wrecks involve a long boat trip, as extra fuel levy is applied.
UEPI ISLAND RESORT
Uepi accommodation is bungalow style, four are absolute beach-frontage. All accommodations have private facilities and are walking distance from the beach and the fringing reef areas. Activities include diving, sea kayaking, fi shing, snorkelling and swimming from pure white sandy beach or touring to local villages (arranged on request). All meals are included in the tariff and are based around fresh local seafood and fruits and vegetables, prepared by talented local chefs. Uepi diving offers the unique opportunity of diving at sites which are only minutes away from the dive shop. Most of the dive sites are conveniently located either right off the edge of the island or just a short boat trip away. Rarely will you view such high concentrations of fi sh, sponges and corals in such a diverse environment, ranging from lagoon coral gardens to vertical drop-offs into 2000 metres of ocean, most within the confines of a three kilometre reef.
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MUNDA
Just one hours flight from Honiara, Munda is located on the Island of New Georgia at the junction of the Roviana and Vona Vona lagoons. It is definitely off the beaten track and a great place to head for those in search of adventure. Culturally, Munda was the centre for the headhunting Roviana people and many homestead features are still visible today. Munda also has a number of WWII relics. A tour through the virgin rainforest will take you to waterfalls, past beautiful and exotic bird and plant life. You can paddle traditional canoes and snorkel over the fringing reef. For the diver there are majestic walls and virgin reef with remarkable soft coral overhangs. At 'shark point' there is a 4km drop-off with spectacular fish life. There are numerous dive sites including wrecks, reefs and caves - all with great visibility. A three day excursion is available with the chance to stay in native villages and visit remot dive locations.
AGNES LODGE
Agnes Lodge was a former colonial rest house and was purchased in 1977 by Agnes Kera and her family. Since then the facilities of this basic 3- roomed structure have expanded into a quaint 20-room hotel. The lodge has stunning views over Roviana Lagoon and offers a variety of accommodation from backpacker to larger 3 star rooms . Seafood is the specialty of the hotel’s restaurant and the hotel’s bar is a great meeting spot for tourists and locals. Diving is organised through Adventure Sports Munda.
ZIPOLO HABU RESORT
Located in Vona Vona Lagoon Munda in the western province of the Solomon Islands. Situated on a perfect blue lagoon fringed by white sands and tall green palms. The resort is designed for the traveller or fisherman who is keen to enjoy the experience of life in a true island style bungalow. The resort offers some great diving as well as sportsfi shing on the lagoon or beyond the reef. They can also arange surfing, fishing or boating adventures to many outstanding sites all close by. The typical dive site is a coral wall extending down hundreds of metres - quite a novelty to not be able to see the bottom. There are also coral pinnacles and bommies, a cave dive and a number of WW2 wrecks. Many reef sharks, barracudas, mackerel, turtles, and lots of coral and the usual array of coral reef fish.
ADVENTURE SPORTS / MUNDA DIVE
Dive Munda is a small operation with two experienced instructors and great local staff. They offer incredible diving paired with extremely personalized service. Whether you have never dived before, or you have already logged thousands of dives, Munda Dive plan the diving around you. As a PADI Dive Centre, they offer courses from entry level to professional, as well as a great choice of specialty courses. Naturally they have a full line of well-maintained rental equipment and the custom dive boats are equipped with oxygen and other first aid. The diving in Munda is phenomenal. Spectacular walls, dropping off to over 600 meters teem with real big fish action. Grey Reef, Black tip, and White tip sharks routinely patrol the reefs. Eagle rays, shoaling barracudas and other pelagic are also commonplace. Occasional encounters with Silkys, Oceanic White Tips, Silvertips and Hammerheads add to the excitement.
 
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