Organised tourism in Honiara is small. There is no network of tour companies with fixed timetables, and this page covers what is realistic: guides arranged through the visitor office, a few agent-sold day tours, and the places where a guide is not optional. Prices below are indicative, so check each figure before you commit. The visitor bureau The Solomon Islands Visitor Bureau, also called Tourism Solomons, has an office in Honiara.

Honiara is a capital city and a working port, not a honeymoon island, so a romantic trip here is about a good hotel, a waterfront table and the evening light. The options are few, and they are worth knowing before you book. Costs are in Solomon Islands dollars (SBD), and dinner prices change often, so none are given. Where to stay Coral Sea Resort & Casino stands on the waterfront and has two restaurants, which makes it the most convenient choice for an evening without a taxi.

Honiara does not have a circuit of multi-day tours, so a longer stay is something you build yourself. Two shapes work: a base in the capital with guided outings on Guadalcanal, or a night or two on Tulagi in the Florida Islands. Anything in Western Province is a separate trip with its own flights. Prices are in Solomon Islands dollars (SBD). Before you book Entry rules are new. A tourist visa is applied for through the Solomon Islands Immigration visa portal, costs USD 100 and is valid for 3 months.

Honiara is not a strolling city. It is a ribbon of road along the north coast of Guadalcanal, and the sights are spread out. A short daytime walk in the centre is possible, and the serious walking is on guided treks. Here is what exists, and what to keep in mind before you set out on foot. A short loop in the centre A short walk in daylight can link the National Museum on Mendana Avenue, the Point Cruz waterfront, the Honiara Central Market and the Parliament building.

Most of what visitors see in Honiara is tied to the Guadalcanal campaign of 1942 and 1943. Many people died at these places, and several lie among unexploded weapons, so visit them quietly, stay on cleared ground and take a local guide where one is advised. Fees are paid in Solomon Islands dollars (SBD), and land around the capital is customary, so a small cash kastom fee is common. Guadalcanal American Memorial The memorial stands on Skyline Ridge, reached along Skyline Drive by taxi or car.

Honiara is a working capital rather than a resort, and the choice of child-friendly outings is short. What exists is a small museum, a run-down botanic garden, a busy market and, for confident swimmers with an adult, shallow snorkelling at one wreck. Costs are in Solomon Islands dollars (SBD). National Museum The National Museum on Mendana Avenue is a single room. Displays cover dance, shell currency, weapons and archaeology, which suits a short visit with older children.

Three trips work as a single day from Honiara: Tulagi across Iron Bottom Sound, Savo Island, and Tenaru Falls in the foothills. All three depend on boats, guides or customary land, so arrange them ahead and carry small cash in Solomon Islands dollars (SBD) for fees and fares. Tulagi, Florida Islands Tulagi was the capital of the British protectorate before the war. Boat reviewers put the crossing at about 1 hour, while older Lonely Planet material says up to 2 hours with a boat twice a week and a one-way fare around SBD 200.

Honiara is the capital of Solomon Islands, a ribbon of a town along the north coast of Guadalcanal, facing Savo Island and the Florida Islands across Iron Bottom Sound. Most sights lie along one main road, and prices are in Solomon Islands dollars (SBD). The land is customary, so trails and beaches around town ask for a small cash kastom fee: ask your guide or hotel what applies. Bonegi wrecks About 12 km west of Honiara on the west coast road, two Japanese transports were beached off Bonegi in November 1942.