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 - 20-40m (wall)
- Abyss’ Triggerfish - 25-40m (pinnacle)
- Aichi D3A ’Val’ (Wreck) - 10-25m (wreck)
- Aichi D3A ’Val’ (Wreck) (wreck)
- Aussie Point (reef)
- Aussie Point (reef)
- Azumasan Maru (drift)
- Azumasan Maru (wreck)
- Baby Cakes Reef (reef)
- Baby Cakes Reef (pinnacle)
- Balydon Shoals - 15-20m (reef)
- Balydon Shoals - 5-18m (reef)
- Base 1 Muck Site (muck)
- Base 1 Muck Site (muck)
- Bell P39 Airacobra (Wreck) - 15-30m (wreck)
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