Bilikiki

Probably one of the best itineraries in South East Asia

For many years recreational divers and dive professionals alike who had been to the Solomon islands had all mentioned the Bilikiki as being their choice. Many had even gone so far to say that the Bilikiki was one of their favourite boats and had one of the best itineraries they had done. Now I can see why people for years had raved about the boat and their very special and unique itinerary.

The Bilikiki has been operating in the Solomon islands since 1989.  The original owners of the Bilikiki had set up a system to support the local villagers by purchasing all their fresh produce from different villages along their route. Aside from helping support the local villages along the way, this also makes for great fun too, especially for guests who enjoy interacting with the local people. The locals are so friendly, a little shy at first though as they all speak English it is very easy to open a conversation in the Solomon islands.

The diving onboard the Bilikiki is a vast mix of reefs, wrecks, walls giant cuts in reefs and a few reefs surrounded by sandy slopes that are great for macro lovers too. There are some incredible wrecks and learning the history of these wrecks onboard also gives so much more appreciation of the Solomon islanders as a nation of welcoming and super friendly people.

The service and food onboard the Bilikiki are also really fantastic from the moment your booking commences all the way. I really enjoyed all the great fresh produce that arrives on each anchorage too!

I would have to say that this trip needs to be on the radar of every diver and should be on the bucket list of each and every discerning diver and/or underwater photographer.

All the images below were taken with Canon S95 point and shoot and topside images with handphone!

Underwater images below taken with Canon S95 in Canon waterproof case, topside images taken with a mobile phone.

Move your mouse over each image to read more or double click to enlarge:

Locals come and say hello at our first anchorage | Very friendly people and such happy faces too | Locals bringing fresh produce for sale | Manta & Cudas | Manta sillouette | Odd one out! | Baracuda School | Tender boats standing by. | Wickham Island Sunset | Soft Coral & Sunrays | Lagoon Life | Dolphins bow riding | Solomon Island Kids | Flower children | Cudas and diver | Hammerhead getting close | Spongey pigmy pipehorse | Cuts in the shallow reef | Surfacing from an afternoon dive! | Solomons sunset and tender boat waiting patiently | Soft coral & diver | Kinugawa Maru | Sunset colours on the ocean | Happy Solomon islanders |

Thanks to all the crew and management of Bilikiki for putting together an incredible trip for us. I will be back for sure…

Diving 4 Images