A week in Honiara!

Hi guys!

I'm a bit randomly gonna visit a friend in Honiara for a week in September, so just wondering if anyone have any tips of what to see and do etc? Have read a lot here, and also been on the Exploring Solomons website (http://exploringsolomons.wikispaces.com), which has been of great help, thanks!! but thought I'd be worth seeing if there might be yet another traveler out there who have memories to share from the place? =) Sounds to be a really interesting place, would love to go there another time and spend some longer time to be able to visit more places!

Also wondering a bit about safety, I'm a 21year old girl and will be spending the days by myself when my friend is working, any specific do's and don'ts? Thanks lots!

Cheers, Linn

Hello, Linn,
My best advice for anyone going to Honiara is to get off Guadalcanal, at least briefly. If you are only there for a week, you are fairly limited, as it takes a week for some travel options (planes only once or twice a week to many places, and difficulties getting a seat.)
One good option (but not cheap) , is Maravagi resort on Gela (It is written up on the trip advisor website, here , however, don't pay too much attention to the first (most recent) review, except for the price of the meals.)
A cheaper option (also on Gela) is the Mothers Union Rest House on Tulagi which has twin rooms whith shared facilities, and is only about 3 years old. It is right opposite the water, and you have the chance to walk around Tulagi island which was the capital before World War II.
You could also fly or travel by boat to Auki, the capital of Malaita, as there are several boats a week and at least one flight every day. Auki Motel is apparently better than Auki Lodge, where I have stayed a couple of times, and was less than impressed (I usually stay with friends). The latest LP has contact details for a good local guide called Silas.
On Guadalcanal, there is a road extending about 50 km east and west of the town. The west road is more scenic, but the only resort in that direction was destroyed in the tension about 2000. There are several beaches that you can pay to visit (mostly a bit rocky, and no surf) - but brief bikinis are frowned on. If your friend doesn't have a car, you can hire one, or a taxi for the day.
If you want more specific information, send me a PM, and I can give you contact numbers or emails. If your friend is living in Honiara, s/he may have ideas from local contacts.

I didn't read the last paragraph properly the first time. You will be fine around Honiara on your own in the daytime, but don't wear short shorts. Anywhere outside Honiara, you are wiser to wear a knee-length or longer skirt, or a lava-lava (local version of a sarong).
If local men try to talk to you, be polite, but don't encourage them too much. People are very friendly (check out the recent thread about the Australian whose wallet was stolen).
Both places I mentioned on Gela are locally owned by active church women, who will look after you very well.

Ozzie's advice is spot on, as usual. I'd probably go for a quick trip to Auki because Malaita is my favourite island of the Solomons, and you can always catch a truck from Auki to other areas of the island as well. Tulagi is another good suggestion. Enjoy your visit.

Another option for a quick trip from Honiara is Savo island, which is a mildly active volcano with hot springs, famous for its mound-building megapod birds, which lay eggs in the mounds, considered a local delicacy (larger than hen's eggs).
I find the sulphur atmosphere made me a bit headachy though.

i agree with ozzie,
definitely cover up, knee length skirts, teeshirts and flip-flops are the best option. most of the best places are outside of honiara, but the beaches mentioned are pretty nice and you can go snorkelling over some wrecks out there. A favorite place of mine is in whiteriver (across from the markets) and they make delicious wood fired pizza and you can just look out to savo island and relax.. Theres also a nice walk to a waterfall that most people can show you out the back, central markets are a fun place to hang around, and if you meet some people from the south guale (aola way) theres a truck that used to leave most days from china-town, and its just beautiful down there.
Ive heard Savo is pretty beautiful too, and if you hang out around the Mendana hotel, there are usually a few canoes heading over..
no matter what i think you'll love the place, sols is my favourite place in the world..

Join the club barefootsoul!! Definitely my favourite place in the world as well. Is that pizza place in Whiteriver run by a Malaitan named Cynthia? If so, she made me a pizza for my going-away dinner when I was doing some volunteer stuff for Kastom Gaden. It was the first pizza she had ever made (she didn't even know what a pizza was before that) and believe me, it was the best pizza I ever had. I know she went on to setting up her own little pizza business in Whiteriver; hopefully the one you mentioned is hers and if so I'm so glad she's making a go of it.

(Note to self: e-mail Cynthia).

ha! wow thats great! yep thats cynthia, i went to her custom wedding back in 2006 actually - her husband was part of kastom too! had a big feast and a dance and everything, some of my friends live next door to the pizza joint! smol world hey!

It sure is a small world. I heard last week that Cynthia and Tony are in Austrialia now. Pity, I wanted to catch up with them next time I go out there.

Lukim iu!