Papatura Island Retreat - Iron Bottom Sound
Papatura Island Retreat sits right in the thick of things if you’re keen to explore Iron Bottom Sound. They lean heavily into instructor training, which tells you a lot about their setup – serious about diving, but in a relaxed, island way. We’d suggest it for divers looking to deepen their skills, or those who appreciate having a well-run operation as a base for wreck exploration. With 74 dive sites nearby, you won't be bored, and Papatura makes a solid launchpad for hitting those deeper historical spots.
- Location
- Iron Bottom Sound, Solomon Islands, Central & South Pacific
- Coordinates
- -7.582234, 158.768800
- Phone
- +677+610408 758 484
- [email protected]
- Website
- https://www.papatura.com
- Courses
- Instructor_training
- Equipment Rental
- Hours: Mo 09:00-17:00, Tu 09:00-17:00, We 09:00-17:00, Th 09:00-17:00, Fr 09:00-17:00
- Address
- 2/33 Dominions Rd, Ashmore, 4214, SLB
- Price Range
- premium
Dive Sites Near Papatura Island Retreat
Papatura Island Retreat provides access to 15 dive sites in Iron Bottom Sound.
- Abyss’ Triggerfish (wall)
- Abyss’ Triggerfish
- Aichi D3A ’Val’ (Wreck) (wreck)
- Aichi D3A ’Val’ (Wreck) (wreck)
- Aussie Point (reef)
- Aussie Point (reef)
- Azumasan Maru (wreck)
- Azumasan Maru (drift)
- Baby Cakes Reef (pinnacle)
- Baby Cakes Reef (reef)
- Balydon Shoals (reef)
- Balydon Shoals (reef)
- Base 1 Muck Site (muck)
- Base 1 Muck Site (muck)
- Bell P39 Airacobra (Wreck) (reef)
Other Dive Centres in Iron Bottom Sound
Best Time to Dive in Iron Bottom Sound
The warmest water temperatures in Iron Bottom Sound occur in January, averaging 30.5°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 30.5°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 30.5°C (air: 26.9°C)
- February: 30.5°C (air: 26.7°C)
- March: 30.5°C (air: 26.7°C)
- April: 30.5°C (air: 26.8°C)
- May: 30.5°C (air: 26.9°C)
- June: 30.5°C (air: 26.5°C)
- July: 30.5°C (air: 26.5°C)
- August: 30.5°C (air: 26.3°C)
- September: 30.5°C (air: 26.5°C)
- October: 30.5°C (air: 26.7°C)
- November: 30.5°C (air: 26.7°C)
- December: 30.5°C (air: 26.9°C)
Marine Life in Iron Bottom Sound
Home to 415 recorded species including 320 reef fish, 29 hard corals, 18 sea snails & nudibranchs, 16 sea cucumbers, 7 seagrass & algae, 5 clams & mussels.
Notable Marine Life
- Blue-lined Surgeonfish (Acanthurus lineatus) - Reef Fish
- Bristle-toothed Surgeonfish (Ctenochaetus striatus) - Reef Fish
- Blue and Gold Fusilier (Caesio caerulaurea) - Reef Fish
- Boring Clam (Tridacna crocea) - Clams & Mussels
- Orange-lined Triggerfish (Balistapus undulatus) - Reef Fish
- Dusky Parrotfish (Scarus niger) - Reef Fish
- beautiful fusilier (Caesio teres) - Reef Fish
- Blue-lined Tang (Zebrasoma scopas) - Reef Fish
- Rainbowfish (Halichoeres hortulanus) - Reef Fish
- Redfin Butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunulatus) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Iron Bottom Sound
Based on average water temperature of 30.5°C.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 30°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories