Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Honiara
Welcome at Honiara International Airport — the former Henderson Field. Transfer to your hotel. Afternoon: Central Market for shell money and crafts, then a welcome dinner at Coral Sea Resort overlooking Iron Bottom Sound. Overnight in Honiara. (D)
Day 2: Guadalcanal WWII Battlefields
Full-day WWII history tour. American Memorial at Skyline Ridge, Bloody Ridge (Edson’s Ridge), Japanese Peace Park, and Vilu War Museum — an open-air collection of aircraft wrecks and artillery. Afternoon: snorkeling at Bonegi Beach — Japanese transport Hirokawa Maru, sunk in 1942, now a vibrant artificial reef in just 5 meters of water. Overnight in Honiara. (B, L)
Day 3: Tenaru Falls Jungle Trek
Drive 1.5 hours into the Guadalcanal interior, then hike 3km through lush rainforest to the spectacular Tenaru Falls — a 60-meter cascade plunging into a crystal-clear pool. Swim beneath the falls, enjoy a picnic lunch, and listen for the calls of parrots and hornbills in the canopy. Return to Honiara. Evening: traditional panpipe music performance. Overnight in Honiara. (B, L)
Day 4: Red Beach & Village Homestay
Visit Red Beach — the landing site where U.S. Marines stormed ashore on August 7, 1942, beginning the Guadalcanal campaign. The beach is peaceful now, but the history is palpable. Continue to a traditional village for a homestay experience. Participate in daily life — fishing from a dugout canoe, preparing taro and coconut in an earth oven (motu), and learning about the wantok system (the extended kinship network that defines Melanesian society). Evening: storytelling and singing around the fire. Overnight in village homestay. (B, L, D)
Day 5: Village Life → Honiara
Morning: join villagers for reef fishing using traditional methods. Visit the village garden to learn about subsistence agriculture — taro, sweet potato, cassava, and bananas. After lunch, return to Honiara. Afternoon free for last exploration. Farewell dinner. Overnight in Honiara. (B, L, D)
Day 6: Departure
Final morning. Transfer to Honiara International Airport. The Solomon Islands — where the Pacific War turned, and where Melanesian culture endures. (B)
