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Solomon Islands travel guide

Honiara and Guadalcanal introduce the country’s civic life and Second World War history. The Western Province brings Gizo, Munda and Marovo Lagoon, each with different transport and accommodation. Malaita and the Florida Islands are separate cultural and marine chapters that need local hosts. The strongest visit gives one lagoon several nights, uses qualified dive and boat operators and respects customary land. Wartime remains are memorials and hazards, not souvenirs, and a calm-looking sea does not remove the need for a safe licensed boat.

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Map of Solomon Islands showing Honiara & Guadalcanal, Gizo, Munda, Marovo Lagoon, Malaita, Florida Islands
6 local guides · Google Maps · select the map to see them

Quick facts about Solomon Islands

Best time:
May–October is often useful; sea conditions vary by island and coast
Places to visit:
6 worked-out local guides
Visa:
Check passport-specific entry and transit rules before booking.
Currency:
Solomon Islands dollar (SI$ / SBD)
Start in:
Honiara & Guadalcanal
Trip length:
8–14 days
Language:
English is official; Solomon Islands Pijin and many local languages are widely spoken.
Time zone:
UTC+11 year-round
Explore Solomon Islands with Viamente

Who it's for

Is Solomon Islands right for your trip?

Every country is somebody's favourite. The honest question is whether it is yours, and for this trip.

This is your trip if…

  • You want marine or island culture with local operators.
  • You can stay several nights per base and absorb changed flights or boats.

Think twice if…

  • You need daily connections and low-cost spontaneous island-hopping.
  • You expect every beach, reef or village to be open without local permission.

Best time to visit

When is the best time to visit Solomon Islands?

May–October is often useful; sea conditions vary by island and coast. The relatively drier middle of the year often suits general travel, but trade winds affect exposed water. The wetter months bring squalls and regional cyclone disruption. Local sea and flight conditions matter more than a broad national season.

  1. Early year

    January–April

    Mixed

    Rain and squalls can interrupt small-boat and flight plans.

  2. Drier transition

    May–June

    Best

    Often useful for general visits, with marine conditions still checked.

  3. Trade-wind months

    July–October

    Good

    Relatively drier weather may coincide with rougher seas.

  4. Late year

    November–December

    Mixed

    Rain and transport disruption need a flexible return plan.

Climate · monthly normals

HoniaraDaily high – low, °CPrecipitation, mm
0°10°20°30°40°29°24°0175350305 mmJFMAMJJASONDJanuary: 28° / 25° · 265 mmFebruary: 28° / 25° · 305 mmMarch: 28° / 25° · 275 mmApril: 28° / 25° · 220 mmMay: 28° / 25° · 215 mmJune: 28° / 25° · 145 mmJuly: 28° / 24° · 135 mmAugust: 28° / 24° · 115 mmSeptember: 28° / 25° · 105 mmOctober: 28° / 25° · 160 mmNovember: 29° / 25° · 165 mmDecember: 29° / 25° · 220 mm

Rounded NASA POWER 2001–2020 daily model averages near Honiara. Temperatures are mean daily highs/lows; rainfall is the mean monthly total. A coarse grid can smooth coastal and mountain differences; this is not a forecast.

Festivals and events

What is worth planning around?

Dates a plan should either aim for or steer clear of. Both are useful; the second saves more money.

  1. 7 July

    Independence Day

    Nationwide

    Community and civic events can change services.

  2. Dates vary

    Local cultural festivals

    Island communities

    Check the current public programme through local hosts.

Where to go

Where should you go in Solomon Islands?

The places that earn their nights, most important first, with how long each deserves. Nobody needs all of them on one trip.

City and local guides

6 worked-out stops
Map of Solomon Islands showing Honiara & Guadalcanal, Gizo, Munda, Marovo Lagoon, Malaita, Florida Islands
6 local guides · Google Maps

Map numbers match the local guide cards.

  1. Honiara & Guadalcanal

    Melanesia

    01
    travel base2–3 days

    Honiara provides practical services and historical context. Guadalcanal sites beyond the city need a guide and realistic road time.

    Best time: December–April, adjusted for the coast

    Explore Honiara & Guadalcanal
  2. Gizo

    Melanesia

    02
    town4–5 days

    Gizo works as a regional base for responsible marine activities and locally hosted visits. Confirm the airport-to-town boat as part of arrival.

    Best time: The locally drier months; conditions vary by coast

    Explore Gizo
  3. Munda

    Melanesia

    03
    town4–5 days

    Munda gives a practical base for dive and cultural outings around New Georgia. Marine conditions and customary access shape the day.

    Best time: The locally drier months; conditions vary by coast

    Explore Munda
  4. Marovo Lagoon

    Melanesia

    04
    travel base5–7 days

    Marovo is best experienced through a locally supported lodge with complete transfers. Spend mornings on the water and time learning from hosts.

    Best time: The locally drier months; conditions vary by coast

    Explore Marovo Lagoon
  5. Malaita

    Melanesia

    05
    travel base4–6 days

    Malaita needs a local host and current transport advice. Cultural visits work through introductions and consent, not uninvited access.

    Best time: The locally drier months; conditions vary by coast

    Explore Malaita
  6. Florida Islands

    Melanesia

    06
    travel base3–5 days

    The Florida Islands combine diving and historical context close in ocean terms to Honiara. A safe confirmed boat and host remain essential.

    Best time: The locally drier months; conditions vary by coast

    Explore Florida Islands

Things to do

What should you do in Solomon Islands?

Not a bucket list — the handful of things that make this country this country, with the timing catch that stops people doing them well.

  1. 01

    Understand Honiara and Guadalcanal

    Honiara & Guadalcanal

    Honiara provides practical services and historical context. Guadalcanal sites beyond the city need a guide and realistic road time.

  2. 02

    Stay around Gizo

    Gizo

    Gizo works as a regional base for responsible marine activities and locally hosted visits. Confirm the airport-to-town boat as part of arrival.

  3. 03

    Dive and explore from Munda

    Munda

    Munda gives a practical base for dive and cultural outings around New Georgia. Marine conditions and customary access shape the day.

  4. 04

    Give Marovo Lagoon several nights

    Marovo Lagoon

    Marovo is best experienced through a locally supported lodge with complete transfers. Spend mornings on the water and time learning from hosts.

How to get around

How do you get around Solomon Islands?

Use Honiara for arrival context, then choose one supported regional base with confirmed flights and boats. Keep the final domestic return away from the international departure.

Domestic island links

Reconfirm the operating route, luggage limits and return buffer.

Lagoon and island boats

Use reputable operators, lifejackets, weather checks and legal village access.

Guadalcanal roads

Arrange reliable drivers and current advice for sites beyond Honiara.

Travel tips

What should you know before you go?

The things locals assume you know. Most travellers learn them by getting one wrong on day two.

Customary land and reefs
A village guide or fee may be required even where a path or shore appears public.
Many island identities
Pijin connects a country of many languages and local traditions.
War history with respect
Use informed guides, avoid unstable remains and never handle unexploded objects.

Travel basics

Visa, money, SIM cards and more

The boring section, which is why it is the one people skip and then regret at the airport.

visa

Check entry before buying flights

Check the destination’s own entry rules for your passport, any arrival form, onward ticket and required permits. A US-dollar economy or US-linked flight route does not make US immigration permission sufficient.

money

Solomon Islands dollar and payments

Use Solomon Islands dollars and carry cash for small lodges, village fees and boats. Confirm card and ATM access before leaving Honiara or a regional centre.

connectivity

Coverage and offline planning

Download permits, tickets, maps and contacts before leaving the main town. Mobile data and Wi-Fi can be slow, expensive or unavailable on outer-island routes.

plugs

Type I/G sockets

230 V, 50 Hz; confirm the accommodation’s socket type.

safety

Marine transport and wartime remains

Check current local advice, use safe boats and qualified guides, and never touch ordnance or enter unstable wartime structures. Remote routes need evacuation cover.

health

Remote-island preparation

Arrange route-specific health advice, carry medication and use mosquito and sun protection. Insurance should cover evacuation and any planned diving or remote boat activity.

Trip costs

How much does a trip to Solomon Islands cost?

A mid-range trip usually needs about €140–€300 per person per day, before long-haul flights. Remote full-board lodges, domestic flights and boat transfers dominate costs. Confirm village permissions, dive fees and contingency nights when comparing packages.

Simple

€€85–140

per person / day

Stay
Simple guesthouse or small apartment
Food
Markets, bakeries and simple local meals
Transport
Shared transport where available

Check that the low-cost route actually operates; an expensive transfer can outweigh a cheap room.

Mid-range

€€140–300

per person / day

Stay
Comfortable independent hotel or lodge
Food
Local lunches and a sit-down dinner
Transport
A mix of local transport and arranged transfers

Planning allowance per person sharing a room, excluding international flights.

Comfortable

€€300–510+

per person / day

Stay
Boutique hotel, private lodge or best-located room
Food
Destination restaurants and hosted meals
Transport
Private driver, guiding or boat charter

Specialist activities, domestic flights and private charters may add substantially more.

Sample itineraries

Starting points, not scripts

Each of these is a real request you could hand to Menta as written. Change the people, the month and the pace; the structure will hold.

Capital and one western base

11 days
  1. Honiara & Guadalcanal
  2. Gizo
  3. Munda

Choose Gizo or Munda as the main western stay and keep a Honiara return buffer.

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A lagoon-focused journey

14 days
  1. Honiara & Guadalcanal
  2. Marovo Lagoon
  3. Florida Islands

Use complete lodge transfers and confirm whether the flight and boat chain supports both bases.

Free to start · no payment details

Common questions

Quick answers about travel in Solomon Islands

Short answers to the questions people ask before they book. Use the full guide for the detail and trade-offs.

When is the best time to visit Solomon Islands?
May–October is often useful; sea conditions vary by island and coast. The relatively drier middle of the year often suits general travel, but trade winds affect exposed water. The wetter months bring squalls and regional cyclone disruption. Local sea and flight conditions matter more than a broad national season.
How much does a trip to Solomon Islands cost?
Plan about €140–€300 per person per day for a mid-range trip, before long-haul flights. Remote full-board lodges, domestic flights and boat transfers dominate costs. Confirm village permissions, dive fees and contingency nights when comparing packages.
How do you get around Solomon Islands?
Use Honiara for arrival context, then choose one supported regional base with confirmed flights and boats. Keep the final domestic return away from the international departure.

More destinations

Where else?

Solomon Islands is a good trip. Make it your trip.

Everything on this page is context Menta already has. Add the people going, the dates and what you actually care about, and the plan starts smarter than a blank chat.

Unlimited journeys free. No payment details. Help before and during travel.

Start planning Solomon Islands

Guide last reviewed 2026-10. Check visa rules against your own passport before you book.