A scattered archipelago of some 990-odd richly forested mountainous islands and low-lying coral atolls, the Solomon Islands likes to say it has been attracting international tourism since 1568, when Spanish explorer Alvaro de Mendana first sailed into this tucked-away corner of the South Pacific.
Mendana’s legacy can still be found in the Solomon Islands today, with many of the islands still bearing the Spanish names he gave them – Santa Isabel, San Cristóbal and perhaps the most famous of all, Guadalcanal, the name synonymous with World War II, which takes its name from a small township in Andalucia in southern Spain.
But for the most part, the Solomon Islands and their quiet, reserved people – a mix of Melanesian, Micronesian and Polynesian cultures – have been left alone, and it’s thanks to this that the Solomon Islands have become such a breathtakingly fresh destination for those international travellers hardy enough to get off the beaten track and look for a new, very different and rich cultural experience.
For Australian travellers, the destination stands out as a more off-the-radar alternative to better-known island markets, with experiences ranging from reef and wreck diving to surfing, fishing, village-based cultural encounters and island-hopping across places such as Guadalcanal and the Western Province.
The Solomon Islands are affectionately known as the “Hapi Isles”, reflecting its appeal as a warm, authentic and experience-led destination rather than a mainstream resort market.
The Solomon Islands give Australian agents a South Pacific option that feels both close and genuinely different, which makes it easier to sell by interest rather than as a standard beach holiday. For clients who have already done Fiji, Bali or Hawaii, the Solomons offer a more under-the-radar alternative with strong specialist appeal.
Who goes to the Solomon Islands
The Solomon Islands is a great place for any type of traveller, but best suited to travellers who value experience over polish. Divers are a natural fit, with Tourism Solomons describing the destination as one of the world’s top diving spots thanks to vibrant reefs, strong marine life and wreck diving linked to World War II history. That makes it an easy sell for experienced divers, snorkellers and soft-adventure clients.
History enthusiasts are another strong market, especially for Guadalcanal. Tourism Solomons highlights memorials, museums and battle sites, including Skyline Ridge and Henderson Field, giving agents a clear hook for mature travellers, special-interest clients and repeat South Pacific visitors looking for more substance in the itinerary.
The destination also suits surfers, anglers and culturally curious travellers. Official tourism material promotes surf breaks in Malaita and Guadalcanal, village-based cultural experiences, and broad adventure travel across the islands, so the best prospects are clients who want an active, immersive holiday rather than a resort-only stay.
With more than 250 endemic species of birds, birdwatching is also a big drawcard for the destination. But the destination has also, for some time, become popular with family groups, multi-generational families, honeymooners, yachtsmen, culture-lovers and simply those looking to make their own tracks.
How to get to the Solomon Islands
For Australian travellers, access to the Solomon Islands is centred on Honiara International Airport, which remains the country’s main gateway and the primary entry point for most international visitors. Both Solomon Airlines and Qantas currently sell Brisbane–Honiara services, making Brisbane the key Australian gateway for the destination.
Honiara is the logical starting point for most itineraries, particularly for clients combining city stays, Guadalcanal touring or onward domestic flights. Once in Honiara, agents can then build in connections across the archipelago using Solomon Airlines’ domestic network, which links 20 destinations around the country.
Agents should also remember that Honiara is not the only useful air access point. Munda International Airport in the Western Province can also be used as a direct entry point, with Solomon Airlines selling Brisbane–Munda flights, which is a strong option for clients heading straight into dive, surf or island-hopping itineraries in the west of the country. Munda’s upgraded international airport status has helped strengthen its value as an alternative gateway beyond Honiara, particularly for travellers wanting to bypass the capital and start in the islands.
Gizo is another important access point to mention, not as the main international gateway, but as a regional hub for the Western Province. Solomon Airlines sells Brisbane-to-Gizo itineraries via its network, and Gizo is well positioned for clients heading to dive lodges, surf breaks and outer-island stays. For trade, that means the Solomon Islands can be sold in a more flexible way: Honiara for the classic arrival point, Munda for direct western access, or Gizo as the regional hub for clients focused on marine and island experiences.
Top things to do in the Solomon Islands
Dive reefs and wrecks
Diving is the Solomon Islands’ standout sell and should be one of the first hooks agents use with the right client. Tourism Solomons promotes the destination as one of the world’s top dive spots, with colourful reefs, strong visibility, abundant marine life and a remarkable concentration of World War II wrecks. That makes it appealing not only to experienced divers, but also to snorkellers and soft-adventure travellers wanting a more active South Pacific holiday.
What makes the product different is the mix of natural and historical underwater experiences. In some parts of the Solomons, ships, aircraft and even submarines from World War II now sit on the sea floor and have become artificial reefs teeming with marine life. For agents, that creates a strong point of difference from more mainstream Pacific destinations because the diving here can be sold as both a marine and heritage experience.
Explore Guadalcanal’s war history
Guadalcanal gives the Solomon Islands a strong specialist niche that few South Pacific competitors can match. Tourism Solomons highlights battle sites, memorials and museums linked to the Pacific war, while the broader historical record confirms Guadalcanal’s central role in the Allied campaign from August 1942 to February 1943. This is a particularly strong fit for mature travellers, history enthusiasts and clients who want more depth and context in their itinerary.
The best way to sell this is through guided touring rather than independent sightseeing. Local operators package full-day World War II tours that cover battlefields, monuments, wrecks and key sites such as Bloody Ridge and Henderson Field. For agents, that makes Guadalcanal easy to build into a Honiara stay and gives the itinerary a clear sense of purpose beyond a standard island escape.
Discover Marovo Lagoon
Marovo Lagoon is one of the Solomon Islands’ strongest scenic and experiential draws. Tourism Solomons describes it as the world’s largest saltwater lagoon, and it is regularly positioned as one of the country’s signature natural attractions. For agents, it is the kind of place that helps define the destination as more remote, less commercial and more immersive than many better-known island escapes.
The lagoon works best for clients who want nature, space and slower-paced exploration. It can be sold around kayaking, snorkelling, boating, village interaction and eco-style lodge stays rather than big-resort comfort. That makes it a strong option for travellers chasing scenery and authenticity, especially those who are open to a more adventurous outer-island experience.
Add a Western Province island stay
Western Province is one of the easiest regions to use when building a broader Solomon Islands itinerary. Tourism Solomons’ sample seven-day itinerary highlights the province for snorkelling, diving and island-hopping, and notes that domestic flights connect visitors to hubs such as Munda and Gizo. For the trade, that makes Western Province one of the most commercially useful add-ons after Honiara.
This is where agents can extend length of stay and add value. A Western Province stay can shift the holiday from a simple Honiara-based trip to a more rounded island itinerary with marine experiences, smaller accommodation and a more laid-back pace. It is especially well suited to clients who want the South Pacific without the feeling of a highly developed resort strip.
Sell village-based cultural experiences
Culture is one of the Solomon Islands’ strongest differentiators and should not be treated as a side note. Tourism Solomons promotes traditional customs, music, dance and art as core parts of the visitor experience, which helps agents sell the destination to travellers who want connection and story, not just scenery. That makes the Solomons particularly appealing to culturally curious travellers and repeat Pacific visitors seeking something more grounded and local.
Village stays and locally led touring can be especially effective here. Tourism Solomons’ culture listings include local operators and community-based experiences that give clients a closer look at day-to-day island life. For agents, these products are valuable because they help shift the conversation away from generic beach holidays and towards more meaningful, memory-rich travel.
Target surfers looking for somewhere less crowded
Surfing is a niche sell, but it is one of the Solomon Islands’ most compelling under-the-radar strengths. Tourism Solomons says the islands come alive from November to April when northern Pacific swells arrive, with Gizo in Western Province and Santa Isabel among the best-known surf regions. That gives agents a credible specialist angle for clients who have already done Indonesia, Fiji or other established surf markets.
The real appeal is the lack of crowds. Tourism Solomons has highlighted the country’s low visitor numbers and the limited number of surfers accessing its breaks, while some surf retreats cap guest numbers to preserve the experience. That makes the Solomons a strong sell for experienced surfers who want quality waves without the congestion and commercialisation found in more familiar destinations.
Build in fishing and outdoor adventure
Fishing is another strong niche, one that can be sold confidently to anglers seeking remote, less-pressured waters. Tourism Solomons promotes the destination as an adventure sport-fishing frontier, pointing to deep-sea, reef, river, and estuary opportunities in largely non-commercially fished areas. That gives agents a practical way to target clients who want a purpose-led holiday rather than a general beach break.
Beyond fishing, the Solomon Islands have a wider appeal for active travellers. Official destination content also highlights kayaking, trekking, nature experiences and island exploration, which means agents can package the destination for couples, groups or families wanting a more energetic South Pacific itinerary. The key is to sell the Solomons as an adventure destination with tropical scenery, not simply as a fly-and-flop island holiday.
Package a one-week multi-stop itinerary
One of the biggest mistakes agents can make is underselling the Solomon Islands as a short Honiara stopover. A seven-day itinerary shows the destination is better suited to multi-stop travel, especially when clients combine Honiara with outer-island experiences in Western Province or other specialist regions. That creates a stronger sense of discovery and lifts the overall value of the booking.
This is also where good expectation-setting matters. Domestic travel can be affected by delays and recommends allowing buffer time, particularly for flights. For the trade, that reinforces why the destination sells best when thoughtfully packaged, ideally with local support, rather than booked as a loose collection of independent components.
When is the best time to go the Solomon Islands
Anytime is a good time as the Solomon Islands is a year-round destination but surfers tend to travel from October – April when the Pacific tradewinds shift bringing world-class waves to the archipelago.
Top Tips for the Solomon Islands
Make sure you pack:
- Sunnies, sunscreen and mozzie repellent
- Good walking shoes
- Good camera
- Pencils, pens and colouring books for the local kids
- Importantly, a course of anti-malarials
- An appreciation for the new, the unusual and the adventure
How to book and learn more about the Solomon Islands
The smartest way to package the Solomon Islands is to lead with its dual appeal: dive and snorkel plus surf and fishing. That immediately broadens the audience and gives agents a stronger reason to recommend a longer stay.
The official Tourism Solomons itinerary already reinforces this by promoting time around Gizo for snorkelling, diving and surfing, while the destination’s activity listings show fishing is a natural addition to the mix.
Rather than selling it as a standard tropical holiday, sell it as an adventure-led Pacific escape for clients who want to swap crowds for coral reefs, line-ups and blue-water action.
For more information on selling the Solomon Islands, visit the official Tourism Solomons website or contact your preferred South Pacific wholesaler. Tourism Solomons permanent online training modules can be found at www.visitsolomons.com.sb. There are also ongoing webinars in conjunction with Treasures of the South Pacific, which can be found at www.tosp.com.au.
Keep your eye out for roadshows that will visit all the state capitals and regionally on the Gold Coast and Parramatta to learn more.
