The Solomon Islands archipelago is made up of nearly 1,000 tropical islands scattered across the
southwestern Pacific, just to the east of Papua New Guinea. The
remote location has kept the islands as an
unspoilt gem of a travel destination, with a slowly developing tourist industry.
One of the main draws for holiday makers is the superb
marine life - making the islands a
diver’s paradise. The main islands to visit are Guadalcanal, Malaita, Choiseul, New Georgia, San Cristobal and Santa Isabel. The capital of Honiara,
on Guadalcanal, is also well worth some time, with a museum,
botanical gardens and it’s very own Chinatown.
Villages and
scenic drives are within easy reach of the capital, as are the popular
WWII battlefield tours and carving villages on the islands of Rennell and Bellona.
GeographyThe larger of the islands are 145 to 193km (90 to 120 miles) in length, while the smallest are no more than coral outcrops. The terrain is generally quite rugged, with foothills that rise gently to a peak and then fall away steeply to the sea on the other side. The capital of Honiara is situated on Guadalcanal Island, which also has the highest mountain, Mount Makarakombu, at 2,447m (8,028ft). There are a number of dormant volcanoes scattered throughout the archipelago.
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