Looking for some of the world’s most pristine and unspoilt snorkeling? The warm, clear waters of the Solomon Islands offer year-round snorkeling in what’s often referred as the Coral Triangle, the area that possesses the world’s highest levels of marine biodiversity. In these relatively remote islands, there are reefs with lush gardens of corals, fantastic WWII wrecks, kaleidoscopic fish and plenty of big swimmers like sharks, turtles and manta rays. Whether you are a beginner or seasoned snorkeler, each spot is unique and eye-opening and sure to be an experience you won’t soon forget.
The Solomon Islands makes up an archipelago of 992 tropical islands fringed by coral reefs, boasting some of the healthiest and most diverse marine environments in the world.
Countless snorkeling spots are found in the archipelago, but many of them are located in remote areas. If you are lucky enough to reach them, you’ll have some uninhabited islands to yourself.
The Solomon Islands are also renowned for the hundreds of WWII ships and aircrafts littering the ocean floor, providing snorkelers with many wrecks to explore at shallow depths.
The reefs of the Salomon Islands are teeming with over 900 fish species (including angelfish, clownfish, lionfish…), hundreds of colorful coral types and tons of exciting sea creatures, such as sea turtles, reef sharks and manta rays.
The Solomon Islands is not a free shore snorkeling destination. Most snorkeling spots are resort house reefs (only accessible to guests) or uninhabited small islands or patch reefs, only reachable by boat tours.
Even in the main inhabited islands, you’ll generally have to pay a small fee to the locals to access the beaches.
In Guadalcanal, the coastline just west to Honiara hosts a few decent reef snorkeling spots, such as Mbonege Beach and Turtle Beach, as well as several WWII shipwrecks, like the Wreck of Kinugawa Maru, some 5km north of Rere Beach.
Snorkeling is far better in the small islands off the eastern tip of Guadalcanal, like in Tavanipupu Island and around Marapa Island, but they can’t be easily accessed.
Just north of Guadalcanal, you’ll find in the Nggela Islands a few resorts renowned for offering great snorkeling straight off the beach, like Nugu Beach Resort and Maravagi Beach Resort.
Simon’s Nature Reserve, a beautiful and shallow coral garden, is also a great option in the area.
For travelers looking for the best snorkeling spots in the Solomon Islands, head to Marovo Lagoon. This double-barrier lagoon, bordering the eastern parts of New Georgia and Vangunu Islands, is listed as a World Heritage Area.
Enclosing dozens of tiny islands and reefs, pristine Marovo Lagoon shelters some of the finest coral gardens in South Pacific.
Most of the resorts offer snorkeling tours to the lagoon’s reefs. Uepi Island Resort, surrounded by lush shallow coral reefs, is one of the best options.
In the same general area are the Wilderness Lodge in Nggatokae Island and Evis Resort, in Nggatirana Island, both with a pleasant house reef.
Other exciting snorkeling hotspots in the Solomon Islands are the Papatura Islands (which lies just north to Santa Isabel) and the islands and reefs accessible from Munda (on New Georgia’s west coast).
The Solomon Islands are a year-round snorkeling destination, thanks to pleasant water temperatures around 27°C to 29°C (81-84°F).
The wet season, from November to April, is characterized by hot temperatures (December and January, where highs are regularly around 32°C/89°F being the hottest months) and heavy, brief local showers.
A dry, cooler season occurs the rest of the year, but temperatures remain warm enough to enjoy snorkeling.
600+ spots have been featured on Snorkeling Report with the help of people like you. Share your favorite snorkeling spot and help us cover the world map. Your contribution will help the snorkeling community find sites and enjoy the underwater world!
ADD A SPOT
Common on all reef spots
Found in all Okinawa reef areas; abundant at Furuzamami Beach
Frequently sighted at Ama Beach at high tide; occasionally seen at Furuzamami Beach
Found in all Okinawa reef areas; common at Furuzamami and Aharen
Frequently sighted chasing on Furuzamami Beach reef
Frequently seen on reef spots, for example in Tavanipupu Island.
On most reef spots, exclusively in Entacmaea quadricolor sea anemones.
Frequently seen on reef spots.
On all spots
House reef with coral and reef fish
Level: Resort nearby
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Taiwan’s crystal clear waters, warm subtropical climate and beautiful sea life make for a pleasant snorkeling experience. There are many nice snorkeling locations are found on the main island, but don't miss the outer islands of Taiwan, in particular Liuqiu Island, Green Island and the Penghu Archip (...)
With more than 7600 islands to explore, it makes sense that the Philippines is one of the best snorkeling destinations in the world. Part of the Coral Triangle, the epicentre of global marine biodiversity, the archipelago has a mind-blowing array of sea life. With pristine coral reefs, lush soft cor (...)
Located some 850km east of the Philippines, Palau comprises 26 main islands and more than 300 smaller islets, most uninhabited, and all fringed by coral reef. From the scenic Rock Islands to its marine lakes full of thousands of jellyfish, there's an astonishing array of snorkeling spots to be explo (...)
Pristine white-sanded beaches fringed with swaying palms and crystal clear waters... welcome to Guam! This territory of the United States is the southernmost island in the Mariana islands chain and the largest island in Micronesia. With its wide range of beaches and its healthy coral reefs, Guam is (...)
Vietnam is not a top snorkeling destination, but some sites are fascinating and the country is slowly growing in popularity. You’ll find along the extensive Vietnam coastline several islands and small archipelagos hosting various and diverse snorkeling spots, especially in Nha Trang, Phú Quốc and Cô (...)
Consisting of two land regions divided by the South China Sea, Malaysia comprises more than 850 islands, of which 394 are located in the state of Sabah, in Borneo. Most of the Malaysian coasts and islands are fringed by spectacular coral reefs. This exceptional geography offers a huge variety of sno (...)
Indonesia is a vast archipelago of 17,000 islands located at the heart of the Coral Triangle. The country features some 30% of the world’s coral reefs. The archipelago hosts pristine coral gardens, which are home to the richest marine biodiversity on earth. You will never get tired exploring its war (...)
Despite an overtourism contributing to the overall decline of the country's coral reef, Thailand remains a good snorkeling destination. Its lush tropical coastlines, reefs and islands offers a diversity of snorkeling spots, in both Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. More than 900 species of reef (...)
LAST SPACES AVAILABLE
