The Solomon Islands capital, Honiara, is not polished or overdeveloped, and that is precisely its appeal. This is a place where thick rainforest still crowds the coastline, WWII history sits just beneath the waves and traditional culture remains deeply woven into everyday life.
Here are five fascinating facts that reveal why this Pacific frontier feels unlike almost anywhere else on Earth.
A Living Underwater Museum
The stretch of sea surrounding Guadalcanal – the nation’s largest island – is known as Iron Bottom Sound. It was a name earned following the fierce naval battles of World War II as beneath the surface lies an extraordinary concentration of sunken warships, submarines and aircraft from both the Japanese and Allied forces. Few places in the world offer such a powerful connection between diving and history. Many wrecks remain astonishingly intact, transforming the seabed into a haunting underwater museum that continues to fascinate divers more than 80 years later.
A Capital Born from War
Unlike many Pacific cities with centuries of colonial history, Honiara itself is relatively young. It became the capital of the Solomon Islands after WWII, replacing Tulagi, which had been heavily damaged during the conflict. At the war’s end, British administrators recognised that rebuilding the devastated Tulagi would be costly and limiting. Instead, they decided to move the capital to Honiara, where the wartime airfield (now Henderson International Airport) and established roads offered a solid foundation for development. Find out more
Over 70 Languages Are Spoken Across the Solomon Islands
Despite only having a population of around 600,000, the Solomon Islands are one of the most linguistically diverse places on Earth, with more than 70 distinct local languages spoken across the islands. Around Honiara, you’ll hear everything from traditional village dialects to Solomon Islands Pijin and English. This extraordinary cultural diversity reflects the islands’ long history of isolated communities developing their own identities and traditions.
Diversity Above and Below
The Solomon Islands are not only extraordinary underwater. Above the surface, the islands are home to dense rainforest, rare birdlife and ecosystems that remain largely untouched by mass tourism. Scientists have long regarded the region as one of the Pacific’s great biodiversity hotspots, with countless endemic species found nowhere else on Earth. Around Honiara, it is entirely possible to spend the morning diving coral reefs and the afternoon surrounded by jungle waterfalls, exotic birds and remote villages.
Ancient Traditions Still Shape Modern Life
One of the most fascinating elements of Solomon Islands culture is the continued importance of ‘Shell Money’. Carefully crafted strings of polished shells have been used as currency for centuries and still play a role in important ceremonies, weddings and traditional exchanges today. Far from being a historical curiosity, it remains a living symbol of cultural identity and heritage – a reminder that, despite the modern world slowly arriving, many traditions here remain beautifully intact.
Find out more about visiting Honiara and the incredible diving on offer. If you have any questions, just email us on [email protected] and we will do anything we can to help.