Overview to the Solomon Islands: Travel Guide and Tourist Information
Lying somewhere in the mile after mile of ocean that stretches between Papua New Guinea and Fiji are the tiny Solomon Islands. A series of islands – more than 1,000 in total – they perfectly evoke the romance of being a castaway on a desert island.
The sparkling blue waters – lined with coral atolls and reefs – are home to some amazing diving and snorkeling. Wrecks from the Second World War litter the seabed and attract an unbelievable variety of marine life.
To the west of the archipelago, Gizo is a good place to start (home to the wreck of the Toa Maru, considered to be one of the best wreck dives in the world). Uepi Island is flanked by, on one side, the wonderful Marovo Lagoon and on the other, a deep abyss.
In addition to the host of great diving and snorkeling sites, the islands are also getting an increasingly good press amongst traveling surfers. There are excellent breaks around Munda and Gizo, Makira and Malaita, and, to the south, on Santa Isabel.
The Islands are dotted with remarkable geological and natural phenomena: Just outside the capital of Honiara is the looming Mount Makarakombu, a stiff climb; also within easy striking distance of Honiara lie the astounding Mataniko Falls with their double-sided cascades.
Intriguingly, the falls’ hidden, stalagmite-ridden cave also served as a hideout for Japanese soldiers during the Second World War. (The Islands, which saw some of the most brutal fighting of the war, are memorably portrayed in Terence Malick’s film, The Thin Red Line.)
The really wonderful thing about the Solomon Islands is the undeveloped nature of its tourist industry. In travel terms, they are still very much virgin territory, and the ‘Man Friday’ feeling of looking at your footprints in the sand of a deserted beach is absolutely priceless.