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Travel information and tips on Solomon Islands including passport information, accommodations, transportation to and in Solomon Islands, attractions and things to see and do, restaurant suggestions, tours, and much more. The Solomon Islands, with it's combination of being comparatively isolated and being a country rich in cultural diversity, can be an interesting vacation destination. Melanesians, Polynesians, Asians, Micronesians and the odd Westerner all call the Solomons home. Many of the ancient customs are still widely practiced in thousands of small villages making a stop here an often-unexpected bonus for visitors. And, despite centuries of exploitation from Westerners, you will find that most of the local population will welcome you and be happy to help you understand their part of the world. As I am currently working on this section of Getting Away, if you have information about the Solomons you believe would be of interest to visitors of this site, please send it to me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com
General Information About Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands contains an area of about 62,000 square miles of
which about 10,750 square miles of it is dry land. The capital city is Honiara.
The population of about 450,000 includes Melanesian (95%), Polynesian (4%),
Asian and Micronesian (1%). There are many languages in the islands including
Pijin, English and 67 official indigenous languages. The religion is primarily
Christian (96%) and the government is a parliamentary democracy. The major
industries include timber, fish, and palm oil.
Tourist Information
Passports and Visa Information
Health Information
Money Matters
Climate
Best Time to Visit
Time, Electricity and Weights and Measures
For travel and destination information on Solomon Islands, visit the Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau or call 1-800-932-3454.
US State Department - Services - Travel Warnings & Consular Information
Passports and Visa Information
Visitors to the Solomons will need a passport.
However, if you are planning to stay less than three months don't require entry
visas. Visitors who have ever been (or are currently) a member of a communist
country, or if you are from the Indian subcontinent, Karur or Kiribati, you
should contact your nearest Solomon embassy and seek their advice before
traveling to the Solomons. Visitor's permits can be extended for a further three
months for a fee.
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Health Information
The Solomon Islands is has a tropical climate so there is a chance for malaria.
In addition, watch out for tuberculosis and gastric troubles. Water purity
cannot be relied on (carry and drink bottled water), and the hookworm is almost
endemic on the coast and in the countryside. Anyone arriving from central Africa
or northern South America will require a vaccination certificate against yellow
fever.
Time, Electricity and Weights and Measures
Time: GMT/UTC + 11 hours.
Electricity: 230/240V 50 Hz.
Weights & measures: Officially metric, but expect remnants of the
imperial system
Money
Matters
The currency of the Solomon Islands is the Solomon Islands Dollar (S$ or SBD).
In the capital, Honiara, you can find budget accommodations with self-catering
facilities (a kitchen) and you can fix some of your own meals. If you avoid
expensive tinned imported food, you should be able to get by on about US$15 a
day. If you are staying in higher-priced accommodations you probably won't
have access to a kitchen so your food budget will rise some. You should expect
to pay between US$12 and US$22 a day for dining out. Diving, tours and car
rentals will raise your daily costs considerably. In villages, you can actually
sometimes find free accommodations if you don't mind simple leaf houses.
However, it is polite to offer some money, especially if your hosts provide a
meal or two..
You will not have any trouble finding banks and money changers in the main population centers. But if you are outside of the main centers, money is only available from branches of the NBSI. There are about 50 local agencies in the provinces, usually located in shops or post offices. If you're staying a while, you might like to open an account. In urban areas, travelers' cheques are easily changed, and cash advances are available on credit cards from any of the three big banks (ANZ, Westpac and the NBSI).
Here are some samples of what you might expect to spend to help you in planning your travel budget: Meals - Budget: US$1-2, Mid-range: US$2-10 and Top-end: US$10-15. Lodging - Budget: US$5-10, Mid-range: US$10-25 and Top-end: US$25-60.
As with much of Melanesia and Polynesia, tipping is not required. Tipping imposes an obligation that the receiver must return. You will find that, in most every case, just a smile and a "thank you" will suffice. However, in some of the larger hotels and more expensive restaurant, this may not be the case.
Although bargaining should be avoided, it is becoming more common now to ask for a "second price" on handicrafts when you are in a market. Inflated prices in rural areas are usually due to isolation and the fact that the people there just don't know what the going price is for services. As the prices are still quite low, just pay it unless it is truly unreasonable.
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Climate
While average temperatures on the tropical Solomon Islands are constant
throughout the year with the average about 86°F, the rainfall does vary quite a
bit peaking between January and April, which is the monsoon season. This is also
the time you'll most likely encounter a cyclone or two. Humidity during this
season commonly hits a high of about 90%, but as the islands normally enjoy mild
south-easterly trade winds, the afternoons are normally quite nice.
When to Go
The weather for vacationing is probably in the second half of the
year. This would be thinking in terms of the heat, humidity and cyclone season.
This is the time when you will experience the best in light breezes and calm
waters. June to August is also a time when you will be able to enjoy many of
their public holidays and festivals as well. Seven of the country's nine
provinces have their annual holiday at this time, and the Queen's Birthday and
Independence Day (which may be the best times to see traditional dancing and
festivals) are held in June and July respectively.
Getting To
Solomon Islands
The international airport, Henderson, is about 7 miles east of Honiara. Although
it is a very small airport, there is a car rental and foreign exchange facility.
Direct flights to the Solomons are available on a regular basis from Brisbane,
Australia (three flights a week) and a handful of other South Pacific neighbors.
Travelers from Europe, North America and Asia can pick up regional passes to fly
into Henderson. Check with your travel agent. There is a US$8.50 airport tax
payable on arrival.
It is also possible to arrive by sea, if you are not pressed for time. Cruise ships occasionally visit Honiara, but getting a lift on a yacht from the US West Coast or Australia's north east is also possible (and considerably cheaper). For the more adventurous, there is also a canoe route from Papua New Guinea to the Solomons. It's rarely used, and the places it travels between (Nukumanu in PNG and Ontong Java in Malaita Province) are fairly remote and I would not suggest it unless you are really into adventure.
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Getting
Around In Solomon Islands
Not only is air the best (and quickest) way to get around the islands, but, as
the planes fly at about 7,000 feet, the views are wonderful! Solomon Airlines
and the smaller Western Pacific Airlines service over 20 airfields in all of the
provinces. The flights vary in price from about US$20 to US$100, depending
on the distance.
Although flying is quick, travel by sea is still the mainstay of islander trade and transport. You should be warned, however, that the services can be quite unpredictable and scheduled timetables are rare. In addition to the larger, passenger-oriented vessels, copra and cargo boats normally have room for passengers. The fares vary so you will want to shop around. Car hire is possible in Honiara, but it's expensive. A taxi would be a better option for a short stay. In Honiara you'll also find minibuses.
If you have something you believe
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Cities,
Towns, Villages and Areas of the Solomon Islands
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Some
Things To See And Do In Solomon Islands
If you will be visiting Honiara there are two big celebration
days that are well worth trying to plan into your holiday schedule. Whit
Monday (the eighth Monday after Easter) features a parade of war veterans
and general festivities. The second Friday of June is the Queen's Birthday
holiday and there will be a march, sporting events and custom dancing. July 7 is
Independence Day, the biggest holiday on the calendar, when you will
again find parades, sports, fine food and dancing.
Each province has its own Provincial Holiday which provides additional opportunities for visitors to see traditional dances and ceremonies. March in Santa Catalina offers the interesting Yam-increase Festival. During the end of May, mock clan wars and week-long marriage ceremonies take place in a celebration called Wogasia.
As with many Pacific islands, the greatest attraction for visitors to the Solomon Islands is diving. The combination of spectacular coral reefs and the hundreds of WWII wrecks makes scuba diving, skin diving and snorkeling a very interesting activity. For more experience divers, the Solomon's may be considered one of the three best spots in the world. There are also a lot of good places here for the beginning diver. The water temperatures are among the warmest in the world, and visibility is commonly as good as 100 feet. You will want to beware crossing offshore reefs, as the ocean currents can be unbeatable, and keep on the lookout for sharks. And, it goes without saying, you should always keep local property customs in mind when bringing anything to the surface with you.
Other popular outdoor activities include bushwalking, canoeing, mountain and volcano climbing, swimming, surfing, fishing, shell-collecting, bird-watching, caving and mountain biking. There are enough outdoor activities in the Solomons to keep even the most dedicated adventurer sated.
Here is a short breakdown for some things to see and do by area in the Solomons.
Auki
The province of Malaita has a lovely provincial town called Auki
which, in the 1920s, had a perimeter fence to keep the hostile locals away from
nervous Europeans. But not to worry, relations have improved considerably and the town, with
a population of around 4000 people, is the most photogenic of the major towns in
the country. In Auki you can enjoy the shopping and some good places to eat.
Away from the town you can
journey to lagoons featuring artificial islands, and witness the ancient
practice of shark calling.
On Guadalcanal you can find a good range of natural attractions in addition to points of interest in the capital, Honiara. At first glance, most visitors find that Honiara to be a dusty, uneventful town. But walking the town a bit can reveal some interesting areas and it is a good place to stay while taking short sightseeing tours. Diving tours, cruises and WWII sightseeing outings all depart from the capital. When not doing day trips, you can browse the handicraft shops, or enjoy the cafés, restaurants and bars. Point Cruz is the local travel hub of Honiara. Reputedly the place where the Spanish explorer Mendaña raised a cross is now the place where copra boats and passenger ferries load. This is always a busy and colorful place. Also of interest are the Parliament, National Museum and Cultural Centre, Botanical Gardens, the nearby Water Pump Village and Chinatown. About two hours by foot from Honiara on Guadalcanal is the spectacular double-sided Mataniko Falls. The falls thunder into a cave full of stalagmites and you will find the area filled with swooping swallows and bats. During WWII, the cave was a hide-out for Japanese soldiers trying to avoid capture by the Americans. Start out on the 1.5 mile road from Chinatown to Tuvaruhu. Cross the river at Tuvaruhu, and proceed along the top of the ridge. The trail is often steep, and I would recommend you do this with a local guide. The guide will charge about S$10 (about US$2) and is well worth the small cost.
Laulasi and Busu Islands
Sharks are worshipped in many areas of the Solomon Islands, but none more so
than Laulasi and Busu Islands, which are located some 10miles from Auki in Malaita Province.
Believing that ancestors often lived on as sharks, the animal is treated with totemistic reverence. Shark calling is the ancient art of summoning
sharks to the shallows and feeding them by hand. Banging rocks together
underwater would bring the sharks to a depth of about 1foot where a small
boy would hand-feed the creatures pork, beginning with the smallest shark and
finishing with the biggest and oldest. The boy would then climb on the back of
this oldest shark, which would proceed to swim around the lagoon before
depositing the boy back where he started. Although the hand-feeding has stopped,
the rest of this amazing ritual can still be seen. Auki is about 60miles from Honiara. From Auki, catch a truck to Talakali.
You can then hire a canoe or dugout to the islands, with the exception of on
Sunday.
Marovo Lagoon
This just may be the best place for a combination of scenic beauty and rich traditional life
as the
Western Province is unbeatable. You will want to be sure and visit the proposed World
Heritage site at
Marovo Lagoon which is now an eco-tourist village. The Western Province also boasts excellent diving, the 5,800-foot high Kolombangara Volcano, the Megapode skull shrines, a
crocodile farm and the enjoyable dances at Mbangopingo.
On Ghizo Island in the Western Province, the village of Nusambaruku is a wonderful example of a traditional Pacific village which features several houses emerging from the ocean on stilts. Although you can travel to the village on a small track, it is more interesting (and actually quicker) to do so by canoe. Before landing you should ask permission from the villagers and let them know you are only interested in looking around a bit and taking a few pictures. A little further along the coast is the fishing village of Malaita which is populated by Malaitan settlers. Gizo is about 230 miles from Honiara and a flight there costs about US$55.
Temotu
In the isolated easternmost province of Temotu you can visit islands that
have been practically unaffected by modern life, see active volcanoes, and see
local trade
using Red-feather money, which has to be on of the most unusual currencies in
the world.
Although it is a bit of a job to get here, this group of over 100 islands in Isabel Province is among the most attractive waterways in the region. None of the islands are permanently inhabited and many are hardly even above. But the region boasts unsurpassed fishing along with the world's largest nesting ground for the endangered hawksbill turtle. Visitors are welcome to accompany staff on regular turtle-monitoring trips, but reservations are suggested. The staff of the conservation area can also arrange local accommodations. The best way to the islands is by canoe from Wagina Island in Choiseul Province. The islands themselves are about 175 miles from Honiara.
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If you have something you believe
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Suggestions For Accommodations In Solomon Islands
Ngarando Faraway
Resort - This timeless tropical paradise is located on one of the oldest
atolls in the world. Imagine a six-acre island with lodges built on ancient
crystalline coral, secluded beaches, and nearby picturesque villages. Then,
imagine you have accommodations here for less than $10 a day. Want more
information, visit
www.riverbendnelligen.com/pigeon.html to find out more.
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At
Travelocity, not only can you find
the lowest fare or best schedule on over 400 airlines, but you can also
find
Great
Car Rental Deals, Low hotel rates when you click on |
Coming Soon. In the mean time, if you have something you believe
I should add to this section, please contact me with the information. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com
Suggestions For Dining In Solomon Islands
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I should add to this section, please contact me with the information. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com
Some
Favorites In Solomon Islands
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I should add to this section, please contact me with the information. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com
Some
Interesting Links For Solomon Islands
Click here for language
helps, dictionaries,
electronic translators,
language software and other helps for learning
a foreign language. Being able to speak at least some of the language in the
country you are visiting will help you have a better time and enjoy your trip
more. Jim.
| Commission free foreign currency delivered to your door. Transfer money to over 150 countries with Direct FX. Simple, secure and cost-effective money transfer service provided to you from Getting Away and Direct FX. Click here to order commission free foreign currency and travelers' checks. |
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Ngarando Faraway Resort - This timeless tropical paradise is located on one of the oldest atolls in the world. Imagine a six-acre island with lodges built on ancient crystalline coral, secluded beaches, and nearby picturesque villages. Then, imagine you have accommodations here for less than $10 a day. Want more information, visit www.riverbendnelligen.com/pigeon.html to find out more.
