Oceania
Solomon Islands
vital statistics
- Honiara
- 565,000
- English
- Solomon Islands dollar
The Solomons are what tropical island daydreams are made of – the type of daydream not populated by money and fame, but by empty beaches fringed with coconut palms and dense tropical jungle. Mountains breaking through the canopy in the distance and turquoise waters stretch to golden sunsets. Of course, dugout canoes and bamboo huts also feature prominently in these spectacular reveries.
All this is lazing in the breeze on an archipelago located to the east of Australia but a world away. Game fishing, scuba diving, snorkelling or any other type of water activity is on the agenda, along with fruity cocktails in the evening and the sound of traditional Melanesian rhythms to lull you into the sense that you’ve definitely found paradise. Hint: you have.
More macabre but grittily interesting is the history of cannibalism and warfare on the islands, seen in the skull caves or the World War II wrecks that make great diving. Try an outrigger canoe adventure, wander through small, vibrant markets or just enjoy the ever-smiling hospitality of the locals.