August 7-18, 2018

For this trip we were joined by a fun group of divers from the UK, Australia, Germany, Hong Kong, the USA and New Zealand. Everyone was in high spirits as we rolled our way through 10 days of fantastic diving.

We saw a whole host of great critters, including robust, ornate and halemeda ghost pipe fish (all in the same morning), a very juvenile bat fish, crocodile fish, some great nudis, pygmy seahorses, jawfish hunting in our lights, basket star shrimps, demon stingers, bob tail squid, mantis shrimp, juvenile sweetlips and a sea cucumber butt crab! We also saw some small inconsequential lobsters under a rock that no one really cared about (thanks Sam Jnr for pointing them out). There was also a great sightings of a convict blenny digging out its burrow and the always entertaining disco clams.

On the larger side of things we had a mobula getting cleaned, sharks, eagle rays, bump heads, jacks, turtles, barracudas and a crocodile in Mirror Pond! The scenery was also fantastic at lots of places but particularly at Leru and Rapichana Cuts, Mbulo Caves and Lologhan where amazing reef structures and healthy reefs combined for some spectacular sights.

On land the panpipes and dancing in Karumolun was a big hit and the carvings in Marovo proved popular too, the lottery for the carving tools kindly donated by Stephen Carolin added to the excitement.

A big thanks to everyone for being such a great crowd, to tinny 3 for the crown of thorns extermination services (and congratulations on your close second place finish:)), to Matt Smith from Matty Smith Photo for the amazing photosand of course to Fernando, Pato and all the crew for making the whole trip happen so smoothly - we all had a great time and can’t wait to get back soon.

Sam

Underwater Photos thanks to Matty Smith Photo, Carver Photo thanks to Fred Catella

 

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Posted by Sam and Kellie on August 18, 2018

What our guests say

"I had an amazing 10 nights onboard the Bilikiki! The dive sites were so diverse and so beautiful, we had some amazing encounters with wildlife, the cr... Read More"

Lauren Thomas

"If I could rate them 6 stars I would!!! Amazing boat, crew, food and diving."

Brett Lobwein

"Just really, really, really enjoyed our trip!!! We really fell in love with Pato and Fernando. They did an excellent job guiding us! The crew is as go... Read More"

Darlene Myers

"I did my 1000th dive on my second trip on the Bilikiki. Last time was in 2005 and then I thought it was the best liveaboard I had been on. It still is... Read More"

Alex Davids

"I have just returned from a 10 night stay on board the Bilikiki. It was my first trip on the Bilikiki however friends we were with have been 3 or 4 ti... Read More"

Pearl Corker

"Just got back from a 10 day trip on Bilikiki with Tina and Oli. The whole Bilikiki team made our trip a memorable one, despite the temperamental weath... Read More"

Jonathan Rose

"Second time and still finding new sights to see! Wonderful trip well worth the effort....."

Reed Nescher

"I have been on many Bilikiki trips over the past eight years, and I will keep going back again and again. I’ve dived in more than 15 countries and h... Read More"

Joanna O'Shea

"Bilikiki is much more than a great dive boat with a fantastic crew sailing the remote Solomon Islands and discovering new and beautiful dive sites; it... Read More"

Thane Kreiner

"I can't think of a better way to spend 12 days than on board Bilikiki. It is absolutely spectacular diving amongst healthy corals, colorful fishes, st... Read More"

Karen Doby

"My bucket list trip. Outstanding crew and service. Superb diving. Stable and comfortable vessel and accommodations. The chefs do a marvellous job, eve... Read More"

Fred Catella

"Always a great time on the Bilikiki. Spectacular diving, excellent food and an amazing crew. One of the best laid out boats I've been diving on."

Mike Aitken