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How do I get to Solomon Islands? (Includes current Solomon
Airlines flight schedule)
What's the weather like in the Solomon Islands, and what's the best time of the year to go there?
What is the water temperature and what sort of wet suit do I need?
What's the diving like from your boats?
How many dives can I make a day and what limits do you put on dive depths and duration?
What can I expect to see when I'm diving?
I like to dive, but will I get to see some of the Island people and their lifestyle too?
What else will I get to do during my dive trip?
What's the difference between your two boats?
Solomon Islands was the site of major World War II naval battles and many ships were sunk. Will we get to dive any of those wrecks.
I'm planning my second trip with Bilikiki Cruises. Will we go
back to all the same dive sites?
WHAT ARE THE CONTACT NUMBERS AND PROCEDURES WHILE I AM
ON BOARD
What is the electricity and type of plug on board?
WHAT IS A TYPICAL ITINERARY AND WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT LENGTH TRIPS?
WHAT TIME DO WE BOARD THE VESSEL ON THE FIRST DAY AND WHEN
DO WE DISEMBARK ON THE LAST DAY? DO I NEED OVERNIGHTS AT EITHER END OR
CAN I FLY IN ON THE CHARTER DATES?
How do I get to Solomon Islands?
Most travellers from North America fly from Los Angeles through Brisbane,
Australia, or Nadi Fiji. There are also flights from Port Moresby, PNG.
European travellers often fly into Australia via Thailand, Singapore or
Hong Kong. Solomon Airlines is the international carrier connecting Honiara,
the capital city of the Solomon Islands, to Fiji and Australia. In addition
Air Pacific provides weekly service to and from Nadi, Fiji, and Air Niugini
provides service to PNG. More recently Our Airline has commenced weekly
flights between Brisbane and Honiara. Flights are limited, one of the
reasons the diving is still so pristine.. All of our departures coincide
with these flights so that unwanted overnights are minimized, although
depending on your choice of carrier in some instances an overnight may
be required.
Visit our Downloads Page for current airline
schedules
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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 moderated by the sea air. Rainfall averages 10 inches
per month year round, ranging from 8 inches in the dryer 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.
While Bilikiki Cruises used to offer trips year round, we have now decided
to use the mid January to early March period, which is slightly wetter,
for maintenance and well deserved crew holidays. This ensures that our
boats are always in top notch condition, that the crew is relaxed and
efficient, and that the customers will be guaranteed to be diving in the
best seasons possible.
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What's the water temperature and what sort of wet suit 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 - 85F although
it may get as low as a chilly 80, and as high as a balmy 87, but this
is unusual. Most divers are comfortable in a 2mm wet suit, or a combination
lycra and shorty suit. Please keep in mind that although the water and
air is warm, if you are doing 4 - 5 dives a day some thermal protection
is recommended.
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What's the diving
like from your boats?
The answer to that
one could fill many pages, so let's first just consider the dive part,
not what you'll see or do. Physically the diving will be the easiest you'll
find anywhere. Our 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 for last minute
adjustments. Our crew will load everything you need in the skiff for you
(we call the skiffs '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 mothership which is standing off only a couple of
hundred yards away. For some vivid imagery of what you can expect to see
visit our Photo Gallery and view photos that
divers like yourselves have submitted, or Download
our DVD
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How many dives
can I make a day and what limits do you put on dive depths and duration?
We offer unlimited
diving, with the dive day built around five daily dives. If your computer
and past dive activities permit it we can schedule additional dives. We
know you've come to dive and we try not to hinder you with a lot of restrictions,
so within the bounds of common sense and safe dive practices, divers are
permitted to set their own dive profiles. Our dive professionals are always
available for those that want or need the guidance, and of course a pre-dive
briefing will always be offered to outline the dive-site and any special
factors.
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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, and turtles,
and barracuda in uncountable numbers. In shallower waters you'll see almost
every tropical 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 that you could explore for hours. Visit our Photo
Gallery for some images of what you might expect to see,or Download
our DVD
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I like to dive,
but will I get to see some of the Island people and their lifestyle too?
Yes. We arrange a
village visit 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. If we're anchored off a village the Islanders will come
out in their canoes to market produce and carvings, or just watch what's
going on. The children are a real delight. They are naturals in the water
swimming, or on it in their dugout canoes. Our Photo
Gallery displays many images of the people and their country, or you
may wish to Download our DVD
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What else will
I get to do during my dive trip?
If you like fishing,
the crew will gladly take you out for some early morning or evening hand-lining
for tuna and other pelagics. Plan on having your catch for sashimi that
evening.
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What's the difference
between your two boats?
Really very little. Both M.V. Bilikiki and M.V. Spirit of Solomons travel
to the same dive sites and offer the same high standards that have made
Bilikiki Cruise Ltd. famous. Both ships are large, 125 feet long and 24
feet wide, and both are built on traditional high-prowed South Pacific hulls,
designed to offer comfortable and stable travel for the passengers. The
differences are predominately in the accommodations and deck layout. Bilikiki
has her dive deck astern, and all accommodation is in the 10 double/twin
cabins with private facilities on the lower accommodation deck. Spirit of
Solomons has her dive deck amidships, and there are two types of accommodations
aboard, two double cabins and one double/twin share cabin - with private
facilities - on the maindeck, four double/twin cabins - with private facilities
- on the lower accommodation deck, and six single cabins - with shared facilities
- also on the lower deck. Spirit of Solomons also has her dining deck located
aft on the bridge deck, with a commanding view of the ocean and islands.
Both ships offer immense sundecks, plenty of covered space, air-conditioned
accommodations and both offer carefully prepared, tasty and ample meals
and snacks.
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Solomon Islands
was the site of major World War II naval battles and many ships were sunk.
Will we get to dive any of those wrecks?
Wreck dives are offered
on every cruise, and the number we do depends on the interests of the
people on board. We don't have that many wrecks to choose from, as most
of them are far too deep, even for well experienced divers. Those we do
dive include The Ann in the Russell Islands (a more recent wreck, not
W.W.II) and Japanese transports in Marovo Lagoon. Divers still find ample
evidence of the war action that sunk these vessels, lots of ammunition
and machinery in the holds, as well as dishes, bottles and other evidence
of ship board activities.
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I'm planning my
second trip with Bilikiki Cruises. Will we go back to all the same dive
sites?
Not likely. We'll probably return to some of the favorite spots, but with
hundreds of dive sites to choose from in the Florida and Russell Island
groups, and Marovo Lagoon, you'll get to experience new and different dive
sites too. We try not to return too frequently to any one site to reduce
the impact on the marine life.
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What are the contact numbers and procedures while I am on board?
The ships are well maintained and 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 our office in Honiara.
Phone 011 677 20412 Fax 011 677 23897 Email bilikiki@solomon.com.sb
Please keep incoming messages brief as they will need to be transcribed
and read out over the radio. If you wish to reply you may then make an
outgoing call via Satellite phone.
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What is the electricity and type of plug on board?
Power throughout the ships 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, divelights, 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 readily available
from Radio Shack and other electronic supply stores.
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What is a typical itinerary and what is the difference in the
different length trips?
Solomon Islands consists of hundreds of islands and groups of islands.
There are 3 main island groups that we dive: Florida Islands, Russell
Islands, and Marovo Lagoon in the New Georgia Group. Each of these island
groups consists of dozens of islands and a vast array of dive sites. We
also dive an isolated island known as Mary Island. Our 7 & 9 night
trips will generally dive Florida Islands, Russell Islands and Mary Island,
while 11 night and longer trips will also travel to Marovo Lagoon. 10
night trips may or may not go to Marovo depending on conditions. We do
not have set itineraries. There are so many dive sites in each area that
we are able to go where the best diving is at any given time, and also
cater to the type of diving that the guests on board prefer. In all cases
rest assured that we will do our utmost to offer you the best diving available
at the time.
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What time do we board the vessel on the first day and what time
do we disembark on the last day? Do we need overnights at either end or
can we fly in and out on the charter dates?
Boarding time on the first day is normally around 4 - 5 PM. Disembarkation
is around 8 AM on the last day.
All of our departures are designed to work with the incoming and outgoing
flights so in general overnights are not required. We will meet you at
the airport and transfer you to the vessel, or if your flight is earlier
than the boarding time to a nearby hotel where you can relax. On the last
day you generally have a few hours to look around town before we transfer
you back to the airport.
Of course not all flights from all ports of entry arrive and depart on
our charter dates so depending on when you choose to fly overnights may
be required.
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