Gizo

A small town in the Solomon Islands' Western Province, with WWII wreck diving, Kennedy Island, pristine coral reefs and the nearby volcanic island of Kolombangara.

Gizo is the capital of the Solomon Islands' Western Province, located on the southeast shore of Ghizo Island. It is the country's second-largest town and the hub for diving and island-hopping in the Western Province. The town has just one waterfront main street lined with the market, wharf, banks and a few hotels, and the surrounding waters are dotted with coral islets, WWII wrecks and traditional villages. The usual approach is to base yourself in Gizo town or at a lodge on a nearby island and take small boats out to the sights. Classic outings include diving the wreck of the Toa Maru, a WWII Japanese transport ship; visiting Kennedy Island to retrace the 1943 story of the PT-109 torpedo boat; snorkelling reefs such as Njari Island; and climbing the extinct volcano on Kolombangara across the strait. Further afield, boats run to Simbo to see megapode nesting grounds and volcanic hot springs, or to Skull Island in Roviana Lagoon to learn about ancestor worship from the headhunting era. Seasons: the southeast trade-wind season from May to November is drier, with the best sea conditions and visibility; December to April is the wet season, when cyclones are possible. Temperatures are around 26–31°C year-round. Getting there: Solomon Airlines flies from the capital, Honiara, in about 1 hour to Nusatupe Island airport opposite Gizo, followed by a roughly 10-minute boat ride into town; passenger ships also run to and from Honiara. Plan to stay 4–6 days. Note: this is a malaria area, so protect yourself against mosquitoes and ask a doctor about prophylaxis. ATMs in town are few, so bring plenty of cash (Solomon Islands dollars). Visiting villages and privately owned islands usually involves a small “custom fee”, and you should ask permission before taking photos.

Top sights

• Kennedy Island (Kasolo) – The small island where, in 1943, Kennedy and the crew of PT-109 swam ashore to survive. It is surrounded by white sand and snorkeling reefs.
• Toa Maru Wreck – A 134-meter Japanese cargo ship from World War II lying on its side in a bay north of Gizo Island, the most famous wreck dive site in the S…
• Gizo Market & Waterfront – An open-air market on the waterfront, where villagers arrive by dugout canoe with fresh fish, produce and betel nut, offering a window into…
• Kolombangara Island – A nearly perfectly round, extinct volcanic island across from Gizo, where rainforest hikes lead to the crater rim at about 1,770 m.
• Njari Island – A coral reef island northwest of Gizo, famous for its “Central Station” dive site, where fish are extraordinarily dense.
• Skull Island (Roviana Lagoon) – An ancestral sacred site in Roviana Lagoon, where stone shrines hold the skulls of past chiefs and head-hunting warriors.
• Fatboys Resort, Mbabanga Island – A bar and restaurant built over the lagoon, with clear shallow water right beside it for snorkeling, making it Gizo's most popular spot on…
• Simbo Island – A small island still showing volcanic activity, where you can see megapodes incubating eggs in hot sand, sulfur vents and a hot spring lake.

Where to eat

• Fatboys Resort Overwater Bar – An overwater bar built on a reef, at the end of a walkway about 100 meters from shore. It is the best-known place in th…
• Sanbis Resort SB Overwater Bar – A resort overwater bar on Mbabanga Island, known for the only authentic wood-fired pizza in Western Province, plus fres…

Itineraries

• Western Province Island Hopping, Solomon Islands – Travel by boat through the Western Province to see Roviana Lagoon, Kolombangara volcanic island, and WWII shipwrecks.