Here you can find a variety of interesting shipwrecks from the Second World War. If you think you’ve seen it all, it might be time to head to the Solomon Islands.

The Solomon Islands consist of 992 islands spread over a vast sea area, but only 147 of them are inhabited. To get to the best dive sites, a liveaboard is the best option – but there are also land diving opportunities.

The archipelago has been relatively untouched by Western influence, and is considered by many to be the best eco-tourism destination in the Pacific.

Out on the water, the sun shines more than 300 days a year, and you’ll encounter nature and culture that are completely different from what you’re used to.

Underwater you can see huge schools of fish, sharks, fantastic macro dives and varied landscapes, as well as crystal clear visibility.

But it’s not just the colorful corals and rich and varied underwater life that captivates – divers come here from all over the world to see the many shipwrecks.

The area between Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands was of great strategic importance during the Second World War. The islands were under British control, but were occupied by Japanese troops when the war broke out.

In August 1942 the Americans landed on Tulagi and Guadalcanal. After a bloody battle that killed more than 36,000 Japanese soldiers, the Allies took control of the islands half a year later.

No one knows exactly how many shipwrecks there are in the Solomon Islands, and many are still unaccounted for. For sure there are a lot of them!

Some estimates suggest that there may be as many as 2,000 shipwrecks on the ocean floor. However, many of them are more than 40 meters deep and are only suitable for technical diving.

Whether you want to see war rust, beautiful coral reefs or colorful macro – below you will find four must-have favorites when you travel to the Solomon Islands.

Iron Bottom Voice

Some of the most intense fighting during the war took place in New Georgia Sound, the location of Guadalcanal, Florida Island, and Savo Island.

At its base are more than 200 shipwrecks, 690 aircraft wrecks and hundreds of landing craft. It is the largest collection of warship wrecks in the world, and a mecca for shipwreck enthusiasts.

Florida Island

This island is not far from the capital city of Honiara. Apart from Tulagi, this area is also famous for its many World War II shipwrecks which attract dynamic marine life.

Florida Island offers great macro diving, beautiful underwater formations and channels with sandy and seagrass bottoms, and is a breeding ground for manta ray colonies.

Marovo Lagoon

Marovo is located on the east side of New Georgia Island and is the largest saltwater lagoon in the world, protected by two barrier reefs. The area should be on par with Raja Ampat in Indonesia in terms of species diversity.

The lagoon inlets and outlets teem with life, and you can encounter exciting macro and large predatory fish, lava formations, anemones and giant coral fans.

Russell Island

In the northwest of Guadalcanal you’ll find beautiful and varied diving, and the area is visited by liveaboards departing from Honiara. Russell Island offers canals and tunnels, plenty of predatory fish – and of course, warship wrecks.