Dive Gizo

Located in the heart of the Western Province, Dive Gizo is one of the Solomon Islands’ longest-established dive operators, providing access to some of the country’s most celebrated underwater environments. Based in the vibrant waterfront town of Gizo, the dive centre introduces visitors to an exceptional combination of colourful coral reefs, dramatic walls, historic World War II wrecks, and thriving marine ecosystems. Most dive sites are reached within 10 to 30 minutes by boat, allowing divers to maximize their time in the water while exploring one of the most biologically diverse marine regions in the South Pacific.

The waters surrounding Gizo form part of the Coral Triangle, an area recognized for its extraordinary marine biodiversity. Healthy coral reefs support hundreds of species of reef fish, turtles, rays, reef sharks, and seasonal pelagic visitors, while numerous wartime shipwrecks and aircraft have become artificial reefs covered in hard and soft corals. Whether visiting for a few dives or an extended holiday, divers can experience a remarkable variety of underwater landscapes ranging from shallow lagoons and beginner-friendly reefs to current-swept walls and deep offshore pinnacles.

Dive Gizo welcomes everyone from first-time divers to experienced underwater photographers and technical-minded recreational divers. Daily guided boat dives, snorkelling excursions, introductory experiences, and a complete range of PADI training courses are offered throughout the year. With experienced local guides, small diving groups, and extensive knowledge of local conditions, the operation provides flexible diving suitable for varying levels of experience while showcasing the natural and historical highlights that have made Gizo one of the Solomon Islands’ premier dive destinations.

Activities

While diving is the primary focus, Dive Gizo also offers a variety of experiences above the water. Guided snorkelling excursions visit shallow coral gardens that are easily accessible for non-divers and families, while private boat charters can be tailored to combine diving with remote beach visits or island exploration.

Beyond the reef, visitors can discover the cultural and natural attractions of Western Province through island-hopping excursions, historical tours, fishing trips, surfing adventures, village visits, and birdwatching experiences. Nearby destinations including Kennedy Island, Skull Island, Kolombangara, Simbo Island, and numerous uninhabited islands provide opportunities to experience both the natural beauty and fascinating history of the Solomon Islands.

Staying Connected

As with many destinations throughout the Solomon Islands, internet access is available but may be slower and less reliable than travellers are accustomed to in larger cities. Mobile coverage is generally available around Gizo, although reception becomes limited when travelling to more remote islands or offshore dive locations.

Guests planning to complete PADI eLearning courses are encouraged to finish their online theory before arriving, ensuring they can maximise their time enjoying the water rather than relying on local internet connectivity.

We Think…

Dive Gizo is an excellent choice for divers wanting to experience the Solomon Islands’ renowned combination of colourful coral reefs, abundant marine life, and remarkably well-preserved WWII wrecks. Its convenient location, short boat rides to dive sites, experienced local team, and comprehensive range of diving services make it suitable for everyone from beginners taking their first breaths underwater to experienced divers seeking new underwater adventures in one of the South Pacific’s least crowded dive destinations.

Dive Gizo operates from the town of Gizo, the capital of Western Province and one of the Solomon Islands’ most popular tourism destinations. Built around a protected harbour surrounded by small tropical islands, Gizo provides easy access to an impressive variety of dive sites, many of which lie only a short boat ride from the dive centre.

The surrounding waters feature sheltered lagoons, barrier reefs, dramatic walls, offshore pinnacles, and numerous World War II wrecks, offering exceptional diversity within a relatively compact area. The region is equally attractive above the water, with white-sand beaches, traditional island communities, lush rainforest-covered islands, and volcanic landscapes all accessible by boat.

How to Get There

Most international visitors arrive via Honiara International Airport (HIR) on Guadalcanal, with regular international flights connecting through Australia, Fiji, and several Pacific destinations. Domestic flights then connect Honiara with Nusatupe Airport (GZO), located just outside Gizo.

From Nusatupe Airport, a short boat transfer of only a few minutes brings visitors into Gizo town, where Dive Gizo is based. Most accommodation providers and the dive centre can assist with organising transfers and coordinating arrival times with domestic flight schedules.

Where to Stay

Although Dive Gizo is a dedicated dive centre and does not provide accommodation, it works closely with several nearby properties that provide convenient access to the dive boat and Gizo’s attractions. Each offers a different style of stay, from private island retreats to waterfront resorts and practical town accommodation.

Oravae Cottage

Located around 20 minutes by boat from Gizo, Oravae Cottage is a private island retreat suited to couples, families, and small groups looking for complete seclusion. The property accommodates only one booking at a time, allowing guests exclusive use of the island.

Accommodation includes the original overwater cottage, a separate overwater penthouse, and a treehouse overlooking the lagoon. Guests can spend their days snorkelling directly from the deck, kayaking, fishing, relaxing in hammocks, or exploring nearby islands. Diving is arranged through Dive Gizo, with boat transfers coordinated from the island.

Meals are included during each stay, creating an easy base for travellers who want to combine island relaxation with guided diving around Gizo.

Imagination Island Resort

Just a short boat ride from Gizo, Imagination Island Resort sits on its own small coral island surrounded by shallow reef flats. The resort offers overwater bungalows, family accommodation, and self-contained units overlooking the lagoon.
Its location places guests close to many of Gizo’s famous dive sites while also offering excellent snorkelling directly from the resort. The island is known for calm surroundings, easy access to WWII wrecks, paddleboarding, kayaking, fishing, village visits, and sunset views from the Reef Bar.

Guests staying at Imagination Island can arrange daily boat diving with Dive Gizo, making it an ideal choice for travellers wanting resort comfort alongside easy access to the region’s best underwater attractions.

Rekona Lodge

For travellers wanting to stay close to the centre of Gizo, Rekona Lodge offers comfortable accommodation within walking distance of shops, restaurants, cafés, and the Dive Gizo dive centre.

Its convenient location makes early morning dive departures simple while allowing guests to experience everyday island life after returning from the water. Local markets, waterfront cafés, and transport connections are all nearby, making Rekona Lodge a practical option for divers planning multiple days of diving.

Diving Location Features

Gizo is widely regarded as one of the Solomon Islands’ premier dive destinations, offering an exceptional combination of colourful coral reefs, dramatic walls, sheltered lagoons, historic WWII wrecks, and offshore pinnacles. Located within the Coral Triangle, the surrounding reefs support remarkable marine biodiversity, with healthy hard corals, soft corals, sea fans, and abundant tropical fish found throughout the region.

The area is equally well known for its wartime history. Numerous Japanese and American aircraft, transport ships, patrol boats, and military relics remain preserved underwater, creating one of the Pacific’s richest collections of accessible WWII dive sites. Many wrecks have become thriving artificial reefs covered in coral growth and inhabited by turtles, reef fish, nudibranchs, lionfish, batfish, and schooling trevally.

Beyond the reefs, divers regularly encounter reef sharks, eagle rays, manta rays, barracuda, tuna, giant trevally, turtles, dolphins, and seasonal pelagic visitors. Warm tropical water, generally ranging between 27°C and 30°C, combined with visibility often exceeding 20 metres, provides excellent diving conditions throughout much of the year.

Best Time to Dive

Diving around Gizo is available throughout the year, although seasonal weather patterns create slightly different conditions.
The drier season from May to October generally offers calmer seas, comfortable temperatures, and consistently good visibility, making it popular for recreational diving, underwater photography, and exploring the region’s famous wrecks.

From November to April, warmer water and changing currents often increase pelagic activity. This period is particularly well known for manta ray encounters and productive drift dives, although occasional tropical showers are more common.

Because many dive sites are naturally sheltered by surrounding islands and reefs, diving remains possible during most months, with daily site selection based on prevailing weather and sea conditions.

Dive Services

Dive Gizo operates as a full-service PADI dive centre offering guided diving, training and snorkelling throughout the Western Province. Daily trips depart directly from Gizo, with most dive sites reached within 10 to 30 minutes by boat, allowing guests to spend more time underwater and less time travelling.

Experienced local dive guides select sites according to weather, tides and diver experience, ensuring every trip is suited to the day’s conditions. Small dive groups provide a more personalised experience while allowing guides to assist underwater photographers, wildlife enthusiasts and newly certified divers.

Complete scuba equipment is available for hire, including BCDs, regulators, wetsuits, masks, fins, dive computers and safety equipment. Tanks and weights are supplied for certified divers, while modern compressors and well-maintained rental equipment support daily operations.

Beyond standard guided diving, Dive Gizo also offers snorkelling excursions, introductory experiences for first-time divers, private dive charters, customised itineraries, and a full range of PADI recreational training.

Boat Diving

Daily boat diving forms the core of Dive Gizo’s operation. Guided trips visit two or more dive sites each day, with locations chosen according to sea conditions, visibility and diver certification levels.

Because the majority of dive sites lie only a short distance from town, schedules remain flexible, allowing guides to choose the best available conditions rather than following fixed itineraries.

Trips typically include:

• Professional local dive guide
• Boat transfers
• Tanks and weights
• Beach picnic lunch
• Surface intervals on nearby islands

Private charters can also be arranged for photographers, families or groups wishing to explore specific dive sites.

Discover Scuba Diving 

For travellers without certification, Discover Scuba Diving provides an introduction to scuba in calm, shallow conditions under the direct supervision of a PADI Instructor.

The experience begins with a briefing and confined water practice before progressing to an open-water dive on one of Gizo’s sheltered reefs. Participants learn basic diving skills while experiencing colourful coral gardens and tropical marine life.

Small instructor-to-student ratios allow beginners to gain confidence at their own pace.

Snorkelling 

Daily snorkelling excursions visit shallow coral gardens, protected lagoons and small islands where participants can swim directly from the beach or from the boat. The clear water provides excellent visibility for observing reef fish, giant clams, turtles and colourful coral formations.

Most snorkelling trips include multiple locations and a picnic lunch on a nearby island, making them suitable for couples, families and non-diving companions.

PADI Courses 

Dive Gizo offers a complete range of internationally recognised PADI courses taught by experienced instructors.
Training combines online learning with practical sessions conducted in sheltered lagoons before progressing to open-water dives on nearby reefs and wrecks.

Courses are scheduled around individual progress rather than fixed class sizes, allowing flexible instruction for both individuals and small groups.

Open Water Diver

The PADI Open Water Diver course introduces new divers to scuba through classroom learning, confined water skills and four open-water dives.

Students develop buoyancy control, underwater navigation, equipment use and safe diving procedures before earning certification to dive independently with a buddy to 18 metres worldwide.

Gizo’s calm lagoons and protected reefs provide ideal conditions for learning.

Advanced Open Water Diver

Designed for certified divers wishing to expand their experience, the Advanced Open Water course includes five adventure dives covering deeper diving, underwater navigation and additional elective specialties.

Depending on conditions, elective dives may include:

• Wreck Diving
• Peak Performance Buoyancy
• Night Diving
• Boat Diving
• Fish Identification
• Search and Recovery

Many dives are completed on Gizo’s renowned reef walls and historic WWII wrecks.

Rescue Diver

Often regarded as one of the most valuable recreational diving courses, the PADI Rescue Diver programme develops practical rescue techniques, accident prevention and emergency management skills.

Training includes diver stress recognition, rescue scenarios, search techniques and emergency response exercises conducted in both confined and open water.

The course builds confidence while improving overall diving awareness and safety.

Dive Safety

Safety forms a central part of every Dive Gizo operation.

Before every dive, guides conduct detailed briefings covering site conditions, entry and exit procedures, maximum depths, current direction and emergency plans. Surface support remains available throughout all dive operations.

Emergency oxygen, first aid equipment, marine radios and other safety equipment are carried onboard, while dive groups remain small to ensure close supervision.

Dive Gizo also supports Divers Alert Network (DAN) Asia-Pacific, encouraging divers to maintain appropriate dive accident insurance and emergency evacuation cover when travelling within the Solomon Islands.

Given the remote location of many dive sites, DAN membership provides additional peace of mind through worldwide emergency assistance, evacuation coordination and dive injury support.

Toa Maru Wreck, Gizo, Solomon Islands

Grand Central Station, Gizo, Solomon Islands

Secret Spot, Gizo, Solomon Islands

Hellcat Wreck Dive, Gizo, Solomon Islands

Joe’s Wall, Gizo, Solomon Islands

Dive Sites

Dive Gizo has access to a wide variety of dive sites, most located within 10 to 30 minutes by boat from Gizo. The region combines colourful coral reefs, dramatic walls, historic World War II wrecks, sheltered lagoons and offshore pinnacles, allowing dive schedules to be selected according to weather, tides and diver experience.

Warm tropical waters, generally excellent visibility and exceptional marine biodiversity make Gizo one of the Solomon Islands’ most rewarding dive destinations.

Toa Maru & WWII Wrecks

Gizo is renowned for its remarkable collection of World War II wrecks, making it one of the South Pacific’s premier historical diving destinations. Dive Gizo regularly visits famous sites including the Toa Maru, Petaj, Japanese Zero, American Hellcat, American Corsair, and the Japanese Aichi E13A “Jake” floatplane.

These wrecks range from shallow aircraft suitable for beginners to larger ships that appeal to experienced divers interested in exploration and wreck penetration. Over time, hard and soft corals have transformed the wrecks into thriving artificial reefs inhabited by turtles, lionfish, batfish, rays and countless reef fish.

One Tree Island & Reef Walls

The reefs surrounding Gizo showcase the exceptional biodiversity of the Coral Triangle. Sites including One Tree Island, Joe’s Wall, and Yellow Corner feature colourful coral gardens, dramatic reef walls, sea fans and abundant tropical fish.

These dives are popular with underwater photographers and marine life enthusiasts, offering opportunities to observe nudibranchs, turtles, reef sharks and large schools of reef fish in generally moderate conditions.

The Gap & Drift Diving

For divers who enjoy current-assisted diving, Gizo offers several excellent drift sites. The Gap and Beach Dive are among the region’s best-known drift dives, where tidal currents carry divers naturally along reef walls, channels and coral slopes before finishing inside calm lagoons.

Depending on the tides, divers may encounter barracuda, giant trevally, reef sharks, eagle rays and large schools of fish while enjoying long, relaxed drifts over healthy coral reefs.

Grand Central Station & Offshore Pinnacles

Offshore sites provide some of Gizo’s most exciting diving. Grand Central Station, Hot Spot, and Secret Spot are known for strong currents, dense schools of fish and regular pelagic activity.

These sites attract reef sharks, giant trevally, barracuda, eagle rays and other open-water species, making them particularly rewarding for experienced divers comfortable diving in current.

Kennedy Island & Beginner-Friendly Reefs

Sheltered reefs around Kennedy Island (Plum Pudding Island), together with the Petaj and Japanese Zero, provide calm conditions well suited to Discover Scuba Diving, PADI training and newly certified divers.

These locations combine shallow depths, excellent visibility and colourful coral gardens, allowing beginners to gain confidence while exploring some of Gizo’s healthiest reef systems. Snorkellers can also enjoy many of these sites, making them popular with mixed groups of divers and non-divers alike.

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