Colorado Dive & Travel

Welcome to Bilikiki
In the midst of the South Pacific, the Solomon Islands is part of the coral triangle and home to some of the best, least visited scuba diving in the world. There is an amazing diversity of marine life, dive sites and experiences, all a short flight from Australia or Fiji. Bilikiki Cruises has been running liveaboard scuba diving trips and cruises in the Solomon Islands for over 25 years. Our experienced crew know the best dive sites that the Solomon Islands has to offer, so come on a diving trip in the Solomons in comfort and style!

The Solomon Islands
the Solomon Islands are a remote, beautiful chain of nearly 1000 tropical islands. They are just south of the equator, a 3-hour flight northeast from Australia and 4 hours northwest from Fiji. They are home to nearly 600,000 people most of who still live traditional, community-based lives in villages far from the modern world.

Diving in the Solomon Islands
The Solomon Islands are home to some of the best reefs in the world and the diving is spectacular, diverse and colorful, there is not just one type of diving but an array of different habitats and ecosystems. There are pelagic and critters, wrecks, caves, amazingly healthy coral gardens, sand slopes, mangroves, walls and sea mounts. There is no ice diving but pretty much everything else is covered!

DIVE PACKAGE INCLUSIONS:

• Shared cabin for 9 nights, double/twin cabin, ensuite bathroom
• 8 days diving, 4-5 dives per day (incl. 1 night dive); with guide, 12-liter tanks, weights
• Unlimited drinking water, tea, coffee
• Free Nitrox
• Return airport transfers (within 3 days of the trip)
• Marine Park & Port Fees and local taxes
• Village visits are arranged during the surface intervals.

DIVE PACKAGE EXCLUSIONS:

• International Flights
• Diving rental equipment
• Scuba Training
• 15 liter or other sized tanks
• Alcohol, soft drinks and juices (except dinner)
• Gratuities

COMPLETE PRICE - $6480 per person, based on double occupancy. For single occupancy, please make an inquiry, then we would need to have a discussion about a possible single booking?

What is the Cetacean Superhighway of Timor Leste?
The Cetacean Superhighway is the Ombai-Wetar Strait in Timor-Leste, a deeply narrow channel that acts as a major migratory path for whales and dolphins, with approximately one-third of all Pacific water flow into the Indian Ocean passing through it. This "superhighway" serves as a crucial bottleneck for marine life, attracting a wide diversity and abundance of species, including pygmy blue whales, sperm whales, pilot whales, and various dolphin species, making Timor-Leste a globally significant hotspot for cetacean viewing.

What makes the Ombai-Wetar Strait a superhighway?

• Deep Waters and Nutrient-Rich Environment: The strait is exceptionally deep (over 3,000 meters) and is fed by the Indonesian Throughflow, a large-scale current that carries nutrient-rich waters from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean.
• Major Migratory Route: This deep, narrow corridor is a vital migration route, especially for large whales like the Pygmy Blue Whale.
• High Concentration of Cetaceans: The abundance of food and the strait's function as a bottleneck for marine life result in a high density and diversity of whales and dolphins, with over 20 species potentially found there.

When is the Best Time to Go?
Peak Season: The prime time for swimming with blue whales is generally from mid-October to late November, or early December.

What to Expect?

• Pygmy Blue Whales: You'll likely be swimming with Pygmy Blue Whales, which are still the largest animals on Earth.
• Other Whale Species: You may also encounter other marine life, including sperm whales, dolphins, and even dugongs, depending on the day and location. Plus Beaked Whales, Humpback Whales, Killer Whales (Orca), and Pilot Whales are commonly sighted.
• Dolphins: Various dolphin species, including Spotted Dolphins, Spinner Dolphins, Rough-toothed Dolphins, Bottlenose Dolphins, Melon-headed Whales, and Short-finned Pilot Whales are also found in the strait.
• Small Groups: Tours are typically in small groups to minimize pressure on the whales and ensure a more intimate experience.
• In-Water Encounters: While the whales are on a mission and can be skittish, guides and crew will make their best efforts to get you close for in-water swimming.

How to Experience It?

• Eco-Tours: Because this is a unique and regulated activity, you must join a specialized eco-tour with expert guides who understand how to approach the whales ethically.
• Location: Most trips depart from the capital, Dili, heading out into the deep channels between Dili and Atauro Island.

Why Timor-Leste?

• Blue Whale Migration: Timor-Leste is one of the few places where consistent and reliable blue whale sightings occur.
• Untouched Waters: The country offers pristine, clear waters where these majestic creatures come to feed on nutrient-rich krill.
• Away from Crowds: It's a relatively new tourism destination, providing a more "raw and real" experience away from mass tourism.

Why is it important for tourism?

• Accessibility: The deep waters are close to the shore, making the Ombai-Wetar Strait easily accessible for whale and dolphin watching tours.
• Global Hotspot: Due to the sheer numbers and diversity of cetaceans, the area is recognized as a global marine hotspot and an Important Marine Mammal Area.
• Peak Season: While many species are resident, the migratory period from approximately October to December is particularly good for spotting large whales like the Pygmy Blue Whale.

### Ashmore Exploratory – Far Northern Reefs – Coral Sea

7 Nights – 27 Dives. A rare opportunity to visit the remote and pristine reefs of Ashmore Reef. Dive with hundreds of turtles at Raine Island & descend on the historic wreck of the Quetta.

Highlights:

• Remote rarely visited reefs with incredible coral.
• Raine Island – See hundreds of turtles at the world’s biggest green turtle nesting site. Tiger sharks are attracted to the nesting turtles.
• Ashmore Reef – Plunge into the unknown, spectacular and remote.
• Boot Reef – The single most remote place that MV Spoilsport visits.
• Great Detached Reef – Big fans, hard and soft corals & pelagics.
• Quetta Wreck (Tidal dependant) – Jewel of the Far North.

Horn Island
Embark at Horn Island 4:00pm.
Options for further travel vary. Daily scheduled flights from Cairns to Horn Island are available & should be arranged by the individual.

Ashmore Reef
Mysterious, isolated, rarely visited. The graveyard of a dozen 19th century ships. Still not fully explored, Ashmore Reef lies literally on the sea border with Papua New Guinea. Help unlock the many secrets of this final frontier. A place that has already given us arguably the greatest drift dive in Far North Queensland…’The Flight of the Cassowary”. Dive into the unknown and uncover the hidden wonders of Ashmore Reef.

Boot Reef
Miles and miles of unbroken sheer-drop sea wall. Sharks, giant Qld grouper and magnificent fans create a symphony of colour and live action. Lying nearly 300 kilometers east of Thursday Island, Boot Reef is the single most remote place that MV Spoilsport visits. Almost anywhere you dive, you’ll be the first to have been there. Diving dreams are made of this.

Raine Island
Between 40,000-100,000 green turtles visit Raine Island each year to lay their eggs in the warm sands. The island is not accessible to the public, but the reefs surrounding it are excellent for diving. The pristine coral here is some of the best we’ve seen anywhere.

Great Detached Reef
The 46km of fringing reef here give us some great sites to choose from. See fields of hard coral down to 30m at Turmoil, plus beautiful soft corals, fans and whips at Twin Peaks, Oh My Bommie, Cracker and Big Woody. This reef is home to masses of marine life, large & small.

RMS Quetta (tide dependent)
The RMS Quetta sank on the night of 28 February 1890, after striking an uncharted rock. At the time, it was Queensland’s worst maritime disaster. Today, the RMS Quetta lies on her port side in 18m of water and is an excellent dive site in terms of wreck, reef and fish. The wreck diving jewel of the far north.

Itinerary - Ashmore Exploratory Itinerary (Horn Island to Horn Island – 27 dives)
Boarding The Spoilsport, this expedition embarks and disembarks at Horn Island - commercial flight to Horn Island is not included and must be arranged by each person.

All itinerary details are subject to change, specific marine life cannot be guaranteed. Please note - there are no courses offered on this itinerary. This information is based on the scheduled 2024 itinerary and will change as this reef is explored and the itinerary is refined.

Thursday:

• 4:00 pm board Spoilsport at Horn Island Pier
• 4:30 pm depart for Great Detached Reef.

Friday: (3 dives + night dive) Great Detached Reef + Raine Island.
Saturday: (4 dives + night dive) Pandora Wreck, Cocoon depart after night dive to Ashmore Reef.
Sunday: (4 dives + night dive) Ashmore Reef, stay overnight.
Monday: (4 dives + night dive) Ashmore Reef, depart to GDR overnight.
Tuesday: (4 dives + night dive) GDR vicinity, depart to Quetta.
Wednesday: (4 dives) Quetta/Cape York Tip visit.
Thursday: Disembark art Horn Island.

Important: We recommend that you allow 24 hours between your last dive and your onward flight (all diving is finished by 5 pm Wednesday).

Raine Island
Raine Island is a small, remote sand cay on the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef, around 620 km northwest of Cairns in Queensland.

Raine Island is uninhabited by humans. However, the Wuthathi people of the eastern Cape York Peninsula and the Meriam Nation people of the eastern Torres Strait have been regular visitors for tens of thousands of years. Both groups identify as holders of native title for Raine Island and make decisions about the management of the island. Management decisions are made through the Raine Island Recovery Program Reference Group. This group works in collaboration with the Queensland and Australian governments.

Vegetation on the island primarily consists of low shrubs. These grow over the island’s rocky center, fringed by sandy beaches and reef.

Raine Island is the largest nesting site for Green Turtles in the world. It is also the only known Australian breeding site for the critically endangered Herald Petrel. The island is the most important seabird rookery in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.