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Solomon Islands

© Shutterstock/Maria Skaldina

Explore the Solomon Islands

The Solomon Islands are a group of 922 volcanic islands and coral islets spread across the tropical Pacific, northeast from Australia. There are six major islands; Guadalcanal, Malita, New Georgia, Santa Isabel, Makira and Choiseul. Mostly undiscovered by the masses, the shallow reefs are abundant with marine life that find shelter in caves, wrecks, steep walls, and mucky seabeds. Whether a fan of pelagic action or macro creatures, the Solomon Islands diving has it all, from ghost pipefish to squadrons of manta rays.

If you intend to experience the ‘best of’ while scuba diving in the Solomon Island, choose to dive from a combination of dive resorts and liveaboards. As liveaboards tend not to spend much time diving the WWII wrecks of Guadalcanal, divers can explore the wrecks via daily trips from dive centres or by staying in one of the outstanding dive resorts.

Power Plug Type
I, G
Payment Method
VISA, MC, AMEX
Tipping
No tipping / Service Staff / Tipping is not customary; small gestures may be appreciated.
Currency
SBD
Dial Code
+677
Electricity
220V / 50Hz
Time
UTC+11

Dive Centers

Dive Sites

Top Wildlife Sightings in the Solomon Islands

While scuba diving in the Solomon Islands, it is possible to encounter up to 1019 species of reef fish, 17 species of marine mammals, 5 species of turtle and one species of the saltwater crocodile. Plenty of pelagic species are commonly seen such as schools of jacks, barracuda and tuna. The reefs are covered in vibrant fish and the macro subjects are plentiful, with the chance to see pygmy seahorse, ghost pipefish, nudibranchs, xenon crabs, mantis shrimp, ribbon eels, and the hairy squat lobster. Anemonefish, spiny lobster and the fiery dartfish often make an appearance. In Munda, grey, black-tip, and white-tip reef sharks routinely patrol while lucky divers may even have the opportunity to swim alongside a hammerhead shark! Clusters of manta ray are sometimes seen, dancing gracefully in the blue.

Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 200

Moray Eel

Moray Eel

99 Sightings
J
8
F
3
M
7
A
15
M
6
J
13
J
8
A
10
S
12
O
7
N
1
D
9
Green Turtle

Green Turtle

87 Sightings
J
7
F
3
M
6
A
8
M
4
J
14
J
10
A
9
S
14
O
6
N
2
D
4

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 600

Wrasse

Wrasse

75 Sightings
J
6
F
12
M
6
A
6
M
2
J
2
J
9
A
6
S
15
O
8
N
0
D
3

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 27

Barracuda

Barracuda

74 Sightings
J
6
F
2
M
2
A
11
M
1
J
15
J
3
A
4
S
16
O
10
N
2
D
2

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 25

Eagle Ray

Eagle Ray

61 Sightings
J
7
F
1
M
2
A
12
M
2
J
8
J
8
A
4
S
7
O
4
N
0
D
6
Hawksbill Turtle

Hawksbill Turtle

32 Sightings
J
0
F
6
M
3
A
3
M
4
J
4
J
1
A
3
S
5
O
1
N
0
D
2

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 300

Octopus

Octopus

28 Sightings
J
2
F
0
M
5
A
2
M
3
J
5
J
3
A
3
S
0
O
2
N
1
D
2
Reef Manta Ray

Reef Manta Ray

17 Sightings
J
3
F
2
M
3
A
2
M
0
J
1
J
1
A
1
S
1
O
1
N
0
D
2

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 28

Clownfish

Clownfish

195 Sightings
J
15
F
15
M
16
A
19
M
7
J
16
J
22
A
16
S
31
O
23
N
2
D
13

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 100

Parrotfish

Parrotfish

169 Sightings
J
17
F
14
M
11
A
21
M
8
J
10
J
15
A
14
S
28
O
15
N
2
D
14

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 90

Angelfish

Angelfish

166 Sightings
J
15
F
14
M
11
A
17
M
8
J
15
J
17
A
14
S
24
O
19
N
1
D
11

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 130

Butterfly Fish

Butterfly Fish

142 Sightings
J
12
F
12
M
10
A
12
M
5
J
8
J
16
A
16
S
24
O
18
N
0
D
9
Whitetip Reef Shark

Whitetip Reef Shark

123 Sightings
J
10
F
2
M
5
A
15
M
5
J
19
J
18
A
10
S
20
O
9
N
2
D
8

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 40

Triggerfish

Triggerfish

120 Sightings
J
14
F
9
M
10
A
12
M
6
J
7
J
9
A
12
S
21
O
9
N
1
D
10

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 150

Sweetlips and Grunts

Sweetlips and Grunts

105 Sightings
J
8
F
10
M
5
A
8
M
7
J
7
J
6
A
11
S
19
O
14
N
2
D
8

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 3000

Nudibranch

Nudibranch

98 Sightings
J
7
F
5
M
10
A
12
M
6
J
7
J
11
A
13
S
11
O
9
N
2
D
5
Blacktip Reef Shark

Blacktip Reef Shark

96 Sightings
J
7
F
2
M
4
A
17
M
5
J
20
J
8
A
9
S
10
O
3
N
3
D
8

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 12

Lionfish

Lionfish

96 Sightings
J
4
F
8
M
12
A
14
M
5
J
8
J
10
A
2
S
14
O
9
N
1
D
9
Grey Reef Shark

Grey Reef Shark

89 Sightings
J
9
F
2
M
4
A
7
M
7
J
14
J
12
A
5
S
13
O
8
N
3
D
5

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 85

Surgeonfish

Surgeonfish

86 Sightings
J
8
F
11
M
8
A
5
M
6
J
4
J
4
A
9
S
11
O
14
N
0
D
6

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 130

Pufferfish

Pufferfish

76 Sightings
J
8
F
7
M
7
A
2
M
6
J
6
J
9
A
6
S
11
O
9
N
1
D
4

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 8

Bannerfish

Bannerfish

70 Sightings
J
4
F
3
M
9
A
12
M
2
J
4
J
4
A
7
S
13
O
10
N
0
D
2

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 350

Damselfish

Damselfish

61 Sightings
J
4
F
2
M
7
A
6
M
3
J
3
J
7
A
3
S
13
O
9
N
1
D
3

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 80

Stingrays

Stingrays

53 Sightings
J
3
F
7
M
1
A
4
M
3
J
9
J
4
A
5
S
9
O
4
N
1
D
3

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 60

Soldierfish

Soldierfish

50 Sightings
J
2
F
2
M
4
A
12
M
3
J
1
J
1
A
5
S
12
O
6
N
0
D
2

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 250

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 110

Snapper

Snapper

33 Sightings
J
1
F
4
M
5
A
2
M
2
J
2
J
2
A
2
S
6
O
6
N
0
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 90

Goatfish

Goatfish

31 Sightings
J
3
F
2
M
1
A
4
M
3
J
2
J
1
A
1
S
7
O
6
N
1
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 40

Jackfish

Jackfish

29 Sightings
J
0
F
2
M
2
A
3
M
3
J
2
J
2
A
1
S
8
O
6
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 25

Boxfish

Boxfish

26 Sightings
J
3
F
4
M
5
A
1
M
1
J
2
J
3
A
0
S
2
O
2
N
2
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 60

Squirrelfish

Squirrelfish

25 Sightings
J
0
F
3
M
2
A
4
M
3
J
0
J
2
A
2
S
7
O
2
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 3

Trumpetfish

Trumpetfish

25 Sightings
J
2
F
0
M
3
A
1
M
1
J
1
J
2
A
5
S
6
O
4
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 80

Emperor

Emperor

25 Sightings
J
1
F
5
M
1
A
0
M
1
J
1
J
0
A
2
S
6
O
7
N
0
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 60

Spiny Lobster

Spiny Lobster

24 Sightings
J
1
F
0
M
0
A
5
M
2
J
5
J
4
A
2
S
1
O
1
N
1
D
2

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 2

Nurse Shark

Nurse Shark

23 Sightings
J
3
F
2
M
0
A
1
M
1
J
2
J
3
A
6
S
4
O
0
N
1
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 3400

Shrimp

Shrimp

22 Sightings
J
1
F
2
M
4
A
2
M
0
J
3
J
2
A
3
S
2
O
2
N
1
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 7000

Crab

Crab

19 Sightings
J
0
F
2
M
1
A
3
M
1
J
4
J
0
A
1
S
3
O
2
N
1
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 55

Lobster

Lobster

19 Sightings
J
2
F
1
M
0
A
1
M
0
J
1
J
2
A
3
S
8
O
1
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 120

Cuttlefish

Cuttlefish

16 Sightings
J
1
F
0
M
1
A
4
M
1
J
2
J
0
A
0
S
3
O
2
N
1
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 250

Scorpionfish

Scorpionfish

16 Sightings
J
0
F
2
M
1
A
2
M
2
J
3
J
2
A
1
S
0
O
2
N
0
D
1
Garibaldi Damselfish

Garibaldi Damselfish

15 Sightings
J
0
F
1
M
1
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
2
S
4
O
7
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 15

Garfish

Garfish

14 Sightings
J
3
F
0
M
4
A
3
M
0
J
0
J
2
A
1
S
0
O
1
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 15

Tuna

Tuna

13 Sightings
J
0
F
1
M
2
A
5
M
0
J
1
J
1
A
1
S
0
O
1
N
1
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 130

Pipefish

Pipefish

12 Sightings
J
2
F
0
M
1
A
1
M
0
J
1
J
1
A
2
S
1
O
1
N
1
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 250

Skate Fish

Skate Fish

10 Sightings
J
6
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
1
J
0
A
0
S
2
O
1
N
0
D
0