Adventure Travel Solomon Islands
If Honiara and Guadalcanal, the main centres of the Solomon Islands, have a feeling of being pretty remote, then head out to the outer islands where you'll be treading right off the beaten track. The Western Province north of Honiara is the most visited destination in the outer islands but even these fascinating islands see few tourists and whilst there are a good selection of hotels and tourist attractions, finding a remote village which hasn't seen a foreigner for a while is pretty easy.
Land Adventures & Volcanoes
For the adventurous tourist, there is a unique opportunity for island hopping in the Solomon Islands. This is one of the few remaining, truly unspoiled tourist destinations in the world. There are Village Stay Lodges to be found in each province of the Solomons if you decide to stay in one place for more than a few hours, and on each there are terrific walking paths that will take you to waterfalls and caves, especially around Honiara.
The four active volcanoes, Savo, Simbo, Tinakula and Kavachi Volcano, are definitely worth a visit. Visitors are able to easily hike up to Savo and Simbo using the streams of hot water that run from the craters. You'll see hot springs, hot mud pools, and lots of steam and sulphur. Tinakula Volcano, located in the easternmost province of the Solomons, the Temotu province, is more active and emits clouds of smoke and steam every day; sometimes, without any warning, it will suddenly erupt for one or two or even more days. Kavachi volcano is a submarine volcano that erupts at least once each year to form small, temporary Islands of lava.
If you love to cycle, Solomon Islands offers some extremely and diversely interesting rides, ranging from easy-going flat gravel roads to challenging tracks suitable only for fit riders with good mountain bikes. The best stretches of road for cycling are on Guadalcanal and Munda; bike hire is available in Honiara, Munda and Gizo only.
Water Sports & Sea Life
The Solomon Islands is one of the best destinations in the world for scuba diving. There aren't many scuba diving operators but the pristine year-round warm waters, rich coral reefs, abundance of fish and a huge array of accessible World War 2 wrecks make diving both exceptional and exciting. Find out more from our dedicated Solomon Islands Scuba Diving Guide.
The Solomon's are a haven for Green Turtles, Leatherback Turtles and Hawksbill Turtles, the latter two being on the critically endangered list - Tetepare in the Western Province is a common nesting site. You'll also very likely to see Dugongs and Dolphins if you head north to Isabel and Choiseul you may well encounter salt-water crocodiles!
The waters surrounding the Solomon islands are popular spots for big game, reef, wreck, beach, and estuary fishing. The action is incomparable, and the waters virtually unspoiled by commercial fishing. You can troll along the sheer drop-offs for Spanish mackerel, Wahoo and dog-tooth tuna, or cast into the surf for giant trevally, red bass and coral trout. The serious game fishermen can pursue Pacific sailfish, blue, black and striped marlin, yellow fin tuna. In the quiet jungle rivers you can catch mangrove jack, estuary cods, brassy trevally and spot tail bass.
One of the great joys of the Solomon Islands is the ability to kayak just about everywhere. You will be amazed at how spectacular the coastline looks from offshore. Sharks and turtles glide beneath you as you make our way through the sapphire seas. Remember to bring sunscreen to protect your face, gloves to protect your hands, cash, snacks, and something to eat and drink along the way. The winds pick up in the afternoon, so leave as early in the day as possible.
Eco Tourism & Conservation
If you have time, visit Tetepare; which has received international recognition for its conservation and archeological significance. This island has been completely forgotten by time and is wrapped in mystery; what makes it truly extraordinary is that in a country that has lost almost all its forests to commercial logging, Tetepare is still untouched. This long, rugged island is the largest uninhabited island in the South Pacific, and is home to an impressive variety of plants and animals. The island's 120 square kilometers of lowland rainforest is some of the last remaining in all of Melanesia.
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