SOLOMON ISLANDS Can Dopretty Muchwhatever Youwant,Andwillbelimited Onlybyyourimagination

SOLOMON ISLANDS can dopretty muchwhatever youwant,andwillbelimited onlybyyourimagination. to foreign aid,theSolomonsisbouncingbackandvisitorswillfeel more than plentyofWWIIrelics scatteredthe surface, inthejunglewillcaptivate historybuffs. andfishingareseafloor betweenGuadalcanalandTulagi. alsohere. surfing Above Kayaking, Lagoon’s reefs ordivingaroundthefleetofWWIIshipandplanewrecks resting onthe andthemajesticsceneryfromatranquilsundeck. will delightinsoothingeco-lodges itional culture isalive. forabitlessswashbucklingandmore Those creature looking comforts jungle pathstoreach andexperiencetheleaf-hutvillageswhere secludedwaterfalls, trad- volcano,trekan extinct acrossamountainouslandscapeasolddinosaurs,slogthrough tocreatenatural beauty,opportunities yourowntrailabound.It’sallabouteco-travel: climb the ocean,denserainforest andtraditionalvillages;itfeels theworld’send. like secretive. Wantingtogetoffthebeaten path?It’seasy:there isnobeaten path.Justyou, One ofthelastSouthPacific frontiers,theseislandsare Melanesiaatitsmostinspiringand Islands Solomon 246 © LonelyPlanetPublications The best part is,there’llThe benocrowdstoshare bestpart intheexperience. The question,though,is this:after afew yearsofcivilstrife, howsafe isthecountry?Thanks This isonlythebeginning. Divers willbeinseventh heaven, whetherexploringMarovo In thisenigmaticarchipelago,blessedwithacompellinghistory,intriguingcultures and

HIGHLIGHTS

POPULATION: 524,000 Taking adipinnaturalpoolat Listening tothecacophonyof seabirds on Visiting askullshrineon Spottingrusty WWIIrelics on Feeling free inanintimate lodgeat infishsoup Divingandsnorkelling on Soothingyourchakrasatalaid-backresort Huffingtothetopofmounton Testing yourIndianaJonessideinuntamed Te’Nggano Park–like scenery the mysterious, WorldHeritage Lagoon west and ( opposite ) Langa Lagoon (p265) (p279) (p277) New Georgia Vonavona Guadalcanal  Mataniko Falls listed ( p265 ) Langa Kolombangara Island Marovo Lagoon Lake

Weathercoast Mbabanga Island 28) or (p258) AE 750 Q M SA RA 13 MLIN MILLION 1.35 AREA: (SEA KM SQ 27,540 AREA : Mbabanga Vonavona SQ KM) Lagoon Island Lagoon Marovo Kolombangara (p266) Tenaru Falls Island ( p274 ) toadmire theJurassic (p261) West NewGeorgia New Georgia& (p272) Te‘Nggano Lake (p259) Guadalcanal Lagoon Langa Weathercoast Tenaru Falls Mataniko Falls& welkam . Yes, you Geography &Climate Solomon Islands. See p22 forarun-downof thehistoryof the lonelyplanet.com quell internal violence, despite ashort- (RAMSI) personnel in2003,whohelped Assistance Mission totheSolomon Islands changed sincethearrivalof theRegional sion from1999to2003.Buthowthings have the epicentre of civilunrest andethnicten- ofThe capital theSolomonIslandswasat Tension, riots?What tension, what riots? onthe those northern coast. theWeathercoastpeoplefrom that separates range mountain risingto2400ma mighty become eventually hills behindthecapital has thegenuine lookof alostworld.The the northcoast.OutsideHoniara,island of forGuadalcanal,justoff WWII’sBattle Iron BottomSound,thefamousgraveyard of naturalwonders divingat andfantastic a hostof There culturalsights. are acouple Honiara. There’s no iconiccallingcardbut Guadalcanal hoststhenationalcapital, The largest islandintheSolomongroup, GUADALCANAL p33 formore informationonculture. involves dances,songsandstorytelling. See geographic. village Solomon Islanders’ dutiestotheirclanand (fellow clanspeople)system existshere. As inmostMelanesian cultures, the vary from21°C to 32°C. temperaturesand April.Daytimecoastal December. January Cyclonesoccurbetween earthquakes occur frequently. is onGuadalcanal.Volcanicactivityand peak,MtMakarakomburuhighest (2447m) ers are tiny,low-lyingatolls.Thecountry’s ged, heavily oth- woodedandmountainous; Island inPNG.Someof theislandsare rug- southeasternly direction fromBougainville chain of islandswhich extends 1667kmina Pacific, theSolomonsisascattered double The third-largest archipelago intheSouth Culture HONIARA History The dry season isfromMayThe dryseason toearly bigman Kastom (leader)are eternal andtrans- GUADALCANAL ••Honiara (ortraditionalways) wantok exploring Guadalcanal’soutdoors andthe not tospendsometimeinHoniara. It’s the hubwithinarchipelago, it’shard for mostvisitors, duetoitspositionas stocks afew bookson the Solomons. shop gift to1pmSat)ThisGerman-run 5pm Mon-Fri, Police EMERGENCY Nautilus BOOKSHOPS Information principal zone.light-industrial which make upthecountry’sand Ranadi, and Mataniko. are Kukum,Panatina Beyond to thewest,whileeastwardsare Chinatown ofhas thesettlements Rove andWhite River tels and restaurants. port complex,shops,embassies,banks,ho- precinct, you’ll findthecentralmarket, the east backbone of centralHoniara,which runs a 30-minute walkalongMendana Ave, the to Chinatownandcaneasilybecovered in The centralarea extends fromthepostoffice earth. on like heaven justseem Honiara might whocomefromPortMoresby,For those various WWIIbattlefieldsaroundthecity. and amodicumof nightlife (yes, snarls with consumergoods,theoddtraffic thick bananasmoothies…),shops heaving tering of epicurean indulgences (hmmm, they’ve stepped intoManhattan, withaspat- village by rough life,acterised nowfeel like intheSolomonIslands’wilds,char-weeks museum. the first taste of Melanesian culture byvisiting well-stocked souvenir shopsandget your shambolic market, grab afew giftsinthe thethe atmosphericwharf,wadethrough togrownonyou.Hang start might around despair! Liftthecity’sskinandplace arewins noprizesandsights sparse. Don’t rarely love atfirst –thearchitecture sight future. the city isnowlooking optimistically towards lived election-related uprisingin2006.The Orientation The 11km-urbanspread alongthecoast It’s alsotheoptimallaunching padfor who’veThose justarrived fromseveral Considering it’sthefirst portof call  ( west paralleltotheseashore. Inthis % ( % 999) 26105; NPF Plaza, Mendana Ave;26105; NPFPlaza,Mendana nightlife h 8am- 247

). SOLOMON ISLANDS ISLANDS SOLOMON SOLOMON ISLANDS 248 0 200 km SOLOMON ISLANDS 0 120 miles OOO SAD SOLOMON ISLANDS Ontong Java Atoll ὄ inset PAPUA NEW GUINEA Anuta I

MALAITA Tikopia I PROVINCE Fatutaka I

Bougainville CHOISEUL Same scale as main map ὄὄὄPROVINCE ὄὄὄὄ

SHORTLAND Choiseul I ISABEL IS PROVINCE Treasury I N e w G e o Vella Lavella I r g S O U T H P A C I F I C O C E A N i a Santa Isabel I Kolombangara S Gizo o u Ranonggaὄ I ὄὄn d ὄ ὄ ( T New h Ghizo I Marovo e See Malaita Sikaiana Lola Georgia I S Lagoon l Province Atoll I o Map (p275) Rendova I t ) Auki Vangunu I Tetepare I RUSSELL NGGELA I WESTERN IS IS n Malaita I PROVINCE d i s p TEMOTU See Western Province Map (p264) e n PROVINCE s HONIARA a See Central Province ὄb ὄ ὄὄDUFF IS Guadalcanal l e Map (p261) S Ulawa I t ra i Nupani I t REEF IS See Guadalcanal THREE SISTERS Map (pp250–1) GUADALCANAL IS Tinakula I PROVINCE

RENNELL & Makira I Santa Cruz I S O L O M O N S E A BELLONA Santa Ana I PROVINCE Santa Catalina I ὄ SANTA CRUZ Utupua I lonelyplanet.com Bellona I IS

Rennell Vanikoro I I See Rennell Island Map (p279) Lake Te'Nggano To Anuta I; Fatutaka I; MAKIRA Tikopia I (See inset) Indispensable PROVINCE ὄὄὄReefs ὄ rates, but notoriously longqueues rates, butnotoriously as well. all majorcurrencies andtravellerscheques. Hasthebest hours, expats. After call SolomonHotel,hasbeenrecommended tousby the King h h to3pmSat) Fri, Upstairs. internet access fortheirguests,andsome print documents.Mosthotels alsooffer connections, andyoucanburnCDs S$17 perhour. Youcanexpectfairlyspeedy averagePlaza building.Rates fromS$15to There are variousinternet cafésintheNPF ACCESSINTERNET lonelyplanet.com ANZ small bureau dechange at the airport. there isalsoanANZ-operated ATM anda cash advancesonyourcredit card.Note that MasterCard. ANZandWestpaccanalsodo andside thepostoffice. TheyacceptVisa (also ownedbyANZandWestpac)out- have oneeach; you’llfindtwomore booths working whenwevisited. ANZandWestpac hour ATMs inthecentre, andtheywere all thereernisation: are nowfour,shiny24- A signthatHoniarahasembracedmod- MONEY to1pmSat)Awell-stocked 5pm Mon-Fri, pharmacy. Point CruzChemist Clinic Medical In-The-Zone MEDICAL SERVICES Cafe TM Internet Solosoft open on Saturday. places have wi-fi. Thefollowingoutletsare look like the personnelwillbe leavinganytime soon. look like rebuilds. The presence of RAMSI meansthattheSolomons are safe oncemore, butitdoesn’t resultingpolicing project, inlaw andorderreturning. 2003. The RAMSI forceincludespersonnelfromAustralia, NewZealand andFiji, andismainly a to theSolomonIslands(RAMSI) presence throughoutthewholecountry,implemented inJuly hasceased, thanksgreatly 2000.Conflict signed inOctober tothe Regional Assistance Mission gained theupperhand.Hundreds diedinthefighting. which ledtothousandsfleeingbackhome. The MalaitanEagleForce(MEF)wasformedandsoon settled bymigrantsfromMalaita. For yearstheGwalepeopleofGuadalcanalresented thattheirtraditionalland was being thefact TENSION:IT’SOVERETHNIC 8.30am-4pm Mon-Fri) This private clinic,justbeside Thisprivate 8.30am-4pm Mon-Fri) 8.30am-4.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1.30pmSat) 8.30am-4.30pm Mon-Fri, Upstairs. ( % Security was quickly re-established andRAMSI remainsSecurity wasquickly re-established inanongoing rolewhilethecountry Following mediationbyAustralia andNewZealand, theTownsvillePeace Agreement was Early in1999theGuadalcanalRevolutionary Army(GRA)begantoterrorise Malaitan migrants, (NPF Plaza, Mendana Ave; (NPFPlaza,Mendana 21111; Mendana Ave;21111; Mendana (NPF Plaza, Mendana Ave; (NPFPlaza,Mendana GUADALCANAL ••Honiara ( % h 22911; Mendana Ave;22911; Mendana 25063. ( h % h 9am-4pm) Changes 23485; Hibiscus Ave;23485; Hibiscus 8am-7pm Mon- h 8am- 4.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-noon Sat) Well-established travel 9am-noonSat)Well-established 4.30pm Mon-Fri, Ave;[email protected]; Mendana accepted). ones well astravellerscheques(euro-denominated are Changesallmajorcurrencies excepteurosincash,as Fri) and travellers cheques. h are no queues. are lower,butthere counter downstairs,goupstairs. Rates tonoonSat)Ifthere’s nobodyatthe 4.30pm Mon-Fri, Uin counter. Union cards, andhasaphilatelicbureau. AlsohousesaWestern envelopesandpost- postoffice.Sells to noonSat)Main Guadalcanal Travel Services Guadalcanal Travel TRAVEL AGENCIES Bureau Solomon IslandsVisitors TOURIST INFORMATION Telekom House tomakeuse international phone calls. Many hotels have phonesthattheirguestscan TELEPHONE Solomon Post POST Westpac Solomon Post Bank SouthPacific prepaid SIMcards. Alsooffers internet connection. phonecardsand 9am-noonSat)Sells 4.30pm Mon-Fri, www.visitsolomons.com.sb; Ave; Mendana Stella. Alsosellsusefulmapsofthe country (S$60). or AskforChris bookings. radio)tomake (by two-way isolatedlodgesandvillages can provideadviceandcontact butstaff material, There islittleprinted 4.30pm Mon-Fri) 8.30am-3pm Mon-Fri) Changesallmajorcurrencies 8.30am-3pm Mon-Fri) ( % 21222; Mendana Ave;21222; Mendana ( (Mendana Ave;(Mendana % ( % 21821; Mendana Ave;21821; Mendana ( % 21576; Mendana Ave;21576; Mendana 21874; Mendana Ave;21874; Mendana h (GTS; 8am-4.30pm Mon-Fri, 8am-4.30pm Mon-Fri, h (SIVB; % 9am-4pm Mon- h h 22586; h % h 8am- 8am- 8am- 22442; 8.30am-

249 SOLOMON ISLANDS ISLANDS SOLOMON SOLOMON ISLANDS in deserted streets. takein deserted At night, a taxi. andavoid walkingalone your commonsense around thecentre byday,provided youuse It’snowsafe tostroll and orderinthecapital. RAMSI personnel quickly re-established law Relax! You’re notinPortMoresby. The Dangers &Annoyances Immigration Division VISA EXTENSIONS in theSolomons. Askforthe knowledgeable Garedd. formajorresorts agency. Canarrangetoursandbookings 250 months. Takes 24 hours. forthree building. Visitorpermits(S$50)canbeextended &Employment ofCommerce, Industries the Department h GUADALCANAL 9.30-11.30am & 1.30-3.30pm Mon-Fri) Locatedin 9.30-11.30am &1.30-3.30pmMon-Fri) Lambi Bay UDLAA • Hnaa GUADALCANAL ••Honiara Ghoverighi Harbour West Cape ὄὄ ὄ ὄὄὄ ὄὄὄ Verahue Marovovo Tiaro Cape Beaufort S OLMNEA Beaufort Bay Tangarere Kombiloko Lambi Hoilava Tambea Suva Pt ( Paru Sorovisi River

% Ghove Cape Austen

River Vungatambu Veuru Mt Tonjili 25081; Mendana Ave;25081; Mendana Visale Mt Vuvunga Ghove Falls Mt Nggoinggoi Cone Peak

Tangarare (593m) (800m) ὄ ὄ River Tughuruloki Vila Mt Gallego (1070m)

Cape Espérance

Mt Pupuraka Hill Ghausava River Ghausava (200m) Vilu Ghamosa Pt

Gholi a To SavoIsland US ShermanTank

River Umasani Aruligo

d Mbambanakira

a River

c Guadalcanal Bonegi Airfield

h Hunter Creek Cape

Ndoma e Lungga Plateau

Savuna

h e Poha Mamara Ruaniu (BonegiIII) Komate R River

Mbambanakira Mt Vatunjae i Memorial

Japanese d Mbolonda Tasivarongo Pt

Poha g

It’s worth spendinganhour ortwosoakingup the remotest destinationsinthearchipelago. departfrom PointCruzto sheds. Boatservices greatly andcopra been extended withwharves discoveries in the Solomons for Spain. theirprayersThen theysaid andclaimedtheir Kua byislanders, renaming it Point Cruz. erected acrossatspottraditionallycalled On 12May 1568 Mendaña and hismen POINT CRUZ S$3) andSkylineDrive (take a cab). River Village (take a‘White River’ minibus, the maindrag.Theexceptionsare White Honiara’s attractions are mainlystrungalong Itina River Sights e Bay Mt Tambunanggu Bonegi I&II Chocho Province Mt Mbutahaina Since the1950sthis smallpeninsulahas Western To Solomons Peace Beach Mamara Valeatu Mataniko Memorial Lelei Nduindui Falls

Noro River Park HONIARA White River Talambirua Viso To Savo& Mt Makarakomburu Mt Popomanaseu Mt Austen (410m) Betikama Gifu Tulagi Kukum Waterfall Tenaru Vihona (2447m) Falls Panatina (2330m) Inakola Ranadi Airport Malukuna Ando Bloody Ridge Koloula Ngalimbiu R

Pt Koloula Tenaru Point Hell's River Mataruka Iron BottomSound Tinomeat Beach Red Ridge Gold lonelyplanet.com Cascades To Malaita Ngalikama Chari Kuma Amtracks Tetere Tetere Beach Choghiri Old Case Parina (1400m) Mt Tatuve Nuhu Chari Rv Matepono R Tetere Mbinu Bay lonelyplanet.com by the USA. Opened in1993, thebuildingwasfunded traditional art,including arching frescoes. Inside, thedome boastsarich of tapestry sions are other month). usuallyheldevery ses- time (one-week in townattheright entrance) canbefunifyouhappen tobe from thepublicgallery(take theeastern Rd; the perched onthehillabove Hibiscus Ave? It’s theconical-shapedconcrete buildingSee NATIONAL PARLIAMENT vessels load and unload. here ascopraboatsandinterisland passenger the atmosphere –there’s alwaysabusyscene Mbalisuna Talise

Talise River ὄ ὄ h River National Parliament Sealark Channel Lengo Channel 8am-4pm Mon-Fri) Mberande

Kolochulu River

Korasahalu Island Aivaghato Tiua Avu River Nughu Island Mbumbunuhu Longgu Mt Vatupochau Mbokokimbo River Haimarao GUADALCANAL ••Honiara (1419m) Komuniboli Airfield Avu ὄ Ruavatu . Watching proceedings Lauvi Pt Mbolavu Nggurambusu River

( Tanggiata % Aola River River Guadalcanal

River Vatupochau Bubuvua 28520; LowerVayvaya Komuninggita S OLMNEA Falls Mbumbumaraho Aola Mt Kaichui

(1920m) Kombito Makaruka

River ὄ Rereὄ River Komuvaolu

Alualu River Mt Pinggu Mbulo R 0 0

Tavangaoa R Rere Tambusu Pt Henslow

Sukiki Simiu River Cape Rua Sura Island Rere Pt Singgilia R Mbo'o has onlyoneroomfeaturing displaysand after commodity are lined cheek-by-jowl themuch sought- selling Wooden stalls is mostly famed foritsbetel nutmarket. about4km westofsettlement thecentre nut, anyone? ThisfriendlyGilbertese Betel WHITE RIVERVILLAGE few boldlycarved wooden statues. each fromadifferent province, aswella are traditionallyconstructed eight houses, themain buildingtherechaeology. Behind currency,ornamentation, weaponry andar- old photographs ontraditionaldance,body mission bydonation; The modest NATIONAL MUSEUM&CULTURAL CENTRE Mbalo R Taluto'o Island Totonga Valahima Mbo'o Veramakuru ὄὄ ὄὄ ὄὄὄ ὄ ὄὄὄ ὄὄ ὄὄὄ Falls Kaoka R Poposa Papara New Marere Savekau Marau Airfield Vata EoPt Wahere Oa River Komunimbaimbai Island Island Pari Makina museum Manikaraku Savekau Poposa h Makina Arona Island Island Komukomutou 9am-4pm Mon-Fri, to2pmSat) 9am-4pm Mon-Fri, Maruipa Island

New Marere Nudha Island ὄ ὄ ὄ ὄὄὄ ὄὄὄ ὄὄὄ ( Round Island Tawaihi % Island Island Maruipa Sound Marau See Enlargement Komunimbaimbai Manikaraku 24896; Mendana Ave;24896; Mendana ad- Conflict Bay Island Marapa 20 miles 4km 0 0 Tavanipupu Island Paipai Island Rauhi Island Marapa Island Kosa Island 2 miles 40 km 251

SOLOMON ISLANDS ISLANDS SOLOMON ὄ ὄ

SOLOMON ISLANDS Mnaa Ave. Mendana 30-minuteings. It’sasteep walkupfrom the 50thanniversary of theUSbeach land- paign. Itwasunveiled on7August1992, duringtheGuadalcanalcam- tles fought descriptions ofslabs bearingdetailed bat- the ing viewof village life belowit.Enjoyitfrom the Mataniko River, providing abreathtak- As itleaves Honiara,SkylineDroverlooks Honiara andValeatu.for the5kmbetween trackYou canstillfollowthiswartimejeep DRIVE SKYLINE Café… Raintree ( there’s Café the Raintree p255 ). Ah,the along themainroad.Past themarket, 252 4 Rove 1 3 2 HONIARA Headquarters Police

US WarMemorial

Bonegi I&II(11km) White RiverVillage(2km); Raintree Café(2km); To Coastwatchers(300m); UDLAA • Hnaa Creek Rove GUADALCANAL ••Honiara Centre...... National Museum&Cultural Invader Charters...... (see26) Holy CrossCatholicCathedral.. Central Market...... Bilikiki...... SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES Westpac...... USA ConsularAgent...... (see44) TM InternetCafe...... (see11) Telekom House...... Solosoft...... (see 11) (SIVB)...... Solomon IslandsVisitorsBureau Post Office(SolomonPost).... Point CruzChemist...... PNG HighCommission...... Nautilus...... Nature Conservancy...... ImmigrationDepartment...... National GovernmentOffices& &LandsDepartment...... Map SalesDivisionofAgriculture Japanese Embassy...... In-The-Zone MedicalClinic...... (GTS)...... Guadalcanal TravelServices German Consulate...... (see4) French Consulate...... British HighCommission...... (see16) Bank SouthPacific...... Australian HighCommission.... ANZ...... INFORMATION

10 Mendana ὄὄ

ABCD

Ave Kukutu St Kukutu

I ronBtmSud Tolu , acompoundof marble Ave 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 40 C2 E3 E3 E1 F1 C2 C2 C2 E1 C2 C2 A1 C2 C2 F1 C2 E1 E1 E1 C2 E1

Le RendezVousRestaurant..(see27) Solomon KitanoMendana Lime Lounge...... Hot BreadKitchen...... Honiara Hotel...... (see26) Hong KongPalace...... Garden Seafood...... Club Havanah...... (see26) Capitana Restaurant...... (see30) Zome Accommodation...... United ChurchResthouse...... Hotel...... Solomon CityMotel...... Quality Inn...... King SolomonHotel...... Honiara Hotel...... Chester Resthouse...... Bulaia BackpackersLodge2... Bulaia BackpackersLodge...... Spirit ofSolomons...... (see18) Solomons SportFishing...... (see38) National Parliament...... EATING SLEEPING

Lenggakiki Rd Lenggakiki

Tsilivi St Hibiscus Ave Hibiscus ὄὄ ὄὄ 14 your senses. It’sthecountry’sprincipalfood your senses. 9 sling tobuy anything.Utter bliss. follow yournose. jewellery. Thefish market isattheback–just Malaitan shellmoney,souvenir shells and island. lages alongthe northerncoastandfromSavo and vegetables, thatcomefromoutlyingvil- ofselection fresh produce,especiallyfruits Mendana Ave Ithasahuge andtheseafront. market andcovers awholeblockbetween Market mistaken forDakar,thebusy,bubbling While there’s nochance of Honiarabeing CENTRAL MARKET 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 8 16 There’s nobargaining, andthere’s nohas- areAlso onsale traditionalcraftssuch as F1 F1 F2 E1 D3 D3 C2 E3 E3 C2 F4 D2 D3 F4 D2 Mud Al

Mendana hgn-Csbac...... B2 Shogun -Casablanca...... Club Paradise...... Point CruzYachtClub...... (see38) Lime Lounge...... (see36) King SolomonHotel...... (see27) Sea King...... Point CruzYachtClub...... Nings CoffeeShop...... (see37) Nings Bakery...... Melanesian Handicrafts...... King Solomon'sHandicraft...... DJ Graphics...... Point CruzYachtClub...... (see38) King SolomonHotel...... (see27) Flamingo...... (see 26) SHOPPING ENTERTAINMENT DRINKING (Mendana Ave;(Mendana 2

Mbokoma Reef 27 Creek H ib ὄὄ ὄὄ isc u 21 s Ave 15 6 30 Plaza NPF 11 12 38 Mbokona h Mbokonavera Bay See Enlargement dawn-dusk Mon-Sat) 22 41 40 39 38 37 44 43 42 F1 E1 E3 F1 F3 C2 F2 ὄ ὄ ὄ

lonelyplanet.com Mendana Ave Mendana 25

(250m) Memorial To USWar Mbo

Skyline Dr 32 assails assails Pt Cruz Vavaea 31

kon Central Central 24 avera Cluck St ὄὄ Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels street, ChungWah Rd,wasflanked with 2006, notmuch (see p13 ). Chinatown’smain Sadly, after theriotsthatbroke outinApril What’s leftof once-thriving Chinatown? CHINATOWN of the centre. Cathedral Catholic prominent religious buildingisthe but make sure youdress modestly. Themost your sins.Visitors are welcometoattend, English, soyouhave not torepent noexcuse usually lastinganhourandconducted in onthisday, churches have services several Mostattend morning church services. ofOn Sunday,masses well-dressed Honiarans CHURCHES &RELIGIOUSSERVICES

Rd TRANSPORT Zome...... (see 32) Solomon Airlines...... MV SolomonExpress...... (see47) MV PelicanExpress...... (GTS)...... vs...... F4 Guadalcanal TravelServices Avis...... 29 28 0 0 Old Mataniko 18 42

E Ashley St Ashley 33 0 0 Bridge

4 Hibiscus Ave Hibiscus 19 46 Falls Trailhead(2km) To Mataniko 48 , perched onahilltotheeast K uaBy 3 43 20 ὄὄ ὄὄὄ 48 47 46 45 1 17 7 47 E1 F1 E1 0.1 miles 36 39 44 34

Mataniko Mataniko To PacificCasinoHotel(2km);

41 Bridge Ave Mendana 200 m 37 23 Chung GUADALCANAL ••Honiara 35 Henderson Airport(9km); River Wah Rd Wharf Main 45 Ritaleven Inn(3.5); 26 F Panatina (3.5km); 0.2 miles Club 106(2km); Bula Bar(9km);

Tenaru (15km)

Hwy Kukum Chinatown Holy Cross 400 m 4 1 3 2 Yct Club. Yacht [email protected]) RunbyWilson Maelaua. soklig trips. snorkelling isUS$140.Alsooffers divepackage White River. One-day fastmail.fm) About1kmwestofthecentre, ontheroadto knowledgeable JohnInnes. FocusesonWWII battlefields. saggy mattresses; otherssaggy have three bedsand is inreasonable condition.Someroomshave are insore of need theplace TLC; otherwise place featurestotal ahandful of roomsthat thistee-throw fromtheChester Resthouse, Vayvaya Rd;perpersonS$90, rS$200-250) unless statedotherwise. fan-cooled twinroomsandshared facilities All placeslisted have communal kitchens, BUDGET Sleeping mon.com.sb) AskforRoss Hepworth. Solomons Tourism Guadalcanal FoundationTours &Tours Destination SolomonsTravel size. party and Tulagi.Pricesvaryaccordingtothe Theycanalsoorganise tripstoSavosights. the WWIIbattlefields,waterfalls andother full-day tours in aroundHoniara,taking The followingoutfitscanarrange half-/ Tours .com.sb; full-dayS$3500) Fishing with fish, wahooandsailfish See p60 formore informationondiving. Invader Charters Coastwatchers the following outfits: area knownasIronBottomSound.Contact lection of WWIIwrecks lyingoffshore inan par withPortMoresby. col- Ithasafantastic diving – the capital Honiara hasprobably thebest If you’re adiver, besure spendafew daysin Activities in the near future. stroyed. There are planstoregenerate thearea colourful shopsbutmostof themwere de- aaai eot 22) n nreln trips. snorkelling and p262) Resort, Maravagi to package aboard a30mvessel(A$450forweekend Islands toFlorida equipment hire S$300)Alsohastrips .com.au; HoniaraHotel;1-/2-shore divesS$500/700, Tackle bigeye tuna,Spanishmackerel, king- United ChurchResthouse United of cityintheworld,ona anycapital

( % 95105, 24498;mikehammond@solomon ( % ( % ( 21255, 73672;coastwatchers@ % , based atthePointCruz , based 23085; www.invadercharters 27772, 21150;toursol@solo

( % ( % 20028, 20144;Lower Solomons Sport SolomonsSport 38338) Runby ( Athong’s % 23444;

253 SOLOMON ISLANDS ISLANDS SOLOMON SOLOMON ISLANDS the original Bulaia: same management, the originalBulaia:same same despite beingabit farfromtheaction, upa in aquietneighbourhood isareliable standby Skyline Dr;rS$250-300; Most placesaccept credit cards. MIDRANGE &TOPEND place forunfussy male travellers. (the fanoccupieshalftheceilings). AnOK The roomsare andclaustrophobic spartan than happytoenjoyafew stubbieswithyou. No problem, theyoungmanager willbemore Church Wannaguzzleafew Resthouse. beers? the alcohol-free andUnited Chester Resthouse tious jointisvery different inatmosphere from lots of tree andflowercoverage, thisunpreten- r S$150-250) travellers. women the publicarea andcorridors). Optimalfor onto and lackintimacy(windowsopenright great value, butit’snotperfect: roomsare tiny downstairs. Allinall,it’s ing basicfoodstuffs on thepremises, butthere’s asmallshop sell- views of theharbour. Noalcohol isallowed From theveranda, youcancontemplate wide guests slumponcouches infrontof theTV. nal area withapolished woodenfloor,where steps viaa shortcut. There’s acomfycommu- tip-top: Mendana Ave isjustafew an assiduousAnglicanbrother. Locationis you inthisneatlittlenumberrunbyHenry, .com.sb; LowerVayvaya Rd;rS$180) walk from Chinatown. you canhandleastrenuous 20-minute steep more recent andabitbrighter). Goodvalueif rooms(albeit nondescript buildingandsamey per personS$100) walk to the market. ofuse itsrestaurant andpool.It’sa10-minute Hotel isjust acrossthestreet, soyoucanmake a few before in.ThesmartHoniara settling Some roomsare windowless,socheck out while ifyou’re strappedforcash. seriously you’re notthelastinlinetoshower. It’sworth- bathrooms –wearthongs(flip-flops) andpray plain andcleanliness isonlyjustOKinthe per personS$100) areas. It’smanageable foraday or two. location andampleviewsfromthecommunal arefeel cramped.Thebestassets thecentral 254 Chester Resthouse Chester Lodge2 Bulaia Backpackers Lodge Bulaia Backpackers Zome Accommodation Solomon CityMotel UDLAA • Hnaa GUADALCANAL ••Honiara Reposed over Reposed slopinggroundswith This isalmostacarboncopyof Roomshere are monastically a

( ( This littleB&B-like oasis % ) %

( 26355; mbhches@solomon % 24862; LowerVayvaya Rd;

( (

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block isanuglyduckling,andthelongcor- butthetwo-storeySad tosay, barrack-style and hadjustreopened whenwedroppedby. having destroyedduringthe2006riots been fromtheashesafter nix, thisplacehasrisen r S$350-680; bathrooms S$450) which are squeaky-clean,andthethickmat- Topmarks gototheshareduse. bathrooms, with onlythree roomsandakitchen forguests’ abodefeels likemaintained apeacefulB&B, comparison. in roomsfeel outdatedstandard anduninspiring viewsandaprivate terrace.come withsea The 831 to834)are appealingandlight-filled; they in therecent wing(Nos811to824andNos pool complete withsunlounges. Deluxe rooms bar, adiscoand,joyof joys, an Olympic-sized scores onamenities,witharestaurant, high a .com.sb; Chinatown;rS$390-816; looking the harbour. and cleanish,comewithabalconyover- it ontheradarscreen. Digsare commodious andkeyamenities, quietsetting locationkeep shouldbedumped,butthefunctional curtains tobereplacedings need andthebordello-red just berippedout,theparticle-board furnish- completed. it’s and willfeature air-con eight roomswhen wing wasbeingbuiltatthetimeof research Anew ing incharm butperfectly serviceable. as youstep infrom the blazingsuninto the 1100; brochure It’s2kmwest of says). the centre. most roomshave noviews(despite whatthe waterfront locationbutgiven the oddlayout and, asthenamesuggests, acasino. Ithasa extensive groundsencompasstworestaurants andboasttherequisiteganised comforts.The the plusside,roomsare spacious,wellor- embellished witheye-catching frescoes. On only touch of fancyisinthereception area, ridors thestage for couldset .com.sb; Panatina; rS$600-1110; so getting backandforthis easy enough. on themainroad(amere five-minute walk), Panatina passby andtaxis district.Minibuses tresses. It’sabout4kmeastof the centre, in the with private facilities,are compactandlack- road.Therooms,someofsteep which come King SolomonHotel King Hotel Pacific Casino Inn Ritaleven Honiara Hotel Quality Inn ais ai

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( Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels ( % ) % Thelinoleumfloorshould 25150; fax25277;LowerVayvaya Rd; 22902, 39192;Panatina; rwithout 21737; reservation@honiarahotel (

% ( % 21205; Hibiscus Ave;21205; Hibiscus rS$825- 25009; paccashtl@solomon ai ais The Shining Like aphoe- ) Thishotel ) . The S$25-50; crowd, this Honiara institution is best known crowd, thisHoniara institutionisbestknown wrought-iron-like chairs andcolourful an escapefromthedustystreets. Withits tractive cafeteria-cum-fast-food outletfor S$15-40; gardens thatcarpetasteep hill.Akinkyfu- well-equipped unitsscattered amidlush green congenial bar;andavarietyof comfortable, astellar location;agoodrestaurant; a staff; boxes:which ticksalltheright professional vast lobby of favourite, thislongstanding Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels It’s ashame, thedishesare because simpleand for itscoldSolbrew fare. thanfor itsaffordable entrance. separate available). Samelocationas NingsBakery, but wonder itquicklyfillsatlunchtime (takeaway your strength withadecentcappuccino. Small tuna, friedchicken orkeep orsandwiches, up ards. Tuckintomarinated chilli porkorbeef, walls, it’salmosttrendy byHoniaranstand- sold out.Bread is also available. on themaindrag.Comeearly;bynoonitis your stickyfingers tothisunassumingoutlet the most flavoursome buns(S$3)intown,take fit intoyourwetsuitthe next day. and buns.Go. Justdon’tblameusifyoucan’t more ordinary intaste) includechocolate cake cake much (S$3).Othertemptations (though rendered of pudding tothedelights thegooey notin-the-knowobviouslyhaven’tThose sur- if theyknowaboutthisbakery-cum-cafeteria. of carbohydrate addictionof anexpatorlocal to3pmSat,noonSun) Fri, Nings Bakery Eating yourself inthelittlepoolat the back. make of use thewell-stocked barandrefresh the timeyouread this.Flake outinthelounge, Withanyluck,itwillbefinished by through. A newwingwasbeingbuiltwhenwepassed afew beforesee plonkingdownyourmoney. and somedarker ones,sodefinitely askto rooms in Honiara,thisonehassomebright the action,thisisyouranswer. Like mosthotels you wanttolaunch yourself intotheheartof Ave;mendana.com.sb; Mendana rS$850-1100; into the hill. the reception area. Ithasaninvitingpoolbuilt theroomsand nicular shuntspeoplebetween Nings CoffeeShop Kitchen Hot Bread Hotel Mendana Solomon Kitano Point CruzYacht-Club h h lunch &dinner) 7am-4pm Mon-Fri)

( % 28371; Hibiscus Ave;28371; Hibiscus

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Never short of Never ahappy ( You cangauge thelevel % 28371; Hibiscus Ave;28371; Hibiscus mains 22500; Mendana Ave;22500; Mendana mains Step into thisat- GUADALCANAL ••Honiara ( h

% h 6am-8pm) 20071; reserv@ 6am-7pm Mon- ais For If ) by agroupof ladiesboastsoneof themost odd cacophony that fuses thesizzling woksodd cacophony thatfuses fish andsquiddishes. Thesoundtrack isan with awidechoice of crab, shrimp,lobster, isking of thecastlehere,to notice. Seafood too busychoosing fromthe mile-longmenu sterile, withneonsandtiles,butyou’llbe dullarea.otherwise Inside,it’smuch more an unexpected dashof inan orientalism blood-red pagodaonHibiscusAve brings S$40-200; about 3kmwestof thecentre. Has wi-fi. issoslow.It’sinWhite River, the service itional woodenbowl.It’ssuch ashamethat inatrad- served the crunchy ‘gardensalad’ honey andyogurt.Vegetarians should enjoy don’t get with onthefruitsalad usstarted melt-in-your-mouth homemadecakes. And specials chalked up ontheblackboard and from4pm),omelettes, daily ful pizzas(served copiousbreakfasts,tween aparadeof bounti- be- any better thanthis(it’sBYO).Choose –alfrescocandlelit tables come diningdoesn’t with woodenfurnishings, thatched roof and of Savo. Thetropicaldécoriseasyontheeye, waterfront locationandsoul-stirringviews inHoniara.agreeable Picture settings alovely S$40-150; butit’sfilling,cheapsauce), and very central. bleak andthefoodisn’tbest(thinkgluggy fillet orprawnswithnuts.Thedécorisabit fish such assweet-and-sour staples Chinese 180; gives theplaceasplash of style. adorned withpaintingsbylocalartists,which illusion of beingbackhome. Thewallsare bananacakesand devilish –andperhaps the towell-madesandwichespleasing salads meal.There’sa light frompalate- everything breakfastyearning forasatisfying (muesli!)or sure: pointforexpatswhoare it’sthemeeting it isthesnazziestspotintown.Onething have imported direct been fromOzthinks to accomplished modernplacethatseems 70; so keep yourears to the ground. glass. There are planstorefurbish theplace, liesjustbeyondthe curry. Andtheseafront buds tokingfishsteak, sirloinsteak orbeef brews here, butyoucanalsotreat yourtaste- full of flavour. Burgers godownwellwiththe Hong KongPalace o Seafood Garden Lime Lounge h h 7am-5pm Mon-Fri, 8am-3pmSat,9am-3pmSun) 7am-5pm Mon-Fri, lunch &dinner) h h Raintree Café Café Raintree 7am-10pm) lunch &dinner)

( % (

% 23064; off Mendana Ave;23064; offMendana mainsS$25- Here youcanfuelupwith

Thissuave numberrun ( 22298; Mendana Ave;22298; Mendana mainsS$35- %

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This 255 SOLOMON ISLANDS ISLANDS SOLOMON SOLOMON ISLANDS sized diningroomislessclichéd. Thisplace golden Buddhaattheentrance;stadium- (hotpot of seafood, chicken(hotpot of seafood, andvegetables)? or (grilled kingfishinponzusauce) the Mendana Hotel. Ever heardof tastednever sogoodatthisrestaurant inside fruit, almonds, honeyand whippedcream). miel et amandes finish off yourmeal with,say, sauces a lip-smacking cis aucoeurd’ail Whet yourpalate withcracking pages of itsmenuare agateway towonder. glass, workinghismagicinthekitchen. The the French the through chef, whocanbeseen with astrongFrench accentthankstoGeorges, local glitterati saunter here forupper-crust fare Chinatown; mainsS$110-180; terrace for alfresco dining. prepared Japanese dishes. There’s abreezy Shogun moodforwell- putsyouintheright Too blandforyou?Therefined interior of the Steaks, fish andlobster plumpupthemenu. range of dishes andhit-and-miss pasta pizzas. the Pacific There’s attheCasablanca. agood it’s perfect ifyou’re undecided.TheAlpsmeet S$90-180; fruit platter too. eye fillet,burgers andfish of theday.Good with such classics aschilli garlicprawns,beef covers mostpalates, territory toplease enough and chairs underathatched roof. Themenu withfunkywoodentables and anairysetting vous, butithasareputation forfinefood is notthemostromanticspotforarendez- Ave;Hotel, Hibiscus mainsS$75-180; that seafood. emphasise dishes foritsChinese has garnered praise high 200; soundtrack – the elevator nothing’s perfect. thefadedtableclothsS$80). Twominuses: and of a wideselection Australian tipples(from Another strongpointisthewinelist,with stick tothesashimi orclassicWestern dishes. It’s timetolearn.Ifyou’re feeling conservative, dinner) Ave; Hotel,Mendana Mendana mainsS$50-180; room. dining inthe in thekitchen andtheblaringTV 256 Le Rendez VousRestaurant Le Rendez King Sea Restaurant Capitana o Shogun –Casablanca h UDLAA • Hnaa GUADALCANAL ••Honiara Oralpleasures (of theJapanese variety) (beef medallionswiththree and (beef sauces) lunch &dinnerMon-Sat) h Club Havanah Club Havanah

dinner) ( % 23678; off Mendana Ave;23678; offMendana mainsS$60- médaillons deboeuf auxtrois (frozen dessert with candied (frozendessert (snailswithgarlic),wolfdown Onevenue, tworestaurants; (

% h (

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% 20071; Solomon Kitano 20071; SolomonKitano h 21737; HoniaraHotel, 21205; King Solomon 21205; King Expats andthe Expats nougat glacé au lunch &dinner) petits far- gris yakisakana h yosenabe lunch & lunch & This

there’s –but steer clearof security inebriated Hotel. Theyare safe for womentravellers – more recent dancehallattheKingSolomon Club 106 house, pub-likehouse, baratKingSolomonHotel a goodplacetohookupwithexpats.Thein- as award-winning coffee. Wi-fi. smoothies andvitamin-packed juices,aswell bytheseashore. right Luscious setting, Spiffing place inWhite River isescapismatitsbest. beverage inthiswonderfullymellow a sunset and smoothies.Goodcoffee, too. Wi-fi. chilled liquid treats such asbush lime,juices air-con. It’sthepremier placetoindulge in sweltering hot,thankstoindustrial-strength 8am-3pm Sat,9am-3pmSun; read this. Wi-fi. and itshouldbecompleted bythetimeyou ers. Thewholeplaceistobefullyredesigned yachties, expats,aidworkers andlocalpunt- hear thelocalgoss.It’sgatheringplacefor in towntosinkaSolbrew andthebestplaceto midnight) to your hotel. At theendof take acabtoget thenight, back lubricate surrounds. your gulletinpleasant There are afew congenial spotswhere youcan The barsceneisnotthatdeadinHoniara. Drinking siren attheback are ludicrous. good). Justonegrumble:thebigfake fish and is: we cansay After having dinners twosatisfying here, all Bar include Travolta (orOliviaNewton-John) dance style Entrance fees are S$10 to S$20. pect aneclecticmixof islandandWestern hits. quiet fornoapparent reason. ex- Music-wise, liveliest butsometimesitcanbepretty nights almost happening.FridayandSaturdayare the spentin weeks otherprovinces, you’llfindthem butafter byWestern afew standards rather naff tunes andhot-and-sweatydancing.Theyare There are afew hotspotsthatdeliver earbusting try thebarat Mendana Hotel. was themostlively whenweresearched. Also Entertainment Raintree Café Raintree Point CruzYacht-Club Hotel bars are opentonon-guests andare Lime Lounge The best places to showcase youràlaJohnThe bestplacestoshowcase

(Airport Motel,Henderson) (Airport

Hands down,thisisthecoolestspot Flamingo (Pacific CasinoHotel,Panatina, p254 )

(off Mendana Ave;(off Mendana (White River; (White River;

vraiment trèsbon (Honiara Hotel,Chinatown, p254 )

, close totheairport; , close (Mendana Ave;(Mendana h ) A godsend when it’s whenit’s A godsend 7am-10pm) h lonelyplanet.com 7am-5pm Mon-Fri, 7am-5pm Mon-Fri, (really very Enjoying ; andthe h 11am- ; Bula lonelyplanet.com Henderson Airport,and alldomesticroutes International landat flights Honiara’s AIR Getting There& Away ( local musicandothersouvenirs, ket ( p251 ). ForT-shirts, postcards,CDsof as theshopatNational ( Museum p251 ). Hotel ( p255 ) andKingSolomonHotel, aswell Mendanagift shops attheSolomonKitano good stores. It’salsoworthconsideringthe Ave) Point Cruz) Handicraft around themaindrag,including stores withbetter-than-average craftsonor friends athome?There are afew prominent nguzu Why notbringbackanicelycarved Honiara isagoodplacetopickupsouvenirs. Shopping Yacht Club( opposite ) on Friday. LiveFriday night. bandsplayatPointCruz show. HoniaraHotel putsadanceshow on traditionaldance Friday andatwice-weekly Ave) patrons. Thevery raucous % For shell jewellery, headtothecentralmar- King SolomonHotel hasakaraoke on night and informpeople. ofthismedium,andtheyconsiderOneNewsasatooltoeducatethey understandtheimpact politicians willingtotalkinfrontofacamera;itwassounusualforthematthattime. Butnow criticise thegovernment. Oureditorialintegrity isguaranteed. The biggestdifficultywastoget What aboutmediaindependence? the predominant sourceofinformationinthiscountry. people waitforourbroadcastsnow,whichisanomeanfeat given thatradiohasalwaysbeen How have thelocalsresponded tothebroadcasts? duringtheSoccerWorldCup, toensure maximumaudience.TV the Solomons. WiththehelpofSolomonsTelekom, Ibuiltasmallteam andlaunchedOneNews crews. asafixerwhen Iworked forforeign There TV wasnolocal angletowhatwassaidabout crews.my countrywasinthehandsofforeign This feeling TV culminated duringtheTension, What motivated youtolaunchOneNewsTV? but there are planstocover otherislands. wasestablishedinJune2006.Coverage islimitedtelevision toHoniara stationuntilOneNewsTV journalists inherfieldtheSolomons. Untilrecently thecountrydidnothave itsownnational Dorothy isaformerstringerforvariousinternational television networksandoneoftheleading VOICES: DOROTHY WICKHAM, BROADCAST RADIOJOURNALIST . TheNPFPlazashopping mallhostsafew , right inthecentre,, right is best avoided. 22011; Mendana Ave)22011; Mendana (no,it’snotapenisgourd)forjealous and

( % King Solomon’sHandicraft King 22189; www.melanesianhandicraft.com.sb; 22189; www.melanesianhandicraft.com.sb; GUADALCANAL ••Honiara isthe best bet. Club Paradise DJ Graphics Melanesian Melanesian Well,it’spretty goodhere, wehave freedom andwedo

(Mendana (Mendana (Mendana (Mendana

nguzu

Ifounditannoyingtoseethatthecoverage of run once a week between Honiara and Malaita HoniaraandMalaita between run onceaweek Fera Bldg,PointCruz; S$550 per day): The followingcompanies rent cars (from CAR S$50. It’san 11km ride. fareThe taxi fromthe airport intotownis TO/FROM THEAIRPORT Getting Around be bought on board. S$300; Noro,S$340;Gizo,S$380).Tickets can Western Province (Mbunikalo, S$240;Seghe, Honiaraand (Auki, S$160),andbetween to noonSat) Komi Fera Bldg,PointCruz; two passengers boats freighter isa slow process. aroundbyHoniara’s mainwharf.Getting Most shippingcompanieshave near offices BOAT 11.30am Sat) Ave;lines.com.au; Mendana Pacific. Airlines, OurAirline,AirNiuginiand ( Travel Services p249 ) isanagent forSolomon oftails international Guadalcanal flights. begin andendinHoniara. See p306 forde- The most reliable service isoffered bythe The mostreliable service Webroadcasttwohoursperday,and Solomon Airlines and mainoffice isinthecentre of town. MV SolomonExpress h 8am-noon &1-5pmMon-Fri) h MV Pelican Express h

( 8am-noon & 1-4pm Mon-Fri, 8am-noon &1-4pmMon-Fri, % 8am-4pm Mon-Fri, 8.30- 8am-4pm Mon-Fri, 20031; www.solomonair

( % 28064; Komi 28064; Komi ( %

. Both . Both

28104; 28104; 257 SOLOMON ISLANDS ISLANDS SOLOMON SOLOMON ISLANDS a steep ascent toaridgea steep (without shade), villagebeckon. Thehike with inLelei starts littlecascades these tocooloff, If youneed FALLS MATANIKO the grouped WWII sights. graphical order,fromwesttoeastexcept for beyond. continue can travel. Onlyfootpaths tracks andlogging ends here andthisisasfarmotorvehicles Guadalcanal, 76kmeastof Honiara. Theroad Aola (Map pp250–1 ), theprewar of capital River, andgravel fromtheMberandeRiver to vicinity of Henderson Airport. feel. Mostof theWWIIbattlefieldsare inthe central foothills,you’llget aback-to-nature road.Onceyougetthe coastal inlandtothe western side,withmuch along development This sideof Honiaraismore built-upthanthe East ofHoniara p253). (see of thereputable touroperators inHoniara anorganised tourwithonesuggest taking to findwithoutaknowledgeable guide. We areMost sights notsignedandare noteasy port isfeasible butit’snotreally convenient. ing the Pacific war. around Honiarathatplayedacrucialroledur- can’t helpbutbemoved bythepoignantsites usuallyfloatyourboat,you tlefields doesn’t travelling of Honiara. Even ifvisitingbat- Fear not,it’snow perfectly safe. rivalfactionsduringtheTension.between outside Honiarawasthecentre stage of battles moves atacrawl,youwouldn’tthinkthearea Traversing where peacefulsettlements time AROUND HONIARA (S$5). don’t have meters butcharge perkilometre There are everywhere taxis inHoniara. They TAXI town is S$3. hours)daylight andsafe. Theflatfare around areHoniara’s minibuses cheap, frequent (in MINIBUS Zome Avis 258 There are excellentplaceswithinaday’s The following sights areThe followingsights listed inageo- The roadissurfacedasfartheMberande Exploring thenorthcoastbypublictrans- Exploring ( % ( UDLAA • Aon oir GUADALCANAL ••AroundHoniara % 24180; [email protected];Chinatown) 26902; fax26903;offSkylineDr) noon &1-5pmSun-Fri) ture Henderson. Itfinallyfell totheUSAin tocap- intheirefforts mand post,important defended, itwastheJapanese forwardcom- its wartimeJapanese defenders. Very fiercely the of partly occupiedbyaschool). Thisisthesite ing about 200mwestof theroad(it’snow thick bush openstoreveal clear- anelevated towards Savo and the Nggelas. viewsoverEnjoy thesweeping Honiaraand died intheWWIIGuadalcanalcampaign. veterans in1981tocommemorate allwho white memorial.ItwasbuiltbyJapanese war road,hasalarge,3.5km fromthemaincoastal troops doggedly resisted the US advance. climbs uptothehistoricalsites where Japanese The roadtoMtAusten beginsinKukumand MT AUSTEN ROAD shoes are essential. tour operator(see p253 ) inHoniara. Good is required. a Yourbestbetistogothrough hour return triptodothiswalk,andaguide water. Itcanbealotof atwo- fun.It’sroughly ifthere’sfloat allthewaybacktoLelei enough canyon where theMataniko flows.Youcan muddy pathtoreach thefloorof thelittle agruellingdescentonslippery, final section: theGuadalcanal Plains.Thenyou’lltackle smashing viewsof Henderson andthe undulating hillsfromwhere youcanenjoy followed byaneasierstretch amidmildly perware. isdone by Much of thecarving Province productsandstylishmoderncop- Shop Carvings Betikama alargeproperty comprises handicraftshop, (SDA), 1.6kmtothesouth.Thesprawling Adventist Mission Seventh-Day the Betikama Bridge,Lungga you’llreach for theturn-off About 6.5kmfromHoniara and200mbefore BETIKAMA of MtAusten during WWII. a plaquethatexplainsthestrategic importance WWII dubbedthisspotGrassyKnoll.There’s former of battle onaplaqueat the turn-off. You’ll findamore descriptionof detailed the were wiped outmakingafinalbanzaiattack. defendersmid-January 1943after itsstarving About 2kmsouthof theGifuissummit Continuing southforabout 3km,the The Mt Austen Gifu Japanese Observation Point Japanese Observation Solomons Peace Memorial Park Solomons Peace Memorial , namedafter aJapanese districtby (410m).Adirttrackleadstoa , specialisingin Western

( % lonelyplanet.com 30223; . Americansin , about h 8am- vaged material (mostlyUSaircraft),twosmall WWII museum Islands. Georgia (Map pp250 school children who’ve cometoBetikama lonelyplanet.com of thesite. There’s aS$25 prickly thorns,which adds tothepoignancy Many of rustyrelics these are shieldedby west leadsto30or more abandoned Tetere Beach landings here in 1942. Thisistheonlyreminderout tosea. of theUS placed here byUSveterans, pointsforlornly pp250 west of the airport. where you canlayyourtowel.It’sabout 2km bank. There’s beach black-sand alsoadeserted guns andartillerymounted onitswestern eastern side of thecreek againstUS machine fromthe 20 August1942after abanzaiattack and his800men‘diedwithcourage’ here on visitors. TheJapanese ColonelKiyonoIchiki Creek. Thisisapoignantsite forJapanese (Map pp250 ument surroundedbylonggrassat actions. There’s aS$20 the 2000ormore Japanese killedduringthese across aJapanese warmemorialthathonours About 1kmbeyondBloodyRidge, you’llcome There’s alittleUSwarmemorialontheridge. theairfield.unsuccessful attempts toseize Japanese in1942theirdetermined but Edson, theydefended theridge againstthe CommandedbyColonelMerrittRaiders. pp250 leads southtoanarea called 1950s. early sincetheWWII controltower,disused of thebuildingsisscaffolding-style anti-aircraft gun.About 100mtothewest Pacific Islanderallies.InfrontisaJapanese Gardens worth having alookatthesmall Outside the SITES WWII memorabilia. and the shop,isacollectionof WWII photographs British Bren guncarrier. Inside,attherear of Japanese gunsandawell-preserved anti-tank On this long sandy On thislongsandy tothecoast,you’llfindamarblemon- Back A few metres before reaching theshore of A trackrunningeithersideof the airport Just outsidethecraftshopthere’s asmall   thathonourUSforcesandtheir 1 1 M0340 ), alonely,very rusted Japanese gun, M033E ), orEdson’sRidge, after Edson’s (Map pp250   HendersonAirport withanoutdoorcollectionof sal- 1 1 M033D ) fromSDAvillages intheNew M033F ), about 50meastof Alligator’s GUADALCANAL ••AroundHoniara kastom  1 M0341 ), adirttracktothe kastom Red Beach Red Bloody Ridge entrance,it’s fee. fee. Hell’s Point Memorial Memorial amtracks (Map (Map .

the oldWWIIbuildingsandconcrete pp250 swimming and bathing. Beach Mamara memorial. the ble slabs. There’s behind alsoarustytank ata peek pp250 (Map sunk itbecameknownasIronBottom Sound finally withdrew, somanyships hadbeen and February 1943.BythetimeJapanese naval August1942 constant battlesbetween western coastandSavo islandwere thesite of Guadalcanal’snorth- between cance. The seas you read this guide. bythetime should besurfaceduptoVisale ended shortly after Ndoma, buttheroad the sceniccoastlineto Bay. Lambi traverses White River andcrawlsitswayalong scenery. Urbanlife isleftbehind oncetheroad someofthrough thenorthcoast’sdelicious Life becomesvery asoneheadswest sedate West ofHoniara atouroperator( through p253 ) in Honiara. exertion. that a refreshing elixirafter all dip –aninstant naturalpoolwhereinto adeep youcantake utive Mataniko Falls. Theythunder down andmorehigher thanthedimin- spectacular waterfalls areis, at63m,these much, much Thetruth usually notmore thancalf-high. times before reaching the falls.Thewater’s many bends,crossingandrecrossing adozen of theriver valleyandcutsacrosstheriver’s shady alltheway.Thepathfollowsfloor 2km southof Tenaru Village. It’sflatand walk (return) about fromatinysettlement Mataniko Falls. It’safairlyeasyfour-hour the totackle B ifyoudon’tfeel fitenough remain. base Tenaru Village It’s inthegroundsof School, in StJoseph’s 8, thefirst inGuadalcanal. wartimehospital River. After 1.5kmthere’s Marine No Hospital inland andfollowsthewestbankof theTenaru About 4.5kmpasttheairport,aroadheads TENARU About 12kmfromHoniara, Popular withlocals andexpatsatweekends, It’s worthstoppingin The area historicalsignifi- boastsahigh The At thetimeof writing,thetarred section A guideisrequired. Yourbestbetistogo  Tenaru Falls 1 M0345 ) ismusic totheears of divers. Two Japanese memorial  (off Map pp252 has black sand andisOKfor hasblacksand 1 M0344 ). make foranidealplan , withthree mar- Poha  3 Bonegi totake a M0342 ). Many of (Map

259 SOLOMON ISLANDS ISLANDS SOLOMON SOLOMON ISLANDS another superbplayground for divers. jestic setting –it’swedged thesea jestic setting between Visale further west(and 40kmfromHoniara)is ridetoSavo (see canoe p262 ). About 1km of the waiting ships. ation, andwere thengiven one hourtoboard on ahilljustbehind thecapetoawaitevacu- January andFebruary 1943. Theyassembled at theendof theGuadalcanalcampaignin men mostofevacuated their 13,000starving from here thattheJapanese successfully casteaux in1793after the Named bytheFrench explorer D’Entre- ESPÉRANCE CAPE off thedark-grey beach sand (see p60 ). B17 FlyingFortress bomberwhich lies100m son tostophere istodive thewreck of theUS Continue about 1km to Ndoma. Themainrea- NDOMA operations. carrier-borne can stillbefoldedastheywere fornaval wingscluding aWildcatfighterwhose and theremains of USaircraft,in- several memorials, fourlarge Japanese fieldguns h within 1kmtothe roadbringsyousouth fromthecoastal About 25kmfromHoniara,aturntothe VILU OPEN-AIRMUSEUM be the tonne Japanese transportship, to believed 4.5km westfromBonegiII,there’s a6500- campaign was over. wartime target practiceoncetheGuadalcanal Sherman tank and runsabout 400mtoawell-preserved Point, there’s abush trackthat headsinland a or asnoozeundertheswayingpalms.There’s black-sand sites, see these p253 and p60 snorkelled. Formore informationondiving . There’s also a works of BonegiIIbreak the surface,itcanbe call themBonegiIandII.As theupper magnificent playgroundforscubadivers, who ofthe night 13November 1942andmake fora large Japanese freighters justoffshore sank on 260 kastom At About 2kmtothewest is thesettlement Just pasttheBonegiIIsite, atTasivarongo Vila dawn-dusk) UDLAA • EsenGaacnl GUADALCANAL ••EasternGuadalcanal , a timeless hamlet blessed withama- , atimelesshamlet blessed Ruaniu , which isagoodplacetofind ashared Kyushu Maru, fee of S$25 per person. beach (alsoknownasBonegiIII),about called . There are USandJapanese that is suitable forapicnic thatissuitable Jezebel Vilu Open-AirMuseum Vilu thatjustliesoffshore – which was used for which wasused Espérance, itwas (S$25;

US scattered ina well-tended coconutgrove that lows withhardwoodfurnishings. Theyare in sixtastefully decorated, spaciousbunga- atmosphere.exclusivity, seclusion, Digsare this idyllicretreat hasallthekey ingredients – dreamed of having yourownislandparadise, Tavanipupu island;sincl3mealsA$250) o Sleeping &Eating island tion isthemellifluous-sounding stores and a clinic.Theregion’s attrac- star Manikaraku gardens. coral blend of islands,fringingreefs, shoalsand ern tipof theislandfeatures abewitching Sound Guadalcanal’strophypieceis Eastern EASTERN GUADALCANAL p60). (see on anearbyreef. It’sarenowned dive site class submarine About 42kmfromHoniara,theJapanese I- VEURU mission. Catholic rural atmosphere andvisitthelarge Roman and asoaring,velvet-green hill.Soakupthe airfield are included. Airlines orSIVB. Boattransfers from Marau Peter’sthrough inHoniara,Solomon contact but youcansnorkel, bushwalk orfish. Book overlooking The beach isaverage thesea. beds, functionalbathroomsanda veranda ramshackle bungalowsare equippedwithfirm island, facingthemainland,three cheerfully visitors. On Tawaihigo theextrayardtoplease citizen, andhiswife aSolomonIslander, Dee, Tawaihi island;sincl3mealsS$460) meals. and in Honiara. Rates include boattransfers ( GuadalcanalTravelthrough Services p249 ) library andboardgames.Bookingsare made youtirecase there’s of lookingatthesea, a beaches. onsandy In you canworkyourtan Snorkelling isexcellent(gear provided) and including lobster, gooddesserts. anddoes The restaurant thefreshest utilises seafood, electricity, butkerosene lampsare provided. intheSolomons.There’smost comfortable no overlooks thebeach, andbedsare possiblythe The only settlement of isThe onlysettlement consequence Tawaihi IslandRetreat . (Map pp250 Tavanipupu Island Resort Tavanipupu IslandResort , withafew government offices, Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels I-23  1 M0347 ). Thislagoonattheeast- is350mfromtheshore

( % Peter, anAustralian 24634, 94127inHoniara; (

% Ifyou’ve ever 22586 inHoniara; Tavanipupu Marau Marau ous interior. takesflight youover therugged mountain- to Marau (S$910return). Thisvery scenic flight Solomon Airlineshasatwice-weekly Getting There&Away lonelyplanet.com i mandatory. is accommodation, onlyvillage Aguide stays. villages.rides between There’s noformal to shorten yourtrip,youcan arrange canoe of theisland’ssoutherncoast.Ifyouwant Marau Soundfollowsthemoststunningpart The three- tofour-day walkfromKumato to Kuma,withsplendidsceneryalltheway. a four- Bay trek tosix-daycoastal fromLambi forget.but it’sajourneythatyou’llnever It’s testing, awe-inspiringandfullof surprises, a journeyonfootaroundtheWeathercoastis on footorbyboat,combiningboth.Making You’ll have toblazeyourowntrail–literally – DreamRoads? Regularboatsorflights? on! pending onyourperspective) isaccessibility. this issomewhere towinddowna few gears. facilities andnotanotherforeigner formiles, the shore. Withvery rustic(butacceptable) covered inthick,green bush fallabruptly to continuous chain of smallcascades.Ridges someinasides of jagged mountains, tall, Komate Mbanbanakira villages alongthecoast,including there’s onlyasprinklingof sparsely populated have and discouraged humansettlement, southern shore’s poorweatherconditions ure hunt : thejewelshave tobeearned.The turer within.Travelling here islike atreas- void onthetravel radar,ittugsattheadven- And nowGuadalcanal’sforgotten corner. A THE WEATHERCOAST ride to Tawaihi island. to Tavanipupu island,anda10-minute boat Wernham CENTRAL PROVINCE ὄ The biggest problem(oradvantage, de- Fast-flowing creeks tumbledownthesteep It’s a20-minute boatridefromtheairfield Cove Province To Western , Kuma Pavuvu I RUSSELL IS Mbanika I (equippedwithanairstrip), and CENTRAL PROVINCE ••NggelaIslands CENTRALPROVINCE Yandina Avu Avu ὄ . S OLMNEA Tangarere , Kuila (484m) ling andanultrachilled atmosphere. and Auki flight) mangrove swamps. (they lookgreat fromtheaironHoniara– voluted coastlines, longwhite-sandbeaches Sule. Theyhave fairlyrugged interiors, con- Guadalcanal between and Malaita. form theNggela group,orFloridaIslands, jestically onthenorthernhorizonare. They islands therugged silhouettes loomingma- in Honiarayoumaywellwonderwhat Yacht Club( p256 ( Café ) orRaintree Sipping acoldbeverage atthePointCruz p255 ) Savo have tourist infrastructure. Islands.OnlytheNggela groupand Russell group or on Savo. another worldeitherintheNggela (Florida) boat ridetransportsthem(andyou)toyet to feel along,longwayaway.Atwo-hour ture very farbefore theoutsideworldstarts Lucky Honiarans.Theydon’thave toven- CENTRAL PROVINCE SIVB website (www.visitsolomons.com.sb). Itcanbedownloadedfromthe and contacts. tions of thetreks aswellinvaluable tips expats. Theyprovide very descrip- detailed page guidewritten byagroupof Australian in TheSolomonIslands in theWeathercoastis coast. northern to docross-islandtreks fromthe starting it’s frequently cancelled.It’salsopossible toAvuflight Avu, butdon’tcountonitfor there. SolomonAirlines alsohasaweekly (see opposite yourtripfrom) andstart NGL ISLANDS NGGELA Mangalonga (Mana)I The Nggelas’ maindraws?Diving,snorkel- The twomainislandsare Tulagiand Nggela Province the alsocomprises Central The bestsourceof informationonhiking Another optionistoflyMarau Sound Savo I ὄ Passage Sandfly Iron Bottom Sandfly I Sound Buena VistaI Tulaghi I Nggela SuleI 12miles km 20 0 0 (FLORIDA) IS Tulagi ὄ NGGELA Treks andAdventures (March 2007),a67-

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i t SOLOMON ISLANDS ISLANDS SOLOMON SOLOMON ISLANDS .com.sb) ( return. S$500 hire isS$400,andtransfers fromHoniaracost for areef dive dive). (S$450foradeep Gear for itsexcellentgear, too. atS$350 Pricesstart safety procedures dives. fordeep Topmarks by AustralianNeilYates, whoadheres tostrict Motel, world-class wrecks (see p61 atVanita). Based around the island. two-hour walkfollowingthe9kmgravel track It’saleisurelydon’t expectpowderysand. beach government are itsmainactivities.There’s a building andtheadministrationof provincial office andacoupleof Boat placestostay. itgets wobbly),bring cashincase aTelekom anANZATMincluding apostoffice, (but fortravellers, crawl, hasafew services useful This laid-back town,where timemoves ata itwasalsoaJapanesetal; duringWWII. base island, Tulagi wastheSolomons’formercapi- In themiddleof theNggelas, onTulaghi Tulagi amazing. See p61 . whilesnorkelling. It’struly can easilybeseen the year-round presence of rays,which manta The Passage Sandfly four). Credit cards are accepted. a whoppingA$182fortwopeople(A$276 be arranged. Boattransfers fromHoniaracost and snorkelling tripstoSandflyPassage can spending timeinthewater, butvillage visits a great dealtodoontheislandapartfrom andcopious.There’sday A$47)istasty not adjoining roomsattheback.Food(mealsper nets andelectricity.Avoid thesixcharmless private bathrooms,breezy terraces, mozzie posh, are andfeature cleanandcomfortable snorkelling gear. Thebungalows,whilehardly sure tobringyour just off thediningroom.Be of thegorgeous coralpinnaclesthatextend forget us,you’llnever believe yourfirst glimpse r A$50) decompress at group. Comehere isolationand fortotal island nearthenorthernendof theNggela Tranquillity reigns supreme onthissmall (Mana) Mangalonga 262 % Most divers bunkdownat There’s fabulous 32074; fax32186; rwithoutbathroom S$180,rwith Sandfly Passage ETA RVNE • ao ••Savo CENTRAL PROVINCE onthewestern sideof theisland,but , which hasanexceptionallocation– is a highly professional isahighly dive shop run Tulagi Dive Tulagi Dive Maravagi Resort Maravagi

( % isfamousforonething: diving 32131, 32052;www.tulagidive off Tulagi,including off

( % Vanita Motel /fax 29065;

well-kept ontheothersideof house the seem like abustlingmetropolisonceyou’veseem whichis aworldawayfromthecapital, will lying just14kmnorthof Guadalcanal,Savo tions andyes,wild,wildscenery.Though a coupleof welcomingaccommodationop- shooting of joice: Savo foryournext hastheidealsetting showproducer,re-If you’re areality-TV SAVO weather-dependent. much Club. Thedurationof thecrossingisvery from thelittlebeach nearPointCruzYacht about 1½hours). InHoniara,theyleave Boats linkTulagiwithHoniara(S$60, THERE&AWAYGETTING allowed. is Meals canbearranged onrequest. Noalcohol laminate floors andakitchen forguests’use. island. There are sixfan-cooledroomswith 32113; rwithoutbathroomS$150) Centre Mothers’ Union&WomenResource atthefriendlywith localwomencanstay average. is the lovely diving.Food(mealsfromS$30) perfect ifyouwanttosave yourbucksfor bed rooms,butit’sclean,quietandaffordable; It’s ano-frills two- placewithbog-standard bathroom S$230-250) lcl delicacy. local which are the eggs, consideredto harvest a once thevillagersas thebirdsflyoff come ideal toincubate Comevery theireggs. early down toabout90cm, where the temperature is dreds of female birdscometothefieldanddig the northwestof Savo. hun- Duringthe night, extends foraround400malongthebeach, to topoachup ishotenough an egg. have toclamberinparts.Thewater bubbling Thefinalstretchsetting. isabittricky;you’ll upstream –avery scenicwalkinatropical ofwalk followingthecourse the Kolika River springs, which canbereached after aone-hour The mosteasilyaccessibleare Reokahot thermal areas boilingmudpools. containing of grey-sand beach. fringed bycoconutgroves andanarrowstrip one enclosingtheother. Much of theislandis of dormantbutpotentially dangerous craters, made ithere. It’s anactive volcanowithapair Make sure the yousee Women travellers who’dlike tointeract The islandhasanumberof Survivor, , nextdoortoTulagiDive. withalaid-back tempo, megapode field , asurprisingly lonelyplanet.com hot springs ( %

which 32116, and from wooden planks, right inthevillage.from woodenplanks,right made rusticroomsinahouse seriously mgcl experience. magical frolickingaroundboats:a and canbeseen which usuallycongregate thewestcoast off tions intheSolomonstospotpodsof Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels pography andprolificmarine life. Forin- destination, with excitingunderwater to- Islands. Thisisafamousdivethe Russell outfits thatschedule regular tripsaround Solomons Bilikiki on alive-aboard dive boatsuch asthe probably meansyou’re goingtodoacruise Lucky you!Ifyouread this thissection, ISLANDS RUSSELL Club. Yacht inquire at thelittlebeach nearthePointCruz Honiara (S$80,about 1¾hours). InHoniara, ride fromVila(northwestof Guadalcanal)or (from S$500charter one-way). in Honiara( p249 ) canalsoorganise transfers mosphere. Solomon IslandsVisitors Bureau atleasttwodaystosoakuptheat- staying full-day tripstoSavo butwerecommend Tour operators inHoniara( p253 ) organise Getting There&Away south of Kuila Village Stay. omelettes. It’sa10-minuteHmm, fluffy walk it),megapodeeggs. including (youguessed with copiousmealsusinglocalingredients, rooms are pretty dark).Foodisadefinite plus, roomupstairs (downstairs for asea-facing concrete sure toask buildingonahillside. Be some withprivate bathrooms,inafairlydrab Itfeaturesmodern civilisation. 20tidyrooms, being toodisconnected fromthetrappingsof you’re of insearch arelaxing getaway without MP SirAllanKemakeza, thisisyourbestbetif Owned byformerPrimeMinister andcurrent facilities. Shared megapode field(S$30toS$80 per person). well asguidedwalkstohotspringsandthe coast. Theycanarrange dolphinwatching as lowing placesare inKuilavillage onthewest Visitors Bureau inHoniara( p249 ). Thefol- SolomonIslands Book yourlodgingthrough Sleeping &Eating Savo isoneof themostdependableloca- Another optionistohookontoashared boat Sunset Lodge Stay Kuila Village (Map pp252

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% 21213 inHoniara;sincl3mealsS$230)

(s incl3mealsS$150)  3 M034C ) orthe WESTERN PROVINCE ••WestNewGeorgia WESTERNPROVINCE MV Spirit of MV Spirit , theonly dolphins Four MV , your financialmeans,youcanalwaysfly seem tohave fiddle to seem always playedsecond Vonavona, Kohinggo, Rendova andTetepare, Georgia anditswestern neighbours, including stakes, theislandofIn theseduction New and toured atacomfortable, leisurely pace. theycaneasilybecombined plane services, Thanks toreliable inter-island boatand three destinationsin‘TheWest’. unmissable just amovie here, it’s real life. thatpiercethesky.It’snot ing mountains bars, tropical isletsandsoar- inky-blue seas, mangroves, expansive lagoons,white-sand volcanicislands,croc-infestedflick: tall reminiscent of anIndianaJonesorTarzan there’s simplythevisualappeal,withscenery and challenging hikes to village visits.Then surface: fromWWIIrelics toskullshrines, Province alsohasmuch tooffer above the heaven onearthforadiver. TheWestern were destroyed bythe2007earthquake), it’s tine reefs (exceptforafew stretches that andscoreslife, adramaticseascape of pris- begins withthediving.Withprolificfish der. inspades.Rejoicing Ithaseverything Solomons’ touristindustry,andit’snowon- The Western Province hostsmuch of the WESTERN PROVINCE seat! window into yourmemory.Justbesure toget a get of thearchipelago willbeforever etched Onaclearday,theviewsyou’llRussells. from HoniaratoMunda(orGizo)over the tourist authorities and investors. Islands isearmarked bylocal fordevelopment change inthenearfuture, theRussell though; –yet.Thingsmight developed hasn’t been imity toHoniara,thisgem of anarchipelago its phenomenaltouristpotential anditsprox- a pristineenvironment.Surprisingly,despite prolific reef growth,sapphire-blue waters and traditional cultures, lovely beaches, white-sand The archipelago haslotsof hiddentreasures: islets. group, Pavuvu andMbanika,plus70smaller p61. see Islands,formation ondivingintheRussell WEST NEWGEORGIA Gizo, MundaandMarovo are the Lagoon Meanwhile, ifadive isbeyond cruise There are twomainislands intheRussells Yandina is the only town of consequence. istheonlytownof consequence.

263 SOLOMON ISLANDS ISLANDS SOLOMON ὄὄὄ ὄ ὄὄὄ

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(half a day). atS$450fortwopeople Point). Pricesstart andVila Kohinggo Bay, Baeroko at Enoghae, and variousWWIIsites (especiallytherelics (including SkullIsland),toHolupuruFalls, sions intoRoviana andVonavona Lagoons 8am-4pmSat) Mon-Fri, Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels of Munda uptheDiamond Narrows,has at Agnes Lodge, above ). aguidetoshow youtheway(ask You’ll need you canhike up River, eastof Munda. Ifyou’ve gotitchy feet, just northof thebridge over theMburape Fancy adip?Head tothe10m Around NewGeorgia fares). (same in Honiara) to Munda. The from where youcaneasilyfindtransport Rendova andatNoro(fromHoniaraS$340), at nearbyUghele (fromHoniaraS$320)on its SundayHoniara Express departs Mundaat7.30am.The onKolombangaraenroute.and Ringgi It two hours, three stoppingatNoro weekly) toGizo(S$140, Lodge, hasashuttleservice to Ramata (from S$395). gotwice-weekly (from S$395,daily).Flights daily), Gizo(fromS$395,daily)andSeghe connects MundawithHoniara(fromS$750, Airlines The minusculeairportterminal hasa THERE&AWAYGETTING accepted. are a shortwalkfromtheairstrip. Credit cards bar isthemosthappeningplaceintown.It’s Roviana lobster (S$110),andtheconvivial up excellentfood,includingasensational units. Therestaurant serves to self-contained all budgets, fromfan-cooled,two-bed rooms businessmen. There isavarietyof roomsfor as RAMSIpersonnel divers andTaiwanese interesting mixof here, peoplestaying such on thewaterfront (nobeach). an You’llmeet venturesmoothly atthislong-established right and ownerDonCroft ensures runs everything 22, dA$38-132,steA$155-190; Lodge Agnes SLEEPING &EATING Here’s asurprise: Go WestTours

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( % Solomon 28064 , two-day return trip. ple. Climbing Rendova Peak (1063m)takes a of coralwallsare still visible. .zipolohabu.com.sb; swithout bathroomA$70,d withoutbath- .zipolohabu.com.sb; from Munda, the chiefs’ clam-shell-ring valuables. triangular-shaped casket which alsocontains Rendovan isasmall, chiefs. Theskull house warriors, aswellashrinefortheskulls of place fortheskullsof countlessvanquished it’s thefinalrestingA trulyspookysight, the tipof KunduPointonVonavona Lagoon. to check outthereal thing,onatinyisletat Island shallows interspersed with seas. deeper area are manyislets,ringed bycoral-encrusted islandof Withinthis long, sandy Nusaghele. thetinyisletsoftween Blackett Straitandthe Wow! Thislovely lagoonextends for28kmbe- Lagoon Vonavona its totem. Remainsof the stroyed in1892.Histribehadadog,Tiola, as fortress builtontheislanduntilitwasde- headhunter Ingava ruledfromacoral-walled is of stronghistoricalsignificance. Notorious Lagoon, ( below ) onLolaisland.Duesouthof Roviana ( opposite ) inMundaorZipoloHabu Resort to joinalagoontour. GoWestTours Contact best waytoappreciate itsvisualsplendouris idyllic isletsformedfromcoralshoals. The Kalena Bay, Extending 52kmeastwardsfromMundato Lagoon Roviana scrub. the guns Japanese WWIIanti-aircraft northern lipof large thebay,hasseveral to anadjacentbarge. bombed asitscranewasloadingcargo on rusty mastsprotrudefromthewater. Itwas Japanesefreighter sunken restaurant. licensed caters mainlytofishery workers andhasa nery. thefish can- Noro, unless you want tosee the Solomons.There’s noreason tostopin nery andit’sthefastest-growing townin large government-owned fishcan- Soltai an ‘industrial’feel toit,beinghomethe On theimageYou’ve of probably seen Four kilometres eastof Munda, In on enough websites onenough andleaflets.It’stime Baeroko Bay Noro Lodge Lola island Rendova Roviana Lagoon Roviana Zipolo Habu Resort Zipolo Habu Resort , about20minutes byboat ishometoabout 3000 peo- you’ll see the you’llsee

( % Enoghae 62138; Noro;dS$130-200) neartheshore. Its Stone Dog hasmanysmall stillhiddenin , atthejutting (

% Casi Maru, Nusa Roviana and500m 62178; www Skull Skull 265

a SOLOMON ISLANDS ISLANDS SOLOMON SOLOMON ISLANDS 1943 whenUSmarinesoverran aJapanese shore. ItwaslostinactionSeptember Sherman atTahitu, tank onthenorthern with dramatic scenery,including hundreds of longbarrier islandsontheother. It’srife Vangunu Islands ononesideandadoubleline the mysterious, volcanicNew Georgia and lagoon,bordereddouble barrier–enclosed by side, Marovo istheworld’sfinest Lagoon itall:onNew Georgia’s easternography says Here’s theprovince’s trophypiece. Thege- MAROVO LAGOON and last Seghe two hours. a steep S$1000perboatload fromMundaor BYO. Onedownside:one-waytransfers cost is delicioustoo. Noalcohol isavailable, butit’s beach?Or simplychill Food outonasecluded area? Orlearnabout customaryplantusages? Or snorkel aroundpristinereefs inaprotected rainforest walkwithaknowledgeable guide? coconut crabs orcounting birds?Orenjoya rangers marineturtles,measuring intagging ties are available (fromS$50).Whynotassist build anothertwobungalows.Ahostof activi- air-con, shared facilities).Thisplaceplansto (no uinely eco-friendly three-room leafhouse island, welcomesvisitors initssimpleyetgen- .tetepare.org; sincl3mealsS$250) Descendants’ Association this sliceof untouched The paradise. jewels. conservation large rainforest islandisoneof theSolomons’ pygmy parrotsandotherrare wildlife. This erback andgreen turtles,dugongs,hornbills, on theenvironment.Noelectricity.Justleath- companies.NohumanpressuresNo logging Tetepare isadream cometrueforecotourists. Island Tetepare strongpoint. Dive Munda. Credit cards are accepted. ters. Divers canbepicked upattheresort by excursions, hiking,sportfishingandsurfchar- cold. Thisplaceoffers village tours, lagoon A$60) gets rave isalways reviews, andthebeer the lagoon.Therestaurant (mealsperday vate bathroomsandunobstructed views over The recently finished deluxe unitboastspri- chic, withsixspacious,fan-cooledbungalows. andcornersfantasy themarket incastaway beach,sand coconut-palm,azure-lagoon room A$100-140,deluxe A$180) 266 On The bestthingisthattravellers canenjoy ETR RVNE • aooLgo Lagoon ••Marovo WESTERN PROVINCE Kohinggo island , there isawrecked US

( % satiates thewhite- satiates , which manages the 62163 in Munda; www 62163 inMunda; Tetepare Seghe, isstrungalongtheNjaiPassage,Seghe, Airlines ( p257 ) orthemaintouroperators SIVB inHoniara( p249 Solomon ), through resorts andlodges canbemadethrough There are nophones. Bookingsforthe World Heritage site. proponents of listingMarovo asa Lagoon issuecontentious discouraged logging the to brownish, andchokes upthereefs. The after rains,which changes fromaquablue Run-off bothdiscolours thelagoonwater left theirscars literally. Thesideeffects? on NewGeorgia IslandandVangunu have on theenvironment.Years of logging intense stretches of Thenthere sand. are thestrains fringed swampsthansweeping coastal are heavily wooded–it’smore mangrove- disillusioned. First, theislandshorelines sites. Afew thingsmayleave notable you that’softendise touted onposters orweb- Edenicpara- far frombeingthegin-stained coast. the Most of theislands’villages are dotted along toMarovowhich links NoroLagoon Lagoon. surrounded by coral. covered bycoconutpalmsandrainforest and of beautifulsmallislands,mostof which are ing the ocean instead. Should youcome green foliage dense, kiss- Expect a haystack. stretches of are in sand asscarceneedles beach holidaydestination. Trulyidyllic ranged through the resorts. options too. Tours andactivitiescanbear- actively inclined,there are afew fantastic lifeit’s atough atMarovo, isn’tit?Forthe orread abook inahammock–carvers and legends of theislanders, master meet onthestrand, hearthemythsplay sardines island, take alagoontourorfishing trip, picnicon adeserted a Sundaychurch service, tambu nothing happensinahurry,beaweof Here iswhere youcanvisitvillages where Sights &Activities accept credit cards. Wilderness Lodge andUepi IslandResort cess. There’s of nobank;bringastash cash. resorts have satellite phonesandemailac- in Honiara( p253 ). Themost upmarket Information A wordabout beaches: Marovo isnota Despite proportions,Marovo itssexy is The maingateway toMarovo Lagoon, (sacred) sites, clearyourconscienceat lonelyplanet.com ὄὄ ὄὄ lonelyplanet.com (North Marovo theotherislocated Lagoon), dive centres. atUepi Oneisbased Point chapter ( p62 ) formore information. more thediving couldadiver hopefor?See yes, sharksare partof thepackage) –what bommies andcloudsof technicolour fish (and ices. Channels,caves, drop-offs, coral gardens, vides superbdives forboth expertsandnov- inmoresqueeze dives! Marovo pro- Lagoon Oh tohave afew more hours inthe dayto DIVING &SNORKELLING Saturday. on DayAdventist, soyoucan’tdomuch Seventh Take note thatMarovo isstrongly Lagoon across agem of abeach, shootusanemail. Lagoon Noho Lodge (40km) 4 1 3 2 MAROVO LAGOON ὄ ὄ ὄ Marovo hastwostate-of-the-art Lagoon To Mavo New GeorgiaI Lagoon SLEEPING SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES Matikuri Lodge...... Charapoana Lodge...... Solomon DiveAdventures...... aooSne og...... C2 Kajoro SunsetLodge...... Nono Matikuri I Nazareth Airfield Seghe 7 AC 4 S OLMNEA Seghe Tatama I WESTERN PROVINCE •• Marovo Lagoon ••Marovo WESTERNPROVINCE Patutiva Passage Michi I Mbopo Njai Inavo I Avavasa I Nineveh MINDEMINDE Uepi I Mt Vangunu IS Sasaghana 9 4 3 2 1 A3 B1 D4 2 (1123m) Charopoana I Marovo Lagoon Vangunu I Wilderness Lodge...... Uepi IslandResort...... Tibara Lodge...... Seghe RestHouse...... Ropiko Lodge...... ooaeaLde...... C2 Rogosakena Lodge...... Marovo B I Karikana I Chumbikopi Chea

Mbale Nggevala Mt Reku Lumalihe I

(520m) River Uepi Island Resort Uepi IslandResort day. per US$55 from US$40toUS$55,andgearrental isanextra Islands. Fun Male andMale divescostto Mbulo,Kicha walk fromWildernessLodge( p269 ). Sheruns divetrips Roquette isconvenientlybasedinPeava, a10-minute in 2007,thisnewishoperationrunbyebullient Lisa 63887; www.solomondiveadventures.com; Peava) Opened Adventures Solomon Dive Marovo: in yourdivingexperienceduringstay ise off todive witheach dive shop tomaxim- in Peava (SouthMarovo Itpays Lagoon). are welcome, space permitting. guestsbutnon-guests goon. Catersmainlytothe resort’s La- Marovo stunning dives(fromA$60) throughoutNorth the bestdivecentres intheSolomons. GrantandJilloffer Laghemba Falls Sambulo I Hotoanivena I 3

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Island 267 SOLOMON ISLANDS ISLANDS SOLOMON SOLOMON ISLANDS p263 ) andtheMV bt wholesome. but lamps are Meals forlighting. used are simple if you’re luckyandmozzie nets).Kerosene are considered (such asasit-downtoilet cold showers) but afew touristcomforts ablution blockatthebackof theproperty, frills (read: foammattresses, a rudimentary thentic culturalexperience. There are few and are great placestoexperienceanau- the traditionalstyleusinglocal materials term)ments (‘lodge’ are isaloose builtin low-keyin thelagoon.These establish- There’s afairlygoodnetworkof eco-lodges Sleeping &Eating heavenly. are your camera–theviewsover thelagoon Reku (520m)onVangunu. Don’t forget Marovo walktoMt islandandthehalf-day to thehillthatlordsover CheaVillage on thetwo-hourwalk(887m) onNggatokae, walks includethetwo-daytrek toMtMariu and helpyouorganise yourwalk.Suggested Most lodges willbehappytoprovide aguide gardens, rainforest andfriendlyvillages. one-ortwo-daywalksthrough ous half-, in abushwalking bonanza. There are vari- If you’ve gotitchy feet, it’seasytoindulge WALKING offers fishing packages to Mavo Lodge. tours.com.au) Go ToursTravel Mavo Lodge ( right infishing trips. ) specialises SPORTFISHING pace. leisurely an excellentwaytodiscover thelagoonata kayaking multiday trips, overnighting inlodges alongtheway– arrange can ( opposite ) be very rewarding too. Uepi IslandResort Diving iskinginMarovo, but kayaking can KAYAKING gear. own andduration.Bringyouring ondistance from S$20toS$100perperson depend- and snorkelling trips,which costanything impressive. Lodges canorganise lagoontours thelagoon, throughout nine- and 12-day cruises. include theSouthMarovo intotheir Lagoon The live-aboard dive vessels MV 268 With hundreds of lovely sites scattered ETR RVNE • aooLgo Lagoon ••Marovo WESTERN PROVINCE , based in Queensland, Australia, inQueensland, , based

( % 07-5527 9855inAustralia;www.go Spirit ofSpirit Solomons snorkelling Bilikiki isequally usually (see (see Marovo Lagoon, beside the Ramata airstrip, Marovo besidetheRamata Lagoon, following address: [email protected] Airlines ( p257 ), oryoucouldtryemailingthe Solomon fuel. Bookingscanbemadethrough airstrip (20minutes) areto Seghe S$50plus forhirecanoes (fromS$50).Boattransfers market onTuesday.Thereits toSeghe’s are S$50), lagoontours (S$200plusfuel)andvis- centre (from Adventist carving Seventh-Day visits onVangunu aswelltrips toBareho, a wife Jillycanarrange guidedwalksandvillage andhis has alarge deckonstilts.Benjamin ers). Thediningarea (mealsperdayS$100) it totheceiling(notsohotforhoneymoon- withwallsthatdon’tquite makemain house, eers, there are fouradjoiningroomsinthe such aprivilegedafford existence. Forbudget- think youmustbeamillionaire tobeable to terrace withafruitjuiceinhand,youbeginto Relaxingonyourprivatelows thatfacethesea. three island-style,well-proportionedbunga- Marovo growsonyouquickly,with Lagoon charming littleplaceatthewestern arcof Lodge Matikuri MATIKURI enough. it have a (opposite ). Island Resort( opposite ) orWildernessLodge modate guestsinalarge, well-built bungalow Amiable ownerKatrey andhisfamilyaccom- exudes aMelanesian familyatmosphere. the passage from Uepi island,thisrustic place Charapoana Lodge UEPI &CHARAPOANA looksontothe house open ocean. tours are alsoavailable. Thethree-bedroom ing trips.Snorkelling excursions andcultural this well-regarded lodge in fish- specialises Lodge Mavo RAMATA across the airstrip. anytimeof theday.It’sjust crowd, seemingly ‘bar’isthefocalpointforaboozy the attached Roomsarestranded inSeghe. ultrabasic and lutely noreason here tostay unless youget House Rest Seghe SEGHE .sb, FAO: Kaniotoku’. ‘Benjamin If you’re after solidamenities, optforUepi All placeshave a beach

(s incl3mealsS$300) front location–wecan’tstress

(s/d S$60/120,perbungalowS$125) Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels

(s incl3mealsS$290) (s/d S$75/150) sea front location,butfew Located atNorth There’s abso- Justacross This used to be believed (watch tobebelieved yourbum,dar-used not exactlyeco-friendly, issomethingtobe surprisingly varied.The‘mangrove toilet’,if to thelappingwaves). Foodiscopious and of beach (aimfortheroomthat’sclosest with fourroomsoverlooking anarrowstrip Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels played. Digs are in arusticbungalow withtwo are dis- ‘showroom’ where beautiful carvings andhasalittle also arenowned master carver include tribalhistory andlocallegends. He’s Other favourite, butlesscontentious, topics wrongdoings of companies. locallogging wantedthing youever toknowabout the He’ll bemore thanhappytoexplainevery- owner,isakindoftense’) localCheGuevara. optfor‘in- Wein, theebullient(somemight you get the picture. point forloggers of insearch ‘entertainment’ – Vangunu),an isletjustoff which isameeting Avoid KubaIslandResort(onIsland, VANGUNU the Australian owners). arespite local(apartfrom thefact thatstaff Marovo, itfeels much more de- Westernised, village tours. Compared withotherplacesin kayaking trips,snorkelling excursions and programme, withtraditionaldance,overnight a fulldive shop andthere’s agoodactivity commonarea.player inthe Theresort has library-cum-book-swap facility,andaDVD with superbviews.Perks includeabar, Meals inabreezy diningroom are served luxurious (noair-con, ordinaryfurnishings). coconut palms.Theyare more functionalthan amid lovely bushgardens,spiderorchids and ofA series spaciousbungalowsisscattered uncomplicated yetwell-organised approach. families. Thekey toitssuccess:alaid-back, is thatitalsoappealstohoneymooners and tidalchannel.30m toadeep Thebestthing of theshortjettywhere theislandfallsaway reef thatspreadson thehouse fromtheend their doorstep. Snorkellers willalsoget abuzz dive sites on thrilled bythesensational right with Australiandivers, here whostay toget extremely well-runresort isvery popular airstriptransfers toSeghe cost S$500. a two-minute boatrideaway.Return Uepi IslandResort( below ) ifit’snotfull– snorkelling andpicnictrips.Youcandive at S$150), includingvillage visits,bushwalks, ling…). Various activitiesare onoffer (from Kajoro SunsetLodge Kajoro o Uepi Island Resort Uepi IslandResort

(s incl3mealsS$200)

(www.uepi.com) WESTERN PROVINCE •• Marovo Lagoon ••Marovo WESTERNPROVINCE John This by chief Lutonisahit-and-miss affair. Some out, so you’ll get to stay in the main house out, soyou’llget inthemainhouse tostay lodge.org; sincl3mealsA$120) Solomon Islands+61145125948;www.thewilderness maintained, thesharedmaintained, bathrooms are in worlds. Thetworoomsare immaculately andyou’llgetNggatokae, thebestof both is Australian,hiswife Waelinahisfrom place you’llbehard-pressed tofind.Corey crocodile-spotting, ‘coconut crabbing’,river ing (there’s a dive centre nearby), full-service related excursions available, including div- andland- strong pointisthe hostof sea- think of a better recipe Another for paradise. mosphere chilled isdelightfully out.We can’t snorkelling spotsjustoffshore andtheat- theresensational, are lovely swimmingand solar-generated reef electricity,the house is top nick,thefoodishealthy,there’s 24-hour Good snorkelling onthe nearby reef. lies atthebackof fighter theproperty. Zero grove asthebackdrop.Awrecked Japanese overlooking thelagoon,andthere isacoconut S$300) bush. nearby a USAAFB24Dbomberliescrumpledinthe Thewreck excuse. which isanacceptable of by; probably duetoalackof recent traffic, bungalows abitderelict whenwestopped island’s northerntip,butwefoundthetwo kelling potential of thelagoonthatgirths the travellers rave about thelocationandsnor- Tibara Lodge NGGATOKAE market. Mbatuna Thursday, theowners willtake youbyboatto be arranged. Ifyouhappentobethere ona snorkelling tripstonearbyislandscan easily meals are average. There’s nobeach, but Theprovidedthe roomthatfacessea. are simplydesigned,butwelcoming.Ask for throw yourcares tothewind.Thetworooms we agree. Take asnooze inahammockand reading balconyinMarovo’ byexpatguests– overlooking thelagoonwasrated as‘thebest peaceful lifestyle of Vangunu. Theveranda intothe youright shipshape, thisplaceeases andhiswife, whokeep theplace by Ralph includingatrekised, uptoMt Reku (520m). Various tours andvillage visitscanbeorgan- simple roomsfacingthelagoon(nobeach). o Ropiko Lodge Lodge Rogosakena The twobungalowshere are abitworn Wilderness Lodge

(s incl3mealsS$180)

([email protected]; sincl3meals ([email protected];

(s incl3mealsS$250) Amore friendly

Thisvenue run ( % satellite inthe Run

269 SOLOMON ISLANDS ISLANDS SOLOMON SOLOMON ISLANDS outside the capital. spelt differently), area themostdeveloped biggest ‘city’,Gizo(pronounced thesame, neighbours, but ithastheSolomons’second- the 2004disaster in Asia. was fairlylimited –nothingtobecompared to slow but,allthingsconsidered, thedestruction trickling in.Sure, rebuilding of homeshasbeen to NGOs, andtravellers, especially divers, are have arrived aneconomycatering to kick-start aidworkersIsland isonthemend.Enough gearedthose Ghizo towardstourism.However, area, including thelocalbusinesses affecting negative brought event mediaattention tothe homeless.Unfortunately and Saeraghi thissad leaving villagers Gilbertese Titiana between tsunami. Thesouthwestcoastwasworst hit, suffered asevere punch fromtheApril2007 epicentre of anunderwater earthquake tohave Ghizo. tothe enough Theislandwasclose Mother Nature wasprofoundly unkindto GHIZO ISLAND (return on Sunday). while the plies thisroute onSunday(return onMonday) on theirwaytoGizo. TheMV (in centralMarovo; (S$300) S$280)andSeghe Nggasini (S$240, 20minutes fromNggatokae), Express Both BOAT (orMunda, Seghe three weekly). from Honiara(fromS$617,three and weekly) cially inbadweather. isserviced Nggatokae are regularly espe- rerouted Ramata, through littleairstrip, andflights withSeghe’s tatious note thatSolomonAirlinesisfickleandflir- Takeand Gizo(fromS$465)sixdaysaweek. to Honiara(fromS$666),MundaS$495) connectSeghe Flights bad weatheratSeghe). p268 , andNorthMarovo of incase Lagoon (forMavothird gateway Lodge, isRamata (forSouthMarovoNggatokae A Lagoon). (forNorthMarovo andSeghe Lagoon) There are twomainsgateways toMarovo: AIR Getting There&Away planned). Terrific value. See you there… it quicklyfillsup(buttwomore unitsare One grumble:withonlytwobungalows, tours, village visitsandtrekking MtMariu. 270 Little GhizoIsland isadwarfnexttoits ETR RVNE • hz sad ••GhizoIsland WESTERN PROVINCE MV Pelican Express MV Pelican Express ( % MV SolomonExpress 28064 inHoniara) ( % stopatMbunikalo 28104) and Pelikan Express runsonFriday MV Solomon

Mon-Fri) HasanATM & Mon-Fri) (Visa MasterCard). connections. h cmue only). computer phonecards. Internetaccessisavailabletoo (one Sells Telekom Police Immigration Office Hospital Bank SouthPacific ANZ Bank Ltd Computer Antech here is(youguessed it) diving. Themainreasonno specificsights. tocome bustling market onthewaterfront, there are aretance onthemainstreet. Apartfromthe under thetropicalsun.Mostplacesof impor- a smattering of buildingsgently rustingaway thearchitecturethough ischarmless. There is hills behind, Gizoisnotbereft of appeal,al- oftions; itsstatus provincial helped. capital the presence of international aidorganisa- than therest of theislandandbenefited from Gizo agoodlicking,butthetownfared better Province revolves. The2007tsunamididgive Gizo is the hubaroundwhich theWestern Gizo diving, diving (andmaybe some snorkelling); in Gizo hasmadea nameforitself ACTIVITIES giant clamsof upto1mlongin the lagoon. It’s agoodspotifyouwanttosnorkel over with informationonresearch programmes. accepts visitors. There’s asmallvisitorcentre research couple centre runby aNewZealand island (Gizo’sairstrip). Thisclam farmand island; admissionS$20; is as asight trees.tall Theonlyplacethatcouldqualify undertheshadeofcupy theirlittlestands Islands) arrive each morningbyboattooc- fromtheShortland bouring islands(andeven soak uptheatmosphere. Villagers fromneigh- inGizo.see Gotothe mildly interesting memorials,there’s littleto Apart fromafew churches andahandfulof SIGHTS proceed fromBougainville(PNG)andtheShortland Islands. Canissueavisitor’spermitifyou BehindANZBank. Fri) Mon-Fri) Changescashandtravellers Mon-Fri) cheques. INFORMATION Sprawled alongthewaterfront withitssteep 8.30am-7pm Mon-Thu, 2-6pmSun)Quick to5pmFri, ( % ( (Middenway Rd;perhrS$48; (Middenway % ( % 60966) 60224; Middenway Rd) 60224; Middenway 60262; Middenway Rd; 60262; Middenway World Fish Centre World Fish Centre (Middenway Rd; (Middenway ( h h (Middenway Rd;perhrS$50; (Middenway by reservation) 8am-noon &1-4.30pmMon- market ( lonelyplanet.com % (

h % h h , on Nusatupe , onNusatupe 60022; Nusatupe 60022; Nusatupe 8.30am-3pm Mon-Sat 8.30am-4pm) 9am-3pm diving ) and ) and , boat ridefromGizo andincludewrecks Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels tion on diving. and reef dives. See p63 formore informa- formula. winning island orhaving lunch atFatboys ( p272 ), a picnickingonasecluded surface interval divetank organisation; youspendyour certification isA$630.Welove theirtwo- extra A$20forgear rental). Anopen-water dive,two-tank includingpicnic(addan you toyourdigs.You’llpayA$140 fora youattheairportorwharfanddrivemeet ate Dive Mundain( p264 ). They’ll Kerrie Kennedy since1985.Theyalsooper- runbyDannyandsional outfit,it’sbeen side theGizoHotel, p272 ). Asolidprofes- end of town(there’s officebe- alsoasales Rd) www.divegizo.com; Middenway operational dive centre, the timeof writing,there wasonlyone leave after disappointed visitinghere. At high-profile sites,on several butyouwon’t thanks tothe2007tsunamianditsimpact Pacific. Sure, itlostsomeof itsappeal it’s afirst-rate dive destinationinthe Saeraghi (14km) Pailongge (7km); To Titiana(3km); 1 3 2 GIZO Most dives are less than a20-minute Lodge (1km) To Paradise 19 7 13 AC

15 Timpala Rd Timpala Middenway Rd Middenway 3 ie Gizo Dive 17 18 , atthewestern 16 WESTERN PROVINCE ••GhizoIsland WESTERNPROVINCE Football Field 10 B

( % 6 G hizoHarbu 60253; Zero Fighter Japanese 2 8 5 9 Dive Gizo...... (see11) Bank SouthPacific...... ANZ Bank...... Antech ComputerLtd...... INFORMATION Sea Plane Japanese snorkel toyour heart’s content. hire snorkelling gear (S$50)attheresort and Fatboys. Take theshuttletoFatboys (S$50), phobic, you canstretch your legsonawalk Bring your own boards. surfer who’sfindingnewbreaks allthetime. Pailongge. Dive Gizo( left ) employsalocal paddle outtothereef’s edge, at anda right left-hander nearer Titiana village, withalong to2mormore.April swellrises There’s agreat on Ghizo’ssoutherncoast.TheOctober-to- There’s Pailongge, excellentpointsurfingoff can beguaranteed almostvirgin waves. ing the lagoon,including outfits. two bitter feud the (butnottake sides)between ( p272 ). Travellers shouldknowabout the Hans Mergozzi, whoalsoownsSanbisResort ates fromtheGizoHotel ( p272 ). It’srunby down whenwevisited. Itnormallyoper- ( % 11 If islandlife ismakingyoualittleclaustro- Another dive shop, What’s quite newtotheSolomonsis There’s noshortage of , andwe’re notcomplaining.Here, you 20 To NusatupeIsland(1.5km) 60646; Middenway Rd) 60646; Middenway 1 21 Wharf Main Malakepavi 14 Customs 12 3 2 1 4 B2 B2 C2 200m 0.1miles 0 0 , had temporarily closed , hadtemporarily closed TRANSPORT ENTERTAINMENT DRINKING EATING SLEEPING SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES Solomon Airlines...... Gizo HotelJetty...... Bamboo ...... (see11) PT 109(d)...... (see19) Gizo Hotel(d)...... (see11) PT 109...... Nuzu Restaurant...... (see11) Market(eat)...... (see 8) Lamasa...... Gizo NestRestaurant...... Daily BreadKitchen...... Rekona MoamoaLodge...... Phoebe's Resthouse...... Nello's Villa...... Nagua Resthouse...... Gizo Hotel...... Gelvinas Motel...... St StephenCathedral...... Market...... Dive Gizo...... (see1) Dive Gizo...... Telekom...... Immigration Office...... Hospital...... Solomon Watersport...... (see1) Kennedy Island Kennedy Solomon Watersport snorkelling D spotson , just off , justoff 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 271 surf- C2 C2 A1 B1 B2 B2 A2 C3 A1 C3 C2 B2 B2 B2 A1 B2 B2 C2

SOLOMON ISLANDS ISLANDS SOLOMON SOLOMON ISLANDS d S$198-275) coming abode obviously suffers fromexces- plain, functional butwell-scrubbed rooms featurestown, thisfamily-run guesthouse S$110, rS$330-440) have private bathrooms. normal whenyouread this. Thedearer rooms away bythetsunami.Itshouldbe backto were houses washed and theirfamilies,whose werehouses occupiedbytheprisonguards was quite crowdedwhenwevisited; thethree Another budget option,withOK rooms.It Scandinavia. in ing roomupstairs wouldn’tbeoutof place shared bathrooms.Thewood-panelleddin- to Dive Gizo, p271 ). Cheapestroomshave bet forthriftydivers (it’salmostnextdoor withordinaryrooms,butit’sasafehouse ‘Villa’ isapompousdescriptionforsimple S$55). Credit cards are accepted. homemade mealscanbeprovided (S$40to You won’thave toventure outsideafter dark; as theyhave views. private facilitiesandsea out forthemore expensive roomsupstairs, cramped andabitsombre; it’sworthshelling good shape. Thebudget roomsdownstairs are are Bathrooms town Gizo(S$20bytaxi). in a quietarea, a30-minute walkfromdown- onthehorizon).It’sperched onahillin seen over (withSimboandRendova thesea islands butoffers commandingviews sive self-esteem, the neighbouring islands. lessly picture-perfect viewsover theoceanand effort- points foritsbreezy veranda affording with shared bathrooms.Thisplacegets bonus with thebasic(read two-bed spartan) rooms vourite happy ports of call,andtheyseem of theirstudies.Phoebe’s isoneof theirfa- aspart cal studentswhoworkatthehospital crimson-facedin towntomeet Britishmedi- overlooking thetown,thisisbestplace Resthouse Phoebe’s In Gizo SLEEPING p274). (see ingly recommend theclimbupKolombangara Ifyou’redetails. a Askbe tackled. atDive Gizo( p271 ) formore tions (anythingfromoneto10hours) can around GhizoIsland.Walksof variousdura- 272 Nagua Resthouse Moamoa Lodge Rekona Nello’s Villa Paradise Lodge ETR RVNE • hz sad ••GhizoIsland WESTERN PROVINCE Call apsychotherapist! Thiswel- Call

( % A short(uphill) walk from

( 60446; rwithoutbathroomS$165-200) %

hiking

( ( % % 60024; swithoutbathroomS$77, 60161; sS$60) 60012; swithoutbathroom

fiend,we’dunhesitat- ( % 60368; rS$180-350) Onahill

i an expansive lagoonandastringof white- this islandhasabrochure-esque appeal,with A mere 10-minute boatridesouthof Gizo, Mbabanga Island cards are accepted. con, giftshop,barandrestaurant). Credit card isitswidearrayof facilities (wi-fi, air- despite aswimming poolattherear. Itstrump can’t quite shake thatjust-a-motel feeling, expats, aidworkers andbusinesspeople,it Popularwith rooms andprofessional service. yetunflashy its centrallocation,salubrious thisisaperennialestablishment, favourite for Rd; rS$550-715; Noisy? Yes, in the morning. a smallbalconyoverlooking themaindrag. roomswithaccessto and quite comfortable cated inthecentre. right Itfeatures spacious 350; Amen. ceremony. inthekitchen;Wednesday evening jointhe isfriendly.Prayers areand thestaff heldevery linenisfreshplace isdecentlymaintained, thewhole hey, thisisthetropics.Overall across, er,afew critters of varyingsizesbut wellcome the communalkitchen youmight If youget foraglassof upatnight water in (the more expensive oneshave goodviews). private terrace, snorkel over reefs sensational quality furniture), enjoya sundowneronyour tropical hardwoods, traditionalleafandhigh- your tastefully designedbungalow (theyblend is allabout epicurean indulgences: relax in it’s trulylike this.Thisoh-so-mellow resort the website; there’s nophotoshoppingtricks– boysgizo.com; rS$750-850) while you’re there. Wi-fi. changethings might anytimesoon.Check thepropertyattimeofsell research, so and theowner,Hans Mergozzi, hadplansto Nothing, buttheatmosphere isabitstaid retreat?So, what’swrongwiththisdelightful and thewholeplaceisgenuinely eco-friendly. the beach isattractive, themealsare tasty Kolombangara willtake yourbreath away, wood materials, theviewsof theoceanand designed withamixof blond-wood anddark- thesixbungalowsareturquoise, creatively beaches. sand o Sanbis Resort Gizo Hotel Gelvinas Motel Gelvinas ) Aplaceof easybliss.Thelagoonis a ) Anhonest-to-goodness outfitlo- Fatboys

( ais %

60199; www.gizohotel.com; Middenway 60199; www.gizohotel.com;Middenway

Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels ( ( % %

( % Lookatthehomepage on 60276; Middenway Rd;s/dS$300/ 60276; Middenway 66313; [email protected]; 66313; [email protected]; Aclassic, well-managed 60095, 66346inGizo;www.fat ) h deliver, butthebread is fresh. Middenway Rd;mainsS$90-135; Middenway pack up and leave. relax to accomplished, you’llfind itdifficult sure: dayshere, after several yourmission to do withanarrowstripof Onethingis sand. it’s abitlessoverwhelming –you’llhave to that there’s apositive ambience. Beach-wise, isagoodguywhoensuresGrant Griffiths kayak over translucentwaters. Proprietor fully laid-back over-the-water restaurant or yourself toahealthymealatthewonder- just offshore, snoozeinahammock,treat lonelyplanet.com dine. Thebreezy open-air diningroom is suit- dinner) but not mandatory. 11am (S$50one-way).It’sbestto reserve, by boatfromGizo;take thedailyshuttle at Kennedy Island.Fatboys isonlyaccessible swim over shallows sandy thatextend onto your meal,rent snorkelling gear (S$50)and DVD screens andareading library.After extraordinary view.There are billiardtables, tilla, that’sifyoucantake yourgazeoff the fish ’n’chips tocrayfish orchicken tor- salad FeastVonavona Lagoon. onanythingfrom that hovers over waters theturquoise of Thediningroomisonapiertional setting! mains S$45-120; Sometimes it’sopen for dinner. simple dishes, such aslocalfish orchicken. relaxed vibes.Ablackboard displaysafew in agreat waterfront location,thisplacehas off Gizo,andsituatedpatrol boatthatsank Fri) Too badit’sclosed on weekends. fish ’n’chips are brilliant value. Noalcohol. few butit’shygienicallykept tables andthe inoffensive décor. It’snothingmore thana is,withitsunobtrusive façadeand Lamasa Fri) and naive murals,thedécoris naff. laughably won’t blowyourbudget. Withitsfrillycurtains that sandwiches bent, ortuckintoacceptable bellyful of chicken disheswithaChinese orbeef tonoonSun) Mon-Fri, Kitchen Daily Bread EATING Gizo NestRestaurant Nuzu Nuzu Restaurant Nuzu Restaurant Fatboys Lamasa Namedafter John FKennedy’s WWII PT 109 Blink andyou’llmiss it.That’showdiscreet breakfast, lunch&dinnerMon-Sat) This isthemost atmospheric spotto

(Middenway Rd;mainsS$40-90; (Middenway

(Middenway Rd;mainsS$25-35; (Middenway

( % h 66346 WESTERN PROVINCE ••GhizoIsland WESTERNPROVINCE Parisian baguettes itwon’t lunch &dinner)

(Middenway Rd; (Middenway Gizo,

(Middenway Rd; mains S$20-65; Rd;mainsS$20-65; (Middenway 60095 M 60095 ( % h Comehere fora What asensa- 60199; GizoHotel, breakfast, lunch& babanga island; h h h lunch Mon- lunch Mon- 6am-6pm alternative toflying.The12-hourHoniara fruits andvegetables, aswellfresh fish, You’ll cross to The mainroadout of Gizoskirtstheshore Around Gizo via Noro(S$140,twohours, three weekly). runs ashuttle boatconnectingGizotoMunda and returns on Sunday. MV wharf at7amonSunday,returning onMonday; ing). MV trip costsS$380(S$420,1st-classupstairs seat- Solomon Express The Boat Choiseul. and Gizo youcanalsoflytotheShortland Islands (fromS$465)orboth.From S$395) orSeghe to Honiara(fromS$840),viaMunda transfer linkGizo S$20).Dailyflights (canoe island TheairfieldisonNusatupe station. h The Air THERE&AWAYGETTING woodcarvings. have of aratherwideselection stone-and Dive Gizo( p271 ) andGizoHotel ( opposite SHOPPING ) naughty (those medical students…). PT 109( left ), which canget wildonweekends which also has akaraoke onFriday,or evening which ispart of theGizoHotel ( opposite ), island-style, try tropical cocktail at Fatboys. During theday,nothingcanbeatafrothy the GizoHotel ( opposite ) andPT109( left The bestdrinkingdensincludethebarat ). DRINKING &ENTERTAINMENT waterfront. the nothing canbeatthe barbecue Friday evening is popular. and meatdishes aswell asdailyspecials.The with well-executed fish more conservative, it’sabit Food-wise and wickertables seating. posts,wooden ably exotic,withwood-carved Hmm, sweet bananas…FororganicHmm, sweet Go WestTours If youwanttorelive Saeraghi 8.30am-4pm Mon-Fri) Solomon Express MV Pelican Express Solomon Airlines Pelican Express attheisland’snorthwestern end. Titiana (

( % Bamboo 28064 inHoniara) and 62180; Agnes Lodge, Munda 62180; Agnes Lodge,Munda p265 ) office isnearthepolice

( leaves HoniaraonFriday

% ( (Middenway Rd; (Middenway market %

Pailongge Saturday Night Fever leaves Honiara’smain 28104 inHoniara) 60173; Middenway Rd; 60173; Middenway

are anexcellent ( h , which were Mon-Sat) h and Fri &Sat) Fri  Gizo Gizo 273 on MV MV

SOLOMON ISLANDS ISLANDS SOLOMON SOLOMON ISLANDS covered crater lake. can easilybeclimbed.There’s alsoasulphur- its megapodehatcheries anditsvolcanothat noted for its birdlife. the dormantvolcanoMtTambisala anditis .com; cottageincl3 meals S$1000) spectacular intheprovince,spectacular were uplifted which were onceranked amongthemost from S$40 toS$60.Dive Gizo ( p271 ) can shared rideatGizo market. topay Expect Yourbestbet is tofinda lar boatservices. The islandsaround Ghizohave noregu- of their appeal. during thetsunamiin2007andlost much is (entirelyhouse rebuilt after the2007tsunami), utes fromGizo,inabeautifultraditional gunsin still see the bush. WWIIJapaneseimportant andyoucan base scattered aroundtheisland. on thesouthcoast.WWIIJapanese relics are ity, with of MtVeve. amajor hasbeen activ- Logging steep escarpmentstotherugged crater rim flat-toppedridgesthrough andincreasingly above plain froma1km-widecoastal ). Itrises It’s atwo-dayhike tothetopandback(see on thehorizon,dueeastof Ghizo Island. to 1770m, A perfect cone-shapedvolcanothatrises ISLANDS AROUNDGHIZO beaches. lovely has severely hitbythe2007tsunami.Saeraghi 274 THERE&AWAYGETTING Definitely worthavisitis Mountainous Mountainous Oravae Cottage Unfortunately thereefs off At Day Adventist village)andpay side oftheisland,where (avoidSaturday,asit’saSeventh- youarrangeguidesandporters p264 fromIririvillage,onthewestern hike. Youdepart ). It’sanexhilaratingtwo-day/one-night Growing wearyofwater Considerclimbinguptothecrater’s activities? rimonKolombangara(Map HIKING IN KOLOMBANGARA feels you’re like entering thesetof fore thecloudssetin.The sceneryissurreal, trees are covered toldus,it inmoss;asonehiker where yousleepovernight. toreach The morning,beready next thetopbe- foranearlystart upthroughthethicklywoodedforest toaclearing called Professor’scontinue walking Camp, Gizo). be fit.Dive Gizo( p271 ) canarrangelogistics (aboutS$1000perperson,includingtransfers from Lagoon andthecrater are mesmerising. Take note thatit’sastrenuous walk,soyou’llneed to AAT RVNE • aat sad MALAITA Island ••Malaita PROVINCE Sepo island Sepo Ringgi Kolombangara being the main settlement, beingthemainsettlement,

, alovely retreat just15min- ( Vella Lavella % 66621, 66619;naomibaea@gmail loomsmajestically . isdominated by Vila Point Vila Simbo island kastom Ranongga Lord oftheRings wasan fees. The followsalogging firstsection road.Youthen for , live onthefarawayatollsof OntongJava for approximately 2000Polynesianswho Elsewhere it’svirtually uncharted territory. infrastructure totravel safely onyourown. there’s enough Lagoon) Langa and Langa lers. Inthemaindestinations(Auki,Malu’u onlyasmallstreamsees of adventure travel- is yettotake off inthis quietprovince that world. Despite itshuge potential, tourism Welcome toasecretive andfascinating MALAITA PROVINCE islands. Kolombangara and arrange excursions toSimbo,Ranongga present in Langa present inLanga Lagoon. Langa tradition of shell-money makingisomni- distinctive feature of Malaitan life, andthe are another Lagoons and Lau Langa Langa ancestral spirits.The artificialislandsinthe and eastern partsof theislandstillworship on youtoo. SomeMalaitans fromthecentral thropologists; nodoubtitwillcast itsspell varied culturallife hasfascinated many an- than otherSolomonIslanders, and their to clingmore tenaciously totheircustoms ditions andrich cultures. Malaitans are said ofand astronghold ancientMelanesian tra- nic heritage. It’sbothanadventure island tures, Malaita hasanequallyfascinatingeth- Kolovrat. As wellasahostof naturalfea- to1303matMt interior thatrises highland baysandarugged plains,secluded coastal a hauntinglybeautifulislandwithnarrow reachedEasily fromGuadalcanal, Malaita is Sikaiana. and MLIA ISLAND MALAITA The populationisallMelanesian except . Fromthesummit,viewsover Vonavona lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com appointed. Butif real Melanesian life and animation programmes, youmayleave dis- fledged resorts, shops, restaurants and your ideaof agreat holidayincludesfully- There’s adive noteven centre If (sniff!). velopment of tourismisstillinitsinfancy. specifically geared towards foreigners, de- Province, which are endowedwithlodgings ethnic tensions of thelate 1990s (see p249 ). andincursions successes thatledtothe these politics andpower. It was resentment towards are over-represented inSolomons’ business, era, Malaitan peopledominate Honiaraand Guadalcanal. Even today,inthepost-tension other partsof theSolomons,particularlyto MALAITA PROVINCE Ontong JavaAtoll(330km) ὄὄ ὄὄ ὄ Unlike inGuadalcanalandtheWestern Malaitan peoplehave longmigrated to To Ndai(55km); Guadalcanal Ruavatu See GuadalcanalMap(pp250–1)

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( % Maka Rockera Cape Hartig Maramasike I 28064 inHoniara)

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MV SOLOMON ISLANDS ISLANDS SOLOMON SOLOMON ISLANDS with anATM andMasterCard) (Visa anda 3pm Mon-Fri) Bank SouthPacific An end. southern market andthebustlingwharf,attown’s moveseverything slowlyexceptatthelively guess it’stheSolomons’ third-largest town; eyes. Wanderingitsquietstreets, youwouldn’t onstiltsoffer the houses somethingtoplease lappingitsshoresown. Luckilythesea and aren’t goingtocapture manyheartsontheir town, withafew low-slungbuildingsthat Aukiisanondescriptlittleport Otherwise back toapproachAuki isadelight bysea. and surroundedbyjungle-cladhills,laid- Curled aroundawonderfullyshapedbay Auki rides. shared villages.coastal Ifyou’re lucky,you’llfind you’ll have tocharter boatstohopbetween charter aboat(S$300).Forallotherplaces, (S$200),asthere’stake ataxi agravel road,or Hideaway, p278 ) fromAuki,youcaneither Lagoon (forSerah’s Lagoon Langa to Langa Atori acrosstheisland(S$40toS$60).Toget Malu’u (S$50)tothenorthanddailytrucks that meets flight. every town costsS$10ontheSolomonAirlinesbus Auki’s airfieldis10kmfromtown.Arideinto AROUND GETTING 276 INFORMATION 1 2 AUKI From Auki, there’s a daily bus service to From Auki,there’s adailybusservice To Lilisiana;Beach; ANZ Osi Lake(1.6km) AAT RVNE • aat sad MALAITA Island ••Malaita PROVINCE Solomon Airlines...... (see1) TRANSPORT Rarasu Restaurant...... EATING New Guesthouse...... Golden DragonMotel...... Auki Motel...... Auki Lodge...... SLEEPING Telekom...... Post Office...... Bank SouthPacific...... INFORMATION N...... C2 ANZ......

( % are inthetowncentre andchange A 40160; offLoboiAve;

( % 40484; offLoboiAve; 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 C2 C2 B2 B1 C2 C2 C2 B2

h Development Rd Kelakwai Molou 9am-4pm Mon-Fri) Fisheries BC Centre h Auki Harbour Sikitae Creek 8.30am-

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Market Auki Rarasu Rd

6 7 2

Hibiscus (10km) To Airfield

1 Cotton Tree La Map Map p276 ; 5 wlig shoes. walking a powerfultorch andwearsturdy (flashlight) ground river. Caveat:it’svery slippery.Take large subterranean chambers andan under- It’s ahauntingcave, withstalagmites, several (about 20minutes) downtotheentrance. (S$20)thenwalkthefinalstretch ataxi taking be asked topaya Youmight hometocoloniesofdise, seabirds. kit andget wet,butit’sanature-lover’s para- it’s notreally aplacetodonyourswimming Osi Lake thebeach is onetoAuki.Beside is theclosest It’s immediately tothenorthof thevillage and spitbesidecoralshallows.long, goldensand peaceful the shore, it’s photogenic toboot.Lilisiana’s onstiltsover raised its traditional-stylehouses Lilisiana isthefriendlyfishing village ofmust-see that willkeep youentertained. Onedefinite a smattering of outside town naturalsights cession of butthere’s touristsights, actually Auki ismore aplacetoexperiencethansuc- SIGHTS h 1-4.30pm Mon-Fri). There’s also alittle major currencies andtravellers cheques.

Ave about 3kmfromthecentre. Take tothe ataxi can beat 4 Rd Batabu 3 If you need torefreshIf youneed nothing yourself, An hour’swalkeastof Aukiis 8.30am-noon & 1-4pm Mon-Fri) To AukiIsland (1km);

Langa Lagoon

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Kwaibala Waterfall Kwaibala Waterfall Rulu Pde Rulu 400m 0.2miles Taitala Rd 0 0 Offices Government Provincial , butyoucanmake itshorter by Get onlineat Get (off Map (off p276 ) isanarrow, To RibaCave Station Power 9 8 kastom post office Kwaibala fee of S$25. . Kombito (off Map p276 ), Telekom lonelyplanet.com

River To KwaibalaWaterfall ( h D To Langa Lagoon (16km) Riba Cave Riba Trailhead (1km)

8am-noon &

Kwaibala Kwaibala (per hrS$48;

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really theplacetopopquestionyour r withoutbathroomS$143,S$210-320; ing towhat’savailable, butusuallyincludes breakfast, lunch anddinner)variesaccord- The onlyindependent restaurant intown a bracing dip. cascades withafew poolswhere youcantake like thunderingfallstheyain’t;expectmodest utes’ walkwill bringyoutothefalls.Niagara- Kwaibala River (S$20);fromthere, 25min- Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels is a good surprise. Choiceis veryis agood surprise. limited, mains S$30-45; service. lackadaisical ture, roomswithvery ordinaryinteriors and what youget. Thinkuninspired architec- ‘Lodge’price; even soundspretentious for a the Auki Store opposite. above somestores; ifno-one’s around askat air-con andprivate bathrooms.It’supstairs kip.Thedearerdo foranight’s roomshave butthebare-bonessweetheart, roomswill premises. the hefty breakfasts. Noalcohol isallowedon and icecreams. Andlet’snotforget the fish fillet,chilli squid,chicken drumsticks at therestaurant vive ifyoupileuptwomattresses. Themenu upstairs (ourbacksstillache!), butyou’llsur- mattresses inthecheaper, three-bed rooms unit isinthecorridor).Pityabout theflimsy bathrooms andshared air-con (theair-con rooms are crampedbuthave a tad private all budgets. Oh,andit’scentral.Downstairs nick anditfeatures arange of roomstosuit lack of competition),bathrooms are ingood in town(which alot,given isnotsaying the ithasthebestfacilities this littlenumber: a Motel Auki SLEEPING &EATING River. Fiu treks and‘river drifting’onatyre downthe he quotes. He canalsoarrange cross-island that Waterfall andS$100forOsi Lake. Make sure S$200 forRibaCave, S$200forKwaibala Malai tofind.Contact land anddifficult Kwaibala Waterfall, which are onprivate You’ll need aguidetovisitRibaCave andYou’ll need Auki Lodge Auki Rarasu Restaurant Rarasu Golden DragonMotel ) ) There are three goodreasons in tostay Thisisdistinctlyunimpressive forthe kastom

( % 40389)

( % fees are includedintheprices h

( 40014; fax40059;LoboiAve; rS$110-440; , afreelance guidewhocharges % lunch &dinnerMon-Sat, dinnerSun) ( 40079; BatabuRd;s/dS$336/400; mains S$30toS$45;open

( %

( % 40280; off Maasina RuluPde; 40280; offMaasina 40113, 40166;LoboiAve; MALAITA Island ••Malaita PROVINCE a ) This isn’t Silas Diutee Silas Diutee yourself on. No,ratherpeople comehereyourself for and youwon’tfind stunningbeaches tosun are more chocolate turquoise, thanbright lagoons, you’llleave disappointed. Waters lagoon. the perience isoccasionaldynamite fishingin martheex- ing. Theonlythingthatmight making. It’salsorenowned forshipbuild- traditional activities,especiallyshell-money isastrongcentre for Lagoon Langa Langa Alite andBusu. islands, particularlyLaulasi, Auki, thelagoonisfamousforitsartificial Extending from7kmto32kmsouthoflights. Paradise. villages. ingly beautifulchants resonate from nearby front of yourbungalow.Soundtrack:haunt- isglidingpastonthecalmwatersnoes justin ( p278 of), whileasmallfleet traditionalca- Hideaway Lagoon private terrace atSerah’s you’re sippingaglassof bushlimeonyour Scene: up: atdusk.Close Lagoon Langa Langa building sites when we through. passed hills overlooking thebay.Bothplaceswere still tuckedMP CharlesDausabea, awayinthe anda20-roommotelRestaurant ownedby besideRarasu will beasmallguesthouse tional bythetimeyouread thisbook,which charm. ramshackle The vaguelybarn-like surroundsooze a good job of yourhungrytummy. satisfying poached a fishincoconutcream does sauce but thedishesare fresh andcopious.The Langa Lagoon One proviso: ifyouexpectBoraBora-esque This isundisputedly oneof Malaita’s high- Two newlodgingoptionswillbeopera- however, are tiny. some are surroundedbyacoralwall.Most, 1 sqkminsize andcanbevery crowded; from mosquitoes. The largest islandsexceed protection fromhead-hunters andfreedom planted. adualpurpose: The islandsserve houses are builtandcoconutpalmsare sand barorreef, thensandisspread around, dead coralsfromthelagoonsare piledona new onesare builteachyear. Stonesand of theseislandsdate fromthe1550sand in LangaandLauLagoons. Some islands,particularly number ofartificial One ofMalaita’sfeatures isthelarge ARTIFICIAL ISLANDS

277 SOLOMON ISLANDS ISLANDS SOLOMON SOLOMON ISLANDS This aptlynamedretreat isrunwithgrace fo Auki. from andshe willarrange Serah transfersCall onsale. of also aselection intricate carvings (fromS$200).Thereing andleafsawing are ing, ademonstration of shell-money mak- as culturalshows, such asgrass-skirtmak- host canalsoarrange lagoontours aswell sure youtrythe‘mangrove fruitsoup’.Your palms. Themealsare memorable,too;make passingbythesilhouette ofcanoes coconut terrace, complete withtraditionaldug-out your ownlagoonshow fromyourprivate Quick, get yourcameraready andenjoy a propershower andflush toilets. Sunset? ablution blockistiptopwith,joyof joys, touches aswellafour-room The house. on stiltsembellished withafew feminine Kei.and flairbySerah There’s onebungalow Hideaway And thesupremely relaxing the laid-back tempo. Andthemagicalsetting. 278 values, themeaningoflife’, addsRonniewithasmile. crying after thistrip;theysaiditwassooverwhelming. They even endedupquestioningtheir lighters, knifes, razorbladesorflashlights.’ another village,becauseIdon’twanttooverburden theKwaio. gifts, Ifyouwanttomake bring impressive rituals, suchastheturningofdeadorsacrificepigs. Everyday wemove to I employateam andinterpreters. ofknowledgeableporters Ifyou’re lucky,youmightattend is forbidden.Things canturnnastyifyouinfringea whenenteringnaked aKwaiovillageandare notaccepted iftheyhave theirperiod;toiletpaper snap photographswithoutconsent;alwaysurinate atdesignated places;womenmustbeentirely You’ll feel you’ve stumbledontoanalternative universe. There are rules:never strict laugh;never there. upinthemountainsforaboutthree The daywehike next hourstothefirstKwaiovillage. fromwherein Auki, atrucktoAtori. wetake Then aboattoSinalangguandovernight wetake alimited onthesecommunities.take numberofgueststolimitourimpact Isuggestyouarrive for afew years)whocanorganise guided tripstomeetthebushKwaio. tothree-day two- ‘Ionly avoid culturalfauxpaswithpotentially seriousconsequences. minute T-pieces. This isnotyouraverage ‘culturalexperience’;youdohave tocomeprepared to and sorcery.Unmarriedgirls pipes,whilemarriedwomenwear andsmoke andwomengonaked Christian ‘coastal’Kwaio,believe theancestralspiritsare omnipresent, magic andtheypractise in favourofthetraditionallife andreligion oftheirancestors. These Kwaio,asopposedtothe people wholive inthemountainsnearAtoifi and Sinalanggu have rejected themodernworld Malaita’s mountainousinterior. This area isvery seldomvisited byWesterners andthe1000 Kwaio Ready foraculture shock?Considervisitingthetraditional‘bush’Kwaio,wholive ineastern-central GO TOTHEKWAIO,YOUNGMAN (per day),includingguidesandfood.Transfers (S$50fortheAuki costextra fromAuki two weeks’notice. truck ride,S$2000return fortheboatridebetweenAtori andSinalanggu).Give aminimumof Auki) AAT RVNE • aat sad MALAITA Island ••Malaita PROVINCE Wanna questionyourownwayoflife? Contact One thingissure: avisittotheKwaioislife-altering experience. ‘Iremember Westerners inNewZealandWe metRonnieButala,a‘modernKwaio’(heworked asanenvironmentalist orDestinationSolomonsTravels &Tours( p253 ). RonnieButalacharges S$400perperson

( % 40344, 72344;sincl3mealsS$100-160) Serah’s Lagoon Serah’s . sae facilities. shared which hasfan-cooledrooms,akitchen and works as lawyer in Honiara. lagoon contains morelagoon contains than60 artificial Tagini Malaita canbearranged through customised ask the chief. but youcanarrange inavillage; yourstay islands. There’s noformalaccommodation, at can spendthenight at the‘headroad’twohours away.You Lagoon 82km of road)and Lau passable Auki(fourhoursobvious stopbetween over subprovincial headquarters of beach linetheshore.sand Thewelcoming lovely views.Longstretches sea of white- the coastfromSisifiutoSisolo,providing The ‘northroad’leaves Aukiandfollows Northern MalaitaIsland Ronnie Butala For thefitand adventurous, various And now, tambu

( % . Anyway,youcan’tturnupalone. 22911, 28089inHoniara, 75227inAuki) trekking Lau Lagoon

( % 81745; [email protected]; 81745; [email protected]; optionsinnorthern Malu’u Lodge Malu’u . This35km-long lonelyplanet.com Malu’u  (s S$100) Makario

Atori isan who , ὄὄὄὄὄὄὄ ὄὄὄὄὄὄὄ ὄὄὄὄὄὄὄ ὄὄὄὄὄὄὄ ὄὄὄὄὄὄὄ PROVINCE Alt Gorge. Auluta spot isatNunulafa,where over itcrosses the route beginsnearDala,anditsmostscenic The washed outinthemidyearwetseason. terior totheeastcoastaround There’s in- aroad acrossthemountainous Central &EasternMalaitaIsland lonelyplanet.com liers, sharingsimilarlanguages andcultures. country. Bothislandsare Polynesianout- that youcouldeasilyfeel you’re inanother ent fromthatintherest of theSolomons other world.Life in thisregion issodiffer- from Honiarawill transport youtoyetan- What achange. Amere one-hourflight Kwaio people (see opposite ). launching padforvisitstothetraditional isthemainbraced Christianity.Sinalanggu people whohave leftthebushandhave em- and RENNELL &BELLONA Senggena To Bellona(24km) RENNELL ISLAND From Atori, you can take a dinghy to From Atori,youcantake adinghy Nuku Ma'anu Sinalanggu Mangga Utu Kaanggua Tinggoa Niupilesi Tupuake , themaincentres forKwaio RENNELL&BELLONA ••Rennell PROVINCE Moreno Guesthouse Hatangua Tahanuku (Tinggoa Airport) Rennell Airfield Nggonggona High Cliffs Mangga One Atori Matangi thatis Vanggu Pt Atoifi Satan Pt Lavanggu

Abataihe ing tilapia, giant eels and ing tilapia,gianteels snakes. sea for itsabundant birdandmarinelife, includ- the subprovincial headquarters. It’sfamous lages liealongtheshore, includingTe’Nggano, has 200-oddcoralisletsandswamps.Fourvil- surround itare theoldreef. Itswestern end that cliffs is theoldlagoonfloorandtall and feels like anuntouched Thelake paradise. South Pacific’s largest of expanse freshwater sq km, Rennell isaShangri-la foreco-tourists.At130 RENNELL to itsfamous Te’Nggano.Lake flocksofthe listinghasn’tbrought travellers site since1998but,despite thelocals’hopes, aWorldHeritageRennell hasbeen during thelifetime of thisbook.Eastern and anATM shouldhave madetheirmark nity isslowlyrearing itshead.Mobilephones ited (there abank)butmoder- wasnoteven Infrastructure waspretty poorwhenwevis- it hasafew solidaccommodationoptions. coral atolls. theyareGeologically rocky, uplifted- Kanggava Tuhungganggo This province islargely untouristy,but Tebaitahe Tuangonga Niupani Te‘Nggano Lake Te’NgganoLake S OLMNEA Bay Lower Cliffs 12miles km 20 0 0 Neitasi Lodge Hutuna Tengano Lodge Lakeside Lodge Kiakoe Te'Nggano (Sanginganggito I) Bird I Lake , inthesoutheast,is Octopus Cave 

listed

279 SOLOMON ISLANDS ISLANDS SOLOMON SOLOMON ISLANDS Te’Nggano. Theonlygood reason in to stay yourself atLake edges, but itcanbefun.Base pect airs around the andgraces; it’sabitrough Visitors Bureau inHoniara ( p249 ). Don’tex- can bebooked SolomonIslands through The islandhasafew simple resthouses which waters. limpid able foradipisOctopusCave, which has pea-green waters. Theonlyplacethat’ssuit- swimming suitsandbatheinthe milky, no beach, andonlyBritscoulddontheir not really placetoget asuitable wet.There’s (not forthesqueamish). Te’Nggano Lake is catch acormorantortwoforyourdinner wellclimbupatreeYour guidemight to ates nestyear-round. It’safascinatingsight. hundreds of cormorants,boobies andfrig- north shore, andavisitto include excursionsganise onthelake. Regularstops 280 Sleeping &Eating Guesthouses at Lake Te’Nggano atLake Guesthouses canor- logistical challenges(erratic flightsorboats,basicaccommodation,notelephones etc). provinces, where travellers are anabsolute rarity.You’llneedplentyofDIYspirittosurmountthe adventures,off-the-beaten-track andiftimeisreally considertravelling noobject, totheother If, after visitingMalaita,Guadalcanal,Central andWestern Provinces, youstillfeel theurge formore PUSHING THEFRONTIERS:RESTOFSOLOMONS

Aprovince thatisacastaway’sdream cometrueis Fall in offtheendofearth Anuntouchedworldlocated onlyonehourfromHoniarais Choiseul,the Like Oneoftheleast-visited provinces intheSolomons, ENL ELN POIC • Rnel RENNELL &BELLONA ••Rennell PROVINCE [email protected]; www.nature.org) from Honiara. quarters. The gateways byboatsandflights toIsabelare BualaandSuavanao,bothserviced islands, suchas point. Lata,theprovincial capital,onSantaCruzisland,isthemainlaunchingpadforoutlying Festival offStarHarbour.There’s sensationalsurfing The islandisfamousforits StarHarbourandSantaAna.main gateway. You’llfindbasicaccommodationinKirakira, and inKagau. to Arnarvon Islandscanbearrangedthrough to Arnarvon There’s too. phenomenalsnorkelling There’s onebasicguesthouserunbytherangers. Trips area andoneoftheworld’slargesta conservation nestinggroundsforthehawksbillturtle. the iced bySolomonAirlinesfromGizo. There’sGuinea, whichliesonly9kmtothenorth. oneairstrip,onBallalae,infrequently serv- worth atTourSolomonsinHoniara, worth guesthouse on Luelta Onerecommended andFresh Point Resthouse,andtheprovince’s Resort onlyairfield. Octopus Cave Octopus Arnarvon Islands Arnarvon , whichisheldlate MayonSantaCatalina island. Pigeon Island Reef Islands , aspookycave onthe Shortland Islands Shortland , theprovince’s tipofIsabel.It’s diamondtiara,offthenorthwestern Bird island , Utupua (Reef Islands), (Reef Ngarando F Temotu Province p253 , where , whoseofficeisacrosstheroadfrompolicehead- are culturallyclosertoBougainvilleinPapua New and boatridefromLata. thethree-hour ) iswellworth Vanikoro Nature Conservancy .au; sincl3meals S$190) rooms andit’slocated neartheairstrip. Rbno fantasies. Robinson charm –perfect forre-enacting SwissFamily directly over thewater. Has lotsof ramshackle on stilts,entirely builtfromnaturalmaterials, the lake. Arusticyet very atmospherichouse Just besidethe‘headroad’,at‘entrance’ of The meals(S$130perday)are good. S$150) cost S$110perday. dinkybungalows.Mealsand twostand-alone, There are five simpleroomsinthemainhouse onTinggoa’sThis placeisbased outskirts. included. fuel PlanonS$400fortwopersons,guesthouse. excursionsLake canbearranged your through , whichliesattheSolomons’mosteasterly you have departure. anearly-morningflight Tinggoa, 50kmwestof Te’Nggano, Lake isif Neitasi Lodge Guesthouse Moreno Ma’anu Nuku Tengano Lodge Isabel Choiseul . Latahasafew guesthouses,including This isacleanplacewith17bare araway Lodge , especially if you can make itto, especiallyifyoucanmake Makira-Ulawa has two airfields, onTaro hastwoairfields, island

(Lake Te’Nggano;(Lake sincl3mealsS$160) (Tinggoa; rwithoutbathroomS$150) (Tinggoa; Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels

(Lake Te’Nggano;(Lake [email protected]

( There’s nomistake: ithas %

(contact RossHep- (Tinggoa; rwithoutbathrooms (Tinggoa; Spear Fighting 20940, 28095inHoniara; . Kirakira isthe . Kirakira

is ashort boatrideawayfromtheheadroad, property. Canoe transfers fromtheheadroad property. Canoe clean shower).Thestrongpointisthelush withsharedhouse facilities(flushtoiletsand upgradedandfeatureshas been athree-room at nearbyNiupanivillage). Thisguesthouse an emailaddress (viaaninternet connection lonelyplanet.com the above - ‘Do the right thingwithourcontent.’ the above -‘Dotheright theterms and conditionsonoursiteforalonger wayofsaying youknow,orresell it.See everyone site,mass emailitto only. Inotherwords, pleasedon’tuploadthischapterto apeer-to-peer Inreturn, wethinkit’sfair toaskyouuseitforpersonal,non-commercial purposes restricted. © LonelyPlanetPublications. iteasier foryoutouse,accessthischapterisnotdigitally Tomake or viceversa. TheBellona viaBellona to Rennell(S$630,twiceweekly) From Honiara,SolomonAirlines( p257 ) flies Getting There&Away minutes). five arranged fromtheheadroad(S$80one-way, transfersfox canbe (nocomment).Canoe (barely and,forthedaring,flying acceptable) (excellent), coconutcrab (good),cormorant want varietyinyourmeals,askforlobster provincial andabonviveur. assembly If you isMPforthe promising. Theowner,Lence, structed when wevisited, andtheylooked shower. Twobungalowswere beingcon- There are clean,flushtoiletsandafunctional a lake view(otherroomsare attheback). it’s ashame thatroom1istheonlyonewith Digs are perched onahillside; in ahouse this ‘lodge’ isthebestorganised of thelot. S$290) (15 minutes) are free. Kiakoe Lakeside Lodge Lakeside Kiakoe Located onthenorthernshore, which RENNELL&BELLONA ••Bellona PROVINCE (Lake Te’Nggano;(Lake sincl3meals

 Rennell sector costs Rennell sector and hikingsnorkelling trips. cave Bothplacescanarrange itself! bicyclehire andsomeof thebedsare the cliffbase, inthe aroundcaves It’sset its enchanting setting. at Resort 3 mealsS$170) them thesceneof islandfables. easy toclimbunlike Rennell’scliffs. are rising30mto70m.Thecliffs mostly cliffs interior andisencircledbyforest-covered hasalush populated Bellona Small yetdensely BELLONA and S$500ifit’scharter. cargo, andcharge S$100ifit’sashared ride Lodge ( left tocollect mostflights ), whomeet Lakeside bythepeoplefromKiakoe ganised by truck). and takes atleastthree hours by4WD(longer airport andthelake rainforest runsthrough The 50kmof theTinggoa poorroadbetween Te’Nggano toLake Getting isabitof achore. Getting Around posite ) actsastheSolomonAirlinesagent. west of theisland.Moreno ( Guesthouse op- S$400. RennellairfieldisatTinggoa, tothe at You canstay ispockmarked with Bellona isor-The only‘regular’ transfer service

(s incl3mealsS$210) . On Bellona’s eastcoast, . OnBellona’s Suani Resthouse comesrecommended for © LonelyPlanetPublications (Tangakitonga; s incl sincl (Tangakitonga; caves

Aotaha Cave Cave Aotaha ; manyof

281 SOLOMON ISLANDS ISLANDS SOLOMON