Diving in Solomon Islands

Central & South Pacific

5 regions

114 dive sites

The Solomon Islands, for us, feel like stepping back in time, both underwater and on land. It’s less about manicured resorts and more about raw, untouched diving, often with a profound sense of history bubbling just beneath the surface. We always point divers towards Iron Bottom Sound for the sheer density of World War II wrecks - it’s a sombre, incredible experience to glide past these war relics. For vibrant reef diving, the Marovo Lagoon in the Western Province is exceptional, a place where the coral seems to grow with an almost wild abandon, dotted with the occasional banded maori wrasse. We’ve found the diving consistently good year-round, but avoiding the rainy season from November to April makes for easier travel between islands, especially if you’re planning on hopping around to explore places like the Florida Islands or Gizo.

Solomon Islands Dive Regions

5 diving areas in Solomon Islands

Florida Islands

Near Honiara with accessible reef and wreck diving. Twin Tunnels and Mary Island offer dramatic swim-throughs.

Gizo & Western Province

Gizo, and the wider Western Province, is the Solomon Islands at its most captivating. We love the feeling of truly being off the beaten track here, trading the usual dive boat crowds for genuine village warmth. You’ll find sites that hum with a kind of quiet intensity, often with just your buddy and the occasional local canoe passing by. Our favourite dives often start with a descent onto a WWII wreck, perhaps the iconic Toa Maru, a massive Japanese transport ship now a sprawling artificial reef, or the smaller, eerier Kennedy Island wreck. Down there, schools of Indian mackerel pulse in unison, and colossal rock cod eye you from beneath overhangs. The reefs themselves are a tapestry of life, not always the most colourful corals, but the sheer density of fish is something else. Look for the electric flash of blue-lined surgeonfish, or the subtle dance of ghost cardinalfish in a cave entrance. We’d suggest keeping an eye on the currents; they can be spirited here, bringing in giant trevally and plenty of hound needlefish on the pinnacles. The visibility can be variable, particularly after heavy rain, but when it’s good, the clarity through the fluted clam beds is something special. Dive here for the real Solomons, for history, and for a slower pace of discovery.

44 dive sites

Iron Bottom Sound

There’s an eerie quiet when you descend into Iron Bottom Sound. It's a vast underwater graveyard, littered with the ghosts of WWII. We're talking dozens of ships and planes, some practically intact, others just scattered debris. Our favourite wrecks are the shallower ones, often bathed in a ghostly blue light, where schools of fusiliers are so thick they practically block out the sun, swarming around gun turrets and cargo holds. The sheer volume of history down here is immense. You might be exploring a landing craft, then drift past a coral-encrusted fighter plane just a few fin kicks away. We’ve spotted Leopard Hind tucked into anti-aircraft guns, and occasionally, a curious Slender Snake Eel poking its head from some forgotten bulkhead. Current can be a factor, especially on some of the deeper sites, but it often just adds to the atmosphere, carrying you slowly past giant anchors and propellers. It's a profoundly humbling experience, a unique blend of history and thriving marine life that you won’t find anywhere else. Go when the dry season brings calmer seas; it makes getting to some of the outer sites much easier.

70 dive sites

Marovo Lagoon

The world's largest saltwater lagoon with pristine reef diving and community-managed marine protected areas.

Russell Islands

Remote islands between Guadalcanal and New Georgia with pristine reefs, dramatic walls, and WWII wreck diving.