A somewhat disappointing trip to the Solomon Islands

I noticed a lot of other people share their trip reports around here, and given how helpful this place was while I was planning my adventure I figure it's the least I could do! Hopefully my experience will give some insight to those planning a similar trip. It's a little introspective, but solo travel tends to be that way.

I traveled independently for 10 days in late July, starting with a flight to Honiara. The flight went smoothly and we landed in Honiara's humble airport right on time. After a sweaty hour spent standing in the immigration line I headed straight for the ATM to get some cash out... but to my surprise, I discovered the guide book I'd taken notes from was more than a little inaccurate, as not only was there no ATM in sight, according to the staff there had never been an ATM there at all. Whoops. Luckily for me, a man, somewhat horrified at my travelling to the country alone, insisted on paying for a taxi to take me into town. I was a little worried that this wasn't an entirely sincere act of kindness, but after a bumpy ride I got to my destination without a hitch and thanked both the men profusely. I know now to always bring a little cash with me, just in case.

I spent my first two nights at St Agnes Mother's Union, a sweet little guest house perched on top of a hill looking over the water. There are star fruit trees out the front and a balcony where you can watch the ships go by. It was actually peaceful up there. I also felt completely safe there, which was helped in no small part by the wonderful woman who runs the place, who's name I sadly kind recall. But she was very helpful and obviously cared about the comfort and safety of her guests (there's even a security guard on the property at night). I really recommend this place to any women passing through the area!

I spent the next day gathering supplies for my trip to Savo Island (snacks, water, emergency toilet paper). While approaching the Central Market I was warned by an old man to be careful, as bag snatching is common and even outright groping wasn't unheard of. Undeterred, I bought a fresh coconut from an old woman with a machete and started hunting for the freshest bananas I could find. I didn't have any problems and left with plenty of delicious fruit (I wouldn't recommend eating anything you can't peel, though, as every thing smelled a bit like poo). I got home just before sunset and decided to remain at the guest house for as long as it was dark outside, which might have been overkill, but I wasn't exactly dying to check out Honiara's night life.

My ride to the boat arrived first thing in the morning. I wasn't sure if it would arrive at all so I was relieved to know my online booking hadn't been in vain (and thankful that I was a naturally early riser). I got into the car and two dozen reggae songs later we reached the boat. I had a sudden flashback to my mother and I joking together about how the boat might just be dinghy with a motor attached to it, and, well, that was exactly what I was looking at. A group of men loaded myself and a ridiculous amount of pineapples into the boat, and we were off.

I clung to my seat with every last muscle in my body as we rattled across the open sea and launched from waves as if they were ramps.

The boat got a lot of air time.

In the end it was actually kind of exciting, and I even saw my first flying fish which the boat driver helpfully pointed out to me. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little shaky by the time we got to dry land!

We arrived at the beach right outside Sunset Lodge, the only accommodation on the island outside of village stays. It's basic, but right on the beach. Before I knew it I had been sat down under a tree with a coconut in hand and was asked what I'd be having for lunch. I wasn't exactly used to this level of service but I tried to roll with it. In a stark contrast, while being shown to my room we were approached by a starving dog, which the staff promptly beat with rocks until it stopped screaming and crawled away. Things are different there, I guess. I tried to forget about it.

That afternoon I went to see the waterfall about an hour's hike away from the lodge. You have to walk through the local village to get there, which as somebody who'd never seen something like that before, I found pretty interesting. We followed the dry river bed and climbed over a few rocks before reaching the waterfall, which is when things got kind of awkward. Suffice to say, the guide said some things that made me pretty uncomfortable, and I became convinced that he'd watched me while I was in the waterfall.

The next day I headed out with the guide once more, if a bit reluctantly. I'd come all this way to see the island's volcanic streams and I'd be damned it I wasn't going to see them! The hike itself was amazing, and I really recommend the longer one if you have the time and some company. The boiling waterfall is something to behold. It's incredibly hot and steamy, though, so be prepared! You're essentially hiking in a sauna.

Unfortunately, I never made it to the actual summit of the volcano. About two thirds of the way through the hike the guide started to get a bit “hands on” with his guidance. Things escalated to the point where he ended up trying to wrap his arms around me as we stood on the first ridge, and I decided to call it quits right there and turn around. It's a shame, because apparently there's an awesome geyser up there, but I didn't feel at all okay with sticking around in the wilderness with a guy who was already having trouble taking "no" for an answer.

The guide must have eventually cottoned on, because after he returned I never saw him again. I still found it hard to relax, and the group of fishermen who hung out in the hammocks at the lodge all day drinking and smoking weren't really helping. If I was a man I might have joined them, but instead they would just stare at me until I went somewhere else. The snorkeling was also disappointing, as the constant stream of fishing boats coming and going meant visibility was terrible, and there was a pretty decent risk of being knocked on the head. I had also been hoping to explore the island further, but had been told by the locals that tourists weren't allowed to walk too far up the beach because it belonged to another village.

In retrospect, I stayed far too long. I'd planned to spend seven days on that island, but I should have taken the boat back after two. I was pretty uncomfortable from the get go and that unease just increased over time. I think a part of me was afraid it would be worse back in Honiara, so I tried to wait it out. On day five I couldn't take it any more and left early. I know other people have had positive experiences there, but I don't think it's the best place for women to go alone. If you must, go over the weekend when it's busiest. Once I was the only guest there they seemed to continue on as if there were no guests at all.

Oddly, I visited similarly isolated villages in Vanuatu and didn't feel uncomfortable in the slightest. In fact, I could have spent months on those islands. In the end, Savo Island just made me feel uneasy, and I don't think I'll be rushing back any time soon. I'm still keen to visit other parts of the Solomon Islands, but I'll try to be more flexible with my plans and trust my gut.

I spent the next few days back in Honiara not doing a whole lot. I probably spent a bit too much time in The Lime Lounge sampling their tropical juices. I tried to check out various attractions as recommended by my guide book, only to find every last one of them out of business. The National Museum and Culture Centre was nothing but an overgrown garden with all of the buildings locked up tight, and the various craft shops I sought out were nowhere to be found. By chance there happened to be a big festival celebrating the international aide provided by RAMSI, with lots of music, dancing and artwork for sale. It certainly helped kill some time.

My flight to Port Vila was met with a wave of sweet relief. If nothing else, my brief trip to the Solomon Islands sure put things in perspective.

Too bad your trip worked out like this, but it still made for a funny tale for us to read. Nice style! :-)

Unfortunately, even being a male I had to find Solomon Islanders far less nice than their neighbours in Vanuatu. Then again, at least two female regular posters here just love the place. Maybe you were also somewhat unlucky with that guide, which has tainted the experience for the rest of the trip, too

Hahahaha Laszlo, you're right, two of us are total Solomon Island-ophiles (?) I usually find Solomon Islanders a tad over-protective but as for the hands on ... never had a problem after saying "no." They often keep trying, but not physically; a lot safer and less of a hassle compared to other countries I've been to. I agree with Laszlo, you were unlucky with that guide.

It's a pity the OP didn't have such a great time, but considering the fact that Solomons has not yet recovered completely, especially economically, from the 5 years of fighting it's not surprising that most things aimed at tourists are closed down. There are many other places in Solomons where the OP might have had a better experience, particularly in Western Province where most tourist go, and the Polynesian outlier Bellona, which is lovely (and no malaria).

I am determined to revisit Vanuatu some day. I enjoyed my visit there years ago but it did not grab me like Solomon Islands. Maybe another visit will change my mind :-))

Interesting report which will be of help to others planning a trip to the Solomons. I was surprised to read that you did not find an ATM at the airport as I was able to get money from one when I was there in July.

That is very odd! The staff assured me that there were no ATMs, and I certainly couldn't see one around. Perhaps there was some miscommunication? Either way, I managed to find my way into town and use one there.

I don't fault the country for not having much tourist infrastructure, but it's getting ridiculous how out of date the guide books are these days, especially for less traveled areas. The places I checked out had obviously been closed for years.

In regards to Western Province, I didn't feel I had time to visit the outer islands in my short stay, but in retrospect that's where I should have gone. I was just very excited about seeing the volcano! A woman I met on the plane to Vanuatu said Marovo Lagoon had some of the best snorkeling she's ever done, and it's likely I'll check it out the next time I'm headed that way.

To be honest, if you snorkelled in northern Vanuatu, say in the Lonnoc area of Santo, I am not sure the Marovo Lagoon could have offered much extra for you.
It is not that Western Province has more attractions than the rest of the country, but it certainly has more facilities for visitors, making its attractions more accessible.

The LP guide nominally dedicated to the Solomons (really just a slim add-on chapter in their PNG guide) is a disgrace indeed, a far cry from the comprehensive single country guide they once had. And their treatment of other Pacific island countries has also gone way downhill.

I have been to Sunset Lodge, and never observed anyone hanging around during the day who wasn't part of the staff. However I wouldn't recommend staying there more than a couple of nights. What did you wear to swim at the waterfall? Locals swim in clothes or a lava lave, definitely not a western swim suit. If you wore a bikini, this might have been perceived as an invitation.
There has been an ATM at the airport for more than 10 years. It is in the Departures lounge, not Arrivals, as are two money- changing kiosks.
I am going to pass on your comments about Savo to the locals - they need to be aware this has happened.
The manager at St Agnes is Betsy.

The ATM thing is weird, there was clearly some miscommunication there! But I got a free ride into town out of it so I'm not exactly complaining.

As for my outfit, I was wearing very modest one piece swimsuit with a knee length sorong, but it didn't seem to help. I packed very conservatively overall.

Nothing terrible happened to me, but I still didn't feel entirely safe. It's hard to explain the feeling to those who haven't experienced it. I don't know if I'd advise avoiding the place all together if you really want to go (the female staff were very kind, if a little reserved, and you can't deny that view). Just be aware and don't hang around for more than a night or two!

I do know the unsafe feeling - I encountered it with a purser on a crossing of the English Channel.

I also know the unsafe feeling (in a minor way), especially in Port Moresby and Nairobi. Never in Solomon Islands, though. I was there before the Peace Accord was signed and again shortly after the signing when there were lots of guns around, but I never felt unsafe. Nor anywhere else in the South Pacific for that matter (other than PM). Ozzie and I know the country well and have been visiting long before things began to deteriorate, so our perspective is different to someone who has just recently been there. Things aren't quite the same now, more's the pity.

In fact, Honiara was fine; a little gritty but it had it's charms, and my wonderful host really made it. I forgot to mention it, but one of my favourite parts of my time in Honiara was sitting on the balcony while three nuns came barreling down the hill on the back of a pickup truck.

I just chose the wrong island to visit, and a combination of bad luck, bad guides and poor planning on my part lead me to have a miserable time. But I still learned from it, and in the end I'll probably return to the Solomon Islands one day, just a little more prepared!

Also, I'm sorry to hear that others here have experienced that icky unsafe feeling, but at least we know we're not alone. I think it helps to share stories like this, even if they're not all positive.

EDIT: Whoops, this thread got cleaned up a bit. You'll just have to trust me that this post was relevant when I made it!

Glad to see you can take this in your stride lanterns, it's a pity more tourists/travellers don't do the same. Good for you! I'm surprised this happened on Savo, when I went there there wasn't anywhere to stay but I didn't have any trouble at all. I'd have thought if there was to be any 'trouble' it would be somewhere in Western Province (not all over of course). I could be more specific, but I won't.