Day 1: Arrival in Honiara
Arrive at Honiara International Airport (formerly Henderson Field — the very airstrip fought over in 1942) on Guadalcanal. Transfer to your hotel overlooking Iron Bottom Sound. Afternoon orientation tour of Honiara including Point Cruz, Chinatown, and the bustling Central Market where islanders from across the archipelago sell fresh produce, fish, and handicrafts. Welcome dinner featuring Solomon Islands cuisine including fresh tuna, taro, and tropical fruits.
Day 2: The Battle for Henderson Field — Eastern Battlefields
Full-day tour of the eastern battlefields where the most intense fighting of the Guadalcanal campaign took place. Visit Alligator Creek (Battle of the Tenaru), where the first major Japanese ground attack was repelled by US Marines in August 1942. Continue to Bloody Ridge (Edson’s Ridge), the site of brutal hand-to-hand combat where vastly outnumbered Marines held the line protecting Henderson Field. Visit the Japanese Peace Park on Mount Austin overlooking the battlefields, then explore the American War Memorial with its detailed inscriptions recounting the campaign. End the day at Betikama School, where students maintain a collection of recovered WWII artifacts.
Day 3: Iron Bottom Sound & Western Battlefields
Today explores the western part of the Guadalcanal battlefield. Visit the Vilu War Museum, an open-air collection of WWII aircraft, artillery, and vehicles set in beautiful tropical gardens. Continue to the Bonegi wreck sites, where the Japanese transport ships Hirokawa Maru and Kinugawa Maru — beached and destroyed in November 1942 — now provide world-class shore diving and snorkeling sites. Walk the beaches of the Matanikau River area, scene of multiple fierce battles. At Turtle Beach, see where Japanese forces made their final stand.
Day 4: Honiara to Iron Bottom Sound — Wreck Viewing & Village Visit
Take a boat excursion onto Iron Bottom Sound, named for the dozens of warships — both Allied and Japanese — that lie on the seabed. Visit key locations including Savo Island (site of the disastrous night battle of August 1942) and the Russell Islands. Stop at a local fishing village on the Florida Islands, where children greet visitors with songs and you can experience traditional village life. Enjoy a beach barbecue of fresh fish grilled in coconut milk. Return to Honiara in the late afternoon.
Day 5: Mount Austen & Japanese Memorials
Hike through the jungle trails of Mount Austen to discover hidden WWII relics including Japanese field guns, foxholes, and command posts still visible in the forest. Visit the Gifu, the heavily fortified Japanese position that held out against sustained American attacks. Stop at the Japanese Peace Memorial and the Coastwatchers Memorial, honoring the brave Australian and Solomon Islander coastwatchers who provided crucial intelligence during the campaign. Afternoon visit to the National Museum in Honiara to see WWII artifacts and learn about Solomon Islands’ broader history and culture.
Day 6: Tetere Beach & Tulagi
Morning visit to Tetere Beach east of Honiara, where dozens of abandoned American amphibious tractors (LVTs) lie rusting among palm trees — a surreal and powerful reminder of the war. Cross to Tulagi Island, the pre-war British administrative capital captured by the Japanese in May 1942. Explore Japanese tunnels, bunkers, and the PT boat base where a young John F. Kennedy’s crew was stationed. Snorkel over the wreck of a Japanese Mavis flying boat in Tulagi harbor. Return to Honiara for a farewell dinner.
Day 7: Honiara Markets & Departure
Morning visit to the Honiara Central Market for souvenir shopping — look for shell jewelry, carved wooden bowls, and baskets woven from pandanus leaves. Visit the Art Gallery to see contemporary Solomon Islands art. Transfer to Honiara International Airport for your departure, carrying a deep appreciation for the history, resilience, and warm hospitality of the Solomon Islands.
