The Melanesian nation of the Solomon Islands is located 1300 miles north-north east of Brisbane and 600 miles north-north west of Vanuatu.  This island nation was part of the British Empire from 1900, and gained independence within the Commonwealth in July 1978.

The country's 100 islands of varying sizes contains rain forests, mountains, lagoons and deserted coral sand beaches.  The climate is tropical, very warm and humid, and is ideal for insects, particularly mosquito, to breed, especially in the jungles and away from the coast. We recommend taking insect/mosquito repellant and bite relief cream with you, as it it would be highly likely you will come into contact with them at some point during your stay.

The population of almost half a million people are spread throughout the many islands and speak over 87 different dialects. In many ways the Solomons are very similar to Vanuatu, and its people are very much in touch with their history and culture, so a visitor is offered an insight into a way of life that has changed very little over the centuries.

During the Second World War, the islands were a scene of ferocious fighting between the American and Japanese forces, on land, sea and air.  Even today there are still war relics to be found throught the islands, but the real legacy of this period are the shipwrecks that are to be found throughout the waters of the Solomons.  In the sixty years since the end of the war Mother Nature has worked her miracle on the wrecks, turning them into spectacular artificial reefs, teeming with aquatic life, which compliment the natural reefs making the Solomons one of the world's best scuba diving destinations.

The two main diving centres are Honiara, the country's capital, on the island of Guadalcanal, where the live-on board cruise boats operate from, and Gizo, on the Western region island of Vellalavella, in the New Georgia group, where a major dive centre has been developed.

It was on a small island near Gizo that US president John F. Kennedy was marooned with the crew of his torpedo boat after they were sunk by a Japanese destroyer,  It's worth a visit even though the island is now much smaller than in was in 1943 due to tidal erosion, so visit soon before it disappears altogether!

Currently the tourism structure in the Solomons is evolving, the main hotels that are available in Honiara are clean and pleasant but mostly basic. There is one  new hotel that opened in  Honiara in August 2009, that is more luxurious, The Heritage Park,  and although listed as a 5 star, by western standards it is probably a 4 star. So if you are looking for 5-star resort with all the luxuries and top-class service expected in Europe or the USA, then maybe the Solomons would not be for you.

However, on the plus side, there are a number of new, small boutique Eco Beach properties that have been opened in the past few years that will tick all the boxes if you are looking for that away from it all, back to nature experience, with a little bit of TLC.  They are located mainly on the islands within the New Georgia group, in the western region, which is a short flight up from Honiara.

So, if you are into scuba diving or are interested in WWII battles, or want to experience real Melanesian culture with a white sand beach and a palm tree nearby, then a visit to the Solomons is a must!

Cruises around the Solomon Islands

Currently, there are no locally based cruise companies offering cruse itineraries around the Solomon Islands.  There are a few major cruise companies operating the large luxury liners, who offer itineraries across and around the Pacific that will visit some of these islands, but they are not frequent or on a regular basis.

There are a number of live-aboard dive boats, that provide a cruise base for scuba divers, but they are not  in our opinion suitable for clients who may just want to cruise.

Please note: We are constantly updating the prices shown on this website, but due to volatility of the currency exchange markets at the moment with the UK Sterling rates, prices may vary from those shown.  If you wish to confirm any prices shown here, please contact us directly.

Click HERE to see the UK Foreign Office's latest advice for visitors travelling to Solomon Islands.