Overview
The Solomon Islands are a chain of nearly 1,000 islands in the South Pacific, lying east of Papua New Guinea and north-east of Australia. For UK travellers this is one of the Pacific's last genuinely off-the-beaten-track destinations, known for its Second World War history, world-class wreck and reef diving, and the vast Marovo Lagoon. There are no direct flights from the UK, so every journey connects through an Australian or Pacific hub, most often Brisbane.
Best time to fly to the Solomon Islands
Sitting close to the equator, the islands stay warm all year at around 28–31°C. The drier, more settled season runs roughly May to October, bringing lower humidity, calmer seas and the clearest underwater visibility, which makes it the peak period for UK visitors. The wet season from November to April is hotter and stickier, with a cyclone risk between January and March, though downpours are often brief. Fares from the UK tend to ease outside the European summer and the Christmas peak; see the When to book chart above.
Main gateway cities & airports
Honiara International Airport (HIR) on Guadalcanal is the country's principal gateway and where almost all UK travellers arrive. It lies about 11 km east of the capital, a 20–30 minute taxi transfer. Munda Airport in the Western Province occasionally handles international flights from Brisbane and is a handy entry point for the diving lodges around Marovo and Roviana lagoons. Domestic flights from Honiara link Gizo, Auki, Seghe and Rennell.
Airlines and routes
No airline flies from the UK to the Solomon Islands directly. The usual pattern is a long-haul flight from London Heathrow to Brisbane with a carrier such as Qatar Airways (via Doha), Emirates (via Dubai) or Singapore Airlines (via Singapore), then a three-hour hop to Honiara with Solomon Airlines, the national carrier, or Virgin Australia. Solomon Airlines also connects Honiara with Nadi in Fiji, Port Vila in Vanuatu and Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea, so routing via Nadi with Fiji Airways is a workable alternative. From Manchester you would connect via London or a Middle East hub. Total travel time is typically 30–34 hours including layovers.
Popular places to visit in the Solomon Islands
- Honiara & Guadalcanal: wartime battlefields, Bloody Ridge, the Vilu War Museum and a lively central market.
- Marovo Lagoon: one of the largest saltwater lagoons on earth, famed for its wood carvers and coral-garden snorkelling.
- Gizo & the Western Province: a relaxed diving base with Kennedy Island and superb reef and wreck sites close by.
- Munda: wreck dives, war relics and the eerie Skull Island shrine.
- East Rennell: a UNESCO World Heritage site and the world's largest raised coral atoll, centred on Lake Tegano.
Top tips for finding cheap flights to the Solomon Islands
- Compare routings through Brisbane and through Nadi; the Australian gateway is usually the most competitive.
- Stay flexible on your long-haul hub, as Doha, Dubai and Singapore connections vary widely in price.
- Avoid Australian school holidays and the December peak, and favour the May–October shoulder weeks.
- Use the price charts on this page to build your dates around the cheaper, ideally midweek, departures.
Travel essentials
UK passport holders do not need a visa in advance: a visitor's permit for stays of up to three months is issued free on arrival at Honiara, provided your passport is valid for at least six months and you hold an onward or return ticket. The currency is the Solomon Islands dollar (SBD); carry cash, as ATMs are limited to Honiara and a few main centres and cards are accepted only at larger hotels. For long-haul seats, book around two to six months ahead and check the When to book chart above for timing.
