"Undiscovered paradis ..." a Solomon Islands Travel Page by minstrel74

For those arriving from other parts of the South Pacific, or especially from Australia, North America, or Europe, the Solomon Islands are a bit of a shock. Unlike Fiji or French Polynesia, this remote corner of Melanesia sees very few tourists, and as a result, gives travelers the opportunity to experience real Pacific Islands culture and history without the presence of mass tourism. It should be noted that travel in the Solomon Islands is not easy. Outside of Honiara, there are very few hotels or resorts in the normal sense, and getting from one place to another often involves confusing and frustrating flights on the national carrier (Solomon Airlines). When the latter is not available, which is often, you will find yourself traveling by motor canoe; you may also discover that finding a place to stay is tricky at best since there are not many guidebooks for this area and most of the country outside of Honiara and Gizo is not really set up to accomodate tourists. But that is what makes this place special. You will discover places that very few other travelers have seen. You will make friends with people who have never met a tourist and who want to know all about the strange, faraway land where you live. But best of all, you will have the pleasure of experiencing a culture and a people who have yet to be overrun by Western influences and who proudly retain their Melanesian heritage. Solomon Islanders are friendly and inviting and will be delighted to share their country with you and show you how they live in this true paradise of the South Pacific.

I have created separate travel pages for some of the places in this country that I felt warranted their own coverage. Specifically, see my travel pages for New Georgia and Vella Lavella Island.

This page includes coverage primarily on the islands of Guadalcanal, Gizo, and Santa Isabel. All visitors to the Solomons will go through Honiara on Guadalcanal, and Gizo and Santa Isabel are also worth a visit. The latter sees almost no tourists whatsoever, and there is a good chance you'll be the only one on the entire 240-km long island as I was on my visit.

My travels through the Solomon Islands were some of the most difficult and yet most rewarding of my life. It is absolutely essential that you ask for assistance from local people when arranging accomodation, exploring off the beaten track, or searching for suitable transport. This should generally not be too difficult as you will have little choice if you want to do anything except stay in your hotel room! Solomon Islanders are some of the friendliest folks you'll ever meet and they will be very happy to assist you in your travels. You will not doubt experience a great deal of local hospitality wherever you go in the Solomons, which you will certainly appreciate after traveling around a bit. On occasion, I felt like I was the only tourist in the country, which on some of the islands was apparently the case!