Where to stay in Honiara & booking ahead for flights?

Hallo,

In a couple of weeks I will be in Honiara, from where I want to try to get a boat or plane out to Ghizo for a week or so, and back to Honiara for my onward flight.

I have a couple of questions:
1. Where is a good budget place to stay in Honiara? I believe many good options (such as the Bulaia Lodge) are in Chinatown, but I have heard that Chinatown was 90% destroyed in the riots. Is this still a viable neighbourhood to find a bed?

2. How much in advance do you advise booking flights/boats along the Honiara-Seghe-Munda-Gizo route? Currently I plan to just get out to Gizo however I can, but I am concerned about getting to Honiara 11 days later for my onward flight.

Any tips would be really appreciated, in relation to the above questions or not!

Thanks and regards, and a beer could be bought.

Lostscot

I thought Bulaia Backpackers was pretty awful, and was mostly full with long-term residents anyway.
I ended up moving to the Travellers Motel in the Fijian Quarter - much better/friendlier, but still nothing great.
Church-run accomodation might be the best bet, but shouyld be booked uin advance - I always found them full.
Frankly, Honiara is no good place for budget travellers.

You might be stuck in Honiara for a few days waiting for a flight out, but booking a flight back 11 days ahead should be no problem.
You could try and contact Guadalcanal Travel Services for a booking in advance.

Okay, thanks Laszlo, I will stay away from the Bulaia.

I will just book a flight back to Honiara, and try to get a boat out west.

Cheers!
LS

Two budget-level places close to the centre of Honiara, run by different branches of the Church of Melanesia (Anglican):

St Agnes Transit (run by Mothers' Union, phone (country code 677) 27785) - Self-contained rooms are about $40 Australian a night (vary by size). There is a shared kitchen.

Chester Rest House (run by the Melanesian Brothers) is cheaper, but bathrooms are shared. Phone (677) 22650, email mbhches@solomon.com.sb

Both are very popular, especially with locals, so you need to book.

Forgot to add, there are two or 3 boats a week to the West - the fastest being the "Express" - you don't need to book, but they may be crowded.

I back Ozziegiraffe's recommendations, particularly of Chester Rest House, but the Mother's Union transit house is also a good place. And as Laszlo says, the church-run rest houses are also good value for money.

Hi Watsoff,
I stayed with friends on the latest trip, but have you heard, Chester has just been painted, and they have put in a concrete stairway down to the church office level, so those of us who aren't sure footed like islanders can get down safely. (A retired expat bishop apparently fell on the former goat-track) - I didn't even attempt it - just called taxis.

Hi Ozzie:

No, I hadn't heard about the stairway - great news, I nearly broke my ankle last trip when tripping up that track.

But no stairway will ever be built on the hill behind the Honiara Hotel and the houses at the top. I was having dinner with friends up on that hill just after the Peace Accord was signed and law and order had broken down, big time; taxis would not come up to that area after dark (we didn't arrive at the house until 6 PM), so around 9 PM my friend and I had to slither down the hill. He walked with no problem, I slithered and almost went ass over teakettle. Of course, to make things more embarrassing, I did the stumble, trip, screech bit in front of some very curious onlookers - at least they have a great sense of humour; my friend just grunted that if I wanted to be a Solomon Islander I had better learn to walk like one. But I got him back when he came to Vancouver at Christmas a couple of years later ... I warned him about walking on ice but he didn't listen. Hehehe.

Hello Lostscot
church-run accomodation places are the cheapest. Two additional places are United Church Guesthouse, which has bunk beds, Tel: 20028
and SSEC Transit, Tel: 27330.
SSEC is an unmarked building on top of Vavaya ridge, overlooking the city centre of Honiara with good views of Ironbottom Sound and Florida Islands on the horizon. Bottom level is accomodation, upper level of building private quaters of SSEC president Festus Surama,
his wife Hellen is caretaker of resthouse. 4 double, 1 single, one triple room. Stayed there in March,April 2007, rate was 80 Sol-$ per head and day, which is about 8 €.
United Church is nearby Chester House off from Cluck Street, halfway down the hill from were SSEC Transit is on top of hill.

hello
i would like to hear how your trip turned out. i am angela, german 37 and wanne do 2 month hopping from island to island for dive, snorkel and adventure like mountain climbing, bushwalking and stuff like this. i wonder how much money for a low budget tour i need to be prepared to spend and neet to get as cash in my pocket. i guess once i am out there, there is no easy cash to get from an atm till i am back in honoria. could you give me an idea how much did you spend by doing what?
i also would love to get some contacts or adresses from good locals. i will need houses to stay and guides for some trips. unfortunatly i am alone travelling an the costs for guides etc will all come on my shoulder alone. but what to do. thats as it is.
is there anything i really should bring from australia like a camping cooker fuel or gas?or moscito net?
god i do have a million questions, i did read the latest lonely planet but i cant get much out of it.
pls get in touch with me. thanks and bye bye angela

Hello Angela,
did send you a short email in German luagage to your address. Looks like you didn't get it.
Please contact me at dl2gac (at) online.de if interested.
Regards
Bernhard vom Bodensee