Solomon Islands travel guide

Getting there

Honiara International Airport is the main gateway, with flights from Australia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu.

Best time to visit: May–Oct – drier, cooler months with good diving visibility.

Tougher months: January–March: the wettest months with the highest cyclone risk.

Weather by month in Honiara

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Average daytime highs in °C; dots show how rainy the month is (one dot dry, three dots wet).

Time zone: Pacific/Guadalcanal. Compare with your local time.

Visas: in our passport dataset, 76 of 198 other passports can enter Solomon Islands without arranging a visa first (visa-free or visa on arrival), 0 need an e-visa or electronic authorisation, and 122 need a visa in advance. Check your passport.

Official advisory: Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (U.S. Department of State, updated 2025-04-29). Read the advisory.

Source and more: Solomon Islands travel facts on RoamSun

Stay

Most trips to Solomon Islands are based around Honiara, Marovo Lagoon or Gizo. Pick a base for your main interest, then add day trips rather than moving hotels every night.

Typical daily budget: about US$60–100 for a backpacker and US$150–250 mid-range, per person.

Source: RoamSun Solomon Islands page · Browse hotel guides

Connect

Plug types: I. Voltage: 230 V. Check your own devices on the plug and currency checker.

Calling code: +677.

Mobile data: read the travel eSIM setup guide before you fly so the plan is installed and ready on landing.

Source: Advinne eSIM guide · RoamSun

Do

• Honiara (Guadalcanal · capital): The capital, with markets, a national museum and nearby WWII sites.
• Marovo Lagoon (Western Province · lagoon): A huge lagoon of coral islands and carving villages.
• Gizo (Western Province · diving town): A small town that is the gateway to dive sites and Kennedy Island.
• Munda (New Georgia · diving and WWII): A base for diving, wreck exploration and island trips.
• Langa Langa Lagoon (Malaita · artificial islands): Famous for its shell-money makers and villages built on artificial islands.
• Tetepare Island (Western Province · conservation island): Untouched rainforest, nesting turtles and reefs.
• East Rennell (Rennell Island · UNESCO site): A raised coral atoll with Lake Tegano, the largest lake in the insular Pacific.

Things to do

• Dive WWII wrecks. Explore sunken ships and aircraft in Iron Bottom Sound and around the Western Province.
• Kayak Marovo Lagoon. Paddle between forested islands in one of the world's largest saltwater lagoons.
• Visit Kennedy Island. Swim at the tiny island near Gizo where John F.
• Learn about shell money. See how shell money is still made by hand in Langa Langa Lagoon on Malaita.
• Tour Guadalcanal battlefields. Visit memorials, battlefields and relics around Honiara.
• Snorkel with reef sharks. Float above coral gardens teeming with colourful fish in the Western Province.
• Stay in a village. Spend nights in a leaf-hut guesthouse and share meals with local families.
• See the Honiara Central Market. Browse tropical fruits, betel nut and fresh fish in the capital's bustling market.

Source: full Solomon Islands guide on RoamSun

Eat and drink

• Slippery cabbage – leafy greens cooked in coconut milk
• Fresh tuna – cheap and plentiful
• Cassava pudding – baked with coconut cream
• Motu – food cooked in a stone earth oven

Source: RoamSun Solomon Islands guide

Money and safety

Currency: Solomon Islands dollar (SBD). Currency and plug checker.

Tipping: Not customary..

Emergency numbers: 999 or 911 police & ambulance · 988 fire.

• The currency is the Solomon Islands dollar.
• ATMs are mainly in Honiara and a few towns, so bring enough cash for outer islands.
• Check your government's latest travel advice, as occasional civil unrest has occurred in Honiara.
• Malaria is present; seek medical advice and use repellent and nets.

Source: RoamSun Solomon Islands facts