Solomons - where to go/what to do?

[Andreni]

Wow. Thank you for the information about Lisa's place. Looks like a great alternative. But is her operation still in business? There is not too much information on the website.

 

[Azbuceadora]

Yes, Lisa is definitely in business. I think the web site is still being updated after she moved the operation to Chea. But you can definitely get a feel for her personality and dive knowledge by reading the "niusletters" on the site I posted (see the yellowish box). I get a mention in the April edition.

I use Lynn Morton of Hangtown Travel to deal with the flights and all (aargh, Solomon Air is the worst). She really has a handle on the ins and outs of getting to and around the Solomons. Lisa will pick you up at the airstrip at Seghe and then it's about 30 minutes to Kahaini Guest House (owned by the family of one of her DMs).

If you have to overnight in Honiari, King Solomon Hotel is the best value of the three hotels there I've stayed at.

 

[Vcelson]

I'm looking for our next dive destination and i'm also very interested in the Solomon Islands... Don't want to hijack your thread but would appreciate more information on the underwater sights. I'm not too much into wrecks and if it's not packed with big stuff as countless sharks, huge schools of fish etc. i'm bored after a few dives.. Is there some macro life on the dive sites?

I try to decide if PNG or the Solomon islands are the better choice for me.. Have been in Fiji recently and was not overwhelmed with the biodiversity there.. My favourite place is still R4 where you can find everything..

Ideas and thoughts are much appreciated. And i'm looking forward to your trip report from August!

Milne Bay on the Golden Dawn is the trip of a lifetime for Macro. And just for a tiny bit of variety, we went on one Manta cleaning station and saw 6 Mantas and went on a shark dive where we saw black tips and white tips. Not extraordinary as far as the big things go, but night diving where the wild things are was really great. Not everything was purely macro, but definitely extraordinary, we saw a Webber's Pleurobranch, a Lacey Scorpionfish (Rhinopious) what may be a new species of a yet undocumented Anemonefish(according to Bob Halstead), a whole bunch of Nudibranch, including a few dozen doughnut new D's and a lovely stand of coral. If you can get on a trip with Bob Halstead, you will be exceedingly thrilled, as I was.

 

[MB NZ]

Thought I'd finish off this thread by saying I'm back from the Solomons and had a great trip. In the end, I opted to do a second liveaboard, so a 7 day trip followed by a 10 day trip aboard Taka. Travelling around the Solomons appeared too much hassle and expense versus the convenience of a liveaboard. I also much prefer liveaboard diving.

The diving itself was very good. I don't think I've seen healthier hard corals anywhere else and fish life was diverse. Having said that, apart from a chance dive with a saltwater crocodile (amazing!), I was disappointed at the lack of large animal encounters.

 

[Pacifico]

You're right, I was a hard and defensive. Sorry about that. Glad you enjoyed the corals during your dive trip. Any photos?

 

[MA]

I thought it sounded like he enjoyed it! Saying it was the healthiest hard corals he has seen is pretty awesome . The only negative was the lack of large encounters which I think is a fair observation. As we all know it can all be in the timing.

 

[MB NZ]

Yes, great trip overall. Here's a few photos.

 

[Scottishandrew]

Thought I'd finish off this thread by saying I'm back from the Solomons and had a great trip. In the end, I opted to do a second liveaboard, so a 7 day trip followed by a 10 day trip aboard Taka. Travelling around the Solomons appeared too much hassle and expense versus the convenience of a liveaboard. I also much prefer liveaboard diving.

The diving itself was very good. I don't think I've seen healthier hard corals anywhere else and fish life was diverse. Having said that, apart from a chance dive with a saltwater crocodile (amazing!), I was disappointed at the lack of large animal encounters.

Hi mate.

Sorry to hijack your thread. I am wondering how the Taka liveaboard went ? I have been diving in the Solomons before and we island hopped. It was amazing and we saw plenty of pelagics but thinking the liveaboard might be the way to go this time.

Any feedback is much appreciated.

Andy

 

[MB NZ]

I only really do liveaboard diving holidays, so I'm biased, but yes a good way of getting a lot of dives in. The boat is fine/good. Not the best I've ever been on, but certainly not the worst either. Food good; communal areas good; dive deck good. Some of the cabins are tiny, so if this matters to you, check carefully when booking.

Edit: Taka used run on the GBR, so I'm sure you'll find plenty of historic reviews.

 

[Scottishandrew]

Thanks very much. I had such a good time in Gizo and Munda last time that I am weighing up island hopping against the itinerary of the Taka. The lack of large animal encounters is what may sway me to island hop. Last time around I got so many sharks including a big bull. Thanks for the quick reply.