Solomon Islands
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Travel Tips
Honiara now has 3 ATM (automatic bank teller) machines, that take most international cards, eg Visa. Two are located at the ANZ and Westpac banks diagonally opposite each other at Point Cruz (central Honiara). The third is at Panatina Plaza, a shopping centre between the airport and the middle of town.
Helen Newton, Australia (Jan 04)
After spending three months travelling around the Solomon Islands and staying at 10 Village Stays, I would like to share the knowledge I have acquired about them. Village Stays can vary between heaven and hell. They're located on various islands around the Solomons and give you an idea of the regional difference in the Solomons. There are currently none on Guadalcanal because of the unrest there. If you do visit the Solomons, my word of advice is to avoid Honiara and its local area and get to the other islands where you don't have to worry about crime as much.
Here are some tips if you decide to visit a Village Stay:
- When you first arrive, talk to your host about what you would like to do and what other activities might be available. Don't be afraid to ask for the cost of anything. You will have to pay for canoe trips up front.
- Although most villages have a small canteen/store, the selection may be very limited so you should bring some snacks with you if you need them.
- Your visit will be much more memorable if you are open and friendly with the local villagers. Many are afraid that their English is too poor to talk to you, but I found that the local English is very understandable. Say hello to those you pass and make a little time to stop and 'storytime' with those that would like to meet you.
- Before I left the States, I picked up some small gifts for my hosts. Often when storytiming, the locals would bring out a gift a visitor had given them and told stories about that gift. Not a bad way to be remembered.
- Outside of Honiara, it's very difficult to find medicine and other supplies. So make sure you take all you medicine and personal items you need. Carry a roll of toilet paper since public restrooms normally have none. Of course, in the bush you just need to find an area where the plants have big leaves. Bring a box of BandAids since any cut or scratch will draw flies and will risk getting infected.
- The Western Province is known for its red ants. They bite and they love white skin. My trick was to squash a piece of PK gum and put it somewhere in the guesthouse away from me. Also, be careful leaning against trees and make sure you brush off your toilet seat (I only failed to brush my toilet seat once and learnt a very painful lesson).
- When it comes to eating or drinking, be very wary. The only problem I had with village water was when it was poorly filtered rainwater. Most villages have water piped in from the ground. I had food poisoning twice. Both times were from fish that had not been freshly cooked.
Although you will be living in the natural conditions of Solomon Island village life, the stay isn't too hard. Your accommodation is normally a private house. The house typically has two bedrooms and a dining area and is raised from a foot to six feet off the ground on stilts.
I hope these hints and tips improve your visit.
Mark Kriseler, USA (Apr 00)
Watch for 'fire ants' in Marovo, as they tend to live in the leaf huts and bushes surrounding the rest houses. They cause a very painful bite, which itches for a while and then feels a bit numb for a few hours. They are very small: about 1mm. So be very careful to look closely before you sit down anywhere - including toilet seats!
'Kastom medicine', using traditional plants, is still very prevalent in Marovo. However, although it is interesting, be careful with some 'cures' as they don't always work as they're supposed to. (The islanders say kastom medicine won't work unless you believe in it!). It may be best to avoid any internal treatments, such as eating or drinking medicines, or allowing injections etc. Topical creams and salves are probably more harmless, but it pays to be careful. While I was there, another traveller had an earache and a mixture of kastom medicine was poured in his ear. He was told it would be cured within 24 hours - instead he ended up with a fungal infection and it took four weeks to clear up!
Be very careful about the 'bush walks' offered at rest houses throughout the country. Bush walking is generally a lot harder than any hiking or trekking ever done in other countries, as there are no tracks and a path is cleared by your guide with a machete. Wear footwear that can get very wet as the jungle is always muddy and slippery. Sport sandals (which I wore) often leave a lot of your foot open for scratches, cuts and bruises from stepping on small trees and sticks. It is important to remember that the people guiding these treks have probably been walking the paths since they were very small children and have a tendency to go quite fast, so you are unable to see any scenery - don't feel bad asking them to slow down (repeatedly!) because they just don't realise they're doing it. There is always a problem with distances and timing. I was told that a hike would take 20 minutes each way to/from a waterfall, and even though we were walking more slowly, it took 2.5 instead and was closer to 3km than 500m! If you ask how much further something is and the guide says, 'maybe 10 minutes', it is more likely to be 45! Walks are usually a lot more strenuous than is expected and for a visitor who isn't entirely used to the heat or the conditions, it can be dangerous. I ended up with heat exhaustion for three days as a result of a quick '20 minute' walk to a swimming hole.
Solomon Airlines has a domestic flight limit of 16kg for each passenger as checked luggage. They usually charge SBD$10 for each kilogram above this. However, the tourism council has recently made an amendment to this in an effort to encourage diving in the outer provinces, so divers or other 'adventure tourists' (eg, kayakers etc) are allowed 30kg each as a luggage limit. They are not completely strict about it; some small airfields in the provinces don't bother to charge anyone for excess, but you can never be sure.
Email can now be found in both Honiara and Gizo, at the Telecom office, although the computers are quite slow and the cost is $25 for half an hour.
Lindsay Brass (Mar 00)
Moving About
A new inter-island passenger ferry service started a few months back. Elite Shipping Services (SI) Ltd runs â??MV Express Pelicanâ?? to these destinations.
Honiara â?? Suâ??u â?? Kiu â?? Afio (Malaita) Monday 9am and returns to Honiara Tuesday 9am ($180 one way)
Honiara â?? Mbunikalo â?? Gasini â?? Seghe â?? Ughele â?? Noro â?? Gizo Wed 7am Returns Thursday 8am ($340 one way)
Honiara â?? Auki Friday 10am ($140 one way )
Returns Sat 9am
I took the Gizo â?? Honiara journey - and it took 11 hours! But still considerably faster than if I went with the other boats on offer according to locals. It carries about 300 passengers and has First Class (upper deck) and Economy Class (lower deck). Personally I found the economy class to be more comfortable but that's just my opinion.
Tix for MV Express Pelican can bought on the day itself (it's a risk though as the ferry might be full and you might miss out) or at Room No 5, Komi Fera Paco Building, Point Cruz in town, next to Y. Sato & Co Limited) near Lime Lounge.
Ph (677) 28104 or 38165
Andrew Hii, Australia (Dec 05)
Boat transfers around Marovo Lagoon are still quite expensive (expect to pay between SBD$200 and $300 to travel from one end to the other), but it is frequently possible to arrange shared rides with travellers staying at other lodges. Boat operators can radio the other lodges very easily. But be prepared for delays. Boats in Marovo constantly break down, sometimes in the middle of the lagoon. Always bring a hat and lots of sunscreen, as sitting in a boat in the middle of the water for a few hours as the operator tries to fix the motor can be very dangerous for fair skinned people who are not used to the sun or heat.
When leaving Gizo, if you are catching the first plane of the day (usually at 6 or 7 am), be prepared to request that the Gizo hotel transfers you to the airport early, because the planes usually leave approximately 20 to 30 minutes before the scheduled departure time. I showed up 40 minutes before my flight was due to leave and watched the plane taxiing down the runway and no one at Solomon Airlines seemed concerned that I wasn't on it! The hotel transfer to the airport leaves the dock approximately half an hour before flight departure, but if you ask (a few times…) they will usually leave early. Also, make sure you confirm your booking for transfers as they tend to forget!
Lindsay Brass (Mar 00)
Scams & Warnings
Honiara: travellers shouldn't go outside Honiara on Guadalcanal unless absolutely necessary, as the Guadalcanal Revolutionary Army is stopping all people a few kilometres outside of town. If you don't have a legitimate reason for being in their territory, they'll turn you around.
Lindsay Brass (Mar 00)
Gems, Highlights & Attractions
St Peter the Apostle Cathedral is worth a visit if youâ??re into religious buildings or simply religious architecture. Itâ??s simple but it has a strong Melanesian feel to it with its open air side walls and local wooden carvings inside the cathedral. I enquired next door at the diocese office regarding any programs the church might be running and ended up meeting this guy who lives on another island directly opposite Gizo, which is owned by the Catholic Church and where the Dominican Order of brothers and sisters live. I asked if I could visit the order and the guy was happy to take me over (and back again). He gave me a tour of the place and explained the history of the place and showed me the teak plantation behind the chapel and thereâ??s even a few gum trees for any home-sick Aussies.
Andrew Hii, Australia (Dec 05)
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