What kind of diving does Yawana offer?

We cater for the adventurous diver who is keen to experience and explore reefs and wrecks in a remote corner of the Solomons. The corals are some of the most pristine and abundant in the South Pacific, the fish life is simply amazing.

We cater for people who have already done a fair amount diving and want to go places where few divers have been. This is safari style diving for small groups and individuals. We put a strong emphasis on exploring and encountering the unexpected as we often visit remote locations. There are no other operators in the area we are diving.

We provide experienced guides who are familiar with the sites and the local conditions.

Discover

Andrew and Andrickson Trahair have created an opportunity for visitors to experience Melanesia in a way that is subtly integrated into the local community. Vella Lavella is an area that traditionally belongs to Andrickson and her wantok. We take guests to dive sites, villages and ancient tambu sites that few outsiders would have the opportunity to visit without the connection we have with the local people.

Other activities

Surfing Bondala

Bondala surfbreak is 20 minutes by boat from Yawana Diveshop. A peak breaking over a reef 300 meters from shore. We are the only people who know about this spot and you are guaranteed to have all the waves to yourself.

Plane Wreck in the jungle.

A DC3 Dakota transport plane crashed during a storm in October 1944. It now lies in pieces in the jungle about 30 minutes walk from Yawana Dive. A local guide is needed to find the site. On the way back you can visit an ancient tambu rock carving in the forest, about which little is known as it pre dates the colonial era when Christianity was introduced to the island.

Village Visit

We can arrange for a visit to one of the nearby villages where you can watch traditional kastom dance and sit down with the village chief to learn and talk about ancient cultural practices. There are few places in the South Pacific where Melanesian culture remains so intact and much of the traditional laws are still respected.

We can invite you to a motu feast prepared in the village, in which meat and vegetables are baked in a stone filled earth oven. A traditional way of cooking feasts that goes back thousands of years.

How do I get there?

You just need to book your flight to Gizo (via Honiara) or to Munda.

We will meet your flight and take care of transfers. Depending on the time of your arrival (and weather conditions), we will go directly by boat to Vella Lavella or spend the night at Gizo and leave for Vella in the morning. If we go to Vella the following morning we usually stop for a dive at one of our sites along the way.

Accomodation

Yawana Dive is in partnership with nearby Aveala Resort, a comfortable and stylish new accomodation 500m from the Yawana Diveshop, owned and operated by Jacob and Judith Kwan. Rooms are SBD$500 (twin or double) meals can be catered or you can cook yourself.

Yawana Dive is currently building accomodation that will be completed in early 2019.

Visit our website yawanadive.com or find us on Instagram.

From $150 to $190 AU for 2x tank boat dive.

Special offer featured:

Yawana Dive Special
Valid for stays: 28th August to 30th November 2020
Den Accommodation SBD550 per person per night
Waterfront Bungalow SBD650 per person per night
Based on minimum 2 adults. Minimum 2 night stay.

Includes:

All main meals daily
Use of snorkelling gear