Route Description - Florida and Russell Islands
The 7 night Florida and Russell Islands liveaboard diving itinerary affords some of the very best biodiversity and marine life found in the Solomon Islands. Dramatic walls, swim-throughs and caverns, and plenty of pelagic action are just some of the stunning attractions the island groups have to offer. You can also take a step back in time and explore a few WWII wrecks including Japanese and American planes and battle sites, or hunt in the muck for weird and wonderful creatures amongst the detritus left behind by departing troops.
The Florida and Russell Islands 7 night scuba diving liveaboard itinerary allows up to 22 dives around Honiara, the Florida Islands and the Russell Islands, including the iconic Leru Cut and Mirror Pond as well as WWII wreck sites.
Here’s a sample of dive sites that may be visited during your liveaboard:
Russell Islands:
Mbanika Island - White Beach: WWII relics like trucks, jeeps, and ammunition form an artificial reef teeming with juvenile reef fish, pygmy seahorses, and nudibranchs.
Folau Island - Rainbow Reef: A saddle-shaped seamount with vibrant corals, perfect for spotting sharks, mobula rays, and barracuda.
Karumolun Point: A wall dive where you can observe sharks, trevallies, barracuda, and sometimes eagle rays.
Leru Island - Leru Cut: A dramatic 100m chasm offering amazing photography opportunities with a surrounding fish-filled wall.
Mane Island - Mirror Pond: Famous for swim-throughs, bat caves, and pygmy seahorses.
Florida (Nggela) Islands:
Mangalonga Island - Maravagi: A muck dive rich in macro critters, including nudibranchs, seahorses, and rare pipefish.
Nggela Sule Island - Tanavula Point: A reef and wall covered in corals and nudibranchs, with occasional bumphead parrotfish and rays.
Tulagi Island - Catalina Airplane: A WWII seaplane wreck with intact engines and a machine gun, resting at 34m.
Soghonangola Island - Twin Tunnels: Lava tubes covered in sea fans, leading to a deep wall full of pelagic fish.
Ghavutu-Tanambogho:
Ghavutu Island: WWII wrecks and marine life-rich muck diving, including blue ribbon eels and mantis shrimps.
Tanambogho Island - Mavis Seaplanes: Two WWII Mavis seaplane wrecks, offering a unique dive experience among well-preserved aircraft.