Emperor Bilikiki

In the midst of the South Pacific, the Solomon Islands is part of the Coral Triangle and home to some of the best, off-the-beaten track scuba diving in the world. There is an amazing diversity of marine life, and dive site environments - wrecks, pristine reefs, lagoons, caverns, walls - all a short flight from Australia or Fiji. MV Bilikiki has been operating liveaboard cruises in the Solomons for over 25 years and their experienced crew know the best dive sites that the islands have to offer.

The MV Bilikiki is 38 metres long and is steel-hulled. Her large size and stability are 2 main reasons why guests from around the world rate the Bilikiki as one of the most spacious and comfortable vessels that they have travelled on. There is a friendly and attentive crew of 12 plus 2 managers who are responsible for diving and operations. The liveaboard is well maintained and carries all necessary navigation and communication equipment. It maintains regular contact with its office in Honiara and there is a satellite phone for emergency or urgent communications.

There are 10 air conditioned deluxe cabins, each with its own en-suite bathroom. There is a large sundeck with loungers, open-air shaded areas, a photography room, and an indoor lounge with large tables, a bar, TV and an extensive library of marine reference and recreational reading books. Meals are served in a shaded area on the main deck and the galley staff produces quality, tasty meals and snacks. The boat also has a bar service with soft drinks, spirits, beer and wine.

Physically the diving will be the easiest you'll find. The immense dive deck give you lots of room for suiting up, and offers individual gear storage, racks and hangers for suits, freshwater showers, and easy access to the aluminium skiffs (called 'tinnies' in the Solomons). And if you're a photographer you'll appreciate the separate rinse tanks for camera gear, and the large carpeted camera tables right on the dive deck, where you need them for last minute adjustments. The liveaboard crew will load everything in one of the 2 skiffs for you, and are on hand to help you in and out of the water, and wait for you at the site. Bilikiki offers unlimited diving, with the dive day built around 5 dives. Complimentary nitrox will help you safely achieve this. The dive staff are always available to give guidance and a pre-dive briefing to outline the dive site and any special factors.

Bilikiki liveaboard awaits your visit to the Solomon Islands and will be the source of some great scuba diving, new friendships, and exciting and life-long memories.

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Notes: Child policy: Bookings for children under 12 years of age are not accepted.

Dive experience: The diving is usually fairly easy so there is only a minimum requirement of Open Water Diver. We recommend a maximum diving depth of 40m and that you are certified to 30 metres and are comfortable with drift dives. Your maximum diving depth will be dependent on your level of training and experience. Every diver, regardless of their qualification or experience will be scheduled to dive their first dive at local/sheltered dive site. This dive allows you to orientate yourself in your diving environment and acquaint yourself with your equipment. Decompression diving, solo diving and technical diving is strictly prohibited.

Cruise price per person includes: Hotel or airport transfers (within 3 days of the trip), cabin accommodation, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinking water, hot drinks, glass of wine with dinner, dives (as detailed in the trips above), nitrox fills for enriched air certified divers, 2 experienced divemasters, tanks (DIN/yoke convertible valves), weights and weightbelts.

Cruise price per person excludes (mandatory, unless customer provides own): Scuba equipment rental (incl. computer, SMB: US$ 27 per day), local taxes (US$ 25 per night), dive & evacuation insurance. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival (cash - EUR, USD, GBP, SBD - or credit card).

Optional extras: Bar drinks, torch (US$ 15 per day), 15 litre tank (US$ 15 per day). Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival. Note: prices of items purchased onboard are subject to change.

How to get there: The Bilikiki liveaboard operates from Point Cruz in the Solomons' capital of Honiara. Honiara has an international airport with flights to/from Nadi in Fiji, Brisbane in Australia, Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea, and Port Vila in Vanuatu. The major airlines are Solomon Airlines, Virgin Australia, Fiji Airways, Air Niugini, and Qantas. All liveaboard cruises are designed to work with the incoming and outgoing flights so in general overnights are not required. Local airport and hotel transfers are provided.
Boarding time on the first day is normally around 4 pm, and the boat departs at 5-6 pm once everyone is onboard. The boat arrives back at Point Cruz during the final evening and disembarkation is around 8 am on the last day. You will have a few hours to look around town before being transferred back to the airport (many people opt to do one of the interesting World War 2 history tours of Honiara).
There will be 3 planned dives scheduled on the second last day of the trip. Please wait at least 18 hours before flying after diving.

Non-diver rate: None.

Single supplement (if you do not want to share accommodation): This is optional - single travelers may choose to share a cabin or pay a supplement of 50% of the normal published price for their own cabin.

Dive clubs and group discounts: Pay for 7 guests and 1 additional person can join the cruise free of charge, pay for 14 guests and 2 additional persons can join the cruise free of charge (total 16 or more guests).

Whole boat charter rate (per night): Pay for 17 guests and 3 additional persons can join the cruise free of charge.

There are 10 deluxe cabins on the lower deck - 8 cabins with a lower double bed and upper single bed, and 2 with twin beds. All staterooms have en-suite bathrooms

All the cabins have: No. of bathrooms / showers - 10 /12 - hot water