Oravae Cottage

Beautiful location, stunning water! Great if you want to snorkel straight from the deck! Fall asleep to lapping waves below. Lovely hospitable family. Recommend! Read Less...

We (parents with 2 ‘kids' 14/19) arrived at Oravae after a stay in Honiara and immediately fell in love with the place. It is exactly as it looks on the photos. A cottage right on the water, where you can just dive/jump right off the deck into simply amazing water teeming with fish, corals and giant clams. There’s actually a second (and even third) cottage, and we were allowed to use multiple, so our 19 y.o. immediately claimed one. The meals were amazing (both kids commented these were the best meals they had in the Solomons, which included a 3 night stay at Fatboys after Oravae), and you never know what you are getting in advance, which we thought was wonderful. A lot of super fresh fish, including sashimi from some tuna we caught on a fishing trip they organized. The kids tried their hand at scurfing, we went on a day trip snorkelling, Gizo town, and all around just had an amazing time relaxing and really enjoying peaceful island life. Would love to return some day!! Read Less...

Words fail to summarize the vibrant slice of life Nagarita and her family have stewarded on her family's islands for decades. It is clear this space has been tended with much care, from the beautiful plantings around the cottage to the giant clams and massive coral heads larger than what we saw on scuba dives right off the cottage porch. Daily meals cooked by the Aunties were heavenly and the best we had in the Solomon Islands, and we skipped going anywhere else because we couldn't imagine missing the latest fresh and local creation. Since Oravae only books one group at a time, you'll feel like you're friends of the family, not at a resort. Nagarita and family are also involved in many local initiatives to increase opportunities for young people, like surf camp for girls, so this is a great spot to build connections beyond dropping in for travel. As with all island environments with quickly changing weather conditions, arrive ready to slow down and be flexible, particularly if you're planning to scuba dive (Dive Gizo highly recommended!). If you're looking for a quiet space for reading in a hammock, snorkeling steps from your hammock, and telling time by sunrise and sunset over a beautiful view, then this is your spot for a once-in-a-lifetime island immersion experience. Read Less...