Lonely Planet Papua New Guinea & Solomon Islands

( 20561; Anthony Saru Bldg, Honiara) UK ( 21705;
www.ukinsolomonislands.fco.gov.uk; Tanuli Ridge, Honiara)

Food

Tipping is not required or expected in the Solomons and prices listed in
this book include tax. The following price ranges refer to standard mains:
$ less than S$60.

$$ S$60 to S$120.

$$$ more than S$120

Holidays

New Year’s Day 1 January Easter March or April Whit Monday May or
June Queen’s Birthday First Monday in June Independence Day 7 July
Christmas 25 December National Thanksgiving Day 26 December

Internet Access

You’ll find internet cafes in Honiara and in Gizo. Solomon Telekom
(www.solomon.com.sb) has public email facilities in Honiara, Gizo,
Munda and Auki.

Wi-fi is also available at the better hotels and at a few cafes in Honiara,
Munda and Gizo thanks to the prepaid ‘Bumblebee’ card. It’s available in
some shops and hotels or at Solomon Telekom offices.

Money

ATMs There are ATMs at the ANZ, Bank South Pacific (BSP) and
Westpac banks in Honiara, as well as in Auki, Munda and Gizo.

Credit cards The main tourist-oriented businesses, the Honiara branch
of Solomon Airlines, a few dive shops and most upmarket hotels and
resorts accept credit cards (usually with a 5% surcharge), but elsewhere
it’s strictly cash.

Currency The local currency is the Solomon Islands’ dollar (S$). A
supply of coins and small-denomination notes will come in handy in rural
areas, at markets, and for bus and boat rides.

Moneychangers The Bank South Pacific, Westpac and ANZ will change
money in most major currencies.

Taxes There’s a 10% government tax on hotel and restaurant prices, but
more basic places often don’t charge it. All prices given in this book are
inclusive of tax.

Tipping & bargaining Tipping and bargaining are not traditionally part of
Melanesian culture.

Telephone

Solomon Telekom (www.telekom.com.sb) operates the country’s
telephone system. Public phones are reasonably common in the larger
centres and phonecards are widely available. Solomon Island’s country
code is 677 and first hit 00 to dial out of the country.

MOBILE PHONES

Solomon Telekom and BeMobile offer GSM mobile phone service in most
areas (but Marovo isn’t entirely covered yet). Prepaid SIM cards are
available for purchase. Both operators have international roaming
agreements with Telstra and Optus (Australia).

Visas

Citizens from most Western countries don’t need a visa to enter the
Solomon Islands, just a valid passport, an onward ticket, and sufficient
funds for their stay. On arrival at the airport, you will be given an entry
permit for up to one month.

Women Travellers

Exercise normal caution in Honiara – after dark, take a taxi and stay in
busy areas.

Melanesians are very sensitive about the show of female thighs so
shorts and skirts should be knee-length and swimwear should
incorporate boardshorts rather than bikini bottoms.

Getting There & Away

Air

The Solomons’ only international airport is Henderson Airport, 11km east
of Honiara.

The following airlines have regular scheduled flights to the Solomon
Islands.

Air Pacific (www.airpacific.com) Connects Honiara with Nadi and
Honiara with Vila. As we went to print, Air Pacific – Fiji’s national carrier –
was rebranding itself as Fiji Airways, and the airline information in this
book may be subject to change.

Air Niugini (www.airniugini.com.pg) Has flights between Port Moresby
and Nadi to Honiara.

Our Airline (www.ourairline.com.au) Operates from Nauru to Honiara
(and on to Brisbane).

Pacific Blue (www.flypacificblue.com) Has services to/from Brisbane.

Solomon Airlines (www.flysolomons.com; Mendana Ave, Honiara) The
national carrier. Has services between Honiara and Brisbane, Nadi, Port
Moresby and Vila.

Sea

The Solomons is a favourite spot for yachties who take refuge in the
lagoons during cyclone season. Along with Honiara, Korovou (Shortland
Islands), Gizo, Ringgi, Yandina, Tulagi and Graciosa Bay are official ports
of entry where you can clear customs and immigration.

Getting Around

Air

Solomon Airlines (www.flysolomons.com) services the country’s 20-odd
airstrips. The main tourist gateways, including Gizo, Seghe (for North
Marovo Lagoon) and Munda are serviced daily from Honiara, but be sure
to confirm your flight at least 24 hours before your departure.

The baggage allowance is set at 16kg per passenger.

Boat

DINGHIES

Outboard-powered dinghies are the most common means of transport in
the Solomons. People pay a fare to travel a sector. Charters cost around
S$1500 per day for the boat and a driver; fuel is often not included (S$20
per litre in remote areas).

PASSENGER BOATS

Go West Transport Operates a thrice-weekly shuttle between Munda

and Gizo (Western Province).

MV 360 Discovery Has regular services between Honiara, Tulagi and
Auki (Malaita).

MV Pelican Express Has a weekly service between Honiara and the
Western Province (including Marovo Lagoon and Gizo).

Bus

Public minibuses are found only in Honiara. Elsewhere, people pile into
open-backed trucks or tractor-drawn trailers.

Car & Motorcycle

The country has around 1300km of generally dreadful roads.
International driving permits are accepted, as are most driving licences.
Driving is on the left side of the road.

Hire cars are available only in Honiara. Contact Pacific Casino Hotel
(Click here).

Hitching

If you want a ride through the countryside, flag down a passing vehicle
and ask the driver the cost of a lift. In rural areas most vehicles double as
public transport.

Taxi

Taxis are plentiful in Honiara and there are small fleets in Gizo and Auki.
They are meterless, so agree on the price before you set off.





















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Our Readers

Many thanks to the travellers who used the last edition and wrote to
us with helpful hints, useful advice and interesting anecdotes:
Dianna Adler, Douglas Adler, Ruth Attard, Emily Barker, Fabienne
Becker, Valerie Cheah, Caroline Chow, Melanie Dean, Roderick
Eime, Carla Ewin, Barbara Fische, Denzel Fohonibari, Paul Folley,
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Mark Wolfsbauer, Tim Worth, Andrey Yakobson.

AUTHOR THANKS

Regis St Louis

Big thanks to the many Papuans, travellers and expats who helped along
the way. Thanks to Rowan McKinnon and my hard-working co-authors for
helpful advice and stellar work on previous editions. Other thanks go to
Grace and family at Kokoda, Laurens in Buka, Josephine in Arawa,
Ralph in Kokopau, Gretta in Alotau, Sean and staff at Nusa, Clem on
Tunung Island, Solwara Meri, the paramount chief and friends on the
Trobriands, the fantastic villagers at Tumari and Horia Diaconescu for
Bougainville tips. Thanks also to my wife Cassandra and daughters
Magdalena and Genevieve for their support.

Jean-Bernard Carillet

Heaps of thanks to the South Pacific team at Lonely Planet, especially
Maryanne and Errol, for their trust, and to the editorial and cartography
teams. Coordinating author Regis gets the thumbs up for his support, and
Dean is, as always, a great co-author. In the Sollies, special thanks to
Kerrie, Danny, Richard, Chris, Freda, Roland (who helped me when I was
stuck in Gizo), Sue, Don, Allen and Serah. On the homefront, well-
deserved bisous to my daughter, Eva, and Christine, who are always
supportive.

Dean Starnes

PNG isn’t the kind of country where you can spend months on the road
without help. Tenkyu tru to all the people who pointed me in the right
direction, especially Danielle Vincent, Andy Philip, Horia Diaconescu, my
fellow authors and the hard work by the team at Lonely Planet. Thanks
too to my parents, Julie and Alan Starnes, and my nambawan meri,
Debbie, for holding down, fixing up and paying the bills for the fort in my
absence.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Climate map data adapted from Peel MC, Finlayson BL & McMahon TA
(2007) ‘Updated World Map of the Köppen-Geiger Climate Classification’,
Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 11, 163344.

Cover photograph: Papua New Guinean tribesman in ceremonial garb,
Rob Howard/Corbis ©

Many of the images in this guide are available for licensing from Lonely
Planet Images: www.lonelyplanetimages.com.

THIS BOOK

This 9th edition of Lonely Planet’s Papua New Guinea & Solomon Islands
guidebook was researched and written by Regis St Louis, Jean-Bernard
Carillet and Dean Starnes. The previous edition was written by Rowan
McKinnon, Jean-Bernard Carillet and Dean Starnes. Andrew Burke,
Rowan McKinnon and Arnold Barkhordarian wrote the 7th edition. Lonely
Planet co-founder Tony Wheeler researched and wrote the first two
editions of Papua New Guinea. Environmental scientist Tim Flannery
wrote the Environment chapter and best-selling author Peter FitzSimons
wrote the Kokoda Story chapter, both updated this edition by Regis St
Louis. This guidebook was commissioned in Lonely Planet’s Melbourne
office, and produced by the following: Commissioning Editor Maryanne
Netto Coordinating Editors Erin Richards, Ross Taylor Coordinating
Cartographers Hunor Csutoros, Sophie Reed Coordinating Layout
Designer Virginia Moreno Managing Editor Barbara Delissen Senior
Editors Andi Jones, Susan Paterson Managing Cartographers David
Connolly, Corey Hutchison Managing Layout Designer Jane Hart
Assisting Editors Kristin Odijk, Saralinda Turner, Gordon Farrer Cover
Research Naomi Parker Internal Image Research Rebecca Skinner
Language Content Branislava Vladisavljevic Thanks to Ryan Evans,
Larissa Frost, William Gourlay, Annelies Mertens, Trent Paton, Peter
Shields, Gerard Walker

Ebook thanks to
Jennifer Bilos, Samantha Curcio, Mark Germanchis, Liz Heynes, Craig
Kilburn, Matt Langley, Chris Lee Ack, Nic Lehman, Alex Leung, Corine
Liang, Ross Macaw, Jared O'Loughlin, Piers Pickard, Matt Swaine



OUR STORY

OUR STORY A beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972
that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime - across Europe and Asia
overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end - broke but inspired - they sat at
their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the
Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born.

Today, Lonely Planet has offices in Melbourne, London and Oakland, with more than 600
staff and writers. We share Tony’s belief that ‘a great guidebook should do three things: inform,
educate and amuse’.

OUR WRITERS

REGIS ST LOUIS

Coordinating Author; Port Moresby; Central, Oro & Milne Bay Provinces;
Island Provinces A big fan of off-the-beaten-path travel, Regis has fallen
hard for the tropical islands and remote villages of Papua New Guinea.
On this trip, he took over a dozen flights hopping across the New Guinea
Islands, walked a long stretch of the Kokoda Track and took countless
banana boat rides across often-rough seas. He also celebrated with
Alotau residents at the magnificent Milne Bay Canoe and Kundu Festival,
lingered on deserted islands in Kimbe Bay and caught an impromptu
singsing at the paramount chief’s village in the Trobriands. A longtime
travel writer, Regis has contributed to over 30 Lonely Planet titles. He
lives in Brooklyn, New York.

JEAN-BERNARD CARILLET

Solomon Islands Paris-based journalist and photographer Jean-Bernard
is a die-hard island lover and diving instructor. He has clocked up
numerous trips to the South Pacific, including four assignments to the
Solomon Islands. On this research gig he searched for the best dive
sites, the most thrilling adventure tours and the best value
accommodations. His favourite experiences included swimming with
dugongs off Tetepare Island, diving the reefs around Kicha Island and
crossing Marovo Lagoon by boat. Jean-Bernard has contributed to many

Lonely Planet titles, in French and in English, and coordinated Lonely
Planet diving guides. He also writes for travel and dive magazines.

DEAN STARNES

Morobe & Madang Provinces, The Highlands, The Sepik Dean first
visited PNG in 2007 when he worked on the 8th edition of this guide and
has been biding his time until he could return ever since. No stranger to
off-the-map travel (he has also worked on Lonely Planet guides covering
Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kyrgyzstan, Burundi
and Mongolia), he finds the cultural diversity, genuinely hospitable people
and rugged scenery hard to beat. When he’s not writing for Lonely
Planet, Dean lives in New Zealand with his wife and his wife’s cat (the
cat’s not thrilled about that arrangement). His website,
www.deanstarnes.com, features photography and stories about his
wayfaring ways.

CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS

Peter FitzSimons Peter writes for the Sydney Morning Herald and the
Sun-Herald. He has played for the Wallabies, written 18 books and was
Australia’s best-selling nonfiction author in 2001 and 2004, the latter with
his book Kokoda. Married to television presenter Lisa Wilkinson, Peter
has three children and lives in Sydney.

Tim Flannery Tim is a scientist, explorer and writer. He has written
several award-winning books including The Future Eaters, Throwim Way
Leg (an account of his work as a biologist in New Guinea) and The
Weather Makers. He lives in Sydney where he is a professor in the
faculty of science at Macquarie University.

Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

ABN 36 005 607 983

9 edition – Sep 12

ISBN 9781743213278

© Lonely Planet 2012 Photographs © as indicated 2012

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