Solomon Islands Travel Guide: The “Hapi Isles” and What to Know Before You Go

The Solomon Islands remain one of the South Pacific’s most genuinely untouched destinations — an archipelago of nearly 1,000 islands where Melanesian tradition, WWII history, and some of the best diving anywhere on Earth come together largely free of mass tourism. This guide covers the country’s top destinations, culture, and the practical details worth knowing, including some genuine health and safety realities that deserve honest treatment rather than a passing mention.

Why Choose the Solomon Islands

If overly commercialised destinations where culture takes a back seat to tourist infrastructure aren’t for you, the Solomon Islands offer a genuine alternative. Unlike more heavily visited Pacific destinations, this archipelago remains refreshingly authentic, offering real insight into Melanesian tradition, history, and largely untouched natural environments.

Whether it’s world-class diving, WWII history, or genuinely warm local hospitality, the Solomons offer a depth of experience that’s increasingly rare in the Pacific — paired with a real, community-rooted approach to eco-conscious tourism.

Top Destinations in the Solomon Islands

1. Honiara: The Capital Gateway

Most journeys to the Solomon Islands begin in Honiara, on the island of Guadalcanal, a genuine hub of history and culture.

  • Key Attractions: The Guadalcanal American Memorial covers the island’s pivotal WWII history, while Tenaru Falls offers a refreshing hiking escape from the city. The Central Market is genuinely worth a visit for colourful produce, seafood, and handcrafted goods.

  • Tip: The National Museum and Cultural Centre offers a strong first introduction to Solomon Islands history and culture before heading further afield.

2. Munda: A Diver’s Destination

Munda’s crystal-clear water and rich marine life make it one of the world’s genuinely great diving destinations.

  • Key Attractions: WWII wrecks sit alongside vibrant coral reefs; Shark Point is particularly well known for reliable reef shark sightings.

  • Tip: Several dive schools here offer beginner-friendly certification courses, making Munda a genuinely good place to learn to dive, not just to dive if you’re already certified.

3. Rennell Island: A UNESCO World Heritage Site

Home to East Rennell, the largest raised coral atoll in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Rennell offers genuinely untouched natural beauty.

  • Key Attractions: Lake Tegano, the site’s centrepiece, offers serene scenery and genuine biodiversity, including several endemic bird species that make it a strong destination for birdwatchers.

  • Tip: Expect a genuinely remote experience with basic accommodation — the isolation is the point here, not a drawback.

4. Marovo Lagoon: The World’s Largest Double Barrier Reef Lagoon

Marovo Lagoon offers some of the South Pacific’s best snorkelling and kayaking, gliding over shallow, genuinely crystal-clear water.

  • Key Attractions: Local communities specialising in shell carving and traditional basket weaving offer genuine cultural engagement alongside the natural scenery.

  • Tip: A homestay with a local family here offers a genuinely deeper look at traditional Solomon Islander life than a standard lodge stay.

5. Auki and Malaita: Cultural Immersion

Malaita Province offers some of the country’s most genuine cultural tourism, with famously welcoming locals.

  • Key Attractions: The intricate process of crafting traditional shell money, still genuinely used in ceremonies and transactions today, is a highlight, alongside strong coral reefs just offshore.

  • Tip: Timing a visit around a local cultural festival, where possible, offers a genuine window into traditional dress, chanting, and dance.

6. Gizo: Surf, Dive, and Relax

Gizo, in the Western Province, combines striking beaches with genuine adventure.

  • Key Attractions: Kennedy Island, named for the site where future US President John F. Kennedy’s PT boat was sunk during WWII, sits just offshore. Surfing and simply relaxing at a beachfront resort round out Gizo’s appeal.

  • Tip: Many locals still carry family stories passed down from the WWII era — genuine conversations here often reveal history you won’t find in a guidebook.

Solomon Islands Food to Try

  • Poi and other taro and sweet potato dishes: Root vegetables form the backbone of the traditional Solomon Islander diet, often cooked in an underground earth oven called a motu, similar in concept to Pacific-wide traditional feast cooking.

  • Fresh seafood: Given the surrounding reefs and lagoons, fish, crab, and shellfish feature heavily, often simply grilled or cooked in coconut milk.

  • Kokoda: A raw fish dish marinated in citrus and coconut milk, similar to other Pacific-style ceviche preparations found across Melanesia and Polynesia.

  • Tropical fruit: Papaya, pineapple, and coconut are abundant and genuinely fresh, a highlight of markets throughout the islands.

A Brief History

The Solomon Islands have been inhabited by Melanesian peoples for tens of thousands of years, developing genuinely distinct cultures and languages across the archipelago’s many islands well before European contact in the 16th century. The islands became a British protectorate in the late 19th century and were the site of some of the most significant and hard-fought battles of the WWII Pacific campaign, including the Battle of Guadalcanal — a turning point in the wider Pacific War, and the reason the islands hold such genuine historical weight for military history travellers today. The Solomon Islands gained independence from Britain in 1978, and traditional customary land tenure and chiefly structures continue to shape community life across much of the country, a genuine continuity with pre-colonial Melanesian tradition that visitors will notice reflected in how villages and land are organised.

Sample Itinerary Structure

One Week: Honiara and Western Province

Two to three nights in Honiara covering WWII history and the Central Market, followed by three to four nights in Munda or Gizo for diving and beach time — a well-established, relatively straightforward route given flight connections from Honiara to the Western Province.

Ten Days to Two Weeks

Add Marovo Lagoon for snorkelling and cultural homestays, giving a genuinely comprehensive mix of diving, WWII history, and traditional culture across the Western and Central Provinces.

A Remote, Off-the-Beaten-Path Route

Travellers with more time and a taste for genuine isolation should look at Rennell Island, arranged well in advance given its remoteness and basic accommodation — this is a serious addition rather than a standard extension to a first-time itinerary.

An Important Section: Health and Safety

This deserves honest, specific treatment, since it’s genuinely important preparation rather than boilerplate caution.

Malaria and Mosquito-Borne Disease

This is a genuinely significant point that’s easy to overlook: the Solomon Islands has one of the highest malaria transmission rates in the Pacific, and dengue fever is also widespread. Antimalarial medication is strongly recommended for travel here — consult a travel health clinic well before departure — alongside strict mosquito-bite prevention (repellent, covering up at dawn and dusk, mosquito nets where provided). Medical facilities outside Honiara are genuinely under-resourced in terms of both equipment and medication, so prevention matters considerably more here than in many other tropical destinations.

Unexploded WWII Ordnance

Given the scale of fighting that took place here during WWII, unexploded ordnance (UXO) remains a genuine, documented hazard in specific areas, including Hell’s Point and the ridges behind Honiara, parts of the New Georgia island group, Tulagi Island, and the Russell Islands. Many areas have been cleared, but previously undetected UXO continues to surface periodically even in areas thought to be clear. Stick to marked paths and established tourist routes in these specific regions, and never handle unfamiliar metal objects found in the ground or underwater.

Crime, Particularly in Honiara

Petty crime — pickpocketing, theft from vehicles, break-ins — is a genuine and documented concern, particularly in Honiara, with some reports of more serious incidents including robbery and assault targeting foreigners, especially after dark or in poorly lit areas. Avoid displaying valuables, use transport arranged through your hotel or a trusted local contact rather than hailing unknown vehicles, and avoid walking alone after dark in the capital.

Civil Unrest

Political events — parliamentary sittings, elections, periods of political uncertainty — can occasionally draw crowds and, on rare occasions, turn tense with little advance warning, particularly around Parliament House in Honiara. This isn’t a constant risk, but it’s worth monitoring local news during your stay and avoiding large public gatherings or demonstrations as a matter of course.

Natural Hazards

The Solomon Islands sit within an active tropical cyclone zone and a seismically active region, with real exposure to cyclones, earthquakes, and tsunamis. Comprehensive travel insurance covering natural-event disruption and medical evacuation is genuinely essential, and it’s worth checking current weather advisories, particularly during cyclone season, before and during your trip.

None of this means the Solomon Islands are broadly unsafe for well-prepared travellers — most visits, particularly outside Honiara and with sensible precautions, pass without serious incident. But this is genuinely not a destination to under-prepare for, and treating these points with real seriousness, rather than glossing over them, makes for a considerably safer and more enjoyable trip.

Practical Travel Information

Visa Requirements

The Solomon Islands has introduced an Electronic Visa System, and travellers are now required to apply online in advance of travel rather than relying on visa-on-arrival. Apply through the official government portal well ahead of your trip, and check current requirements for your specific nationality, since this system is relatively new and details can continue to evolve.

Getting There

Flights operate primarily into Honiara International Airport, with connections from regional hubs including Brisbane, Port Moresby, and Nadi.

Getting Around

Road conditions are genuinely poor throughout the islands, with the only paved roads (and even those with significant potholes) found in and around Honiara; a four-wheel drive is necessary for most inland or rural travel. Domestic flights and boats connect the outer islands, though schedules can be irregular, so build real flexibility into any multi-island itinerary.

Currency

Credit cards are not widely accepted outside Honiara’s larger hotels. Bring sufficient cash in Solomon Islands dollars, particularly for travel to the outer islands.

Connectivity

Wi-Fi and mobile coverage can be genuinely spotty outside Honiara. A local SIM card is worth picking up if staying connected matters to you, though don’t expect reliable service everywhere, particularly on more remote islands.

Respecting Local Culture

Modesty matters away from beach areas — cover up appropriately when in villages or towns, and always ask permission before photographing people, a courtesy genuinely appreciated throughout Melanesian culture.

Best Time to Visit

The dry season, roughly May to October, offers the most reliable weather and is the most popular time to visit — book flights and accommodation well ahead if travelling during this window, given the country’s genuinely limited tourism infrastructure.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How much does it cost to visit the Solomon Islands?

Costs vary by travel style, but budget for accommodation, meals, and activities at a moderate daily rate for mid-range travel, with diving, domestic flights, and remote-island stays adding meaningfully to the total. Given limited competition and infrastructure outside Honiara, this isn’t generally a budget-backpacker destination in the way some other Pacific islands can be.

2. How do I get to the Solomon Islands?

Via Honiara International Airport, with connections from Brisbane, Port Moresby, and Nadi being the most common routes.

3. Is it safe for tourists?

Most visits pass without serious incident, particularly with sensible precautions, but this isn’t a destination to under-prepare for. Malaria risk, unexploded WWII ordnance in specific areas, petty and occasionally more serious crime in Honiara, and periodic civil unrest around political events are all genuine, documented considerations. Check current government advisories before you go and take the health and safety guidance above seriously.

4. What activities can I enjoy?

Diving, birdwatching, cultural tours and homestays, WWII history excursions, surfing, and genuinely relaxing, uncrowded beach time.

5. What language is spoken?

English is the official language, though Pijin is the genuine everyday lingua franca spoken widely across the islands, alongside dozens of local languages specific to individual communities.

6. Do I need antimalarial medication?

Yes, this is genuinely recommended given the Solomon Islands’ high malaria transmission rate. Consult a travel health clinic well ahead of your trip for current medication guidance, and take mosquito-bite prevention seriously throughout your stay.

Final Thoughts

The Solomon Islands offer something genuinely rare in the modern Pacific: raw natural beauty, deep and largely undiluted Melanesian culture, and some of the best diving on Earth, all without the crowds that have reshaped so many other island destinations. It rewards travellers who prepare properly — understanding the real health and safety picture, building in flexibility for limited infrastructure, and approaching the islands with genuine respect — with an experience that’s genuinely hard to find anywhere else.

For help planning your trip, visit Nihosi Travels & Tours.