One of the Solomon Islands‘ newest resorts sits almost concealed among lush tropical vegetation and coconut trees. Only the wooden jetty jutting out from the sandy beach into the aquamarine lagoon betrays its location.
The resort runs on renewable energy using solar power, so there is no noisy generator humming away at night, as power demands are met by an array of storage batteries. There are no telephones, mobiles or fax machines on the island, and there is a maximum of 10 guests at any one time.
It is typical of the new approach to resort construction in the Solomons that aim to attract couples, divers, fishermen and others who have the environment at heart.
They are not trying to compete with more established destinations in Polynesia, but are offering something totally laidback, with a fivestar feel but without the formalities.
Developers go to considerable trouble to preserve the existing trees, and many employ local workers to plant thousands more to add to all the others they did not destroy. Bungalows may be built in such a way that airconditioning is unnecessary, such as situating them partially over the water to ensure that they catch naturally cooling sea breezes.
The isolation on these resorts does not imply a lack of activities. Guests can go for a leisurely snorkel or a more adventurous fishing trip, or scuba dive at the site of numerous Second World War wrecks.
Resort cuisine usually includes western and traditional recipes, with fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs, and seafood bought daily from fishermen in the area. Even the bread may be baked in a resort‘s woodfire oven.
Imported food, such as wines, cheeses and cold meats, are of the high standard expected of an international resort, and meals are prepared individually for each diner. Couples can arrange to have a romantic barbecue on the water‘s edge as they watch the sun set.
The Solomon Islands is for travellers who value genuine and simple hospitality ahead of fivestar resorts with "Have a nice dayˇ± remarks, who place natural beauty ahead of manmade attractions, and who don‘t care for commercial television or branded takeaway food while they are away from home. They also appreciate the natural beauty of Solomon Islands and her people. Visitors to the Solomons need to be adventurous enough to fly over beautiful islands and lagoons in small aircraft, skim across waterways in small boats to a tropical island, dine at a local restaurant where a threecourse meal may cost less than $10, or ride in vehicles that might not be allowed on the road back home. Honiara, the capital, is a pretty little bustling tropical island city occupying a thin strip of coastal land on Northern Guadalcanal, one of the larger islands of the 992 which make up the Solomon Islands.
Born out of the remains of the Second World War, Honiara grew into the only commercial hub of the country. It has a variety of restaurants, and some lively clubs and casinos The only international airport, 11 kilometres from downtown, sits on the remains of Lunga Airfield, built by the Japanese, and renamed Henderson Airfield by the Americans before being given the name Honiara International Airport.
The boat trip from Honiara to Gizo, passing many romantic outer islands, is a memorable journey. Gizo itself is a charming little town, and is the base for dives to the Toa Maru, one of the top wreck dives in the world.
The scuba diving in the islands is among the best in the South Pacific.
The small ecotourism resorts of the Marovo Lagoon are a delight to visit, and several offer diving tours and training, but the top facilities are found on board local diving boats.
Good day hikes are the trek from Honiara to Mataniko Falls, where a guide is recommended, and Gizo to Titiana. The really adventurous will find many hiking areas on outer islands such as Choiseul, Isabel and Makira.where visitors are seldom seen. The Marovo Lagoon area is being developed for sea kayaking.
Fishing is also a popular pursuit, especially trolling in the lagoon or open sea, with rods, reels and lures. Some of the Pacific‘s most productive fishing is in and around Vonavona Lagoon, and gamefishing is also offered at Gizo.
Solomon Islanders make a wide range of woodcrafts, from small, domestic items such as combs and bowls to the nguzunguzu (pronounced "noozoo noozooˇ±) of Western Province.
Carving in the west is done in brownstreaked kerosene wood or black ebony, which may be inlaid with nautilus shell or motherofpearl. Other popular purchases are the shell money of malaita, made into beautiful necklaces, traditional jewellery such as headbands, earrings and pendants, fish hooks made of bone and shell, and items woven from the asa vine in Guadalcanal.
