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When
is the best time to come to Gizo?:
The
weather is relatively mild all year
round, with a gentle south east trade
wind
that prevails from April to October. There is no distinctive
monsoonal "wet season", and it is rare to get more
than 2-3 days of rain in a row at any given time. We haven't
missed a day of diving because of weather in 21 years! Without
a doubt the month of November has the least amount of wind. |
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Where
is Gizo located?:
Gizo
is the capital of the Western Solomons and it's harbour
is
located at 8.06 deg South & 156.5 deg East. |
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What
is the best way of getting there?:
From
the United States, most people come
through Nadi
Fiji, with Air Pacific or Air New
Zealand. You can check your bags all
the way through to Honiara (HIR) on a weekly
flight from Los Angeles (LAX). Coming from
Australia, the main port of access is Brisbane
(BNE), with five flights a week direct to
Honiara (HIR), with Solomon Airlines. |
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What
sort of dive boats do you have?:
We
operate three 7.5m "Ray" boats and one
7m utility boat. They are powered by twin
50HP engines and have covers to protect you
from the tropical sun. The boats are
equipped with radios and O2 is
provided on all dive boats. |
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Is
malaria really a problem?:
Malaria is
probably the most over rated tropical disease
in the Solomon Islands. Repellent is highly
recommended at dusk and dawn. People do not
have problems if they protect themselves, and
treatment is readily available. |
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What
can I expect to see when I am diving
at Gizo?:
Gizo has everything - An
entact Japanese
WWII transport ship Wrecks,
three WWII fighter planes, walls, shallow beautiful pristine
reefs, big fish action with the currents, and all the little
critters for the macro enthusiast. |
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What
is the normal visibility and range
of temperatures?:
Visibility
on an "average" is about 20M -
24M (70' - 80') year round with long periods
even greater. The air temp rarely gets over
32C and the water temp is 29C year round
- no wet suits required! |
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What
sort of gifts can I bring for the local
people?:
In the villages,
the older population appreciate old, but still
useful reading (magnifying) glasses. Pencils
and school items for the young ones, and those
old t-shirts in the cupboard are great for
bartering. |
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How
many dives in a day can I do?:
Most hardcore
divers will do 4 dives a day.
A normal days operation would be to do one dive in the morning, a surface
interval on a nice secluded beach with a picnic lunch followed by an afternoon
dive. |
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Is
it possible to mix cultural activities
with diving?:
Yes, there
are a number of cultural activities that we
can co-ordinate with dives and/or snorkelling
excursions. Despite the continuous travel warnings to the Solomons, travellers have been unaffected and have enjoyed safe,trouble free, memorable holidays in the "Happy Isles" as they once were known.
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I'm
a non diver - what can I do?:
There are a number of very nice walks along the coast, or village tours
near-by. If you are a snorkeller, we will drop you off at a nice island
prior to the divers going to a site. Maybe a scenic coastal truck tour to traditional villages or find a good book and kick back and relax at FATBOYS resort and restaurant.
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