Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020 |

# Uepi, Sanbis or Tetepare?? Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Solomon Islands
p0ssy 14:25 UTC 08 May 2009 | Hi I plan to go to the Solomons in 2 weeks time for 10 days having never been there before. I have a PADI certificate but have not dived for a few years and love snorkeling. i have narrowed down the list to the above three places. At this stage I have a very tentative booking at Uepi but it is very flexible. Is it practicable to spend a few days at Uepi and then go to Tetepare? And are these places different enough to warrant doing this. Looking forward to hearing from someone who can help. Many thanks. Chris |
cbimages 22:50 UTC 08 May 2009 | Chris Yes, very different, as you can't dive at Tetepare. You can get a transfer from Uepi to Tetepare, the prices are on the Tetepare website. Can't comment on Sanbis as everything I've heard about it is second hand info...... We'll be at Uepi (again) in 2 weeks, may see you there. Carol | 1
p0ssy 15:09 UTC 09 May 2009 | Hi Carol Thank you for your reply. Another question if it is not too much trouble - can one spend 8-10 days at Uepi and not get bored? Tetepare looked interesting because of the walks through the island. Also I have not dived much in the last few years and would need a bit of "hand holding" to start with - do you know if Uepi caters for that sort of diver? Many thanks Chris | 2
cbimages 00:44 UTC 10 May 2009 | Hi Chris We are going for 20 days, and the friends going with us (on their 3rd trip) are going for 10 days. Bored.......no way, unless you are someone who needs to be racing around doing a million things at once. Uepi is about being there - it's hard to explain, but it's known as "uepi droopey", when you relax, but still keep busy, but without the hectic pace of the real world. You can snorkel for hours right in front of the dive shop, and will be doing so with literally thousands of fish....and many sharks as well. You can kayak (even do a day/overnight/extended trip), sail a hobie, walk through the jungle on the island, take a trip to another island/village. You can organise to go fishing, too. Just walking around the resort is a wonder - you will meet huge monitor lizards, see amazing birds, admire the gardens/orchids. There is plenty to do, although you will not be "organised" - except for diving, things are pretty flexible - you just need to ask for whatever you want, and they will try to arrange it for you. As for the diving, yes, you can have your hand held as much as you need. Jill & Grant, the managers, are both instructors, as is Peter, a local guy, who is in charge of the dive shop. You could do a bit of a refresher dive with one of them to get your skills back - and I know they are always happy for guests to admit to being a bit "green" rather than hopping into the water and getting into trouble. The diving at Uepi is generally very easy, as the boat picks you up at the end of a dive - no fighting currrents etc - you just go with them. There are plenty of dive sites which are shallow (we rarely dive over 30m as we're no longer as young as we'd like to be). Most of the time, 25m is way deep enough, with long periods spent in the shallows - which where the best corals often are anyway. Another very good thing about Uepi, is that a single traveller need not be lonely as breakfast and dinner are eaten communally, on the deck of the main house. Most guests catch up for a drink before dinner there too, so it gets very friendly. See you there cheers Carol | 3
p0ssy 20:40 UTC 10 May 2009 | Hi Carol You have convinced me - Uepi it is then. I have appreciated the time you have taken to answer my questions, thank you. Regards Chris | 4
miketelemark 16:04 UTC 28 Jun 2009 | Carol, How much for a room at Uepi? Thinking of going in October and no info on their website. | 5
jeweldiver 05:28 UTC 07 Jul 2009 | Chris did you go to Uepi and if so how did you find it? It's one of our favourite relaxing holidays and Jill and Grant are just wonderful...so is their son Jason if he is around. | 6
p0ssy 07:16 UTC 07 Jul 2009 | Yes I went to Uepi and had a great time. I only had a week and a few more days would have been nice. And I agree wholeheartedly that Grant and Jill are wonderful hosts. The service and the food at Uepi was fantastic but informal and not like a typical resort. For me it is more a matter of when rather that if I return there. | 7
cbimages 19:49 UTC 08 Jul 2009 | Miketelemark - there are 3 levels of rooms (but only 10 rooms altogether). You'll need to check with the office (on the website - info@uepi.com) as to prices as if there's anything available. How are you Chris? It was great meeting up with you at Uepi. Like to catch you there again one day. Neil & I will be heading back in mid January and again in mid August 2010 - to celebrate Neil's 70th. Mike & Vicki are coming as well. Why don't you come too? cheers Carol | 8
p0ssy 11:11 UTC 15 Jul 2009 | HI Carol I am well thank you. I trust you and Neil are well. August 2010 sounds like it might be fun. Let me know what dates you are going. I was hoping to get back to Uepi later this year but it is not looking too hopeful. I certainly have fond memories of my week there. I was able to send some medical supplies to Jill last week, by some coincidence some staff from our local hospital have just spent a week in Seghi fixing the hospital there so I was able to "hitch" a ride for some 10kg of goodies. I was trying to get hold of a copy of the video that Sally took of the birthday celebrations on the last night I was there - you wouldn't know her email address by any chance. Grant sent me one but it does not exist. Regard Chris | 9
cbimages 02:18 UTC 16 Jul 2009 | Hi Chris good to hear from you - have sent you a PM with the details you wanted cheers Carol | 10
p0ssy 07:42 UTC 30 May 2010 | Hi Carol How are you? I remembered this post and dug it up today - what dates in mid August are you going to be in Uepi? I intended to go back there in July but now August is on the cards and it would be lovely to see a friendly and familiar face when I am there. You probably have my email address - if not then Grant can give it to you. Regards Chris | 11