Marovo Lagoon

powertower17:37 UTC11 Jul 2011

Hello,
I wonder if anybody could give me some recommandations about the Marovo lagoon. Where would you recommend to stay which is affordable? What to do there?

Many thanks

Michael

Edited by: Powertower

nomadniv03:47 UTC13 Jul 2011

I saw this online. Ironically, it came from this site so I don't know if you've seen it.

http://hotels.lonelyplanet.com/solomon-islands/marovo-lagoon-r1977056/

Happy travels!

nomadNIV
http://www.nomadniv.com

powertower09:09 UTC13 Jul 2011

Unfortunately nothing is possble to book online. I would love to hear some personal experience there?
Thanks

sonased07:41 UTC31 Jul 2011

We would definitely recommend to stay at Matikuri lodge run by Ben, near Seghe. It is definitely affordable (count with SBD 200 per bungalow per night) with some extra for the food if you do not want to cook yourself, which is no problem at all. It has a beautiful setting, total tranquility and the owner and his family is very hospitable and helpful, they also offer some trips around the closer part of the lagoon for very reasonable prices, i.e. some SBD 85 per day of boat rental plus fuel (you cannot do much about the price of that). You can use the lodge as a base for exploring other parts of the lagoon, especially on their real ocean kayaks (faster and bit more waterproof that the dugout canoes).

Ben has also more information about other parts of the lagoon, so from there you can move on if you wish. MV Pelikan Express (or the other so called “slow boat” – either Kosco or Bikoy) stops at Seghe and than at other parts of the lagoon on the way from/to Honiara, so this would be an easy and a cheap way to move around, but goes only once a week.

Just a friendly advice, avoid Charopoana (sometimes written Charapoana).The new owners are what we call „milkers“. They try to get as much money from the few visitors they get as possible. Everything is overpriced and even the listed prices are subsequently inflated – e.g. by lying about fuel consumption. For example for two minute slow ride after the mantas with a four stroke engine they demanded payment of five liters of fuel; transport to Seghe was double of what we eventually managed to get from a guy working in Uepi.

I hope you will find this advice helpful. We just came back and Marovo is just amazing!

kiwigolfer08:34 UTC20 Sep 2011

We were unfortunately on Matikuri when the "Sonased"couple were there. We witnessed their refusal to honour their bookings at other "Paradise Islands Network" lodges because of the special cheap deal they got from Ben at Matikuri. We also stayed at Charapoana and loved it - great family, beautiful, relaxed place, no issues with pricing or anything else.

kiwigolfer08:49 UTC20 Sep 2011

... Also, we're planning to go back to the Marovo Lagoon next year. Now that we know more, we're booking to stay with the Paradise Islands Network which is a chain of small lodges in the Lagoon. From Charapoana, you can kayak to a village called Chuchulu, stay there a night or 2 then kayak on to Vanua Kino, at Seghe. There's an airport & shipping port at Seghe, so we'll head further west from there. One of the great things about Charapoana is snorkelling with the giant manta rays and at Chuchulu you can also paddle around the Mindeminde Islands. We've heard really good things about Vanua Kino and all these lodges are so affordable. We can't wait to get back there!

silvanocat15:03 UTC20 Sep 2011

#5 - Where will you get the kayaks from? If they are rentals - what kind (are they expedition kayaks?), what is the cost?

Marovo Lagoon! Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Solomon Islands
powertower17:37 UTC11 Jul 2011	Hello, I wonder if anybody could give me some recommandations about the Marovo lagoon. Where would you recommend to stay which is affordable? What to do there? Many thanks Michael Edited by: Powertower
nomadniv03:47 UTC13 Jul 2011	I saw this online. Ironically, it came from this site so I don't know if you've seen it. http://hotels.lonelyplanet.com/solomon-islands/marovo-lagoon-r1977056/ Happy travels! nomadNIV http://www.nomadniv.com	1
powertower09:09 UTC13 Jul 2011	Unfortunately nothing is possble to book online. I would love to hear some personal experience there? Thanks	2
sonased07:41 UTC31 Jul 2011	We would definitely recommend to stay at Matikuri lodge run by Ben, near Seghe. It is definitely affordable (count with SBD 200 per bungalow per night) with some extra for the food if you do not want to cook yourself, which is no problem at all. It has a beautiful setting, total tranquility and the owner and his family is very hospitable and helpful, they also offer some trips around the closer part of the lagoon for very reasonable prices, i.e. some SBD 85 per day of boat rental plus fuel (you cannot do much about the price of that). You can use the lodge as a base for exploring other parts of the lagoon, especially on their real ocean kayaks (faster and bit more waterproof that the dugout canoes). Ben has also more information about other parts of the lagoon, so from there you can move on if you wish. MV Pelikan Express (or the other so called “slow boat” – either Kosco or Bikoy) stops at Seghe and than at other parts of the lagoon on the way from/to Honiara, so this would be an easy and a cheap way to move around, but goes only once a week. Just a friendly advice, avoid Charopoana (sometimes written Charapoana).The new owners are what we call „milkers“. They try to get as much money from the few visitors they get as possible. Everything is overpriced and even the listed prices are subsequently inflated – e.g. by lying about fuel consumption. For example for two minute slow ride after the mantas with a four stroke engine they demanded payment of five liters of fuel; transport to Seghe was double of what we eventually managed to get from a guy working in Uepi. I hope you will find this advice helpful. We just came back and Marovo is just amazing!	3
kiwigolfer08:34 UTC20 Sep 2011	We were unfortunately on Matikuri when the "Sonased"couple were there. We witnessed their refusal to honour their bookings at other "Paradise Islands Network" lodges because of the special cheap deal they got from Ben at Matikuri. We also stayed at Charapoana and loved it - great family, beautiful, relaxed place, no issues with pricing or anything else.	4
kiwigolfer08:49 UTC20 Sep 2011	... Also, we're planning to go back to the Marovo Lagoon next year. Now that we know more, we're booking to stay with the Paradise Islands Network which is a chain of small lodges in the Lagoon. From Charapoana, you can kayak to a village called Chuchulu, stay there a night or 2 then kayak on to Vanua Kino, at Seghe. There's an airport & shipping port at Seghe, so we'll head further west from there. One of the great things about Charapoana is snorkelling with the giant manta rays and at Chuchulu you can also paddle around the Mindeminde Islands. We've heard really good things about Vanua Kino and all these lodges are so affordable. We can't wait to get back there!	5
silvanocat15:03 UTC20 Sep 2011	#5 - Where will you get the kayaks from? If they are rentals - what kind (are they expedition kayaks?), what is the cost?	6

Marovo Lagoon!