Dive Review of Bilikiki Cruises in
Solomon Islands

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Bilikiki Cruises: "Spectacular Reefs, but Bad Viz.", Jan, 2023, by David Marchese, PA, US ( Sr. Contributor 23 reports with 42 Helpful votes). Report 12829 has 1 Helpful vote.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity	N/A
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	This was our second 14-day trip on the Bilikiki. Our first time was in 2006, and we were the only two guests onboard for that trip! However, on our recent trip, the boat was full with 24 guests, and what a difference that made! All 24 of us were dumped too close together on each dive site. The Undercurrent cover story in the October 2023 issue made no mention of this practice. If it occurred, and was unreported, then I think UC was negligent in their reticence. This alone, is enough to make me not want to dive with the Bilikiki again. The last thing I want to see underwater is other divers. With no other dive boats in sight, this should have been a given. I asked the DM why they dumped everyone on the same spot and was told, “That’s the way we always do it, and it’s never been a problem. After a few minutes, everyone usually spreads out.” Ironically, they actually divided the group into 3 and took us to the dive site in three panga loads. But they dumped the 2nd and 3rd groups pretty much on top of the first! The visibility was about the worst we’ve ever encountered on a trip. It ranged from 20’ to maybe 50, but it never was good, and probably averaged in the 30’ range at best. On many dives, we said, “That was a spectacular reef. Too bad we couldn’t really see it.” And we continually wondered what was out in the blue (murk) that we missed. Many of the reefs, especially in the shallows, were vibrant and stunning, and would have been truly spectacular in good visibility. There was good fish variety and density, as well as great topography with swim-throughs, caves, rumbling volcanos, and wrecks. The corals were very healthy and vibrant. There were all the ingredients of world-class diving, except for poor visibility and too many fellow humans. Sperm whales and dolphin were seen from the main boat. The boat facilities are well documented as being clean but basic. The food was plentiful and quite good. Getting to the Solomons is quite arduous and expensive; however, a new airport should be opening soon. The poor visibility was probably a fluke and just bad luck, so I can’t blame that on the Bilikiki, but the practice of dumping all divers on the same site is inexcusable. If the new airport makes travel to the Solomons easier, we may consider returning in a couple of years, but we will not be diving with the Bilikiki unless they break up the divers more. And with only one DM in the water for 24 divers, the DM critter spotting was ineffective at best. I should add, that many dives exceeded 70 minutes, which did allow the group to disperse. Note: I developed a serious ear infection on this trip and was only able to complete 14 dives! ( I got certified in 1974 and have never had any health issues so I guess I was due. I’m sure the crazy warm ocean temps didn’t help.) My wife buddied with another couple and completed 48 dives, so this review was co-written by her. Fortunately we had enough antibiotics on board so I didn’t have to be evacuated. And the Bilikiki manager graciously made a special trip in a speedboat to check on me. Then he arranged for and paid for a ENT visit as soon as the Bilikiki was back at the dock. He spent 20 minutes carefully extracting bright yellow tropical fungus from my ear!
Websites	Bilikiki Cruises
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	Caymans, Turks & Caicos, Bay Islands, Bahamas, Fiji, Saba, Dominica, Bonaire, Maldives, California, Revillagigedo, Cozumel, Midway, Kona, Galapagos, Panama, Palau, Tahiti, Cocos, Malpelo, Tonga, PNG, Komodo, Sulawesi, Holbox, Solomon Islands, Belize, Komodo, Raja Ampat, Wakitobi, Alor, Marquesas, GBR
Closest Airport	Honiara	Getting There	Through Fiji or Australia
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, dry	Seas	calm, surge
Water Temp	86-88°F / 30-31°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	20-50 Ft/ 6-15 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	No deco
Liveaboard?	yes	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	None
Dolphins	1 or 2	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	1 or 2
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	[None]

Report currently has 1 Helpful vote

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Dive Review of Bilikiki Cruises in Solomon Islands

Bilikiki Cruises: "Spectacular Reefs, but Bad Viz.", Jan, 2023,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Bilikiki Cruises in
Solomon Islands