In celebration of the magnificent diving experiences the Solomon Islands has to offer the international dive community, the 2^nd Annual Solomon Dive Fest 2017 will take place in the country’s Western Province from October 2-7 2017.

Suspended like a string of deep green pearls from Papua New Guinea to Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands is the epitome of a hidden South Pacific paradise, a true living culture, rich with art, dance and the iconic sound of the panpipe music synonymous with the ‘Hapi Isles’ as they are so aptly named.

This scattered archipelago of 992-odd richly forested mountainous islands and low-lying coral atolls has been attracting international tourism since 1568 when Spanish explorer Alvaro de Mendana first sailed into this tucked away corner of the South Pacific.

Mendana’s legacy can still be found in the Solomon Islands today with many of the islands still bearing the Spanish names he gave them – Santa Isabel, San Cristóbal and perhaps the best known of all, Guadalcanal, the name synonymous with the infamous and very bloody World War II campaign in 1942 and the catalyst for the Allies ultimate victory over the Japanese Imperial Forces.

This year will mark the 75th anniversary of the battle for Guadalcanal and the event will hold even greater significance for the people of the ‘Hapi Isles’ who take immense pride in the knowledge their home is the place where freedom for the Pacific was hard fought for and ultimately won.

Hosted locally by Dive Gizo, SIDE Dive Munda and SIDE MV Taka, dive excursions, cultural activities, photographic competitions, and workshops have all been combined into one very special event with focus given to two of the Solomon Islands’ best dive locales – Munda and Gizo.

Munda is located north west of Honiara and has swim-through caves, wrecks of planes and boats all within a short boat ride and reefs right in the main accommodation resource, the Agnes Gateway Hotel where the coral is still in pristine condition. Munda is also the place where water flow and currents create the perfect conditions required for barracuda and jacks feeding frenzies. Barry’s Breakfast is just one such dive where you can hang in mid-water surrounded by swarming pelagics while Titan triggers patrolling the reefs below.

Gizo offers a huge variety of spectacular dive sites. Grand Central Station boasts the highest fish count in the world with more than 275 species recorded in its teeming waters. Wreck enthusiasts too are more than catered for with a 440-foot Japanese freighter, the Toa Maru and an almost fully-intact US Hellcat fighter aircraft lying in very shallow waters a short boat ride away from Gizo Town.

The festival also features the opportunity to experience a liveaboard dive boat aboard SIDE’s renowned MV Taka.

Packages to this year’s Dive Fest are available from just $1,355 per person to include:

• Return flights flying Solomon Airlines ex-Brisbane to Gizo and Munda via Honiara plus all transfers
• 2 nights twin accommodation at Rekona Lodge or Gizo Hotel, breakfast and dinner in Gizo
• Attendance at the festival’s opening ceremony, dinner at PT109 restaurant with kastom sing sing and dance
• 3 tank dive day with Dive Gizo with tanks, weights, dive guide and BBQ lunch
• DAN seminar
• 1 night twin Standard cabin (shared bathrooms) on board MV Take with all meals and sailing from Gizo to Munda
• Up to 4 dives with tanks, weights, dive guide and kastom fees
• Photography workshop
• 2 nights twin accommodation at Agnes Gateway Lodge in Munda
• 2 tank dive day with SIDE Dive Munda with tanks, weights and dive guide
• Kastom lunch at Hopei Island and WWII Museum visit
• Marine biology focused seminar
• BBQ dinner with kastom dance performance
• 1 tank dive day with tank, weights, dive guide plus Skull Island visit
• Cocktails and winner of Photo Competition announcement
• Closing ceremony and dinner
• 1 extra night twin accommodation at Agnes Gateway Lodge, Munda (no meals included)

For more information on this package and the possible upgrades see www.solomonsdiving.com/solomons-dive-fest-2017

For more information about the Solomons Dive Fest 2017, visit, www.visitsolomons.com.sb, e-mail info@sivb.com.sb or call 677-22442.