JBR - Morovo Lagoon

Morovo Lagoon –

Matikuri Island -
We had read a lot about the Western Province and it sounded so stunning, we were keen to get there. As our budget was limited, the only real option was the ferry. We trawled round the ferry offices of Honiara, only to our disappointment to find out that a) there were no boats leaving for 6 days and b) all fast ferries were suspended - we would have to travel on the slow ferry, which would take 18 hours just to get the Morovo lagoon. So we decided to skip Gizo and travel instead to Morovo Lagoon. After some investigation of lodges in the area and transfer costs at the tourist office in Honiara, we booked to stay at Matikuri Lodge on Matikuri Island, not far from Seghe.

After waiting all week, (luckily my bag turned up too! 5 days later - it had been sent to Nauru) we finally boarded the ferry at 6am on Sunday morning. We had been advised to arrive early, and we soon saw why. Due to both fast ferries being out of action, this slow ferry was EXTREMELY over-crowded. Locals on board were all expressing concern at how squashed we were, and more worryingly, at how low in the water the over-loaded ferry was sitting! There was literally not one inch of space to move in. Luckily one of the crew had managed to find us a seat, so we stuck to them like glue. The 18 hours passed quite slowly - it was very hot, a little rough, and very cramped. I wedged myself between the seat and the floor to try to get some sleep. At 1am, after stopping at various islands on the way, we finally pulled into the tiny port of Seghe.

Benjamin, the owner of our lodge, was supposed to be meeting us here. We were dubious about this - how would he find us on this crowded port, packed with locals and a little midnight market? How would he see us in the dark, and would he really be waiting for us at 1 in the morning anyway? Our fears though were unfounded. Sure enough, within 10 minutes, Ben had pulled up his little boat and we were hopping over rocks and through the shallow water to climb in with our bags.

Ben said that it was too far to travel to Matikuri island in the dark now, so we would stay at his mother's house overnight, which was at a closer island. We said that was fine, and had a lovely few hours sleep in the security of some lovely mosquito netted beds in Ben's mum's house.

The next morning, we awoke and raced outside to look around. Indeed, the lagoon was as blue and as beautiful as all of the pictures we had seen. After a quick shower, we headed off with Ben on the 40 minute ride to Matikuri. When we pulled up to the island, we were welcomed heartily by Ben's wife Jilly and his two children - and some lovely pancakes, made especially for our arrival by Jilly! Main eating area, where we ate breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, sat right over the lagoon, with stunning views. We had our very own private double bungalow, with 2 bedrooms and a massive open veranda, complete with sofa and table overlooking the lagoon. We honestly could not have imagined anywhere nicer to stay. Ben and his family made us feel so welcome, cooking us delicious food (including lobster one day, and Jilly's famous Solomon island version of pizza - yummy!), and taking us on trips around the lagoon. We went fishing one day with Wendy and Tahi, the two children. Tahi taught us how to catch squid, and we ate them for dinner. Ben took us to a carving village, and also to Uepi island one day to do some diving. I did two dives, which were both excellent. Evenings were spent eating and playing a very addictive card game called Loka with the family, which culminated in a very big tournament... it is surprising how competitive these games can get when you are out in the wilderness!

We only intended to stay for 3 days, then to move to another lodge, but we loved it so much at Matikuri that we stayed for a week. It was reasonable to stay, food was cheap and lovely, and we had the whole island to ourselves... absolute paradise. When we came to leave, the whole family including a couple of friends and the two little family puppies, came on the boat to Seghe to see us off. The family said that they hoped that the ferry didn't turn up so that we could stay a bit longer! We had actually all become good friends over the week, and I think we were secretly hoping the ferry might be a day or two late too. But it was only an hour or so late, and luckily, this time it was the fast ferry. A few hours later, we were back in the hustle and bustle of Honiara, and the peacefulness and beauty of Matikuri all seemed like a dream.