The largest of the Solomon Islands and the
site of the capital city Honiara, Guadalcanal should be the first
port of call for foreign visitors to the pristine archipelago.
First 'discovered' by European navigators
in 1568, the island enjoyed a relatively quiet and peaceful history
until World War II when fierce fighting between Allied and Japanese
troops broke out.
Since then, despite suffering severe
tsunami damage in 2007, life on Guadalcanal has returned to its
relaxed and peaceful pace, as the vast majority of its
90,000-strong population continue to make ends meet through
subsistence fishing and farming practices.
Guadalcanal Island is either home or
provides easy access to most of the Solomon Islands' best tourist
attractions. The moving US and Japanese Peace Memorials are worth
visiting, especially for those interested in historical sites,
while several old battlefields such as Red Beach, Alligator Creek
and Bloody Ridge can also be visited for a sobering reminder of the
devastation wrought on the island during WWII.
It is also possible to make a few exciting
excursions from Guadalcanal. The best of these are to the Tenaru
Falls, a lovely waterfall complex that is reached after a long walk
through dense tropical forest; Skull Island, where mounds of human
skulls (the relics of head-hunting raids) are proudly displayed;
and Kwaio Island, where visitors will be allowed to observe a
community that has rejected modern life, choosing instead to live
by the traditions of their ancestors.
Seashell jewellery is a popular Solomon
Islands souvenir, and tourists can either visit the folk art
enclave of Betikama to watch its production or else simply visit
the Honiara Central Market to pick some up. The Central Market is
the best place to shop in the Solomon Islands, largely consisting
of stalls selling fresh fruit and vegetables, and an incredible
selection of fish and seafood.
However, the Solomon Islands's greatest
tourist attraction remains the diving and snorkelling opportunities
available to visitors. The area off the coast of Honiara is known
as Iron Bottom Sound, and tourists will have the unique chance to
dive among sunken transport ships, submarines and even fighter
planes. For those seeking a luxurious getaway, the nearby beach
resort of Uepi Island is the archipelago's most lavish, and
provides drop-off diving sites that rival the very best in the
world.
There is a lot to see and do on
Guadalcanal. Tourists seeking an idyllic island getaway free from
tourist traps and modernisation should seriously consider a trip to
this rarest of holiday destinations.
