How does one travel around in outer SI's thru travel agent or alone?

Hello,

I need more info on Solomon Islands. I'm talking to travel agents in Honiara and some in Australia to try to book places to stay ahead of time. These are more expensive.

Can someone explain what is the best way of going about traveling in the western province. Is it unwise to go to these outer islands without a fixed plan through a travel agent. I have set up my first place but I don't know if I should plan each step and place to stay after... beforehand. What's it like there? Should I fix my plans more?

What is the view of your experience with the Solomon Islands in this regard. I feel like I'm rushed and pushed to make a plan that will fix me in ......but then again I don't want to make a blunder by not planning my trip.

Advice would be great here. thank you.

It is definitely possible to travel around the Solomons on your own, if you are willing to rough it, and have enough time on hand.
In fact Western Province would have to be about the easiest part of the country to do so!
The province is well served by boats out of Honiara and Ghizo, and there is a decent sprinkling of lodges scatered around on various islands. If wishing to go further off the beaten track, village homestays should be easy enough to arrange, too.

What do you what to do while in the Solomons? Basically, the Western Province is not considered outer islands, but rather is the most touristed area. There are travel agents in Honiara who help with travel to less frequented areas, but you might do as well asking here for information.
Also check out the newly upgrades Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau webpages.

Thank you.

I wonder if you or others could help me on a few other issues about the Solomon Islands.

1. Where do I cash my US$ when I land in Honiara? Is it better to just cash a little at the airport enough to take a taxi and then when I get into town go and cash my dollars at a bank or currency exchange?

2. What happens if I have more Solomon dollars left than I thought I would and it is time to fly out of the Solomons can I cash my Sol dollars back for US$? Would I lose a lot buying them back?

3. I have recently got this travel agent who is suggesting a whole itinerary for me to follow but I've asked him if I can book without pre-paying, but these places are not village places they are like Zipolo, and Sanbis .......higher up than village stay. I figure he is going to insist on cash before I arrive there but I am not willing to do this as I prefer to pay as I go. Can you just walk up to these resort or eco-lodge places and get a room and skip the middle man/or is pre-paying the only way?

What do you think about these things?

I have plenty of experience in the middle and east of Solomon Islands, but little in the west, and none in the Western resorts, so can't answer questions about those. However, I would definitely advise booking accommodation in Honiara in advance as it is always booked out well in advance.
As far as currencly exchange, you can change money at the airport (in the departure lounge, but you are very near it as you exit from customs). There is also an ATM machine in the same area, which is usually working, and accepts Mastercard and Visa.
The best rates are usually the 3 banks in town (ANZ, Bank South Pacific and Westpac) but they can have queues. The upstairs (mezannine) of the Bank South Pacific Point Cruz branch is usually the quickest.

I've taken your advice and gone to the visit Solomons site and copying emails and tel#"s and then will call and email each resort/place I want to stay at. I am lucky to have nailed down one place but the rest is not booked yet .

But I have this gut feeling that these resorts/eco lodges will not like it if you don't go thru a travel agent (the middle man) Would really like to by-pass this middle man and deal direct with the places.

Anybody else do this before in the Solomons with the more expensive resorts or eco-lodges.

I'm really not comfortable forking my money over before I go to these places. So I guess I will just plug away at the contacts on the website. I''ll be in the SI in 9 days.

Any other suggestions?

I would be more likely to book flights through a travel agent, but book the accommodation direct. If you can contact them, do so, but you might need to make quite expensive phone calls in order to do so.

I've had no trouble booking accommodation in slightly more out-of-the-way places, such as on Bellona, through Solomon Islands Tourist Bureau (the kiosk near the Mendana Hotel in Honiara) and elsewhere. After that (at the time there was only one or two rest houses on Bellona ) I just went directly to the Bellona provincial office in Chinatown in Honiara. I had no trouble getting a place in Gizo (W. Province) just by walking in the door, and then later asking around for somewhere else to move on to. Not that I didn't like the hotel, I just wanted something a bit smaller. The same goes for Munda (again, W. Province) and Auki (Malaita Island), I've always been able to just appear on the doorstep and get a room. I agree that accommodation in Honiara is best booked in advance (something I've never done before, but nearly got caught out once with nowhere to stay). I don't know now, what with all the RAMSI troops there, how easy it would be to just appear on the doorstep of a rest house in, say, Malu'u on N. Malaita (I think there is a contingent of RAMSI in Malu'u, not sure though). It used to be easy enough, but Ozziegiraffe would know more about the situation there now.

Hi, I'd agree that your best bet is to book a place in Hniara then book everything from there... makes it heaps more open for you. I'd advise against a fixed plan, you might love somewhere and want to stay longer! An easy thing to do is to stay in Honiara, fly to Gizo, boat to Lola (Zipolo Habu), thn boat to Munda and fly to Seghe (to check out the Marovo), then back to Honiara. Heaps of places to stay in Gizo, I like Gelvinas but its often booked so ring in advance (from Honiara?) Number is: 60276, Sanbis is beautiful and well worth the effort, Fatboys isn't great since Grant (the previous owner) left and there's talk of it turning into a pole dancing club (REALLY!), Zipolo Habu is one of my favourite places in the WP, their number is: 62178, call from Gizo maybe? Then at Munda, there are numerous rest houses, Agnes Lodge is expensive but the best in town (ph:62133) while Munda Transit is cheaper, boring setting but nice rooms (ph: 62168). I'd highly recommend a trip to Tetepare, hopefully they're have their new boat by the time you get here, otherwise try and join up with some other travellers as the boat is prohibitively expensive (another option, you can actually go Munda - Tetepare - Seghe). Can't recommend anywhere in Marovo to stay but heard great things about Matakiri. Hope this helps!

This article from today's Solomon Star may give a good picture of the current state of accommodation in Gizo, and the Western Province.

Ozzie

I'm arriving in Honiara (scheduled on ticket) 13:30 and my flight to Seghe is scheduled to leave at 15:30 which doesn't leave me a lot of time to cash USD$ to SBD. Going to that exchange place upstairs I know is the fastest but won't I have to go thru customs and stand in line etc. How does one do this in time?

Can one book places like Zipolo or Gizo Hotel etc by phone without pre-payment.......just book a room say a day or two before rather than calling them and planning several days or 2weeks ahead. does it help to get pre-booking if you are a day away and they know it. Bottomline: Interested in booking room without prepayment. You said the western province isn't your experience. Know anyone who could help me with this?

You will need about an hour at most to clear customs - the queue tends to be long and slow. However, the terminal is small - the only part upstairs is an observation deck - you emerge from customs very close (a few yards) to the ATM and money exchange counter. It is a 2 minute taxi ride to the domestic terminal, and check-in is quick.
The only accommodation bookings I have ever done in Solomon Islands were ones that did not require payment until I arrived, or actually until I was leaving, and I suspect the places you want to go to will be the same.
There is a public phone at the airport, but you will need a phone card - they may be available at the money exchange counter (which is run by Solomon Post) - I am not sure, as I have not needed one.
Gizo Hotel is owned by the same people as the King Solomon in Honiara - so you may be able to make a booking through them.
There is a tour desk at the airport, but it is a bit hit and miss whether anyone is manning it.
You might even have time to get a taxi into town (about a 15 minute drive) between flights, but don't count on it.
(Who are you flying into the country with? - it may help to know if they are likely to arrive on time or not)

Ozzie and others

Travelers checks or US cash, which is better to have in Solomons? Is there a heavy commission charge to cash AMEX travelers checks? Going to take both cash and travelers checks but some places in South Pacific charge high commissions to cash AMEX etc.

What do you recommend for the increment amounts for travelers checks for the Solomon Islands and breaking them down, should one mostly just have 100's or better to break it up into 50's,20's and 10's in SBD$. The same question goes for cash breakdown. I'm thinking might be wise to have many small notes, but don't know for sure.

Though I have the info on where I can cash money etc. at the airport and in town, I don;t have a more accurate answer yet on how long it takes to do these money transactions and cash travelers checks at the best most convenient locations as I'll be going on my next flight as said before landed 13:30 and departing 15:30. not much window of time. What have others done in this situation?

This will go on as a new thread also Ozzie , to see what the view of others are too.

Any time info in this regard is much appreciated thank you

Ozzie

Looking back at your responses I see that you pretty much covered everything as to how to go about cashing money etc between my flights. and I greatly appreciate it, but I guess I'm trying to sort of figure how long of a line I'll wait in and will i have enough time. Just a concern but things will work out and no need to anticipate stress when it isn't there yet. Sorry to repeat my question. I'll find out soon enough.

thanks surfingyogini

Sorry to delay in my appreciation of your info on booking places to stay. Is there somewhere one can call ahead to these places such as Zipolo etc while in the Marovo lagoon? I would prefer tel call then email only. I would email then call. But connections away from Honiara I don't know how well they are. Problem I have is I don't want to book in advance in Honiara because I don't know my plans yet and I couldn't possibly know them in advance as I never know what I'd want to do until I'm there.'This is the whole problem I have with pre-booking in Honiara.

Does Zipolo offer all the day tours they list /web page close to reality?

I guess that's the unpredictable concept of travel.

Want a plan sort of ...but can change plans for something else on the spur

The queues in the banks are very long, (except in the mezzanine at Bank South Pacific). However there is rarely a queue at either the ATM or the exchange counter at the airport. Provided your plane from Brisbane is delayed less than 1 hour, you will not have a problem if you change your money there. Mind you, the plane to Seghe could be delayed for anything up to days.
If that happens, consider staying near the Airport at the Airport Motel.

Meanwhile, keep in mind that $100 US is about $700 SBD. You will be better off with travellers cheques in small denominations. I have always got a better rate in Honiara for travellers cheques than Australian cash.
Incidentally, I haven't taken travellers cheques to Solomon Islands for years. Since they installed ATMs, I use my Visa or Mastercard, and get better rates than travellers cheques or cash.
However, travellers cheques may be good for resorts in the West. As I have never been to any of them, I don't know.
If you are planning to fly direct to Seghe, you would need your accommodation organised there in advance (Uepi?) - as they will need ot transport you from the airport.