Dive Review of Uepi Island Resort in
Solomon Islands/Uepi Island

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Uepi Island Resort: "Quiet tropical retreat, Abundant fish and corals", Oct, 2023, by Christian Andersen, OR, US ( 2 reports with 1 Helpful vote). Report 12768 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
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Travel to Uepi Island is not especially easy from the US, but our travel was seamless both ways. We flew from Los Angeles through Fiji to Honiara, and we spent two nights there before flying into Seghe. We were picked up at Seghe airport by Uepi staff and taken by boat 25 minutes to Uepi Island. The flight schedule from Honiara to Seghe can change from day to day, and apparently cancellations are not uncommon. Spending a full day in Honiara was quite nice as we were able to visit several WWII memorials and also snorkel on two WWII wrecks west of the city. Jill and Grant were gracious owners and hosts of Uepi Island Resort. They were extremely knowledgeable about the history of the area as well as the diving. The grounds were beautiful and well maintained, nestled in a tropical forest. The paths were lined with orchids and a variety of native flowers. Grant and Jill have done a wonderful job of building the resort and engaging local Solomon villagers from surrounding islands as grounds keepers, cooks, gardeners, woodworkers, and dive guides. All of the produce we were served was grown on the island. We had no issues with the drinking water while we were there since rainwater is collected, filtered and then treated with UV light prior to being pumped to the cottages. One disappointment was that their solar heating system was not yet completed, so showers were cold (air temperature). Given the warm air temperatures, this was a relatively minor issue most of the time. The cottages appeared to be almost brand new. They are fully equipped with wall USB outlets, as well as other electrical outlets. There is a refrigerator, sink and ample supply of dishware and utensils. The bathroom was large and very nice. The cottages are not air conditioned, but they do have ceiling fans. We did have some bug issues, particularly when it rained. We took antimalarial drugs during our stay, but apparently malaria is only a problem in Honiara and not Uepi. Surprisingly, the mosquitoes were not much of a problem, but the invisible ‘rain’ bugs were quite annoying for a couple of us on the trip, and it made sleeping difficult some nights. They do provide bug spray for the cottage. Food was outstanding. Breakfast had made-to-order eggs, pancakes, homemade bread, fresh fruit, juices, tea and coffee. Lunch was brought to your individual cottage, and included a nice variety of main dish (fish tacos, mini quiche, or pizza, etc.), tomatoes and lettuce salad, fruit and dessert. It was especially nice to have it delivered to the cottage rather than being served in the dining area. Dinner started with a ginger based soup, followed by a fresh Sashimi appetizer, then a buffet of crab, chicken, fish and/or another entrée, with potatoes, and typically 2-3 different salads. There is also a bar where you can purchase mixed drinks, beer or wine. There is no problem if you bring your own spirits from duty free and purchase mixers there. Dives are scheduled at 9:00 and again at 14:00, although you could perhaps arrange other dives (we did a night dive). We had a maximum of 8 divers in each boat, including the DM/guide, but usually had less. The boats are approximately 20 feet in length, and have a bench seat on either side. There are no tank holders, so prior to each dive, you assemble your gear on the dock, then place it on the hull of the boat. At the dive site, you lift the tank onto the seat, don the BC/tank, and enter via back roll. The captain and/or dive guide will assist you if needed. A ladder is provided at the end of the dive, and they will assist you back onto the boat if needed. They did a good job of keeping groups together, and whenever possible we dove with the same people each day when there were more than just the four of us. The dive briefings were brief, giving general guidance on what direction we would go, approximately where we would turn around, and what the plan was if currents were too strong (there were some strong currents but generally not a problem). Our dive guide John was very flexible on the dive profile, and the dive duration. If someone was low on air, they were sent to the surface to be picked up while the rest of us continued. Our dives averaged over an hour each, with the longest approx. 80 minutes. They do not provide nitrox. After returning to the Uepi they provided large plastic tubs to rinse cameras, wetsuits and other gear before hanging it in the dive shed. When we first arrived, we were somewhat concerned about the boats since they really weren’t designed as dive platforms, and were lacking common safety equipment. On the boat there was no O2, no camera rinse tank, no (apparent) first aid supplies, almost nothing other than the assembled scuba gear and occasionally a water jug. The dive briefings did not cover any safety information other than the direction of the dive, currents, etc. In the event of an accident, apparently the plan was to return to the resort ASAP. They did have large O2 tanks in the lodge, as well as a good supply of first aid equipment (including ointments for bug bites!). Although the spartan dive boats were initially concerning, we soon learned that most of the dive sites were within a 5-10 min boat ride, except a few that were upwards of 20+ min. For several of the dives we were dropped off a short boat ride from the dock and slowly made our way back to the dock. Overall, the system seemed to work fine, but the relaxed nature of the dive operation may be off-putting for some divers or divers with mobility issues. Dive highlights: great wall diving; tremendous fish diversity; schooling fish off the Uepi dock; great coral diversity; several crocodile flatheads, both color variations; large clams in a variety of colors; dolphins; “white wall” covered with soft corals; cuddlefish. Two dive sites in particular, DekuDekaru and Mongo Passage were outstanding, with numerous nudibranchs, anenome’s, soft corals and a diversity of fish. There are also two WWII planes near Seghe airport that are a diving option. The snorkeling opportunities at and around Uepi were the best we have ever seen. We often had 1-2 snorkelers with us when we went to a dive site, as the sites were all close to shore with an abundance of corals and fish. Snorkeling from the dive dock at Uepi was outstanding, large schools of fish, corals, wow- we often wondered why we bothered with tanks. On the ride to one dive site we encountered dozens of playful dolphins and the captain circled for several minutes while they jumped and swam with the boat- our dive guide John and the captain both had a wonderful sense of humor and were extremely accommodating. Final thoughts: The diving was outstanding, the accommodations wonderful, and the staff were delightful. Wifi was provided only in the dining area and was not working during most of our stay. Kayaks are provided with each cottage, as are a washer and drier. Umbrellas also provided. Tipping is not encouraged other than if you choose to contribute to the staff Christmas fund. Good selection of books in the dining area. There is a fair amount of walking between the dining area, the dive shed, and the cottages, which provides both privacy and some exercise. Very relaxing experience overall.
Websites	Uepi Island Resort Uepi Island Resort
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	251-500 dives
Where else diving	Mexico, Florida, Cayman, Belize, Bonaire, Fiji, Pacific Northwest, Indonesia, Sea of Cortez
Closest Airport	Seghe	Getting There	Portland Oregon, LAX, Fiji, Honiara, Seghe. Boat Ride to Uepi Island Resort. No travel difficulties. The flights to/from Seghe are the most difficult to arrange.
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, cloudy	Seas	calm
Water Temp	82-84°F / 28-29°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	40-80 Ft/ 12-24 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	Very few restrictions; monitor your own air, safety stops, dive duration.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	no
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	1 or 2
Dolphins	Schools	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	1 or 2	Whales	None
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
UW Photo Comments	Lots of good subject matter opportunities, but boat has no camera table or rinse tank. One rinse tub at resort dedicated to cameras.

Report currently has 1 Helpful vote

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Dive Review of Uepi Island Resort in Solomon Islands/Uepi Island

Uepi Island Resort: "Quiet tropical retreat, Abundant fish and corals", Oct, 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 Uepi Island Resort in
Solomon Islands/Uepi Island