Imagination Island Resort is an eco resort on a privately owned coral-fringed island in Gizo Lagoon, Western Province, Solomon Islands. The island sits approximately ten minutes by motor canoe from Gizo town and five minutes from Nusatupe Airport, making it convenient to reach while remaining genuinely off-grid. Surrounding waters form part of the Coral Triangle, supporting healthy reef systems, abundant marine life, and a concentration of World War II wrecks that draw divers from across the region.
The resort limits guest numbers to maintain a quiet, low-impact atmosphere. Accommodation is basic by design — there is no air conditioning, electricity runs on a combination of solar, battery, and generator power for limited periods each day, and bathrooms use composting toilets. Guests looking for that kind of unplugged island experience tend to find it well suited to the purpose.
Facilities & Meals
Facilities include an overwater restaurant and bar, a private beach area, paddleboards, dugout canoes, and boat access to nearby dive sites and islands. Meals focus on fresh local seafood and tropical produce. The bar stocks beer, spirits, and cold drinks.
Activities
Beyond diving and snorkelling, guests can go game fishing, stand-up paddleboarding, surfing, village touring, and island hopping. Guided hikes on Kolombangara — the large extinct volcano visible across the water — can also be arranged.
Staying Connected
The resort has limited Wi-Fi, generally accessible in the restaurant and bar area. Mobile coverage around Gizo is variable. The remote location means connectivity should not be relied upon.
We Think . . .
Imagination Island suits travellers who are comfortable with rustic eco-lodge conditions and are primarily there for the water. The house reef, nearby wrecks, and access to Gizo’s dive sites are the main draw. Well suited to guests looking for that kind of unplugged island experience.
Imagination Island is located in Gizo Lagoon, Western Province, approximately ten minutes by motor canoe from Gizo town and five minutes from Nusatupe Airport. The Solomon Islands archipelago lies around 2,000 kilometres northeast of Australia, with the Western Province recognised for high marine biodiversity, healthy coral systems, and a significant concentration of World War II wrecks from the Pacific campaign.
How to Get There
International travellers fly into Honiara International Airport (HIR) before connecting to Nusatupe Airport (GZO) near Gizo on a domestic Solomon Airlines service. From Nusatupe Airport, guests are transferred by motor canoe to the resort in approximately five minutes. Guests arriving from Gizo town reach the island in around ten minutes by boat.
Imagination Island Resort offers a selection of waterfront and garden accommodation designed for couples, families and small groups. All room types include a private bathroom with shower, tea and coffee making facilities, ceiling fan, dining area, wardrobe, and complimentary linen and towels. Most accommodation enjoys sea views, while selected room types also feature private balconies overlooking the surrounding lagoon.
Two-Bedroom Bungalow
The Two-Bedroom Bungalow is suitable for families or small groups, accommodating up to four guests with two twin beds and one double bed. Located on the ground floor, the bungalow features a private entrance, separate bedroom, private bathroom, seating area, dining space, and a balcony overlooking the lagoon. Additional amenities include a desk, electric kettle, wardrobe, clothes rack and drying rack, with all accommodation designated as non-smoking.
One-Bedroom Bungalow
Designed for couples, the One-Bedroom Bungalow offers a comfortable ground-floor retreat with sea views and a private balcony. Each bungalow includes a double bed, private bathroom, seating area, dining area, and private entrance. Tea and coffee making facilities, an electric kettle, desk, wardrobe and ceiling fan are provided, while some rooms offer interconnecting options for guests travelling together.
Standard Double Room
The Standard Double Room provides comfortable accommodation for two guests with views across the sea and surrounding gardens. Located on the upper floor, each room includes a double bed, private bathroom, private entrance, dining area, tea and coffee making facilities, electric kettle, wardrobe and ceiling fan. Access is via stairs, and all rooms are non-smoking.
Double Room with Balcony and Sea View
The Double Room with Balcony and Sea View offers elevated views across the lagoon from a private furnished balcony. Suitable for couples, the room features a double bed, ensuite bathroom, seating area, dining space, tea and coffee making facilities, electric kettle, wardrobe and ceiling fan. These rooms are located on the upper floor and are designated non-smoking.
Family Suite with Balcony
The Family Suite with Balcony is designed for families or small groups, accommodating up to five guests with two twin beds, one double bed and a sofa bed. Located on the upper floor, the suite includes a private balcony with sea views, generous seating area, dining space and ensuite bathroom. Additional amenities include tea and coffee making facilities, an electric kettle, wardrobe, ceiling fan and sofa, providing a practical option for longer stays.
Dive Services
Guided scuba diving is provided by Dive Gizo, with sites selected according to conditions and guest experience level. Boat dives depart directly from the island. Snorkelling excursions are also available.
Diving Location Features
The waters around Imagination Island support a diverse range of dive environments: coral gardens, reef walls, lagoon reefs, WWII wrecks, artificial reefs, and offshore drop-offs. Record fish counts of over 270 species have been recorded in a single dive, and visibility can reach up to 70 metres in favourable conditions. Marine life regularly includes reef sharks, eagle rays, turtles, and schools of pelagic fish.
Best Time to Dive
Diving is possible year-round. The drier months between April and November generally bring calmer seas and the best visibility. Water temperatures remain between 27°C and 30°C throughout the year, making a 3mm wetsuit sufficient for most divers. The wetter season from December to March can reduce visibility at some inshore sites but diving remains productive.
Imagination Island House Reef
The house reef begins directly beneath the overwater bungalows and extends across shallow coral gardens. Suitable for snorkelling and diving at all levels, the reef supports hard and soft corals with clownfish, parrotfish, butterflyfish, wrasse, giant clams, and reef sharks. Dugongs and dolphins are occasionally sighted along the reef edge. The calm, sheltered conditions also make it a practical night dive.
Imagination’s House Wrecks
Two former tuna fishing vessels were intentionally sunk near the resort in 2011 to create artificial reefs. The shallower wreck sits between 6 and 18 metres, accessible to newly certified divers and snorkellers. The deeper wreck lies between 27 and 45 metres and is better suited to advanced divers. Both are now colonised by hard and soft corals and host schools of glassfish, batfish, snappers, groupers, lionfish, and moray eels.
Toa Maru
The Toa Maru is an enormous Japanese transport ship resting upright on the seabed near Gizo, now heavily covered in coral growth. Over 100m long, it shelters soldierfish, sweetlips, glassfish, groupers, snappers, batfish, moray eels, and various macro species among the structure.
WWII Aircraft Wrecks
Several historic aircraft wrecks lie in the waters around Gizo, including an American Hellcat fighter, an American Corsair fighter, and a Japanese Zero. The coral-encrusted fuselages now shelter lionfish, juvenile reef fish, nudibranchs, shrimps, crabs, and schooling baitfish.
Offshore Reefs
The offshore reefs around Gizo feature coral walls, reef slopes, and current-swept drop-offs. Schools of barracuda, trevallies, tuna, and fusiliers are common, and reef sharks, eagle rays, turtles, and dolphins are regularly encountered depending on season and conditions.
Pricing for Imagination Island Resort
| Valid thru 2026 | AUD | ||
| 7 Nights Double Room with Balcony and Sea View Double w/ 12 Dives | 1950 | ||
| 7 Nights Double Room with Balcony and Sea View Single w/ 12 Dives | 2470 | ||
| 7 Nights One-Bedroom Bungalow Trio w/ 12 Dives | 1958 | ||
| 7 Nights One-Bedroom Bungalow Double w/ 12 Dives | 2197 | ||
| 7 Nights Standard Double Room Double w/ 12 Dives | 1864 | ||
| 7 Nights Standard Double Room Single w/ 12 Dives | 2314 | ||
| 7 Nights Family Suite with Balcony Quad w/ 12 Dives | 1846 | ||
| 7 Nights Family Suite with Balcony Double w/ 12 Dives | 2270 | ||
| Inclusions: Include breakfast per day Return transfers | |||
| The per person pricing above is indicative only: we show 7 night with 12 dive packages at high-end and lower-end rooms for the purposes of comparison. We can give you a price (and availability) for any combination of nights/dives you wish to undertake, which will include any discounts due to you as part of that package, and any exclusions, or items payable at the resort. Please use the [Enquire Now] tab to give us your exact requirements and we'll give you the best deal we can. | |||
NB: Imagination Island Resort pricing is dynamic. Please email us for an accurate quote for your required travel dates.
