Solomons Master

I recently returned from a wonderful trip aboard the Solomons Master, exploring the Russell and Florida Islands and the Marova area of the Solomon Islands. The overall experience was great, and I’d recommend it to anyone seeking a diverse diving adventure.The Crew & Boat:The crew were polished, friendly, and very attentive. Food was excellent, and they maintained high safety standards throughout the trip. The boat itself is showing its age, but it's impeccably clean with no musty or engine smells often associated with older vessels. A refit is scheduled for early 2025, which will likely enhance its appeal further.The Diving:The Best of Solomons itinerary dive sites were well chosen, offering a mix of WWII wrecks, coral seamounts, walls, caverns, and more. We started with a surprisingly interesting check-out dive at White Beach, featuring well-encrusted WWII debris, and continued on with fish-rich seamounts, soft and hard coral reefs, caverns and a few thrilling drift dives.Highlights included:• Barracuda Point at Mary Island: teeming with fish and vibrant coral life.• Cathedral Caverns: fun swim-throughs and a jungle-like surface area.• Lava Tube Dive: unique topography, featuring camouflaged crocodile fish.The variety of marine life was impressive, though pelagics were somewhat limited, with only a few sharks, turtles, and one manta. A blue-ringed octopus made an appearance during a night dive, and we spotted a good range of nudibranchs and other macro critters.Boat & Diving Logistics:Most dives were "live drops," meaning we entered the water from the main boat and were picked up at the end of the dive by the dingies. Towing us back to the boat via tender was a novel and gentle approach that worked well. Our dive had compatible air consumption, ensuring everyone had a safe and enjoyable experience.Accommodations & Food:The rooms were clean and tidied daily. Meals were served buffet-style, with a variety of vegetables, meats, and fresh cakes or cookies each day. Alcohol was available via an honesty tab system. Breakfast consisted of fruit and toast before the first dive, followed by a full cooked breakfast afterward.ServiceThe crew consistently went above and beyond to ensure all guests had a comfortable and enjoyable experience, catering to individual needs with great care and attention. This level of dedication speaks volumes about their commitment to delivering outstanding service.Final Thoughts:This was an excellent dive trip with an experienced crew, diverse dive sites, and great service. The boat may be older, but it remains a top option for exploring the Solomon Islands’ rich underwater offerings.

I went on 2 trips, both were 10 days. The first was their first Discovery trip going from Solomons to PNG. The next one was the best of. I loved the staff. So helpful, friendly, and informative. We had fish and coral ID presentations and history ones on the significance of each wreck we dived. The corals were beautiful, and marine life pristine. Not much in the way of big stuff here, except for the dolphins that would ride on the bow of the boat.For me, it was just enough wrecks, so it did not dominate the itinerary. For those of you who are wreck fanatics, they do wreck only trips too.My only issue with the boat is that only the upper rooms have bathrooms in the room. They also have the least amount of space to put your clothes and toiletries. Though the second trip I had my own room, so not as bad of an issue.The dive deck was nicely spaced. Divemasters were excellent.The village tours were heartwarming and interesting. It was wonderful to see the relationship the staff had with the local children and villagers. The food was really good. I loved the dug out canoes that would bring us our produce.Overall, a fabulous time! I would go back again, especially that they have so many regions for different diving, including into PNG.

A great trip. The diving was very good. Capably led by Mossy and Lacy. Extra effort to ensure we were comfortable and safe. Loved their enthusiasm both in and out of the water. The boat crew were fantastic. Very friendly and couldn't be more helpful. Dive facilities were first class. The land visits were very enjoyable and the Islanders were great fun and seemed to enjoy our visit as much as we did. Meals on board were very good. Lots of variety and tasty. Now trying to shed a few kgs I gained on the trip.The diving could have included a couple more WW2 wrecks as the area had such an impact on the outcome of the war.Anyone booking in should consider taking some clothing packs for the locals - particularly kids clothing.Overall a great trip

The ten day trip with Taka was my first livaboard experience and I had a wonderful time. The diving was exceptionally good, 4-5 dives per day, each one at different locations depending on the conditions. The captain and dive guide consulted with the guests on what we would like to see, and did their best to plan dives that would deliver. We experienced a few days of bad weather but we were still able to dive some terrific spots around the Russell Islands and the Floridas. We did a couple of village visits that I found interesting as they provided an opportunity to experience remote Solomon Island village life in locations not easily accessible.I found the boat and accomodation to be comfortable. I was fortunate to have a cabin to myself so I had plenty of room.The dive gear and facilities were all first rate. Plenty of room for getting geared up and ready, then after the dive step into one of the hot showers. The crew were friendly and relaxed and clearly know the islands, anchorages and dive sites very well. The local boys were happy to talk about their culture and answer any questions.I have to make special mention of the food, which was outstanding and plentiful. Every meal was delicious, healthy and fresh. Solomon Islands is not known for cuisine but Taka should be!I had a wonderful trip and did plenty of diving in some of the best locations of one of the best dive destinations in the world. We dived pristine reefs, caves, and wrecks. We saw every kind of fish and shark native to the region. The Taka live aboard experience is definitely for the keen diver. I did 44 great dives in ten days and look forward to my next trip!