Soloman Island Liveaboard Dive Trip March 16-26th 2028

Soloman Island Liveaboard Dive Trip March 16-26th 2028

We do a lot of trips to amazing places but you really feel like you have gone back in time a little with this trip. It is very bucket listy – hard to get to, higher price point. But the adventure is worth it.

It has been many years since we were last there(2017), but I still clearly remember the dive with giant schools of jacks with a thumping active volcano vibrating echoing in my chest during the dive. The night dive with the will-o-wisp like flashlight fish getting me to follow them into the caves. The dive that starts with a incredible current running over a shallow reef which drops off into an abyss while you quickly put your back to the drop off and then watch the manta rays cruise by. The massive artificial reefs made by WWII soldiers dumping tanks into the water so they could get home.

All of this, but the non diving experiences were incredible as well. The couple of markets that the isolated locals put on for us showcased incredible woodcraft. (Bring cash, you are going to want to take something home). And every day each village paddles out to vend to the guests while the crew buys our fresh fruit and vegetables. Side note here that the Bilikiki gave the local some of these seeds and plants a generation ago so they could sell them to the boat! Talk about mutually beneficial! This is a great place to bring those hotel soaps you’ve been collecting for eons.

 

Here is a good video introduction

Brief history of Solomon Islands

The Solomon Islands is a wild place of belching volcanoes, atolls, sandy beaches and former cannibals.  It has a rich history, initially settled by at least 2000 BC.  The first European, Spanish explorer Alvaro de Mendana, reported reaching the islands in 1568.  The Spaniard concluded this was where the biblical king Solomon got the gold for his temple, giving the Solomon Islands the name it still has today.  In the late 18th century, after further sightings by French and English navigators, the islands were accurately charted.  Naval and commercial shipping began increasing after the settlement of Sydney, Australia was established by the English in 1788.  the British Solomon Islands Protectorate was declared in 1893, Colonial rule began in 1896.  ( Independence was obtained in 1978.)

With the outbreak of WWII in the Pacific, the Japanese began occupying the protectorate in early 1942, their advance farther South was stopped by US forces on August 7 when US Marines launched a surprise attack.  Reinforcements were funneled to the island as a series of land and sea clashes unfolded.  Both sides endured heavy losses.  The Japanese suffered a far greater toll, forcing their withdrawal from Guadalcanal by February 1943.   Bitter battles over the next 15 months including the Battle of Guadalcanal were some of the most crucial conflicts of the Pacific War.

We will see some of the wreckage and dive it.

Getting There

HIR is the airport code for Honiara.

Round trip (RT) from Sydney runs around $1000 at 2025 prices. RT from Nadi Fiji runs $500-$800 at 2025 prices. This trip begs to be part of a larger adventure. In fact, it is immediately before our 2028 Fiji trip (this is not a coincidence). My recommendation is to book a RT on Fiji airlines from SFO, LAX, or DFW and then another RT from NAN (Nadi, Fiji) to HIR (Honiara) to connect to this trip.  If you don’t want to do this, a little side vacation in Australia wouldn’t be bad.

Book the Trip Here