Located on a secluded island, this inimate eco-friendly resort offers modern amenities and plenty of activities for those wanting to explore the tropical jungle.
Sanbis Resort features just six exclusive Beach Bungalows, set amidst coastal trees and coconut palms, with a verandah overlooking the tranquil lagoon and your own sandy beach. Each Beach Bungalow is carefully crafted with an open plan design, using local materials, and cooled using the ocean breeze and ceiling fan. The queen-sized bed has pure cotton sheets and mosquito net, although few and far between, there are also insect screens on the windows as well. Fresh drinking water is provided daily, hot water for tea and coffee is available in thermos bottles, which are replaced twice a day. To minimise energy uses, there are no mini fridges in the rooms, but the resort is happy to keep items cool in the restaurant kitchen. The Lodge is an additional complex, perch on a peninsular, that can supplement two of the Beach Bungalows. Housing a mini-kitchen, lounge and dining area split over three levels plus private plunge pool and jetty with 300° ocean views. The Lodge is an exceptional addition for travelling groups.
The on-site restaurant serves a lavish breakfast with a variety of fresh, tropical, fruit, juices and bread baked in the in-house wood fire oven. Lunch and evening meals are a mix of locally sourced and caught seafood, spicy island barbecue, and western cuisine. Snacks and pub-style meals are available from the SB Bar, here guests can watch the sunset over Simbo Island. Facilities also include WiFi internet access for those who want to keep in touch with the outside world during their stay in paradise.
Supplementary to scuba diving the warm, crystal clear waters of Gizo, guests have the opportunity to visit Skull Island. A sacred island where a number of warrior skulls are places with shell money in a stone tomb. The tour also includes a leisurely boat trip through Vona Vona Lagoon and a stop at Lola Island. There's also Simbo Volcano tour with a jungle hike passing headhunting shrines and boiling lakes to the top of the young volcanic cones. Nearby is the World Fish Centre, access by short kayak paddle, where guests can learn about calm cultivation and coral growth. Snorkelling on the house reef is also available, with shallow fringing reefs teeming with marine life.
Minimal environmental impact is key to Sanbis Resort. Solar panels power lighting and sewage is treated to water the tropical gardens. The latest technology is applied to recycle all waste, and five trees were planted for every one that was removed during the resort's construction.
Sanbis Island is suited for adults looking to get away from the world, as no children under 12 years old can stay here. Visitors arrive at the resort by boat after landing into Gizo Airport. The diving is currently facilitated by Fatboys Resort, who provide daily boat transfers for divers.
Solomon Watersports is a PADI affiliated dive centre who operate daily boat dives to over 20 magnificent dive sites. The house reef is a macro photographers dream and host to two plane wrecks, mainly inhabited by frogfish. Most of the islands in this province are ringed by coral and offer a wide variety of dive sites, from shallow water atolls to plunging walls and sensational WW ll wrecks.
The marine life is spectacular, resulting in some of the most photogenic seascapes in the world. ‘Grand Central Station’ is one of the best fish dives in the Solomons. Drift along with schools of Spanish mackerel, barracuda, sharks and rays. ‘Hot Spot’ is an undersea atoll rising from the deep, and playing host to large pelagics, colourful coral and seven types of anemone fish, a diver’s dream dive.
Gizo is a 90 minute flight from Honiara and is the capital of the Western Province. The marine life here is astounding, with some of the most photogenic seascapes in the world and a vast array of fish and fauna, plus some sensational World War II wrecks. Find Out More about {acc:title}
