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 The
Solomon Islands archipelago is scattered in the southwestern
Pacific, east of Papua New Guinea. The group comprises most
of the Solomon Islands (those in the northwest are part of Papua
New Guinea), the Ontong Java Islands, Rennell Island and the
Santa Cruz Islands, which lie further to the east. The capital,
Honiara, is situated on Guadalcanal Island, which also has the
highest mountain, Mount Makarakombu, at 8028ft (2447m). Guadalcanal,
Malaita, Choiseul, New Georgia, San Cristobal and Santa Isabel
are the main islands.
There
are 87 different languages and a wide variety of different traditions.
The Solomons have over 350,000 people most of whom live in small
villages. These beautiful islands were the scene of ferocious
fighting during World War 2 and relics of that horrible event
litter the sites of conflict. Guadalcanal is where some of the
most vicious fighting took  place,
but today is peaceful and beautiful. Honiara, the capital, has
about 35,000 people. It was built after the war near the American
base whose quonset huts still occupy the peninsula.
The
Solomon Islands are a newly discovered Mecca for scuba divers,
with hundreds of islands and coral reefs, many of which have
never seen a diver. The enormous variety and numbers of marine
species, along with sunken WW II ships and aircraft, have made
this region one of the world's top dive locations. Some of the
sites can be dived from the shore, while many others are reached
from well-appointed live-aboard vessels operating in the islands.
The 82-85F (28-30C ) water temperatures, along with stable weather
patterns contribute to excellent diving all year round.
Dive Services & Accommodations
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Uepi Island Resort
Physical Address:
Marovo Lagoon
Western Province
Solomon Islands
Mailing Address
C/- PO Box 149
Mt Eliza 3930
Victoria
Australia
Tel.: +61 3 9787 7904
Fax.: +61 3 9787 5904
E-Mail: info@uepi.com
Web: http://www.uepi.com
Our resort offers excellent accommodations and diving
in an uncrowded atmosphere. Uepi diving offers the unique
opportunity of diving walls, reefs, coral gardens and
wrecks which are only minutes away from the dive shop. |
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Travel To Solomons
Getting
There
Air
Travel
The international airport, Henderson, is 11 km (7 mi) east of
Honiara. It is small, but has car rental and foreign exchange
facilities. The lack of direct flights to the Solomons contributes
to the trickle of tourists, however regular flights depart from
Brisbane, Australia (three flights a week) and a handful of
South Pacific neighbours. Round-the-World travellers from Europe,
North America and Asia can pick up regional passes - check with
your travel agent. There is a US$8.50 airport tax payable on
arrival.
From
Australia: Solomon Airlines and Air Vanuatu operate a joint
service from Brisbane to Honiara three times a week (Boeing
737).
From Fiji/Vanuatu: There are two flights a week from Nadi via
Port Vila.
From New Zealand: Air New Zealand and Air Pacific services from
Auckland connect with Solomon Airlines at Nadi. Flying via Australia
is another option.
From Papua New Guinea:Air Niugini operates from Port Moresby
twice a week (Fokker F28 jet).
Entry
Requirements
Commonwealth, US and most EC visitors do not need visas. Others
may obtain visas through British Consulates. However a visitors
permit not exceeding three (3) months may be obtained on arrival
in the country after meeting minimum requirement s of a valid
passport and a return or onward ticket.
Duty
Free/Departure Tax
200 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco, 2 litres of spirits
or equivalent. Goods in excess of SI$500.00 are dutiable. Departure
Tax is SI$40.00.
Health
Like many other tropical countries, malaria can be a problem
in the Solomon Islands. Appropriate malarial medication should
be taken and it is wise to consult your doctor a few weeks before
leaving home. Water is normally safe in the major resorts, but
precautionary boiling is recommended in other areas. If in doubt,
ask.
Travel
Tips
Getting
Around
Island-hopping by air is a great way to get around. Planes fly
at about 2000m (6500 ft), so the views are great. Solomon Airlines
and the smaller Western Pacific Airlines service over 20 airfields
in all provinces. The flights vary in price from US$10 to US$100,
depending on the distance, and both airlines have a 16kg (35lbs)
baggage limit.
Sea
travel is the mainstay of islander trade and transport, but
can also be unpredictable; timetables are rare. In addition
to the larger, passenger-oriented vessels, copra and cargo boats
nearly always have room for passengers. Shipping fares vary,
so shop around. Car rentals are available in Honiara, but obviosly
it is not well suited to travel between islands. Taxi hire is
a better option for a short stay. In Honiara you'll also find
minibusses.
Getting
to Uepi Island
From Honiara, visitors to Uepi travel by light plane (70 minute
flight) to Seghe on the south east tip of New Georgia. Visitors
should be prepared for the fact that Seghe is a small grass
airstrip with only a few private houses on the edge of the strip.
On arrival at Seghe, visitors will be transported approximately
12 km across the lagoon in open 22 foot outboard engine powered
canoes - standard transport in the area. Be prepared for the
chance of getting a little wet from spray on the way to the
island!
Travel
Tips
Climate
Tropical, with average daytime temperatures around 29 degrees
and high humidity. Evenings may be as cool as 19 degrees. There
are no defined seasons but November to May are wetter months
and squalls and cyclones may occur.
Language
There are 87 indigenous languages including Melanesian Pidgin
English which is used predominantly. English is used and understood
throughout the Solomon Islands.
Dress
Informal light attire is appropriate for both day and evening
wear. Pack a sweater for the occasional cool evening. Bikini's
and swimming briefs should be confined to resort pool areas.
Time
11 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
Electricity
240 volts. Available to Honiara and other major resort areas.
Currency/Banking
The standard unit of currency is the Solomon Islands Dollar.
Westpac, ANZ and the National Bank of the Solomon Islands (NBSI)
open Monday to Friday 9:00am to 3:00pm, and offer the best exchange
rates. There are ATM's available at several locations in Honiara.
Credit cards and travellers cheques are not usually accepted
beyond the main resort areas. NBSI offers full banking services
throughout most parts of the country.
Telecommunication
24 hour international telephone, fax, telex and telegram service
is available through Telekom from Honiara, provincial centers
and all major hotels and resorts. There is also an internet
cafe in the NPF Plaza, Mendana Avenue, Honiara.
Observing
Customs
The people of the Solomon Island have a rich culture which observes
many traditional "kastoms" which vary from province
to province. Please ask about appropriate behaviour and always
ask permission before taking pictures of people or places.
Tipping
As with much of Melanesia and Polynesia, tipping is not on the
agenda. Tipping imposes an obligation that the receiver must
return, so a smile and a 'thank you' are sufficient recompense
for services rendered. Bargaining, too, should be avoided, however
it's becomming more common now to ask for a 'second price' on
handicrafts. Inflated prices in rural areas are usually due
to isolation: people just don't know what the going price is
for services. Sometimes food will be accepted as payment.
Other
Activities
Other than diving and snorkeling, there's bushwalking, canoeing,
mountain and volcano climbing, swimming, surfing, fishing, shell-collecting,
bird-watching, caving and mountain biking.
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