HoniaraCapital
Solomon Islands · Country profile
Honiara is the spreading, relaxed capital of the Solomon Islands, a long coastal town of corrugated roofs and hibiscus gardens that grew from the abandoned airfields of the Second World War into the seat of the independent nation of the islands. It is not a city of monuments but a village-like capital of the Pacific, where the market of the harbour, the Chinese quarter of the trading street and the leafy government ridge carry the life of the whole dispersed archipelago. The extraordinary natural setting of the capital, on the sheltered coast of the island of Guadalcanal, frames the beaches, the war sites of the surrounding valley and the islands of the lagoon that the boats reach in minutes. Loose, friendly and entirely unpretentious, Honiara is the genuine heart of the Solomon world.
About Honiara
Honiara is the capital of Solomon Islands. The city's documented population is around 84,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Solomon Islands Dollar (SBD) and English is spoken; the dialling code is +677. It is served by 1 airport in our guide: Honiara International Airport.
The Harbour Capital and the Ridge of the Museum
Honiara is a relaxed coastal capital where the market mornings, the museum of the national history and the war relics of the surrounding ridges fill the visitor’s days at an easy pace. The waterfront main street of the town concentrates the banks, the shops and the small restaurants, while the bay of the city and the islands of the Ironbottom sound, with their diving and their beach day-trips, leave by the boats of the harbour. The villages, the falls and the wartime lookout points of the Guadalcanal interior reward the drivers of the day trip. It is a warm, easy and unworldly city, and its honest, friendly character gives the perfect introduction to the islands and the cultures of the nation.
The Wet Season, the War Wrecks and the Markets of the Morning
The climate is hot and humid all year with the wet season of the north-west monsoon, the rain-heavy months from the summer to the autumn, and the drier, easier months of the trade-wind winter and the early spring. The Solomon Islands dollar is the currency, the English the official language with the pidgin of the streets, and the taxis and the boats of the harbour cover the movements of the capital. The museum, the markets and the lagoon islands of the city anchor the stay, while the diving of the war wrecks of the sound gives the great draw of the region. The cash, the water bottles and the simple comfortable dress complete the practical list of the coastal capital.
The Coast Road, the Chinese Quarter and the Boat Trips of the Lagoon
The national museum and the cultural centre of the capital preserve the canoes, the shell money and the carved arts of the peoples of the islands, the essential introduction to the diversity of the nation. The market of the harbour, with its root crops, its fish and the beautiful bilums and the woven cloth of the islands, runs the everyday commerce of the town, and the Chinese quarter behind the main street carries the trading history of the Asia-Pacific century. The war memorial and the relics of the campaign of the island chain of the Second World War give the capital its memorial depth, and the day trips of the boat to the villages of the of the lagoon, with their reefs and their swimming, complete the warm, peaceful experience of the little capital of the Solomon Islands.
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- Country
- Solomon Islands
- Population
- 84,000
- Coordinates
- -9.4280, 160.0548
- Capital
- Honiara
- Region
- Oceania
- Currency
- Solomon Islands Dollar (SBD)
- Languages
- English
- Calling code
- +677
- Country code
- SB
Getting to Honiara
Airports we list for Honiara:
Frequently asked questions
Is Honiara the capital of Solomon Islands?
Yes — Honiara is the capital of Solomon Islands.
What currency do I need in Honiara?
The local currency is the Solomon Islands Dollar (SBD). Languages spoken in Solomon Islands include English.
What is the dialling code for Solomon Islands?
The international dialling code for Solomon Islands is +677.
Which airport should I fly into for Honiara?
Honiara International Airport (HIR) is the airport we list for Honiara.
Flying out of Honiara? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.