Solomon Islands · Indo-Pacific
Best time to dive Solomon Islands
Diveable year-round; May–November is drier with better visibility, and the western provinces (Munda) are sheltered from July–August trade winds. December–March can also bring clear water and mantas, though it is cyclone season.
Peak season: year-round
Book a Solomon Islands LiveaboardUpcoming departures on DivebookerOverall diving, month by month
Balanced scoring · forecasts include the 2026/27 El Niño outlook
Confidence: Nov low · Dec low · Jan low · Feb low · Mar low · Apr low · May low · Jun low · Jul low · Aug low · Sep low · Oct low · Nov low · Dec low
What's good when
Each attribute scored 0–10 for every month
| Nov2026 | Dec | Jan2027 | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pelagic & big animals | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Macro life | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Coral & reef health | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Visibility | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 |
| Water temperature | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Weather & sea state | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 |
| Operations & access | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Wreck diving | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
Climate outlook
How this year's forecast differs from a typical year
- Weather & sea state +1 · El Niño makes the wet season drier (Nov 2026 – April 2027)
- Water temperature -0.8 °C · Indonesian seas run cooler during El Niño (Nov 2026 – April 2027)
- Coral & reef health -1 · El Niño sea-level drop and heat stress damage shallow reefs (Nov 2026 – December 2027)
Water temperature & visibility
| Month | Water | Visibility |
|---|---|---|
| November 2026 | 28.3 °C (83 °F) | 20–30 m |
| December 2026 | 28.7 °C (84 °F) | 15–25 m |
| January 2027 | 28.8 °C (84 °F) | 15–25 m |
| February 2027 | 28.9 °C (84 °F) | 15–25 m |
| March 2027 | 29.1 °C (84 °F) | 15–25 m |
| April 2027 | 29.2 °C (85 °F) | 20–30 m |
| May 2027 | 28.8 °C (84 °F) | 20–35 m |
| June 2027 | 28.4 °C (83 °F) | 20–35 m |
| July 2027 | 28.0 °C (82 °F) | 20–35 m |
| August 2027 | 28.1 °C (83 °F) | 20–35 m |
| September 2027 | 28.1 °C (83 °F) | 20–35 m |
| October 2027 | 28.7 °C (84 °F) | 20–35 m |
| November 2027 | 29.2 °C (85 °F) | 20–30 m |
| December 2027 | 29.7 °C (85 °F) | 15–25 m |
Marine life calendar
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| grey reef shark | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| barracuda | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| manta ray | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
Peak = best odds · ● = regularly seen · blank = unlikely. Calendar months, every year.
About the diving
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Current strength
- 3 / 5
- Luxury level
- 3 / 5
- Typical depth
- 5–30 m
- Max depth of interest
- 40 m
- Dive styles
- Liveaboard, Resort
- Suggested certification
- Open Water
- Nearest airport
- MUA
- Snorkelling
- Good
- Known for
- grey reef shark, barracuda, manta ray, WWII wrecks
Famous sites: Shark Point (Munda) · Uepi Point · Leru Cut · WWII wrecks
Season notes & sources
- Diveable year-round; May–November is drier with better visibility, and the western provinces (Munda) are sheltered from July–August trade winds. December–March can also bring clear water and mantas, though it is cyclone season.