This is our favourite dive region in the South Pacific and there are a lot of people that share our view.
Uepi Island Resort is the sort of place that makes for an ideal honeymoon - but don't worry, newly married readers. It also has a dive centre and 2000 metre walls on the ocean side with the best coastal diving we have experienced in this part of the world!
How To Get There
Uepi Island is located 10km from the nearest native village and 150km from the nearest port of supply at the edge of Maroovo Lagoon. It is a 100-hectar tropical garden on the raised coral of the barrier reef surrounding the lagoon. The main airport is Sehge.
From Honiara, visitors to Uepi travel by light plane (70 minute flight) to Seghe on the southeast 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 a little adventure on the way to the island!
There are direct flights from Brisbane three times a week to Honiara (the capital of the Solomon Islands). There are also from Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, Fiji and Vanuatu.
Climate
You can expect a very warm and humid climate all year round. The rainy season spans from December until April. Air temperatures are between 28 C and 32 C (82-90 F). Water temperature is between 23 C (July/August) and 27C (December/January) (72-82 F). The best time for travelling is between July and December.
Diving
Most dive sites are within confines of a three-kilometer reef line. The dive sites are all near to the Resort, approx 5 to 10 minutes with dive boat or directly from the pier.
Rarely will you view such high concentration of fish, sponges and corals. You dive in a diverse environment, ranging from lagoonal coral gardens to vertical drop-offs of over 600 metres. If you want to see big fish - this is your place. If you are after rare tropical marine critters - you'll find them here.
Depending on the currents, you can do some thrilling drift dives or just stay stationary at one of the deep points, attach your reef hook and watch the food chain in front of you. If you are after adventurous and more advanced diving, don't fporget to ask for the sink hole!
- Uepi Pier: Right in Charapoana passage, in front of the resort. From flashing "scallops" in a cave directly below the pier, to 'shark bommie' in just over 30 m to a 15m wall clustered with fans. Rated as one of the best shore dives yet you'll see a variety of game fish and large cow tail rays resting on the sand, whilst under continual surveillance by the resident grey whalers. The wall is great for a night dive with common sightings of sponge crabs, spindle cowries, basket stars, hawk fish ...the list goes on! Has anybody seen a gorgonian fan larger than 18.5 feet across?
- The Elbow: A sheer wall dropping to well over 600m with two distinct projections festooned with hard and soft corals. The colour of the soft corals and their associated symbionts will fascinate the night diver. Keep an eye seaward as you are bound to see a variety of creatures swim by, including eagle rays, tuna, barracuda, king trevally, darts and of course sharks - particularly the seasonal hammerheads.
- Elbow Caves: Deep gutters through the reef wall, almost totally enclosed in sections, make this dive memorable. A large school of diamond fish hides the entrance to one cavern often with barracuda flying through for a meal. Between the gutters, the upper wall curves inward forming ledges with abundant fans and dripping webs of sponges. Again, keep one eye seaward for those travelling pelagics, but be sure you don't miss the resting turtle, commonly found here.
- North Log and South Log: At times the wall seems so steep as to curve inwards. You won't be alone along this wall. Each site has its interest in caverns and ledges. North Log in particular has ledges profuse in coral life and associated aquarium fish including damsels, pullers and basslets. A superb night dive on these ledges, their ceilings blanketed in small soft corals. A night dive on South Log is always remembered for its glittering schools of flashlight fish and the innumerable crustaceans.
Other Activities
The Maroovo lagoon is surrounded be many small native villages. In a concerted effort the villagers have built simple guesthouses in each village which allow the visitor to stay overnight and experience subsistance village life in safety. The revenue raised this way is hoped to be big enough, so they don't need to sell their pristine forests to logginng companies.
The villages can be reached be seakayaks. Guided tours range from 2 to 7 days. This is a truly magnificent experience.
Live Aboard Dive Operators
Resorts
Objektive Beratung
