Cave of the Kastom Shark - Gizo & Western Province
The Cave of the Kastom Shark, just a short boat ride from Gizo, offers a gentle introduction to cave diving. You’ll drop down to about 15 metres, often with decent visibility, before finding the main entrance. Inside, the darkness is broken by your torch beam, revealing stalactites and the occasional reef shark resting on the sandy bottom, earning the cave its name. We found it a calm dive, without strong currents, making it a good choice for newer divers looking to try overhead environments without too much drama. It's a quick dip, but a memorable one if you’re into geological features and the chance of a sleeping shark.
- Location
- Gizo & Western Province, Solomon Islands, Central & South Pacific
- Coordinates
- -8.341400, 157.501200
- Type
- cave
- Maximum Depth
- 32m
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Marine Protected Area: Ha'apai
Nearby Dive Sites in Gizo & Western Province
- Abyss’ Triggerfish - 20m (wall)
- Aichi D3A ’Val’ (Wreck) - 26m (wreck)
- Aussie Point - 21m (reef)
- Bell P39 Airacobra (Wreck) - 26m (wreck)
- Bilikiki - 20m
- Castaway Island - 16m (reef)
- CATHAY - 0m (wreck)
- Coral Corner - 21m (reef)
- Douglas SBD Dauntless (Wreck) - 16m (wreck)
- Grand Central Station
- Haipe Reef - 27m (reef)
- Heron’s Wall - 18m (wall)
- Lumbaria Island - 9m (reef)
- Marovo Lagoon (reef)
- Mbelo Mbelo - 25m
Nearest Dive Centres to Cave of the Kastom Shark
Marine Life in Gizo & Western Province
Home to 304 recorded species including 261 reef fish, 13 hard corals, 11 sea cucumbers, 6 sea snails & nudibranchs, 4 clams & mussels, 3 sharks & rays.
Notable Species
- Bristle-toothed Surgeonfish (Ctenochaetus striatus) - Reef Fish
- Dusky Parrotfish (Scarus niger) - Reef Fish
- Mimic Surgeonfish (Acanthurus pyroferus) - Reef Fish
- Blue-lined Tang (Zebrasoma scopas) - Reef Fish
- Bullethead Parrotfish (Chlorurus sordidus) - Reef Fish
- Bleeker's Parrotfish (Chlorurus bleekeri) - Reef Fish
- Indo-Pacific sergeant (Abudefduf vaigiensis) - Reef Fish
- Kihikihi (Zanclus cornutus) - Reef Fish
- Orange-lined Triggerfish (Balistapus undulatus) - Reef Fish
- Blue-lined Surgeonfish (Acanthurus lineatus) - Reef Fish
- Redfin Butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunulatus) - Reef Fish
- Indian mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta) - Reef Fish
- Banded maori wrasse (Cheilinus fasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Blue Parrotfish (Scarus oviceps) - Reef Fish
- Saddled Parrotfish (Scarus dimidiatus) - Reef Fish
- Butterfly fish (Chaetodon vagabundus) - Reef Fish
- Double-bar Goatfish (Parupeneus crassilabris) - Reef Fish
- Horned Bannerfish (Heniochus varius) - Reef Fish
- Angelfish (Pygoplites diacanthus) - Reef Fish
- Small giant clam (Tridacna maxima) - Clams & Mussels