Tuesday, October 6
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📍 Honiara Capital on Guadalcanal with markets, museums and WWII sites📍 Gizo Laid-back town and base for diving in the Western Province📍 Marovo Lagoon Huge lagoon with islands, wood carvers and eco-lodges📍 Munda Diving, WWII relics and trips into the Roviana Lagoon📍 Tetepare Island Large wild island protected by local people, with eco-lodge📍 Langa Langa Lagoon Malaita lagoon known for shell money and artificial islands📍 Honiara Capital on Guadalcanal with markets, museums and WWII sites📍 Gizo Laid-back town and base for diving in the Western Province📍 Marovo Lagoon Huge lagoon with islands, wood carvers and eco-lodges📍 Munda Diving, WWII relics and trips into the Roviana Lagoon📍 Tetepare Island Large wild island protected by local people, with eco-lodge📍 Langa Langa Lagoon Malaita lagoon known for shell money and artificial islands
Solomon Islands – Solomon Islands
📍 Solomon Islands📷 Kahunapule Michael Johnson from Pukalani, Hawaii, United Sta · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
🌍 Oceania🗓️ Best: May–Oct

Solomon Islands ✓

WWII history, lagoons and village life off the beaten track

🕒 –:– local time0 stories this week0 sources 6 top placesCapital Honiara

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Solomon Islands📸 Photo album · 1 photos · Ultra-HD
Solomon Islands📜 History of Solomon Islands

The story of Solomon Islands

The Solomon Islands were settled tens of thousands of years ago by people moving east from New Guinea, making them among the earliest inhabited places in the Pacific. Around three thousand years ago, Austronesian-speaking seafarers associated with Lapita pottery arrived, and over time the islands developed a remarkable diversity of cultures and dozens of languages. Communities lived by gardening, fishing and trading, with shell money and elaborate carvings playing important roles in social life.

The Spanish navigator Álvaro de Mendaña reached the islands in 1568 and named them after King Solomon, hoping to find riches. Sustained European contact came only in the nineteenth century with whalers, traders and missionaries, as well as labour recruiters who took islanders to work on plantations in Queensland and Fiji, a practice known as blackbirding. Britain declared a protectorate over the southern islands in 1893, later extending it across most of the archipelago.

Read the full history

During the Second World War the islands became a major battleground. The Guadalcanal campaign of 1942–1943 between Allied and Japanese forces was a turning point in the Pacific War, and wrecks of ships and aircraft still lie in the waters around Honiara and the Western Province. Solomon Islanders served as scouts and coastwatchers, playing a vital part in the campaign. After the war, movements for self-government grew, and the country became independent on 7 July 1978.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, a period of internal tensions led to a regional assistance mission that helped restore stability. Today the Solomon Islands offer travellers an off-the-beaten-path Pacific experience: lagoons fringed with coral, villages where traditions remain strong, superb diving on reefs and wartime wrecks, and warm hospitality.

Timeline

  1. c. 30,000 years agoFirst people arrive from New Guinea
  2. c. 1000 BCLapita seafarers settle the islands
  3. 1568Álvaro de Mendaña names the Islas Salomón
  4. 1893Britain declares a protectorate
  5. 1942–1943Guadalcanal campaign of the Second World War
  6. 1978Independence on 7 July
  7. 2003A regional assistance mission arrives to restore stability

🛰️ The agents haven't spotted fresh news about Solomon Islands in the last few days – here is the travel guide, plus the latest from nearby countries.

Solomon Islands✨ 10 best things to do in Solomon Islands

Things to do in Solomon Islands

  1. Dive WWII wrecksExplore sunken ships and aircraft in Iron Bottom Sound and around the Western Province.
  2. Kayak Marovo LagoonPaddle between forested islands in one of the world's largest saltwater lagoons.
  3. Visit Kennedy IslandSwim at the tiny island near Gizo where John F. Kennedy's crew swam ashore in 1943.
  4. Learn about shell moneySee how shell money is still made by hand in Langa Langa Lagoon on Malaita.
  5. Tour Guadalcanal battlefieldsVisit memorials, battlefields and relics around Honiara.
  6. Snorkel with reef sharksFloat above coral gardens teeming with colourful fish in the Western Province.
  7. Stay in a villageSpend nights in a leaf-hut guesthouse and share meals with local families.
  8. See the Honiara Central MarketBrowse tropical fruits, betel nut and fresh fish in the capital's bustling market.
  9. Watch turtles on TetepareVisit one of the largest uninhabited islands in the South Pacific, a conservation area.
  10. Browse carvingsAdmire traditional wood carvings inlaid with shell from the Western Province.
Solomon Islands🗺️ Where to visit in Solomon Islands

Where to go in Solomon Islands

  • HoniaraGuadalcanal · capitalThe capital, with markets, a national museum and nearby WWII sites.
  • 📍
    Marovo LagoonWestern Province · lagoonA huge lagoon of coral islands and carving villages.
  • 📍
    GizoWestern Province · diving townA small town that is the gateway to dive sites and Kennedy Island.
  • 📍
    MundaNew Georgia · diving and WWIIA base for diving, wreck exploration and island trips.
  • 📍
    Langa Langa LagoonMalaita · artificial islandsFamous for its shell-money makers and villages built on artificial islands.
  • 📍
    Tetepare IslandWestern Province · conservation islandUntouched rainforest, nesting turtles and reefs.
  • 📍
    East RennellRennell Island · UNESCO siteA raised coral atoll with Lake Tegano, the largest lake in the insular Pacific.
Solomon Islands✨ Must-do experiences
  • Dive WWII shipwrecks in Iron Bottom Sound
  • Stay at an eco-lodge in Marovo Lagoon
  • See shell money being made on Malaita
  • Snorkel coral reefs around Gizo
Solomon Islands🍽️ Taste of Solomon Islands
  • Slippery cabbage – leafy greens cooked in coconut milk
  • Fresh tuna – cheap and plentiful
  • Cassava pudding – baked with coconut cream
  • Motu – food cooked in a stone earth oven
Solomon Islands🌦️ Weather & best time to visit Solomon Islands

Best time to visit Solomon Islands

The Solomon Islands have a hot, humid tropical climate with little temperature change throughout the year. Rain falls year-round, peaking between December and April.

BestMay–October: the drier season with lower humidity and calmer seas for diving.
ShoulderNovember and April: warm with increasing rain, but still good diving.
AvoidJanuary–March: the wettest months with the highest cyclone risk.
31°💧💧💧Jan
31°💧💧💧Feb
31°💧💧💧Mar
31°💧💧Apr
31°💧May
30°💧Jun
30°💧Jul
30°💧Aug
31°💧Sep
31°💧Oct
31°💧💧Nov
31°💧💧Dec

Typical daytime highs and rain in Honiara (approximate averages).

Solomon Islands🎉 Festivals & events in Solomon Islands
  • 7 July
    Independence DayCelebrations across the country with parades, music and traditional dances.
  • August
    Guadalcanal campaign commemorationsEvents around Honiara mark the anniversary of the 1942 landings.
  • Various dates
    Provincial DaysEach province holds its own holiday with sports, dances and feasting.
  • December–January
    Christmas and New YearChurch services, choirs and village feasts mark the season.
Solomon Islands🧭 Solomon Islands itinerary ideas

How many days in Solomon Islands?

5 daysHoniara and Guadalcanal

Day 1-2 explore Honiara, its market and museum. Day 3 tour WWII battlefields. Day 4-5 dive or snorkel wrecks off the coast.

12 daysLagoons and islands

Days 1-3 Honiara and Guadalcanal. Days 4-7 fly to Munda and explore Marovo Lagoon. Days 8-11 Gizo, Kennedy Island and diving. Day 12 return to Honiara.

Solomon Islands🎒 Backpacking Solomon Islands – tips & hacks

Backpacker budget: about $60–100 a day

  • Village guesthouses and eco-lodges are the most affordable ways to stay outside Honiara.
  • Domestic flights are useful but irregular; build in flexibility for schedule changes.
  • Passenger boats link the islands cheaply but slowly.
  • Eat fresh fish, root vegetables and fruit from local markets.
  • Always ask permission before visiting reefs or beaches, as most land and sea is customarily owned.
Solomon Islands🛡️ Safety & money in Solomon Islands

Stay safe

  • Check your government's latest travel advice, as occasional civil unrest has occurred in Honiara.
  • Malaria is present; seek medical advice and use repellent and nets.
  • Saltwater crocodiles live in some coastal areas and rivers, so swim only where locals advise.
  • Unexploded WWII ordnance can still be found; never touch suspicious objects.

Money

  • The currency is the Solomon Islands dollar.
  • ATMs are mainly in Honiara and a few towns, so bring enough cash for outer islands.
  • Tipping is not customary but small gifts or thanks are appreciated.

Emergency: 999 or 911 police & ambulance · 988 fire

Solomon Islands💡 Did you know? 5 facts about Solomon Islands
  • Around seventy languages are spoken in the Solomon Islands, with Pijin as the common lingua franca.
  • Lake Tegano on Rennell is the largest lake in the insular Pacific.
  • Shell money is still used in traditional ceremonies such as bride price.
  • Honiara's airport was originally Henderson Field, built during WWII.
  • Some Solomon Islanders naturally have blond hair, caused by a gene unique to the region.
Solomon Islands❓ Solomon Islands travel FAQ

Solomon Islands travel questions

Is the Solomon Islands safe for tourists?

The Solomon Islands are generally safe, with friendly locals. Occasional unrest can occur in Honiara, so check your government's latest travel advice.

When is the best time to visit the Solomon Islands?

May to October is the best time, with drier weather and calmer seas. The wet season peaks from January to March.

How many days do you need in the Solomon Islands?

Five days covers Honiara and Guadalcanal. Ten to fourteen days lets you explore the Western Province's lagoons and dive sites.

Do I need a visa for the Solomon Islands?

It depends on your passport – many visitors receive a visitor permit on arrival, but rules vary. Check the official government site or embassy before you travel.

What language is spoken in the Solomon Islands?

English is the official language, while Pijin is widely spoken as a common language. Dozens of local languages are also spoken.

Solomon Islands💰 What a trip costs
$$$price level
$60–100backpacker / day
$150–250mid-range / day

Approximate daily cost per person (stay, food, local transport).

Solomon Islands🚌 Getting around

Domestic flights and boats link the islands; roads are limited. In Honiara use taxis or minibuses.

Solomon Islands🤝 Local etiquette
  • Dress modestly, covering knees and shoulders
  • Ask permission before entering villages or reefs – most belong to communities
  • Sunday is for church and rest

📰 Older Solomon Islands stories Everything our agents ever found – keeps loading as you scroll

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