Uepi & Marovo Lagoon Diving

Type

Wall · Drift · Pelagic

Depth

5–30+ m

Experience

Advanced

Current

Mild–Strong

Uepi Point is the signature dive of Marovo Lagoon. It sits where Charapoana Passage meets New Georgia Sound, allowing nutrient-rich ocean water to sweep across a wall covered in soft coral and large sea fans.

Grey reef sharks, barracuda, trevally and rays can patrol the blue, while the reef itself supports enough smaller life to keep macro divers busy. The site is strongest on an incoming tide, when clearer ocean water enters the channel. Current varies from mild to strong, so the route may be a wall dive, a drift into the passage or a combination of both.

Look for: Signature Uepi dive · Grey reef sharks · Sea fans · Incoming-tide favorite

Type

Wall · Pelagic

Depth

5–35 m

Experience

Advanced

Current

Moderate–Strong

Uepi Elbow marks the island’s northernmost reach into New Georgia Sound and is one of the best places around Uepi to keep one eye on the wall and one in the blue. The sloping wall carries sea fans, sea whips and soft coral, while pelagics may pass along the deeper edge with the ocean current.

The dive is particularly strong for wide-angle photography because the wall and open water share the frame. Public exact mooring coordinates are not consistently published, so the map uses an operator-area anchor near the northern tip; the dive team selects the actual drop according to tide and current.

Look for: Northern outer wall · Pelagic potential · Sea whips · Wide angle

Type

Wall · Channel · Macro + pelagic

Depth

5–30 m

Experience

Intermediate–Advanced

Current

Mild–Moderate

Charapoana Point lies across the passage from Uepi Point and offers a slightly calmer version of the same ocean-to-lagoon transition. The outer wall carries coral and reef fish, while the channel side becomes more sheltered and rewards slower searching for smaller subjects.

That makes the site unusually versatile: a wide-angle diver can work the point and blue water while a macro-focused diver finds plenty in the calmer channel. The exact public GPS is not published consistently, so the map uses an approximate point on Charapoana Island opposite Uepi Point.

Look for: Outer wall + channel · Macro + wide angle · Milder than Uepi Point · Flexible profile

Type

Coral garden · Bommies

Depth

5–25 m

Experience

Beginner–Intermediate

Current

Mild

Landoro Gardens is Uepi’s relaxed coral-garden dive. Large coral bommies sit over sand with areas of staghorn coral between them, creating a site that can be enjoyed almost entirely above 15 metres.

The shallow depth gives long bottom time and makes the site especially useful as a second dive after a deeper outer-wall profile. Current is usually mild and the bottom remains visible, so the dive is easy to read for less-experienced guests. The exact mooring is operator-managed; the map marks the Landoro Passage end of Uepi rather than a surveyed descent line.

Look for: Shallow coral garden · Bommies · Beginner friendly · Long bottom time

Type

Jetty · Shark observation

Depth

3–10 m

Experience

Intermediate

Current

Mild–Moderate

The Welcome Jetty is one of Uepi’s most distinctive shallow dives because resident grey reef sharks regularly patrol the channel edge in front of the resort. The strongest encounters occur when divers settle around five metres on an incoming tide and wait rather than swim after the animals.

The site is shallow, but confident buoyancy and calm behavior matter because the goal is to observe sharks without blocking their route. The jetty also supports reef fish and smaller subjects, making the dive worthwhile even when sharks remain farther away. Its proximity to the resort makes it ideal for photography and repeat visits.

Look for: Resident grey reef sharks · Very shallow · Jetty dive · Wildlife etiquette

Type

Caves · Swim-throughs · Light shafts

Depth

5–25 m

Experience

Advanced

Current

Usually mild

Deku Dekuru is a series of caves and swim-throughs where sunlight enters from openings above and creates some of Uepi’s most dramatic wide-angle scenes. The site is best when the sun is high enough to send visible shafts through the rock.

Although the passages are regarded locally as accessible with a knowledgeable guide, divers still need precise buoyancy and should remain within their comfort and training around overhead areas. The map pin is a general operator-area marker because the exact cave entry is not published as a public navigation coordinate.

Look for: Caves & swim-throughs · Light shafts · Wide angle · Guide-dependent route

Type

House reef · Coral · Macro

Depth

3–25 m

Experience

Beginner

Current

Usually mild

Uepi’s house reef gives guests a low-logistics dive without giving up the coral quality that defines Marovo Lagoon. Shallow coral and reef fish support long, relaxed profiles, while smaller subjects in the reef reward repeat dives and night exploration.

It is useful for check dives, photographers and guests who want to add a dive without committing to a boat schedule. The shallow depth keeps natural light strong and reduces decompression stress after deeper outer-wall dives. The map marker is centered on the resort reef rather than a single permanent entry point.

Look for: House reef · Beginner friendly · Macro · Repeatable site

Type

Channel · Drift · Coral

Depth

5–20 m

Experience

Intermediate

Current

Mild–Moderate

Inside Charapoana Passage is the calmer side of the Uepi current system, where divers can use the incoming or outgoing flow for a controlled drift through reef and channel habitat. Fish density remains high because the passage constantly exchanges lagoon and ocean water, but the environment feels more protected than the outer walls.

It is a useful site for divers who want to experience Uepi’s tidal dynamics without the full exposure of the Point or Elbow. Exact drop points change with tide, so the map is intentionally an operator-area reference rather than a fixed mooring.

Look for: Channel drift · Milder exposure · Fish density · Tide-dependent