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. Located close to the Equator, most major storms start to the north then go north (typhoons), or start to the south and continue south (cyclones). Bilikiki Cruises offer dive trips year round, and have experienced great diving throughout the year. So, when's the best time to go? Whenever you can get away!

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 backpack 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.

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.

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 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. And yes, if you're lucky (some may not view this as luck) you'll get to visit the lair of a saltwater crocodile.

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.

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 hand-lining for tuna. Plan on having your catch for sashimi that evening.

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 three 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 twin 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.

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 included in every cruise, and the number we do depends on the interests of the people on board. We don't have that many wrecks to chose from, as most of them are far too deep, even for well experienced divers. Those we do dive include Japanese transport ships along the Guadalcanal coast, 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.

I'm planning my second trip with Bilikiki Cruises. Will we go back to all the same dive sites?