Gizo Diving

Type

WWII shipwreck · Reef

Depth

15–35 m

Experience

Advanced

Current

Mild

Toa Maru is Gizo’s defining wreck: a Japanese transport ship roughly 140 metres long resting on its starboard side in a sheltered bay. Parts of the wreck lie within recreational depth, while deeper sections and internal spaces require more advanced planning.

Trucks, fuel drums, ammunition and other wartime cargo remain part of the historical story, but divers should avoid disturbing artifacts and should only penetrate within wreck training. Coral and marine life have transformed the ship into an artificial reef, giving the dive biological as well as historical value. Because the wreck is large, a single dive is best treated as one planned section rather than an attempt to see everything.

Look for: ~140 m shipwreck · WWII artifacts · 15–35 m · Major Gizo wreck

Type

Wall · Point · Current

Depth

5–28 m

Experience

Intermediate–Advanced

Current

Moderate

Grand Central Station sits at the northwest tip of the Gizo area where currents concentrate fish around a reef wall and point. The site is famous for the sheer amount of marine traffic: schools of fish stream past the reef while sharks, trevally and other larger animals can use the current line.

The dive starts shallow, moves along the wall and becomes more energetic near the point. The exact current determines whether the group pauses or continues as a drift. Public sources describe the location clearly near Njari Island, but do not publish one consistent mooring coordinate, so the map uses an area anchor rather than false precision.

Look for: High fish biomass · Current-fed point · Sharks possible · Signature reef dive

Type

Wall · Gorgonians · Macro

Depth

5–27 m

Experience

Intermediate

Current

Mild–Moderate

Joe’s Wall is a reef slope that steepens into a wall and then returns toward gentler terrain, giving the dive a natural beginning and end without requiring a deep profile. Large gorgonian fans are the visual highlight, while smaller reef animals and invertebrates make the site strong for macro photography.

The wall is less fish-dense than Grand Central Station, which is precisely why divers can focus on detail rather than open-water action. The exact public GPS is not consistently published, so the map uses an operator-area anchor near Ferguson Passage.

Look for: Gorgonian wall · Macro · Moderate depth · Photography

Type

Reef point · Pelagic

Depth

8–30 m

Experience

Advanced

Current

Moderate–Strong

Hot Spot is one of Gizo’s higher-energy reef dives, where current across the point can bring sharks, trevally and barracuda into the blue. The site is best for divers comfortable holding position near a reef edge and then moving with the flow rather than swimming against it.

The reef itself remains healthy and worth attention when the pelagics stay farther away. Exact dive timing depends on tide, and the public site coordinate is not standardized, so the map uses an operator-area position. The strongest dive is a controlled current profile rather than a chase after individual animals.

Look for: Pelagic action · Sharks possible · Current point · Advanced profile

Type

Reef slope · Wall · Coral

Depth

5–30 m

Experience

Intermediate

Current

Mild–Moderate

Secret Spot is a reef-focused Gizo dive where coral cover and fish life take priority over wreck history. A sloping reef steepens toward a wall and gives divers several depth bands to work through during one profile.

The site suits photographers because there is enough structure for wide-angle compositions without the constant movement of a strong current site. Smaller subjects remain available close to the reef, so the dive can switch naturally between broad scenery and detail. The exact public mooring is not published consistently, so the map point is an operator-area reference.

Look for: Coral reef · Wall transition · Photography · Moderate current

Type

Aircraft wreck · Shallow lagoon

Depth

9–10 m

Experience

Beginner

Current

Mild–None

The Grumman Hellcat is one of the easiest WWII aircraft dives in the Solomon Islands. The fighter rests upright in a shallow lagoon at only about 9–10 metres, with excellent visibility and little current.

Its recognizable shape, including cockpit and airframe, makes it a rewarding historical dive without requiring deep certification or wreck penetration. Coral growth and schooling fish have turned the aircraft into a small artificial reef. The shallow profile gives long bottom time and makes the site suitable for newer divers and even snorkellers viewing from above.

Look for: F6F Hellcat · 9–10 m · Beginner friendly · WWII history

Type

Aircraft wreck · Reef

Depth

15–30 m

Experience

Intermediate–Advanced

Current

Mild

Gizo’s American Corsair wreck adds another layer to the area’s extraordinary concentration of Pacific War history. The fighter rests in recreational depth and can be explored externally without any overhead complexity.

Its compact size makes it easy to circle, photograph and appreciate as an aircraft rather than a debris field. The surrounding reef and fish life keep the dive visually active after the wreck itself has been covered. Public exact GPS is not consistently published, so the map uses an operator-area anchor in the wider Gizo aircraft-wreck zone.

Look for: Corsair fighter · WWII history · Recreational depth · Photography

Type

Shallow reef · Historical island

Depth

5–18 m

Experience

Beginner

Current

Mild

Kennedy Island, also known as Plum Pudding Island, combines an easy coral dive with one of Gizo’s best-known WWII stories. Lieutenant John F. Kennedy and surviving crew reached the island after PT-109 was sunk nearby in 1943.

Underwater, the reef slopes gently through roughly 5–18 metres and supports coral, nudibranchs, anemonefish and other reef life. The site is ideal for mixed groups because it is shallow, calm and visually rewarding without technical demands. It works especially well as a second dive paired with a deeper wreck or reef point.

Look for: JFK / PT-109 history · 5–18 m · Beginner friendly · Coral garden