Treks and adventures in Solomon Islands Bushwalking in and around Honiara Savo volcano Village stays on the Weathercoast Trekking & biking in Guadalcanal Trekking & biking in Malaita Kayaking & trekking in Western Province Kayaking in Isabel Exploring Arnavon Islands and South Choiseul Biking in Rennell Surfing in Makira and around the Solomons Compiled by Harry Greenwell, Matt Swainson, Radha Etheridge, Alan McNeil, Dan Raymond, Graham Teakle, Rhona McPhee, Tanya Rad and Dave Pattison March 2007 Contents 1. INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................................................................2 2. TREKKING & RIDING IN SOLOMONS – GENERAL COMMENTS............................................................................3 3. BUSHWALKS IN AND AROUND HONIARA ...............................................................................................................9 3.1 MATANIKO WATERFALL AND WATER CAVES (BEHIND CHINATOWN) ..................................................................................9 3.2 TENARU WATERFALL (EAST OF HONIARA)............................................................................................................................ 10 3.3 BARANA CAVE, WATERFALL AND WAR RELICS (MT AUSTEN)............................................................................................. 10 3.4 KAHOVE WATERFALL (AKA ‘TRENCHES CREEK FALLS’, KAKABONA, WEST OF HONIARA)............................................. 11 3.5 TINA RIVER AND MANANGAKIKI (EAST OF HONIARA)........................................................................................................ 11 3.6 BONEGE RIVER AND MACEDONIA VILLAGE (WEST OF HONIARA) ................................................................................... 12 4. SAVO ISLAND AND VOLCANO................................................................................................................................. 13 5. VILLAGE STAYS ON THE WEATHERCOAST ............................................................................................................ 14 5.1 DUINDUI .................................................................................................................................................................................... 14 5.2 MARASA..................................................................................................................................................................................... 15 5.3 AVU AVU................................................................................................................................................................................... 17 5.4 MARAU....................................................................................................................................................................................... 18 6. TREKS AROUND GUADALCANAL............................................................................................................................. 19 6.1 AVU AVU TO GHOMBOA VIA LEES LAKE (EAST GUADALCANAL) .................................................................................... 20 6.2 AVU AVU TO MARAU (EAST GUADALCANAL, WEATHER COAST) ................................................................................... 25 6.3 KUMA TO GOLD RIDGE (CENTRAL GUADALCANAL) ........................................................................................................... 28 6.4 KUMA TO GOLD RIDGE EXTENSION: MOUNT POPOMANASEU ......................................................................................... 34 6.5 MBAMBANAKIRA (WEST GUADALCANAL) TO TITINGGE (HONIARA)............................................................................... 35 6.6 TANGARARE (WEST GUADALCANAL) TO HONIARA ........................................................................................................... 37 6.7 AOLA/GHOMBUA TO PILIPOTO VIA THE AOLA OR MONGGA RIVERS ............................................................................. 37 6.8 GHOMBOA TO KUKUDU OR MBUMBUNUHU SCHOOL ....................................................................................................... 39 6.9 HOT SPRINGS, WEST GUADALCANAL.................................................................................................................................... 39 6.10 GUADALCANAL BIKE RIDES...................................................................................................................................................... 40 7. TREKKING AND BIKING IN MALAITA....................................................................................................................... 42 7.1 MALAITA TREK: KALIANA TO DALA ....................................................................................................................................... 42 7.2 NORTH MALAITA LOOP RIDE .................................................................................................................................................. 46 7.3 NORTH MALAITA RIDE: SUAFA BAY TO AUKI....................................................................................................................... 48 8. ADVENTURES IN WESTERN PROVINCE................................................................................................................... 50 8.1 CLIMBING KOLOMBANGARA................................................................................................................................................... 50 8.2 KAYAKING THROUGH MAROVO LAGOON ............................................................................................................................ 50 8.3 SIMBO AND RANONNGA ......................................................................................................................................................... 53 8.4 KAYAKING THROUGH MAROVO LAGOON FROM RAMATA ................................................................................................ 54 8.5 CHILLING OUT AT TETEPARE.................................................................................................................................................... 54 8.6 ACCOMMODATION IN WESTERN PROVINCE (RADHA’S COMMENTARY)........................................................................... 55 9. WESTERN ISABEL, ARNAVON ISLANDS AND SOUTH EAST CHOISEUL........................................................... 57 9.1 KIA .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 58 9.2 CAMPING IN ISABEL’S FAR WEST ............................................................................................................................................ 59 9.3 ARNAVON ISLANDS.................................................................................................................................................................. 60 9.4 SOUTH EAST CHOISEUL AND VAGHENA............................................................................................................................... 60 10. RIDE TO LAKE TENGANO, RENNELL................................................................................................................... 61 11. SURFING IN MAKIRA AND AROUND THE SOLOMONS.................................................................................. 62 11.1 STAR HARBOUR......................................................................................................................................................................... 62 11.2 SANTA ANA............................................................................................................................................................................... 64 11.3 GENERAL NOTES ON SURFING IN SOLOMON ISLANDS ....................................................................................................... 65 1 1. Introduction If you plan ahead and plan well, bushwalking, kayaking, cycling, surfing and general adventuring around Solomon Islands can be a thoroughly enjoyable experience. However, planning such adventures is not easy. We hope these notes, based on our experiences between 2004 and 2007, make it easier for others. We have tried to be as accurate as possible with the key information about the route, times, locations and altitudes. Other information is as best as we can remember it. In all cases, we recommend that you double-check details before setting out. We are happy to for these notes to be circulated widely. You’ll see that these notes are a compilation of different experiences (and writing styles!). For this reason, these notes are also an idiosyncratic selection of possible spots to visit – there are undoubtedly many fine adventures to be had in the many islands and provinces that are not included in our notes. Please contact us1 if you wish to suggest additions, amendments or corrections, or if you wish to take the initiative to release an updated version of this guide. Feel free to quote our notes in other guides, but we’d be grateful if our authorship could be acknowledged. You’re welcome to contact us if you still have questions after reading this tome. For what it’s worth, Harry wrote the sections on Honiara walks, Savo and the Weathercoast village stays. Matt, Alan, Harry and Tanya contributed to the Guadalcanal hikes. Radha, Tanya and Harry wrote the sections on