LOCATION
Forming a scattered archipelago of mountainous islands and low-lying coral atolls, the Solomons stretch about 900 miles in a southeasterly direction from the Shortland Islands to the Santa Cruz Islands. There are six major and approximately 992 smaller islands, atolls and reefs. The archipelago covers an area of about 249,000 square nautical miles while the land area is 10,938 sq. miles.
The actual flying time from Los Angeles to the Solomons, via Fiji, is 13 ½ hours.
AIRPORT INFORMATION
Honiara International Airport-Henderson Field is 8 miles east of Honiara, on the island of Guadalcanal. It is served by several regional airlines.
VISITOR VISAS
A visitor's Permit will be issued to most nationals on arrival at the airport. The permit is free of charge and allows stays of up to 2 months. A passport, which is valid for 6 months after your arrival, return or onward air tickets and sufficient funds for the duration of your trip, are also required.
DUTY FREE ALLOWANCE
Apart from their own personal effects, each traveler over the age of 18 is allowed to bring the following into Solomon Islands. These allowances are a guide only and are subject to change.
| Item |
Limit |
| Cigarettes |
200 |
| Tobacco |
250 grams |
| Cigars |
250 grams |
| Liquor/Wine |
2 liters |
The import of local and foreign currency is unlimited provided it is declared on arrival. The export of local currency is limited to SI$250; the export of foreign currency is limited to the amount declared on arrival.
CLIMATE
The climate is tropical, though temperatures are rarely extreme due to cooling winds blowing off the surrounding seas. The coastal day temperatures average approximately 88F. April to November tends to be drier, and November to April wetter.
POPULATION
Communal, family and clan ties remain very strong in Solomon Islands. Most people consider themselves to be part of an immediate family of 200 and can trace back their ancestors at least ten generations. The Pijin word "wantok" – which is derived from "one talk", meaning people from the same language group, is used to indicate blood relatives in the extended family.
The total population of 340,000 is comprised of 93% Melanesians, 4% Polynesians and 3% Micronesians and others.
LANGUAGE
English is the official language of the Solomons. There are some 87 distinct local languages and dialects including “Solomons Pijin”.
CURRENCY
The currency is the Solomon Islands dollar (SI) which is made up of 100 cents. Traveler’s checks can be exchanged at the local banks of ANZ, Westpac and the National Bank of Solomon Islands.
BUSINESS HOURS
| Monday to Friday |
8.30am to 5.00pm |
| Saturday |
8.00am to 12.30noon |
SHOPPING
The country's biggest island is home to Honiara, capital of and gateway to the Solomons. This colorful town is the focus of commerce, industry & government and in the town center are shops & restaurants.
Here you can find walnut and ebony carvings, shells, shell money, shell necklaces, carvings inlaid with mother-of-pearl, Solomon Island stamps, Buka baskets and a wide variety of locally produced native handicrafts. Remember while shopping, that handicrafts made of sea turtle shells and dolphin or whale teeth should not be purchased. They're made of protected species and cannot be imported into most developed countries.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS 2008
| Date |
Holiday |
| January 1 |
New Year's Day |
| March 21-24 |
Easter |
| June 9 |
Queen's Birthday |
| July 9 |
Independence Day |
| December 25 |
Christmas Day |
| December 26 |
National Day of Thanksgiving |
ELECTRICITY
The current is 240 volts and adaptors are required.
DRIVING
Traffic drives on the left hand side of the road. There are over 800 miles of roads throughout the islands. 280 miles are main roads and a further 500 miles are privately maintained roads for plantation use. Road maintenance is limited and the general condition of the roads is very poor, as are driving standards.
LOCAL TRANSPORT
From Honiara you can travel around Guadalcanal or fly out to the other islands, of which about 25 are served on a relatively frequent basis by Solomon Airlines.
Cruising is another good way to see the other islands, but if you're not on a special tourist ship, be sure you have plenty of flexibility in your schedule. Ship timetables are not rigorously adhered to and can change without notice. Three live-aboard dive boats are based in the Solomons year-round and take divers to remote areas in comfort.
Escorted tours, self- and chauffeur-driven cars and taxis are the most common means of touring Guadalcanal.
There are no tours, taxis or anything other than scuba operators on any of the other islands.
DRINKING WATER
Water is normally safe in the major resorts, but precautionary boiling is recommended in other areas.
HEALTH
The best defense against Malaria is prevention of mosquito bites. Take anti-malarial medication & consult your pharmacist or doctor about an appropriate brand.
Dental, medical and hospital services are available in the main centers.
NIGHTLIFE
Nightlife is usually very quiet here. The King Solomon Hotel operates Honiara's only nightclub two nights a week and the Gizo Hotel has entertainment in the form of cultural dancing and BBQs on some weeknights.
DINING OUT
Both the King Solomon Hotel and the Gizo Hotel have fully licensed restaurants with fish and seafood specialties. In Honiara there are numerous restaurants with a predominantly Asian cuisine.
TIPPING
Tipping is not expected and not encouraged.
The above information has been derived from various sources and Travel Arrangements Ltd is not responsible for the accuracy of the content.
