snorkelling/diving at Charapoana vs Uepi - is Uepi worth it?

Hello everyone,

We're planning about 5 weeks in Solomon Islands in May/June, did quite a lot of research and would love to experience "the best" of each islands we decided to visit...
We'll be definitely spending 4-5 days at Charapoana lodge in Marovo lagoon and would love to spend also a few days at Uepi resort which has according to many of you "the best snorkelling in the world", even though the opinions do differ. Unfortunately it is completely out of our budget (AUD$370 per night for the cheapest guest room adjoined to the other guest room), but if it's really the best thing we're ever going to experience that I guess it's worth it if we're travelling that far...
Is snorkelling/diving at Uepi on Marovo Lagoon really that spectacular compared to other places at Marovo lagoon, Charapoana lodge or in Munda/Gizo/Tulagi? We don't care that much about the accommodation itself, food or power, we're really just after the best of snorkelling and diving...

I also heard that if you stay at Charapoana lodge you're not allowed to snorkel on Uepi's reefs even though there're so close....the last thing I want on our vacation is not to feel welcome somewhere or be screamed at as someone unfortunately was by Uepi resort'd owners.
Just from the perspective of the quality and closeness of superb snorkelling at Uepi resort, would you guys still recommend it for someone travelling on budget? If a place for SBD$300 pn has comparable snorkelling/diving than would rather pay that then SBD$4000pn. Thank you so much!

roniella, we are regular visitors to Uepi (we just arrived back yesterday) and I'd like to just fill in a few facts for you - as I see them of course. In the Solomon Islands - that is, anywhere in the SI, the reefs belong to the customary landowners of the island to which they are attached. Therefore, the reefs at Charapoana belong to them, and the reefs at Uepi belong to them. Divers from Uepi pay a "custom" fee to dive the Charapoana reefs, or any other reefs that are not attached to Uepi. These fees are passed on to the customary landowners as payment for the use of their reef. This is why you are generally not free to just come and go to other islands. Add to that, the fact that guests at Uepi do expect privacy and exclusive use of the Uepi reefs, which is included in the tariff they pay. There is no additional fee for a guest to snorkel the Uepi reefs, unless they ask to be taken to a different site by boat, when a fee is involved.

A very important part of the Uepi "ethic", is conservation, and nothing can be taken from the reefs surrounding the island. This means that the fishlife is amazing, especailly at Uepi Point and in the channel. Mind you, the fishlife does spread out and Charpoana Point can be an excellent dive, especially when there is an incoming current. The channel on the Charapoan side is quite barren in the shallows along the channel side - just my opinion.

If you want to dive that area, I was under the impression that Charpoana lodge does not offer diving.

The price you have quoted above would appear to be for 2 adults? And of course includes all of your meals - an wonderful meals they are, with lots of mud crab, crayfish etc.

Please feel free to PM me for any further info

About 6 years ago I visited that area and I left with so-so feelings:

1. The UEPI people were not that friendly to us, guests at Charapoana, although we were just swimming in the canal between the two.
   After 10 minutes of discussion with the UEPI manager they seem to agree that it's not a big deal if we swim around there, as long we don't touch their side of the island: not that you want to touch any coral anyway:)

2. The facilities at Charapoana were VERY rudimentary, although reasonably clean.
3. The food was not something that I would like to eat again: very greasy and heavy. They did try their best to get us fresh
   fish, but sometimes the fishing guy was just too lazy to be bothered to go out fishing...
   It seems that in the meantime, the ownership has changed and there is a nice family there, so hopefully things are better.
4. I wouldn't say the snorkeling was amazing in that area, as there are other parts of the same lagoon with much better variety of fish.

Be aware of the transport fee from the main island, as for us it was an unexpected 200USD or so..