DiveJourneyDiveJourney

When To Go · Country Guide

Solomon Islands

Remote Coral Triangle reefs, WWII wrecks and kastom-managed lagoons

Updated Apr 26, 2026 • 33 sources

View On Map

When to go

Best time to visit Solomon Islands

Solomon Islands is hot and humid yearround, with small temperature changes and big local rainfall differences.

Best overall window

May - October

Drier, lower humidity, average coastal air near 27°C, southeast trades sometimes around 30 km/h over open water.

Outside that window

Northwest monsoon, heavier rain, hotter humidity, thunderstorms and possible tropical lows or cyclones.

Choose your trip style

Start with the overall answer, then switch only when scuba, freedive, snorkel, or topside timing changes the trip in a meaningful way.

Month-by-month planner

The overall row stays visible so you can compare it against the currently selected scope.

BestGoodTradeoffsMore variable
ScopeJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Overall
Wildlife goals and seasonal highlights

These do not replace the overall planner. Use them only if a specific animal or event is driving your trip dates.

  • Hawksbill Turtle Nesting at Arnavon

    Best for Topside, Snorkel

    May to Dec

    JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

    Arnavon Community Marine Park is a key hawksbill turtle rookery, with peak nesting through May to December.

  • Leatherback and Green Turtle Monitoring at Tetepare and Rendova

    Best for Topside, Snorkel

    Sep to Apr

    JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

    Tetepare and nearby Rendova support night patrols and ranger monitoring during the broader nesting season.

  • Fish Spawning and Eagle Ray Activity around Gizo

    Best for Scuba, Snorkel

    Feb to Jun

    JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

    Newmoon periods around selected Western Province reefs can bring courtship and schooling behavior.

  • Uepi Hammerhead Window

    Best for Scuba

    May to Aug

    JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

    Hammerhead sightings are never promised, but Uepi and Marovo Lagoon operators often talk about stronger chances in the midyear window near currentfed walls.

  • Reef Sharks, Turtles and Schooling Fish

    Best for Scuba, Snorkel, Freedive

    Year-round

    JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

    Blacktip, whitetip and grey reef sharks, turtles, jacks, barracuda and reef fish can appear yearround, especially on points, passages and healthy outer reefs.

  • Guadalcanal WWII Commemorations

    Best for Topside, Scuba

    Aug

    JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

    August is meaningful for travelers pairing Iron Bottom Sound wrecks with Guadalcanal history, memorials and battlefield interpretation.

  • North Pacific Surf Season

    Best for Topside

    Oct to Apr

    JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

    Surf is most relevant during the North Pacific swell season, with breaks in Isabel, Malaita, Gizo and Makira.

Always true for this destination
  • Western Province and liveaboards may book out around key holiday windows, but Solomon Islands rarely feels crowded underwater.
Seasonal cautions
  • Apr, Nov: Transition months with useful calm spells, rain bursts and more flexible day-by-day planning.
  • Dec to Mar: Northwest monsoon, heavier rain, hotter humidity, thunderstorms and possible tropical lows or cyclones.

Built from climate references, access rules, and destination operators. Wildlife timing and route flexibility can shift year to year.