Diving Dolphin Wall in the Solomon Islands

Dive Papatura

No other operators. No other resorts. You are guaranteed to be the only dive boat in our island group.

Dive Papatura is excited to be able to offer diving for the first time. Be one of the first to dive this pristine area.

We're extremely passionate about the local marine ecosystems and environment, and this area is teeming with marine life waiting for you to enjoy. Located in the coral triangle, the Solomon Islands has some of the highest concentrations of fish, marine and coral species in the world.

Shore dives from the main beach are simply amazing, with massive fan corals and giant barrel sponges. Boat dives are as quick as five minutes away, with a wide variety of reef and marine species — ocean walls, WW2 history, pelagic drifts, or straight off the beach. Most guests claim Papatura is the best diving they've experienced.

Max divers: 8 on multi-dives, 12 on singles
Nearest boat dive: 5 minutes
Wetsuit: Not required
Tanks & weights: Complimentary
Certification: SSI

Come now and discover new dives. Plenty of this island group has never had a dive boat on it. Find something good and you get to name it.

The sites

Where we'll take you

Five minutes west of the retreat, and one of our wow dives. A 30-metre wall running for about 300 metres, with an elevator shaft through the middle, and tawny nurse sharks often asleep on the ledge known as the footpath. The coral is alive with wrasse, triggerfish, clownfish, batfish and all sorts of nudibranchs, and reef sharks often cruise the deeper water. The angle of the wall gives it some shelter from big swell, though it does catch the wind, and the tidal current can run either way.

A long reef stretching out from Papatura Ite, and one of the prettiest dives in the area, with a massive diversity of hard and soft coral. It is dived as two separate sites, each with its own character, and at around 17 metres at its deepest it is perfect for new divers. Keep an eye out for eagle rays, turtles and massive humphead wrasse.

Another amazing wall dive, ten minutes west of the retreat and facing the open ocean. It stretches for around 500 metres and is home to a huge school of bumphead parrotfish, plenty of painted cray and reef sharks. Being exposed, it can carry a big swell, and the tidal current runs both ways.

A 20-minute boat ride east of the retreat. Sloping reef with crevices and caverns — a submerged reef rising from beyond 30 m to within 5 m of the surface. Slight to mid current. A large range of hard and soft corals that will fill up your dive log. Lobsters can often be found in crevices, with reef sharks having a snooze in the caverns. The current often runs down one side of the reef while the other side sits calm, depending on the swell and the tide, and it can pick up a swell when the wind is up. Great for a morning to midday dive. Beginner to advanced.

Twenty minutes west of the retreat, an overhanging wall that is easiest dived as a drift, going whichever way the current is running. It boasts a huge array of marine life — moray eels, colourful passionfruit trout, big GTs and blue-spotted trevally — while black-tip reef sharks, Spanish mackerel and barracuda keep an eye on you as you go. Best in the morning, when the sun lights up the wall; later in the day it falls into shade, and it can carry a big swell when the wind blows onto it.

Twenty-five minutes east of the retreat. A World War II American naval scout plane and dive bomber, believed to have gone down on 17 October 1942. She rests on a sandy bottom close to the shore, now encased in coral and inhabited by Solomon sea life. There is no current to speak of, though a strong wind can bring in a swell.

Twenty minutes south-east of the retreat, a wall running for around three kilometres, with beautiful coral and home to a massive grouper amongst many others. It is open water and can carry a big swell, but there is always a protected stretch somewhere along it. The tidal current can run either way.

Schools of trevally and barracuda, plus sharks, rays and turtles.

Also up the top end. Plenty of coral and clownfish in large canyon-like swim-throughs.

A shore dive straight off the beach onto the sandy bottom in front of the retreat. Very protected and diveable in any conditions, it is where new divers do their first training, much like a pool.

A little reef system under the pontoon, to the left of the beach as you look out. Great for learning and for sorting out your buoyancy before heading out to the deeper sites. The tidal current can run either way.

Straight off the shore to the right of the retreat, a long and spacious reef. The tidal current can run either way, and the water can turn murky after heavy rain.

A bommie reef just a two-minute boat ride away, in view of the retreat. It is sheltered from the wind, and the top at around 3 metres is so full of life that snorkellers can come along too. The tidal current can run either way.

Twelve minutes west of the retreat. There is an inner wall, sheltered from big swell, and a larger outer wall that can catch it. The tidal current can run either way.

Fifteen minutes east of the retreat. It can pick up a swell when the wind is strong, but it is fairly protected underneath, with only a light current at times.

A bommie twenty minutes west of the retreat. Exposed to both swell and current, and hard to find when it is rough, so it is best saved for a calm, sunny day.

Thirty minutes west of the retreat, a big wall stretching for about 400 metres. It can carry a swell on a windy day, and the tidal current can run either way.

SSI accreditation

Learn to dive in paradise

Papatura now offers learn-to-dive courses. Get your Open Water or Advanced Open Water, refresh your dive skills, hire gear, or get tank fills from our dive shop. Upskill to Deep Diver for 40-metre dives.

Learn from the beach at Papatura — no crowds here, and personal training courses available. All theory can be completed before you arrive if you'd prefer.

The dive shop

No wetsuit required. Gear hire is available with 10 BCDs — two each of small, medium, large and extra large — plus masks, fins and dive computers. Tanks and weights are complimentary.

Dive rates

What it costs

All dives include tank, weights and a guide. Based on a minimum of two people.

Diving
Item	Detail	Price SBD
Intro / resort beach dive	Includes all gear	$440.00
Single dive	Tank, weights and guide	$760.00
Dive package	Pay for 9 dives, dive 10 — prepaid before your first dive, per person	$6,840.00
Single supplement	—	$500.00
Kustom fee	Per person, for the top end and WW2 plane dive	$120.00
Gear hire	Fins, mask and BCD — per day	$220.00
Gear hire	Fins, mask and BCD — 7 days	$1,540.00
Computer hire	Per day	$160.00
Computer hire	7 days	$800.00

Courses
Course	Includes	Price SBD
Open Water	All instruction, 1 confined water dive, 3 boat dives and gear	$3,850.00
Advanced Open Water	All instruction, 4 boat dives and gear	$3,850.00

Prices in Solomon Islands dollars (SBD) and subject to change. Ask us for the current AUD equivalent when you book — we'll quote it in your package.

Before you dive with us

All divers must hold a current SSI Open Water certification or equivalent (PADI). Divers should have completed a recent dive within 12 months of arrival — otherwise, complete a resort dive before boat dives.

You must have adequate insurance covering diving. We recommend DAN. A waiver must be signed by all divers.

Under the surface

See the full dive gallery

Eight divers a day. That's it.

Tell us your dates and certification level and we'll check the dive boat as well as the bungalow.

Enquire about diving