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A fantastic holiday in the South Pacific, cruising around several groups of Solomon Islands, focussing on Whales, Dolphins & snorkelling while taking in this beautiful unspoilt pristine environment. Naturetrek provided terrific organisation & leadership to enable our group to maximise our experiences and enjoy the trip. The small ship had a crew of 11 who supported us and delivered wonderful meals, an expert marine biologist to spot & identify the wildlife and a superb leader who ensured we all enjoyed & maximised our trip. This team ensured I had an excellent holiday and could really focus on the wildlife. We saw lots of Dolphin pods, and several Whale species, in total 17 species, 59 birds and more than 100 species of fish. An amazing trip facilitated brilliantly by Naturetrek to enable me to enjoy a holiday of a lifetime.
J.W. Suffolk, Dec 18
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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The Solomon Islands - A Wildlife Cruise in the South Pacific!
Tour Code: SOL01A 15-day wildlife holiday, including a 10-night cruise, around the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific aboard the 18-berth MV Bilkiki, plus an optional pre-tour extension to Brisbane, Australia.
£11,995 (Inc flights)
£10,395
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
We begin our holiday with a flight to Brisbane, Australia, from where we fly to Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands and departure point for our 10-night cruise. As we travel west, we will be on the look-out out for an exciting range of cetaceans and will stop at a variety of coral-fringed islands home to Solomon Island Sea-eagle and Red-knobbed Imperial-pigeon, plus interesting Melanesian villages. The Solomon Islands lie within the so-called ‘Coral Triangle’, the centre of global marine biology.
- Join an exclusive 10-night charter cruise around the Solomon Islands
- Spotted & Fraser’s Dolphins, False Killer Whale & Bryde's Whale all possible
- Watch for the recently described Omura’s Whale
- Seabirds including hundreds of frigatebirds, boobies, tropicbirds & shearwaters
- Visit remote islands, home to Solomon's Sea Eagle, Solomon's Cockatoo, Eclectus Parrot & Blyth's Hornbill
- Snorkel over some of the world's most pristine coral reefs, alive with kaleidoscopic reef fish
- Pre-tour birding extension to Lamington National Park in Queensland, Australia
- Led by Dr Chas Anderson
Grading
Grade A. Island walks and snorkelling excursions are all optional.
The Solomon Islands lie in the turquoise-blue waters of the South Pacific, to the the east of Papua New Guinea and to the north-east of Australia. This seldom-explored paradise is spread across six major islands, plus over 900 smaller ones, and is home to a wealth of wildlife both above and below the waves (much of which is endemic), as well as a unique culture and a fascinating history. The best way to explore this wildlife-rich archipelago is by boat, and so for this pioneering holiday we have exclusively chartered the 18-passenger MV Bilikiki. This small and comfortable motor vessel features nine guest cabins, all of which are en suite and air-conditioned. It is an ideal floating base for this exciting natural history cruise and will be our home for 10 nights as we journey past rugged jungle-clad islands and over pristine coral reefs. Whilst we will enjoy plenty of time at sea each day in search of cetaceans and seabirds, we will also explore the Solomon Islands themselves in search of the region's terrestrial wildlife and to visit traditional Melanesian villages.
The larger islands are the tops of undersea volcanoes, clothed with lush tropical rainforest, whilst many of the smaller ones are low-lying, sandy coral atolls which barely rise above the sea. The forests are home to a wonderful variety of birds — including many endemics — as well as a wealth of other wildlife, including huge birdwing butterflies and a range of striking dragonflies. The Solomons are fringed by some of the most pristine and spectacular coral reefs on Earth and lie within the so-called 'Coral Triangle', the centre of global marine biodiversity. The reefs here teem with fish and other undersea-life, and we will be assured of some world-class snorkelling on this holiday!
We begin the tour, however, with a flight to Brisbane on Australia's eastern coast. We recommend breaking the journey to Honiara at this point, either with a few days to enjoy the city, or by joining our pre-tour extension to Lamington National Park, home to Regent Bowerbird, Paradise Riflebird and Albert's Lyrebird. This is a wonderful spot to enjoy some gentle birding whilst adjusting to the new time zone. From Brisbane we fly to Honiara in the Solomon Islands and, after a night in town, we transfer to MV Bilikiki, our home for the next 10 nights.
For the first half of our cruise, we will slowly work our way westwards, past the Russell Islands, out into the Solomon Sea and onwards towards the New Georgia Islands and Marovo Lagoon, the largest double barrier reef lagoon in the world. We will keep our plans and exact route flexible, however, to take account of the sea and weather conditions, the advice of our guides and to ensure that we make the most of the wildlife encounters we enjoy along the way. These should include plenty of cetaceans (whales and dolphins). Although there has been relatively little cetacean research undertaken in the Solomons — and there is much still to be discovered — the wonderful diversity and abundance of species around the archipelago are obvious. On our inaugural cruise here in 2018, our group enjoyed sightings of an impressive 16 species of cetacean, including Omura’s Whale, a little-known baleen whale that was only described in 2003! Other species to look out for include Sperm Whale, Pan-tropical Spotted, Striped, Risso’s, Common Bottlenose, Indo-Pacific Bottlenose, Fraser’s and Rough-toothed Dolphins, Short-finned Pilot Whale, Pygmy Killer Whale and Melon-headed Whale, plus Cuvier’s, Longman’s and Blainville’s Beaked Whales.
There will also be plenty of opportunities to enjoy the region's seabirds, which range from graceful White-tailed Tropicbirds to piratical Lesser Frigatebirds. Delicate White Terns share the seas with Red-footed and Brown Boobies, along with Sooty Tern, Black-naped Tern and Brown Noddy. There is also the chance of finding one of the rarer seabirds that ply these waters, such as Heinroth's Shearwater, Beck's Petrel or Collared Petrel. The landbirds are equally diverse and the islands hold a range of endemics and regional specialities such as Sanford’s Sea Eagle, Island Imperial Pigeon, Solomon Cockatoo, Coconut Lory, Claret-breasted Dove and Pied Goshawk.
For the second half of our cruise, we will return to the main island of Guadalcanal by a different route, perhaps stopping at Mborukua Island (also known as Mary Island). We will continue our search of the archipelago's whales and dolphins as we go and will stop frequently to snorkel over the reefs and visit different islands along the way. Back in Honiara, we will spend our final evening aboard MV Bilikiki and then disembark after breakfast the following morning to catch our flight back to Brisbane and then ultimately home.
Outline Itinerary
What's Included?
- Flights
- Accommodation:
For this cruise we have exclusively chartered the 18-berth ‘MV Bilikiki’, a 38-metre liveaboard vessel featuring nine en suite and air-conditioned guest cabins. For additional information please refer to the tour itinerary.
- Food:
All food, plus teas, coffees and bottle water, is included once on board MV Bilikiki.
The pre-tour extension is booked on a full board basis, with all meals included (drinks are extra).
Reviews
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Our ten day wildlife cruise organised by Naturetrek was excellent. We sailed in the MS Bikikiki from Honaria with a great crew and spent much of each day watching for fins and/or snorkelling the amazing corals. We were lucky enough to see a very rare pair of Omura’s whales as well as many others. A couple of island visits were included, where we saw a local dance show and a carving market. The food on the Bikikiki was outstanding.
A.F.S. West Sussex, Dec 18 -
The MV Bilikiki was a wonderful base for our cruise around part of the beautiful Solomon Islands. We had fun snorkelling and spent time looking for cetaceans. The focus for this was to try to confirm the rare Omura's Whale in the area which we did! All aboard the vessel went beyond their basic duties to ensure we had a memorable experience. The local crew, shipboard managers, Naturetrek leader and our resident marine biologist did their utmost to ensure we had an enjoyable voyage. All arrangements went smoothly and were chosen well to enhance our experience.
S.H. Kent, Dec 18 -
Based aboard the MV Bilikiki we spent a fantastic 10 days snorkelling and searching for cetaceans. We even found Omura's Whale. The crew, boat managers and tour leaders were all excellent at their jobs and took extra care of us. All arrangements went to schedule and the attention to detail was good.
I.H. Kent, Dec 18
Extensions
Lamington National Park
Dates & Prices
2025
Please note that cabin grades are subject to availability. We recommend phoning the office before booking to confirm that your preference is available.
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[description] => Whale Watching Cruises – See Whales in their Wild Habitat
Seeing whales in the wild is one of the top 10 things most people want to do during their lifetime. Scanning the water, waiting to hear a blow or see a dorsal fin, is one of the top wildlife experiences in the world, and it can get addictive! A sighting of whales in their natural habitat is consistently rated in the top 10 wildlife experiences in the world. These gentle giants of the ocean hold a special place in our hearts. Our dedicated small group tours offer the thrilling opportunity of an up-close-and-personal encounter in the wild; scanning the water, waiting for the sound of a blow or the sight of a dorsal fin is both thrilling and addictive.
Naturetrek Whale Watching Tours
Our dedicated small group whale-watching holidays encompass a range of destinations all over the world to offer the best chance of sightings on short trips or longer cruises. Whether it’s a day excursion in the UK or an extended 14-day cruise to an exotic far-flung location, we offer the chance to encounter these giant cetaceans in all of the world’s oceans, from the tropics to the Polar regions.
Depending on the location, our itineraries can focus on one or several of the planet’s 86 key species, including Blue and Killer Whales, or form part of a broader wildlife-watching experience to encounter dolphins, birdlife and other marine species. Led by expert biologist or naturalist guides, our tours often allow participants to get thrillingly close to one of the most fascinating animals on Earth. We've been organising specialist wildlife tours for 32 years and our experience, passion and knowledge have earned us a reputation as the best in the business. Our range of whale-watching holidays is so popular that we are rapidly expanding our programme to include some of the most exciting, wildlife-rich places in the world.
Why book a Naturetrek whale & dolphin watching holiday?
- Expert biologist-led & wildlife photographer-led holidays
- Dedicated whale-watching tours focusing on one or a few key species
- Many of our whale-watching tours offer the chance to see dolphins as well (and vice versa)
- A range of tours from day trips out on small boats to week-long liveaboard cruises
- A chance to look for cetaceans in all of the world’s oceans, from polar waters to the tropics
- A wide range of the world’s 86 species are seen on our whale-watching holidays, including Blue Whales & Killer Whales
- A wide range of the world's dolphin species have also been seen, from Bottlenose and Risso’s, to Spinner, Striped and Heaviside’s
Our specialist recommends...
Sara Frost - Tour Leader & Marketing Manager
Birding Tours Led by Expert Naturalists
The majority of our wildlife tours focus primarily on birds, allowing us to offer a huge choice of bird holidays. On most of our birdwatching tours we aim to see a wide variety of species, while taking time to enjoy other wildlife as well as cultural highlights and architecture.
Naturetrek Birdwatching Tours
We have one of the largest selections of professionally organised, small group birdwatching holidays around the world and all of our birdwatching tours are accompanied by at least one professional ornithologist leader with detailed knowledge of the area.
The majority of our bird tours have a relaxed, flexible approach which allows more time for photography, detailed wildlife exploration, leisure time and the region’s people, culture, history and architecture, while allowing the group to see a wide range of bird species.
Here is a small selection of our many bird holidays:
- Southern Morocco – an exploration of the birdlife in Morocco’s southern deserts, oases and mountains
- The Camargue in Spring – a short break to enjoy the spring birds of the Rhône Delta and Camargue wetland
- Wallcreepers & Cranes in Northern Spain – a 2-centre holiday focusing on Lammergeier, Wallcreepers, raptors, Cranes, bustards, sandgrouse and more!
- Madeira & Desertas Islands – A Seabird Extravaganza! – a short break focusing on special breeding seabirds, including a night on the remote Destertas Islands
- Peru – Macaws & Machu Picchu – searches for boobies, macaws and Inca Terns
- Spain & Morocco: Birding on Two Continents! – watch the spectacular spring bird migration from both sides of the Straits of Gibraltar
Our Bargain Birdwatching Selection
Our Bargain Bird Tours are intensive birdwatching holidays suitable for the serious birder. They are led by expert English-speaking local guides (and not accompanied from the UK by a tour leader). You can expect a higher-paced tour and to spend long hours in the field.
Our specialist recommends...
Byron Palacios - Tour Leader
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Wildlife Cruise Holidays
The oceans are one of the last great wilderness areas left on our planet. Travelling by sea on a nature cruise represents the best way to see many of the world’s wildlife spectacles, as there are still wildlife paradises that are accessible by sea but cannot yet be reached by air.
Naturetrek wildlife cruises offer:
- A range of cruising experiences, from exclusively chartered 50-berth expedition ships to smaller motor yachts & schooners
- Arctic & Antarctic nature cruises in ships with specially strengthened hulls
- Each voyage is accompanied by expert naturalists
- Wide range of wildlife cruises from five continents
We have been running wildlife cruises for over 30 years and if your image of cruising is endless deck quoits or bingo, think again! A life on the ocean waves can be a permit to witness scenes of natural splendour that most people will only ever see on their television screens.
A selection of our most popular wildlife cruises:
- Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands – Unique 2-week Galapagos nature cruise aboard a 16-berth schooner in search of the confiding birds, mammals & reptiles that inhabit these islands made so famous by Darwin
- The Sub-Antartic Islands of New Zealand – Penguins, marine mammals & seabirds (Tailormade)
- Spitsbergen - Realm of the Polar Bear – Polar Bears, Walruses & seabirds
- Baja California – Blue Whales, Sperm Whales, thousands of dolphins & other marine life, plus San Ignacio’s friendly Grey Whales
- Kamchatka Peninsula – Pacific Ocean seabird colonies, spectacular volcanic scenery & over a dozen species of auks, plus Steller’s Sea Eagle, Siberian Rubythroats & much more (Tailormade)
- Brahmaputra Cruise, India – Unique nature cruise visiting Kaziranga & other National Parks
Our specialist recommends...
Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager
Dolphin Watching – See Dolphins in the Wild
Seeing dolphins in the wild consistently ranks high on people’s lists of ’10 Things To See Before I Die’. Dolphins have captured the public imagination arguably more than any other animal – we marvel at their intelligence, grace and agility, as well as their apparent curiosity of their human observers.
Naturetrek Dolphin Watching Tours
Naturetrek offers the chance to watch dolphins all over the world, from the UK to the tropics and polar regions. Many of our dolphin tours also offer the opportunity to see whales. We offer:
- Dedicated dolphin tours focusing on one or a few key species
- Dolphin watching as part of a broader wildlife watching tour
- A range of tours from day trips out on small boats to week-long liveaboard cruises
- Expert biologist-led, photographer-led and researcher-led tours
- A wide range of the world’s dolphin species seen, from Bottlenose and Risso’s, to Spinner, Striped and Heaviside’s
Our range of dolphin watching holidays includes:
- A Maldives Cruise – a cruise through the turquoise waters surrounding the Maldives, searching for dolphins and whales as well as snorkeling over the reefs
- Monterey Bay – enjoying the dolphins, whales and bird life of California’s Monterey Bay
- The Azores – Look for Sperm Whales and other cetaceans
- Madeira – a 5-day holiday focusing on dolphin watching
Our specialist recommends...
Sara Frost - Tour Leader & Marketing Manager
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Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?
For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.
Enquire
Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!
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