BEFORE YOU PLAN YOUR ACCOMMODATION - READ THIS!

Please be aware when booking travel to any of the remote places in the Solomon Islands, many homestays, village stays, and guest houses  do not own any smart phones. The Solomon Islands is truly a unique place, and the remoteness of many villages make communications challenging. Phone towers are often faulty or un-serviced, and even if a village does have a smartphone they may need to hike up a hill or travel across their island to get reception - which many only do once a week to check for messages and bookings. 

If you aren't having any luck getting in touch with the accommodation you are after, reach out to Tourism Solomons via their website. They will try to get in touch with the accommodation/tour provider for you. This may take a few weeks, so plan ahead, be patient, and check in with them politely. Sometimes a message to an accommodation will have to travel via word of mouth to advise that there is a guest coming to stay. So be patient, and please don't behave like an entitled foreigner if a reply takes a few weeks!

My advice is that if you're interested in visiting a particular remote area, message as many of the accommodation providers as you can via email and WhatsApp, then choose which one you'll stay with based on who is able to respond!

The Solomon Islands is incredibly remote. It's like no where else in the world, and you can truly experience village life away from the conveniences of the West. You won't always get a reply, and communciation can be slow, but it's worth it. 

Accomodations in Guadalcanal - Outside of Honiara

Tavanipupu Private Island Resort

Location: Marau Sound, Guadalcanal, P O Box 236, Honiara
Phone: (677) 36082
Email: tavanipupu@gmail.com / reservations@tavanipupu.com
Website: www.tavanipupu.com
Located just a 20-minute boat ride from Marau airstrip, Tavanipupu Resort offers 8 tastefully decorated lagoon-view bungalows, each with private facilities and a patio. The resort also features a restaurant, bar, and access to telephone and internet. Activities available include snorkelling, fishing, and village cultural tours.

Parangiju Mountain Lodge

Location: Marau Sound, Guadalcanal, Belaha, Central Guadalcanal
Phone: (677) 7181702
A family-owned eco-tourism lodge nestled in the lush tropical rainforest of Central Guadalcanal, offering a peaceful retreat in the heart of nature. This is an excellent place with access to incredible hiking, including my favourite hike in the Pacific (imagine hiking upstream through a river to get to a remote bat cave and gigantic canyon with waterfalls that you cannot find on Google Maps. Absolutely freaking incredible. More information on this on the Top Secrets of Solomon Islands page.

Ginger Beach Retreat

Location: Northwest Guadalcanal
Phone: (677) 8846262
Email: gingerbeachretreat@gmail.com
Located about 35 minutes from Honiara, Ginger Beach Retreat provides a beautiful and safe environment for those looking to escape the city and enjoy a relaxing holiday or weekend.

Dolphin View Beach

Location: Aruligo, Northwest Guadalcanal
Phone: (677) 740 2429
Dolphin View Beach is an eco-tourism destination located 25.5 km (45 minutes) west of Honiara, offering visitors a tranquil coastal escape.

B-17 Dive & Beach Bungalow

Phone: (677) 8476290 or 8577200
Email: b17.dive.spot@gmail.com
A great option for divers and beach lovers, providing unique access to both the ocean and history with World War II relics nearby.

Ndoma Cove Eco Tourism

Location: Tamboko, Northwest Guadalcanal
Phone: (677) 8429095 / 8801693
Email: ndoma@gmail.com
This eco-tourism lodge offers an immersive nature experience and is perfect for travelers seeking adventure in a serene and remote environment.

Olotsara Retreat Centre

Location: Lambi
Phone: (677) 74 96338
Email: retreatolotsara@gmail.com
An ideal location for those wanting to reconnect with nature in a peaceful and secluded retreat center.

Reinunu Eco Lodge

Location: Tiaro Bay
Phone: (677) 7962127 / 7375905
Email: info@tourismsolomons.com.sb

Kaptens Point Gateway

Location: Aruligo
Phone: (677) 7498444 / 8459129 / 7597445
Email: kaptenspoint@gmail.com

Marau Sunset Lodge

Location: Marau
Phone: (677) 7799331
Email: info@tourismsolomons.com.sb 

Village Stays in Guadalcanal

Village stays are a great way to get to meet with a local community and immerse yourself in traditional life. If you're planning to do a visit stay, you usually want to stay for at least 3 nights, to make the trek out to the village worth your time. You also need to plan ahead of time, as many villages are completely off grid, and sometimes only one person in the village has a phone to communicate with Honiara. 

To book any village stay, you'll need to contact the Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau in Honiara, and they'll reach out to the villages for you. Most village stays are around Marau Sound and along the Weather Coast. Food in the villages is usually very simple, and you'll be lucky to have many fresh vegetables. Canned meat is common. Personally, I recommend bringing some vegetables from Honiara with you and offering to help the women cook, on the condition that they share the nutritious food with you. You'll catch them by surprise, make them laugh, and sharing a food is a great way to open conversation. 

When I'm travelling to villages, I also recommend bringing some sauces (even just soy sauce) that can last well in your bag. Spices and sauces are not very common, and plain rice with a potato variant may be a common meal. Sauces help make the dish a bit more tasty!

Lastly, I love to bring sharp kitchen knives when travelling to villages. Sometimes the women already have good knives, but often these villages are remote and cash income is hard to come by. You can buy sharp kitchen knives from any of the large stores in downtown Honiara, especially opposite the Yacht Club. Sharp knives make for great gifts to the women, can be an excellent conversation starter, and can really help these beautiful ladies when preparing meals for their families even after you've departed!