Dive Munda

Destination: Solomon Islands

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UPDATE: DIVE MUNDA IS CLOSED INDEFINITELY.

Dive Munda Quick Pitch 

Dive Munda is a multi-award winning SSI Instructor Training Centre in the Western province of Solomon Islands committed to sustainable dive eco-tourism. Scuba dive unexplored reefs, WWII history, Kastom culture, hard and soft coral, cuts and caverns along with pelagic life and shark action, all in one of the last wild frontiers left on planet ocean.

Dive Munda Highlights

• Multi-award winning SSI Instructor Training Center
• A range of well-maintained rental sport-diving equipment
• Nitrox available
• Boats equipped with oxygen and other first aid necessities
• Easy accessibility to freediving sites off small boats

Location

They are based in the village of Munda, nestled on the premises of the beautiful and tranquil Agnes Gateway Hotel, on the southern coast of New Georgia Island in the Western Province of the Solomon Islands.

Dive Overview 

The diving in Munda is very special and magical - possibly some of the best sites in the world. Spectacular walls drop off to over 600 meters. Encounters with any of the species of big sharks and rays are always exciting, and divers who prefer macro subjects will be enthralled by the smaller critters such as Pygmy Seahorses, varieties of Anemonefish, Spiny Lobsters and Fiery Dartfish. Munda’s reefs are in pristine condition, with lush hard and soft corals and gigantic sea fans. In addition to the reefs and abundant marine life, Munda’s seabed is littered with wrecks from WWII, with fighter planes, bombers, a Japanese freighter and a recently discovered dump site with tanks.

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Accommodations

Types of Rooms, Amenities and Photos

Agnes Gateway Hotel

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• Just a three-minute walk from Munda airstrip, and the home of Dive Munda, Agnes Gateway Hotel, offers everything from budget rooms with fan and shared facilities up to air-conditioned, self-contained cabins. Excellent meals are available, and a full bar service - and the best view of the sunset - can be enjoyed in the bar.

Zipolo Habu Resort

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• A 25-minute boat trip from Munda on Lola Island, Zipolo Habu offers a hint of castaway chic. Dive Munda offers complimentary drop-offs and pick-ups for guests staying at Zipolo Hapu Resort. Accommodation is in traditional-style leaf-houses, some of them with private facilities and 24-hour power. Superb meals and the coldest beer in the West are served in the waterfront bar/restaurant.

Tituru Eco Lodge

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• A 40-minute boat trip from Munda across the Blanche Channel at the foot of the luscious Rendova hills lies the peaceful, tranquil quaint and picturesque eco-resort of Titiru Eco Lodge. Diving is spectacular in the area.

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Dive Information

Dive Sites 

Dive Munda offers in excess of 30 dive sites in and around Munda and the surrounding reefs. Here are some of their favorite sites.

• SHARK POINT - Shark Point is a 20-minute boat ride from the dive shop and is one of Dive Munda's signature sites. Situated at the end of a reef protruding a mile out into the Solomon Sea, it drops off more than 600m and can be dived at any depth from 10m to 60m. Shallower dives here offer pristine corals and large schools of fish, reef sharks, and turtles. More experienced divers can venture deeper on the point itself. Species seen here include Grey reef, Blacktip, and Whitetip reef sharks at all depths plus the chance of meeting Great Hammerheads and large Silvertip sharks deeper down. Depending on the time of day and the state of the tide, currents can be strong, but that only brings in more fish! And it's not just about the big fish: drift along on the current and take in the incredible Gorgonian fans, soft corals and whip corals.
• THE CAVE OF THE KASTOM SHARK - Frequently described as the “Perfect Dive” by our guests. The Cave of the Kastom Shark is a 40-minute boat ride from Munda and is accessed via a very short walk onto the island through the mangroves. The entry is a pool about 2 meters wide, leading down a vertical shaft to two large chambers linked by a narrow tunnel. There is a guideline throughout to help with navigation. After penetrating the cave for about 10 minutes and reaching a maximum depth of 35 meters, divers exit onto a spectacular reef wall where schools of giant Bumphead Parrotfish swim and sharks and turtles are often sighted. There is a chance of encountering the elusive Pygmy Seahorses that have been found here.
• MUSHROOM ISLAND (TOMBATUNI) - A 25-minute boat ride from Munda, this island is ringed by sheer drop-offs of over 500 meters into the blue waters of Blanche Channel. The point can attract big schools of fish, turtles, and passing pelagics. Naturally, the resident sharks (Blacktips, Whitetips, Greys and - deeper down - Silvertips) patrol to keep an eye on their ‘larder’. Turn your back on the passing parade and you’ll see masses of barrel sponges, beautiful soft corals, and fans, populated by an array of colorful and hard-to-find critters such as nudibranchs, mollusks, and crustaceans. Keep an eye out on the blue water though, as migrating Hammerheads can pass by!
• HAIPE REEF - Situated off the remote west coast of Rendova Island, the Haipe reefs are in pristine condition and are another signature Dive Munda site. Huge areas of hard corals along the reef-tops play host to swarming schools of colorful small fish and provide a feeding ground for big schools of Bumphead Parrotfish, and we often see turtles. Deeper down, soft corals, fans and sea whips provide a beautiful background for regular encounters with Grey Reef sharks, plus the occasional visit from Silvertip or Hammerhead sharks. Manta rays have been sighted here when the current flows.
• TOP SHELF - Near Shark Point is another dive site exposed to the open ocean where pelagics, Spotted Eagle Rays, and sharks are always on the menu. A coral reef shelf starts at 25m and drops down to over 40m. Currents are often flowing here and more experienced divers will enjoy the show.
• BILIKIKI - A spectacular wall on the Blanche Channel, featuring massive Gorgonian fan corals, Spotted Eagle Rays, Humphead Wrasse, Napoleon Wrasse, Green Moray eels and plenty of Nudibranchs and other smaller critters for the macro lovers. The dive that has it all. A 20-minute boat ride from the dive shop.
• THE PINNACLE - This can be a serious shark dive with regular sightings of Bullsharks and Silvertips behaving in an inquisitive fashion. Definitely not for the faint of heart! A pinnacle situated off Ndokendoke island makes for spectacular underwater topography, where the coral encrusted summit starts at 22m and the sides drop down to over 60m. Gorgonian fan corals and a stunning variety of hard and soft corals jostle for space on the rock. Schooling pelagics frequent this area as to Leatherback turtles and Green turtles. Visibility can often exceed 40 meters.
• SUSU HITE - Susu Hite island is a picture-perfect little tropical island and is a popular night dive for its abundant after-hours life and easy access of the white sand beach. 
• Catch the Moray Eels out hunting, reef octopi on the prowl, and Spiny Lobsters out in the open searching for their midnight meal. There are several varieties of Anemonefish found here in the shallows (True & False Clownfish, White-bonnet anemone fish - endemic to PNG & the Solomons - as well as Spinecheek, Clark’s, Pink Skunk, Red & Black, Saddle-back, Orange-fin & Orange Skunk Anemonefish) making this a very popular daytime snorkeler's site just 15 minutes from Munda.
• BARRY'S BREAKFAST – A fifteen-minute boat ride from the dive shop, Barry's Breakfast is a relaxed dive starting at 25m following along a wall where reef fish, Moray Eels and turtles feed. Pelagics and sharks are often seen out in the blue. We work our way to Susu Hite island, along a shallower reef fringing the island, featuring several varieties of Anemonefish, Crocodile fish, Spiny Lobster and Trumpetfish. Finish the dive in the sandy shallows where hundreds of Garden Eels thrive.
• SECRET SPOT - Another Dive Munda wall exposed to Blanche Channel and the deep blue waters of the Solomon Sea. A sensational, healthy reef dropping off to several hundred meters. Occasionally prone to a bit of current so it's an ideal slow drift dive with plenty of pelagic action.
• AUSSIE POINT - This point drops off hundreds of meters deep and is renown for the frequent Hammerhead sightings. 40 minutes boat ride from Munda, the reef is in excellent health and is the home to schools of Bumphead Wrasse, Blacktip and Whitetip Reef Sharks and giant Maori Wrasse are also seen. A sheer drop down into the blue with a sharp point to the reef similar to the bow of a ship makes for dramatic underwater scenery.
• PATU GOGO - A protected sloping reef to 25m of coral gullies canyons and pinnacles makes this an ideal site for less experienced divers who want to see all the beauty of a pristine, healthy reef. The underwater topography is phenomenal and we have seen families of Spotted Eagle Rays and a docile, giant Nurse Shark has been sighted passing by. A 15-minute boat ride from the dive shop makes this an easy, relaxed dive.
• MBIGO MBIGO - So good they named it twice! - About 45 minutes boat ride from the dive shop is this spectacular reef off Parara Island features gullies and canyons among the coral. Equally interesting for snorkelers as the reef formations in the first 10m are out of this world. Divers drop down to 25-30m and follow the wall for plenty of pelagic action.
• MARLON’S CRACK - Discovered by the well known Melbourne based freediver Marlon Quinn from Watermaarq, this sloping coral wall is abundant with hard corals and reef fish. Crevices and caves run deep into the wall providing spectacular swim-throughs for free divers and snorkelers. Scuba divers can explore the deeper reef, keeping an eye out for schools of Giant Trevally, Greater Barracuda, and reef sharks.
• BLUE PYJAMAS - A delightful tranquil dive site well protected from the South East Tradewinds. A sloping coral reef beginning at 2 meters descending to over forty meters. Excellent for snorkeling, free diving, and scuba. There are many swim-throughs, gullies and small caves to explore as the Bump Head Parrotfish pass by, turtles rest and feed, reef sharks cruise past with Spotted Eagle Rays.
• DREAM ISLAND - Near Kolombangara is a reef with the most spectacular variety of hard and soft corals across the top.
• RAINBOW WALL - This site never stops delivering. More advanced, a bit further away and close to the majestic Rendova island, this site impresses with pelagics, sharks, rays galore. When the show is on, hook your reef clip in and watch it all go by! Spectacular!
• BELA BELA & LANGARANA - These two amazing wall drops are some of the furthermost sites and earn bragging rights for some of the most spectacular soft coral formations and the biggest Gorgonian Sea Fans anywhere in the world! Come see for yourself...

WWII Wrecks

• Kashi Maru - This Japanese freighter was caught by USAF bombers on July 2, 1943, while unloading a cargo of trucks and fuel to nearby troops based on New Georgia Island. She lies at 17m in Mboroko Harbour 45 minutes boat ride from Munda. Her artifact-filled hold is easily accessible to all levels of diver and areas of the hold are penetrable. The wreck now hosts abundant corals, clams, Moray Eels, Octopi and masses of juvenile tropical fish and crustaceans. This is a truly spectacular dive for WW2 enthusiasts and wreck divers. There may be times that the Kashi Maru would not be diveable due to Kastom Land issues and disputes.
• F4F-4 Wildcat - Close by the Kashi Maru, this US fighter plane rests in 14m on a spectacular coral reef named Alice in Wonderland - EUNA'S FAVOURITE. The plane lies upside down and bears the marks of shrapnel and AA gunfire prior to being shot down. We explore the wreck for 10-15 minutes then slowly work our way along the gently sloping reef admiring massive Plate Corals hundreds of years old, Elephant Ear sponges, and the teeming life forms they support.
• The Airacobra - Recently discovered in April 2011, little is known about this American P-39 fighter, but we believe it is one of two aircraft lost by the USAAF 68th Fighter Squadron during a raid on Shortland on September 6, 1943. She lies in about 27m of water on a sandy bottom and hosts schools of Sweetlip, Lionfish, Coral Trout and thousands of tiny baitfish.
• The Dauntless - This Douglas SBD-4 Dauntless dive bomber was hit by AA fire during a raid on Munda, on July 23, 1943. Pilot Jim Dougherty put his plane down in Rendova Harbour, where she still rests at 13m.
• The Koviki Corsair - This F4U-1 Corsair rests on pristine white sand at 51 meters. It is fully intact with minimal coral growth due to the depth of the water. Forty to fifty-meter visibility is common, making this a phenomenal photographic subject. A giant Grouper has taken up residence and there are often solitary Napoleon Wrasse sighted at the plane. In a stunning setting and almost completely intact, this is a great example of one of the classic aircraft of WWII.
• Dozer at the Bar - Dive Munda recently discovered what appears to be a WWII dump site with several half-tracks 
• sitting in 28m during a staff explorer dive day. 
• Nearby are discarded caterpillar tracks and a smaller troop transport vehicle. Green moray eels often take up residence in the wrecks, Grey Reef Sharks, Chevron Barracuda, Tuna, Trevally and other pelagics enter the lagoon at this passage and are abundant when the tidal currents flow.
• Corsair fighter - This Corsair lies in about 8m of water in a silty bottom just a few hundred meters out from the dive shop. Visibility can be challenging depending on tides and wind so early in the morning is the best time to explore this fully intact wreck.
• Japanese A3M Nell - She also lies in the shallows of the Roviana lagoon near the dive shop. Extensively salvaged over the years only the cockpit and superstructure of the body remain, but still a fascinating snorkel dive for history enthusiasts.
• Japanese Zero fighter - This mostly intact Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter plane rests on a sandy bottom at 17m near Kolombangara where the Japanese had a stronghold and airstrip in 1943. The plane has recently been rediscovered by the Dive Munda team after its precise location had been lost many years ago. Now home to Sweetlip, Coral Trout, schools of baitfish, varieties of shrimp and invertebrates. The colors of the soft coral growth make this wreck a terrific photographic subject.
• American Dumpsite - As WWII came to an end the US military dumped thousands of tons of hardware as it was less costly than shipping it back to America. Situated on a reef 10 minutes from Dive Munda is a dump site featuring military trucks and jeeps, airplane wreckage, a sunken barge and assorted coral encrusted machinery in 5m to 20m. Visibility can be challenging as this site is inside the lagoon, but the fish life is spectacular with schooling Trevally, Lionfish, Sweetlip and Snapper.
• Sasavele Passage - Another WWII dump site featuring giant steel pontoons of a former US Navy base scuttled at the end of the occupation. Assorted machinery of the war and a quantity of live ordinance scattered about the sloping wall that drops to 40m. A history enthusiast dive site 15 minutes from Munda.

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Packages & Rates

Dive Munda Packages and Rates 

Diving Rates 

All prices are in AUD.

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Trips 

All prices are in AUD.

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Rates & Availability 

For more information on rates, availability and to book, drop us an email at info@bluewaterdivetravel.com or call us today at 310-915-6677. We will gladly help you plan your dream vacation!

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Other Information

Practical Information

• Local Currency: Solomon Islander Dollar (SBD)
• International Airport: Honiara International Airport
• Language: English
• Electricity: 220 volts, 50 Hz
• Time Zone: UTC+11

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Underwater photos

Photos provided by David Kirkland, Mike Scotland & Klaus Obermeyer.

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