Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020 |

# Marovo Lagoon / Tetepare Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Solomon Islands
gaston 21:50 UTC 18 Mar 2013 | Hi! I will have 7 days (i.e. 5 full days) in the Solomons in April and would like to dive in Marovo Lagoon. Can anyone recommend where to go / where to dive and what's the best way to get there? I understand there are two airports serving the region (Seghe and Gatokae Island). Is there any connection to Tetepare Island from there? Regards, Gaston |
backpackstefaan 07:08 UTC 19 Mar 2013 | Gaston, three years ago i went to Tetepare. It's worth to be there. TOP. Big secret of the pacific. How i get there? Took the plane to Seghe. Then a boat from Tetepare picked me op. You have to mail to the people of Tetepare for a pick up. Questions, let me know. Stefaan | 1
cbimages 00:39 UTC 22 Mar 2013 | There are two places that offer diving in the Marovo. Uepi Island Resort & Wilderness Lodge. Uepi pick you up from Seghe, or you can transfer there from Tetepare. Wilderness is way dowen the other end of the lagoon and you would fly into Gatokae. I'm not sure if you could transfer there from Tetepare - and even if you could, it would take many hours as it's such a long way. There are more flights to Seghe than Gatokae. Be aware though, that flights can be unreliable due to plane or weather issues. Seghe is serviced by a Dash 8, so can be a bit more reliable. You will obviously need to do your diving at the beginning of your trip to offgas, so suggest Uepi first, then Tetepare can collect you from there, and return you to Seghe for your departure. 5 days is not really long enough in the Solomons where travel plans are easily disrupted. | 2
eflatjan 20:59 UTC 22 Mar 2013 | It is possible to hire a dingy with outboard motor from Gatokae to Tetepare. The trip takes 3+hours in good weather. Unfortunately it is very expencive. I paid around 3000SBD for the trip arranged by Ropiko Lodge. The trip probably is a little bit shorter from Wilderness Lodge. If you fly from Honiara to Gatokae, be shure to check departure times a day or two in advance. I had a ticket for wednesday, but on arrival at the airport wednesday morning I was told that the Gatokae flights left on fridays. But this weeks friday flight had for some reason (fortunately for me) been moved to thursday:-) By the way, an amazing "Islander" flight culminating with a spectacular landing on the sloping grass strip of Gatokae... eflatjan http://www.pbase.com/bolla49 http://my.flightmemory.com/eflatjan | 3
ozziegiraffe 13:19 UTC 23 Mar 2013 | Eflatjan's experience of changed flight dates and times is common in Solomon Islands. It is a good idea to allow yourself a day or two (at least) in Honiara (or somewhere easily accessible form there) before your flight home, to allow for delayed and cancelled flights to smaller domestic ports. | 4
becks 22:14 UTC 27 Mar 2013 | I just got back from Tetepare last week. It was fabulous! They can do transfers from either Munda or Seghe, both take around 1 hour 15 mins. PS I'm pretty sure you can also dive through Agnes Lodge in Munda... | 5
ozziegiraffe 12:20 UTC 28 Mar 2013 | Munda is a more reliable airfield than Seghe, as it serves a bigger community. Also, they have daily flights. | 6
watsoff 15:54 UTC 28 Mar 2013 | LOL Ozzie, Munda is the only place I've been 'grounded' - twice. Okay, though, Solomon Air had to pick up the overstay costs :-) Ooops, I forgot about being bounced off a flight from Honiara to Nadi - no good reason given other than I was going back to Vancouver - ??? I had to pick up the costs involved in the overstay, though, but no biggy, I was happy to stay on. However, I lost my room reservation in Nadi when I eventually got there, which actually ended up in my favour because when I, and another stranded passenger, decided to bunk down in the airport, people insisted on helping us find a place and I ended up in a nicer, cheaper place than the one I had a reservation for. Edited by: Watsoff | 7
becks 00:04 UTC 29 Mar 2013 | Munda is a more reliable airfield than Seghe, but the boat trip from Tetepare to Seghe was amazing, and definitely worth doing one-way. | 8
cbimages 01:57 UTC 29 Mar 2013 | Becks, the OP said they wanted to dive Marovo, not Roviana lagoon, which is where Agnes Lodge is situated | 9
becks 03:10 UTC 01 Apr 2013 | Sure, but it's always good to have options ;) If the OP is looking to combine diving with Tetepare.... that might be a good compromise to make. | 10
backpackstefaan 17:48 UTC 14 Apr 2013 | The boattrip from Seghe to Tetepare began around 1700. I saw flying fish. It was so basic, beautifull, ....perhaps the nicest souvenir of the Solomon. Stefaan | 11