Any news about travelling by boat from PNG to Solomons? The "Gunrun"

Or the other way around? Is it possible nowdays?

Dangerous in any way?

If you would do it,... how would you do it by boat or plane..?

From Shortland I to Buin, best way?

Greatful for some thoughts or ideas..

By boat is the only option currently.
I did it quite a while ago, but failing to get more recent reports, see on the PNG link in my signo line.

And BTW, no one except for the silly LP guide calles it "Gun Run".
It is a simple market route for Shortlanders taking their fish to sell in Buin.

Hello Laszlo!

I already read all your posts/tips/reports! It´s great!

And I know.. it´s a really silly name :)

How is the weather around that part of Solomon/PNG in January/Feburary? Rough sea?

But is it possible to fly to Shortland I from Gizo? or Honaria?

And how long time with boat between Shortland I and Buin?

Many questions, I know.. :) But really need some answers..

I crossed from Buin when the seas were really rough, in fact we had to wait a day to be able to leave at all. But the crossing there is so short (maybe an hour or even less to the nearest island) you could almost certainly do it in any season - weatherwise.
From Shortland to Gizo I would not recommend it in poor weather - which might also strike (as it did to me) right in the middle of the journey!
Flights from Gizo to Shortland should still be running - check Solomon Airlines' website for schedules.

What about if you leave PNG for the Solomons that way.. Is it best to do it all again (same way back)?. Or fly Honaria to Port Moresby.. but will they let me in to PNG that way if I don´t have the right leaving stamp in my passport? problems?

If I decide to do that trip.. Is it better to do it from PNG to Solomon or the other way around?

*and the questions keep on comming.. Im just really excited to do my first trip to PNG/Solomons..

Sophia

OK, it was the "Gun Run" maybe 15 yrs ago, when the war was on in Bougainville. LP rarely updates things if by not doing so it will seem more exciting (or they are just lazy).

In a way, it could be best to reenter PNG the same way, assuming your visa is still valid.
In fact, I had heard of people who only visited the Shortlands, and never even got stamped into the Solomons before returning to PNG!

You must accept though that all this is semi-illegal and therefore somewhat unpredictable.
If you want to play safe and legal, you must fly from Port Moresby to Honiara.

Or do 2 separate RT flights from Australia.

There is an airline run from Bougainville to Munda proposed, but not up and running yet.
For much of Solomon Islands, seas are quietest in January unless there is a cyclone in the immediate area.

Nobody at any regional airport in SI has ever asked to look at my passport or work permit (when I had one), but I haven't travelled by plane in the west. You would be advosed to book the flight in advance, and get to the airport early, as flights are usually overbooked.
Fenruary is much like January, weather-wise.

Hello everyone, and thanks for your answers!

Laszlo, Australia is not an option for me..

Ok, Ozziegiraffe that sounds good (not the part of the cyclone). And does that goes for february too?

One thing that seems a little bit strange to me is that LP in the latest edition of PNG & The Solomons.. have listed the illegal bordercrossing as a travel itinery??

Do you guys think that anyone at the little airport in the Ballale I. will say something about why we dont have any stamps or visa in our passport?? If we try to fly Ballale to Gizo??

Thanks for the quick answer..

Ok, what is the best way to do that booking in advance? Solomon airlines? Are they really a candidate to the the worst airline in the world? :)

Solomon Airlines (or one of the Honiara travel agents ) is the only way to book. I have had internal flights booked through Solomon Airlines by my Australian travel agent, and they worked OK.
Meanwhile, I have very few complaints about Solomon Airlines, except their very inconvenient way of providing a refund when flights were cancelled due to lack of fuel. (I had to go to 3 offices in different parts of Honiara, to get a cash refund, when I had booked by credit card).
The internal planes are small, and the airports "basic", but the people are great, and I have had no safety concerns, even on long flights.
And I really enjoy their international flightsd when they have Solomon crew - good food and very friendly service. And the few delays were not of their making.

If you want to fly from Ballelae to Gizo, you must book with the Solair agent living in a village close to the main settlement in the Shortlands (but on a different island, I think my PNG tips collection has the exactr village name).
I believe the latest edition of LP no longer specifically recommends this route, the previous (AWFUL!!!) one did.

But my LP from 2008 has the route in it...

But in that same book it´s very few paiges about Solomon..

Thanks again for your answers, Im very greatful!

The PNG & Solomon Islands LP guides are ridiculousdly short on the Solomons.
Almost totally useless outside Honiara, Western Province, and to a (much) lesser extent Malaita and Rennel/Bellona.
If you plan to spend any length of time away from Western Province resorts, I strongly recommend getting a copy of the old LP Solomon Islands guides (any of the last 2 editions published).
They are very detailed, even if obviously dated for practical details.