Question Pre-Bilikiki diving Dec 2025 – Uepi Island Resort or a Fiji Resort

[Beth3141]

My dive buddy and I are boarding the Bilikiki in late December and want to do a week of diving before the liveaboard. From what I've read, Uepi is amazing and has the advantage of having fewer divers. On the other hand, there is the airfare of traveling to and from Seghe. This will be my first time in the Solomon Islands and I'd like some input from those who have dived both Uepi and Fiji. Thanks!

 

[NYCcowgirl]

My dive buddy and I are boarding the Bilikiki in late December and want to do a week of diving before the liveaboard. From what I've read, Uepi is amazing and has the advantage of having fewer divers. On the other hand, there is the airfare of traveling to and from Seghe. This will be my first time in the Solomon Islands and I'd like some input from those who have dived both Uepi and Fiji. Thanks!

I'm going on the Bilikiki in September & will be diving locally & in Fiji afterward - happy to report back then I looked at Uepi but their post-renovation rates are a bit too $$$$ for my budget.

 

[Beth3141]

I'm going on the Bilikiki in September & will be diving locally & in Fiji afterward - happy to report back then I looked at Uepi but their post-renovation rates are a bit too $$$$ for my budget.

Have already booked Uepi and don’t think I’ll be disappointed. The pricing seems in line with other resorts. Enjoy your September trip!

 

[Beth3141]

I'm going on the Bilikiki in September & will be diving locally & in Fiji afterward - happy to report back then I looked at Uepi but their post-renovation rates are a bit too $$$$ for my budget.

Have already booked Uepi and don’t think I’ll be disappointed. The pricing seems in line with other resorts. Enjoy your September trip!

 

[tursiops]

Anybody know anythign about the Emperor day diving in Honiara, prior to a Bilikiki cruise?

 

[cetacean]

Have already booked Uepi and don’t think I’ll be disappointed. The pricing seems in line with other resorts. Enjoy your September trip!

We did Uepi before their rebuild (pre-pandemic), the resort was showing it's age a bit, but the diving was absolutely world class (easily one of the top 3-4 destinations we've ever dived).

We're planning our return trip in 2026...

As for the Bilikiki - the boat is massive and very solid, however the rooms are quite cramped (just something to get used to). The diving is excellent, and very different from what you will experience at Uepi in the Morovo lagoon. The Solomons will leave you with the feeling that it's overlooked because the diving is easily better than what most people think of it. Massive schools of fish, (usually) great viz, and some very unique and interesting dives...

 

[cetacean]

Anybody know anythign about the Emperor day diving in Honiara, prior to a Bilikiki cruise?

@tursiops

I wrote about this a few months ago. Tulagi Dive was the primary day boat operator in Honiara for a number of years. The pandemic shut them down...

The Emperor day diving trips are through the same people that run the Bilikiki. I've heard nothing about them... you might ask the Biliki folks how they are operating.

Having said this, I would highly (highly) recommend visiting another destination in the Solomons if you want to dive before a trip on the Bilikiki. I highly recommend Dive Gizo - very friendly, well run island dive operation.