Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020

Thing to do in Munda

Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Solomon Islands

Can anyone help me with some questions about Munda? How far is it from good surf? What is there for a stay-at-home mum and her little one to do there? Are there salties?

Any info would be much appreciated!

:-)

I checked out your recent post on the Working overseas branch (which I don't usually visit).
Munda has a good hospital run by the United Church. You will find a number of expats in the area. (Many of these will be working for the church in some capacity, but others run businesses).
I will try to find out about surfing from a friend who lives there (a Solomon Islander who recently finished a University course in Australia). I know surfers go to Western Province, but have no idea where.
Finally, what are salties?

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I doubt there will be any decent surf around Munda as its location is rather sheltered.

OG!!! Salties is Aussie slang for saltwater crocs, isnt it? I do not think there would be any left right around Munda, though the odd one might stray there.

In general, I do not think there would be much to do around Munda.
While it is an important regional/tourist centre by Solomons standards, it is still tiny. I think I could see the whole town in 10 minutes or so.
You could enjoy it if you can just relax and enjoy a slow, South Pacific life-style, otherwise you could be bored to death.

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A salt-water crocodile was killed yesterday on a riverbank 10km east of Honiara - so why wouldn't there be any in Munda? There are hundreds in the lake on the edge of Auki, too.
However, the locals are the best people to ask about any particular location.
By the way, the context of the question was so vague, it could be referring to anything - my first thought was some sort of salted junk food in a packet.

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A salty was sited in the channel between (just outside of) Lambete (Munda) and Kiambe Island (I think it was Kiambe; it was fairly close to the Training Centre) when I was there in 2002. And the occasional shark.

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Sorry, my bad, should have been clearer... I was wondering about crocodiles as I am partial to swimming/surfing and bush-walking and will be doing lots of this with a toddler - not great to come across a big croc! I'm pretty self-sufficient and don't get bored easily, I guess I was wondering more about stuff like other parents in the area, bush-walks to do what I can do with a little one etc...

ETA: Now have a departure date... Will be in Munda 1st week of June.

Edited by: surfingyogini

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One thing I do suggest you take is plenty of books for you and the bub, if you are at all interested in reading, and also a TV, DVD player and plenty of DVDs.
The latter are available from some Chinese shops, at least in Honiara, anything electrical is horribly expensive, and even then doesn't always work, and books are as rare as hens teeth in the shops (a couple of secoond-hand shops in Honiara have an eclectic collection of third-hand paperbooks with half the covers missing, that they sell by weight.
Also, the only toys available, even in Honiara, are very cheap junk, but not at a very cheap price.

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ok, stocking up on books and toys as I type!

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Contact Lola Island Resort (near Munda). For many years there have been apocryphal reports of surf near a place called Skull Island which is near Lola. I sent a guy there in 2003 and apparently he got surf. Be aware that surfing over coral reefs is like doing the tightrope over razor blades.

Getting a surf board to Munda is an issue. Probably the Pelican (day ferry service) is best.

Munda is a big place (relatively) but it might get boring for your family. Heaps of great diving and snorkeling off shore but probably not right in close to the town. Very few towns have safe swimming close by because of run-off from septic tanks etc.

Amazing walking possible: Kolombangara, New Georgia. No established tracks so you need to make connections.

Enjoy!

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