Oceania · Arrival Guide
Just Landed in Solomon Islands? Your First 7 Days
Solomon Islands is a low-infrastructure, largely cash-based Melanesian nation where daily life runs on Pijin and personal relationships rather than apps and formal systems. Honiara, on Guadalcanal, is the only real city; almost everything you need, banks, telcos, the main hospital, government offices, is concentrated along Mendana Avenue and Point Cruz. Expect intermittent power and internet, expensive imported goods, and a small, close-knit expat community centred on aid, fisheries, mining and church work.
999 / 111
Police 999 · Ambulance 111 · Fire 988
Honiara
Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)
English (official), Solomon Islands Pijin (lingua franca), plus 70+ local languages
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Getting your bearings in Solomon Islands
Your first weeks in Solomon Islands are an exercise in slowing down. This is a country of roughly 1,000 islands spread across some 1,500 km of ocean, with a population near 800,000, and yet almost all formal expatriate life is compressed into a single ribbon of a capital. Honiara sits on the north coast of Guadalcanal, strung along the sea between the airport at Henderson in the east and the fishing suburb of Kakabona in the west, with the commercial heart at Point Cruz. If you have come from a big city, the scale surprises people: you can cross the functional centre of the capital in fifteen minutes, everyone in the expat and business community seems to know everyone else, and 'town' effectively means the few blocks around Mendana Avenue.
Language is easier than the 70-plus tongues suggest. English is the official language and is used in government, banking and most workplaces, so you will rarely be stuck. But the real lingua franca is Solomon Islands Pijin, an English-based creole that lubricates markets, taxis and casual life. You do not need to master it, but learning a dozen phrases changes how you are received almost overnight. Beyond Honiara, the provinces (Malaita, Western Province with Gizo and Munda, Makira, Isabel, Choiseul, Temotu and others) are far more rural, run on subsistence gardens and reef fishing, and are reached by small planes or slow ferries.
The pace is relaxed, often described locally as 'Solomon time', and the friendliness is genuine. What surprises newcomers is the practical friction underneath it: power cuts, water that must be filtered or boiled, cash-only transactions, imported groceries at eye-watering prices, and the near-total absence of the delivery apps, ride-hailing and instant online services you may take for granted. The other adjustment is a quiet security awareness. Honiara has seen periodic unrest, most recently the 2021 riots that damaged Chinatown, and opportunistic theft is a daily-life reality rather than a rare event. Most residents settle in quickly, build a small trusted network, and come to love the diving, the reefs, the wartime history and the warmth of the people.
Your first 48 hours
The essentials to sort out the moment you land in Solomon Islands.
- 1
Buy a local SIM at the airport or in town
Our Telekom (Breeze) and bmobile-Vodafone both have desks near Honiara Airport arrivals and shops on Mendana Avenue. Bring your passport for SIM registration, which is legally required, and buy a starter pack with a data bundle. Keep some SBD cash on hand as top-up scratch cards and recharge vouchers are sold at kiosks everywhere. Our Telekom generally has the widest reach into the provinces if you plan to travel.
- 2
Get Solomon Islands dollars in cash
Cards are rarely accepted outside a handful of Honiara hotels and the larger supermarkets, so draw SBD from an ANZ or BSP (Bank South Pacific) ATM at Point Cruz on arrival. Withdrawal limits are modest and machines sometimes run empty, so take out what you can and keep a reserve. Carry small notes, because taxis, market stalls and small shops rarely have change for a SBD 100.
- 3
Arrange safe transport into Honiara
Henderson (Honiara International Airport) is about 11 km east of the centre. The safest option on day one is a pre-arranged hotel or employer transfer. Otherwise take a taxi and agree the fare before you set off, roughly SBD 200-400 depending on your destination and time of day. Avoid loading heavy luggage onto the crowded public minibuses until you know the ropes.
- 4
Get to your accommodation and settle before dark
Daylight ends abruptly near 6-6.30pm year round and street lighting is poor, so aim to be at your accommodation well before dusk. Confirm the gate, security arrangements and any night guard with your host on arrival. Note the nearest landmark rather than relying on street addresses, which are inconsistent and rarely used for navigation.
- 5
Stock water, cash and essentials the first day
Buy bottled or filtered water, basic groceries and any medication from Bulk Shop, Frangipani or a Honiara pharmacy immediately. Tap water is not reliably safe to drink, so plan to boil, filter or buy it. Shops close early and power cuts are common, so you will want a torch, a power bank and a few days of supplies before the first evening.
- 6
Save emergency and key contacts into your phone
Store police (999), ambulance (111) and fire (988) now, and note that response can be slow and patchy, so having your own plan matters. Add your employer's local contact, your accommodation's number, a trusted taxi driver and your embassy or high commission. There is no single unified emergency number, so keep all three service numbers to hand.
- 7
Register with your embassy or high commission
There is no resident US or UK embassy in Honiara; Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the EU maintain missions in the capital, while many other nationals are covered from Canberra, Port Moresby or Suva. Register your presence with your nearest accredited mission, often through an online traveller registration scheme, so you can be reached during unrest, cyclones or a tsunami warning.
- 8
Confirm your visa and work-permit status with your employer
Your right to stay and work is governed entirely by your entry visa and, for workers, a work permit and residence permit processed through the Labour Division and Immigration. In the first week, sit down with your employer or sponsor to confirm which documents are in hand, which are pending, and the expiry dates. Getting ahead of renewals early avoids costly overstay problems later.
Your first week checklist
- Buy and register a local SIM with a data bundle from Our Telekom or bmobile-Vodafone, using your passport.
- Withdraw a cash reserve of SBD from an ANZ or BSP ATM at Point Cruz and break it into small notes.
- Open a local bank account with ANZ, BSP or Pan Oceanic Bank if you will be paid locally, taking your passport, permit and employer letter.
- Meet your employer or sponsor to confirm your visa, work permit and residence-permit status and expiry dates.
- Identify and save the number of a reliable taxi driver, since there is no ride-hailing app in the country.
- Do a first big shop at Bulk Shop or Frangipani and buy a water filter or a stock of bottled water.
- Register with your embassy or high commission and note the nearest one that covers your nationality.
- Walk or drive the route between home, work, the supermarket and a pharmacy in daylight so you know your local landmarks.
- Join the main expat and buy-and-sell Facebook groups and set up WhatsApp, the default channel for landlords, drivers and colleagues.
Getting connected
Mobile coverage is decent in Honiara and provincial towns but patchy or absent in rural areas; fixed home internet is limited and slow, so most residents rely on mobile data and pocket Wi-Fi. The Coral Sea Cable System landing has improved Honiara speeds since 2020, but outages, congestion and effective data rationing remain normal, and heavy 'unlimited' home plans are costly. Keep a data-loaded SIM as a backup even if you have home internet.
Typical cost: Prepaid SIM SBD 20-50; monthly data bundles roughly SBD 150-400; heavy home broadband SBD 450-1,000
Money & banking
This is a cash-first economy: the Solomon Islands dollar (SBD) is essential for markets, taxis, buses and most small shops, with cards accepted only at a handful of Honiara hotels, supermarkets and airline offices. ATMs run by ANZ and BSP exist in Honiara and a few provincial centres but can run empty or offline, so always keep a cash reserve. International card use and foreign-exchange spreads are unfavourable, so plan withdrawals rather than relying on tap-to-pay.
Opening an account: ANZ, Bank South Pacific (BSP) and Pan Oceanic Bank (POB) are the main options for foreigners. Opening an account requires your passport, a valid work permit or visa, proof of local address and usually an employer letter; expect the process to take from several days to a few weeks. BSP has the widest branch and ATM network across the provinces, while ANZ is common for corporate salaries.
Cash: Cash dominates almost every transaction. Carry small SBD notes and coins for taxis, the Central Market and roadside stalls, and never assume a vendor can break a SBD 100 note. Withdraw enough at once to cover several days, because a machine outage can leave you short with no card fallback.
Tipping: Tipping is not customary and is generally not expected in restaurants, taxis or hotels. Rounding up or a small tip for exceptional service, a dive guide or a helpful driver is appreciated but never obligatory, and there is no expected percentage.
Registration & residency
There is no compulsory local address-registration or town-hall sign-in scheme for new arrivals in Solomon Islands. Your legal status is governed entirely by your entry visa and, for workers, by a work permit and residence permit issued through the Labour Division and Immigration, arranged with your employer rather than by registering where you live. The practical obligations that matter are keeping those permits valid, meeting their conditions and renewing them before they expire; overstaying or working on the wrong visa can lead to fines or removal. Note that SIM cards must be registered to your passport, which is a separate legal requirement.
Where: Immigration Division and Labour Division, Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration, Honiara
Documents to keep handy:
- Passport with your entry visa and at least six months' validity, plus several photocopies kept separately.
- Work permit and residence permit paperwork (or the employer application in progress) if you are working locally.
- Employer or sponsor letter confirming your role and local address, useful for banking and permits.
- International health insurance policy documents that explicitly cover air medical evacuation to Australia.
- Vaccination records, including yellow fever certificate if arriving from an at-risk country, and a supply of any regular prescriptions with a doctor's letter.
- Passport-sized photographs and copies of your driving licence and academic or professional certificates for permits and local registration.
Getting around
Honiara runs on shared minibuses and taxis; there are no ride-hailing apps, no metered taxis and no scheduled timetables. Minibuses (PMVs) ply fixed east-west routes along the main road for a flat low fare of a few SBD, stopping on request. Taxis are unmetered, so agree the fare before you get in, and it is worth saving one reliable driver's number for repeat use. Between islands you travel by inter-island ferry or Solomon Airlines domestic flights, both of which run to loose and weather-dependent schedules.
From the airport: Henderson (Honiara International Airport) is around 11 km east of the centre. Options are a pre-arranged hotel or employer transfer, a negotiated taxi (agree roughly SBD 200-400 before setting off, depending on destination), or a shared airport minibus for around SBD 10 if you travel light. There is no train or official airport shuttle, so arrange transport before you land.
Finding a home
Formal rentals are scarce and expensive relative to local wages, and demand from aid agencies, companies and diplomats keeps expat-standard prices high. Most newcomers start in employer-provided or serviced accommodation in ridge suburbs like Lengakiki, Vavaea and Kola'a, or in developed areas such as Panatina and Tandai. Listings spread by word of mouth, employer networks and Facebook groups far more than through agencies, so tap your workplace and expat contacts early.
Typical rent: Secure expat-standard houses and apartments in Honiara run roughly SBD 5,000 for a modest one-bedroom up to SBD 25,000+ per month for a family house on a good ridge; simpler local housing is far cheaper but harder for newcomers to access
Deposit norm: Landlords commonly ask for one to two months' rent as a bond plus a month in advance, paid in cash or by bank transfer, and terms are often negotiated directly with the owner
Healthcare
Public healthcare is basic and under-resourced; the National Referral Hospital (NRH) in Honiara is the main facility, and provincial clinics handle only routine care. Diagnostic equipment, specialist care and reliable medicine stocks are limited, so serious conditions typically require medical evacuation to Australia. Comprehensive private international insurance with air evacuation is not optional here, it is essential.
How to access it: For everyday needs use a Honiara private clinic such as Point Cruz Clinic, or a pharmacy on Mendana Avenue; for emergencies go to the National Referral Hospital, remembering that ambulance response (111) can be slow. Bring your own supply of any regular medication, as pharmacy stock is limited and specific brands can run out without warning.
Insurance: There is no public health scheme that foreigners can rely on. Arrange international health insurance that explicitly includes air medical evacuation to Australia (usually Brisbane) before you arrive, and carry the policy number and 24-hour assistance line where you can reach them quickly.
Culture & etiquette
- Learn a few Pijin greetings such as 'halo' and 'tanggio tumas' (thank you very much); it instantly warms interactions and shows respect.
- Dress modestly, especially women, with shoulders and knees covered away from the beach; this is a strongly Christian society.
- Respect the wantok system of extended kin obligation, and always ask permission before entering villages, using land or fishing a reef.
- Always ask before photographing people, villages or ceremonies, and accept a 'no' graciously.
- Sundays are for church and rest; expect many shops and services to close and keep activities low-key and quiet.
- Greet people and take time for small talk before getting to business; abruptness reads as rude, and 'Solomon time' means patience is expected.
- Use your right hand or both hands when giving or receiving something, and remove your shoes when entering a home if others have.
Things to watch out for
- Avoid walking alone after dark in Honiara, particularly around Chinatown, the market and quieter streets; take a taxi instead.
- Land and reef ownership is customary and sensitive; never assume beaches, gardens or fishing spots are public, as disputes over land are serious.
- Alcohol-fuelled disputes and occasional flare-ups of ethnic or political tension can escalate quickly, so keep clear of crowds and demonstrations.
- Public displays of affection and immodest dress attract disapproval; keep behaviour and clothing conservative in town and villages.
- Do not discuss or take sides in local ethnic or provincial rivalries (for example Guadalcanal and Malaita); it is a sensitive subject with a violent recent history.
Apps to download before you land
The default way to reach colleagues, landlords, drivers, banks and expat groups
Local buy-and-sell, housing leads, community news, event notices and expat groups
Solomon Airlines
Booking and managing domestic and regional flights between the islands
XE Currency
Checking the SBD exchange rate against your home currency
Maps.me / Google Maps (offline)
Downloaded offline maps of Honiara and the islands where mobile data is unreliable
Windy
Weather, wind and cyclone tracking, useful for boat travel, diving and the wet season
WhatsApp voice / Messenger
Free calls home, since international dialling is expensive and data calls are cheaper
Where newcomers live
Almost all newcomers live in Honiara, and where you land usually depends on your employer. Expats cluster on the ridges above town, where houses are more secure, cooler and have sea views, and in a few serviced compounds and apartment blocks. The valleys and coastal settlements are denser, cheaper and more local. Word of mouth, employer networks and Facebook drive the market far more than any agency.
Point Cruz / town centre
The commercial and administrative heart around Mendana Avenue, with banks, the market, hotels, ministries and the port. Convenient and walkable by day, but few good long-term homes and best avoided on foot after dark.
Lengakiki Ridge
An established expat and professional ridge suburb rising above Point Cruz, prized for its sea views, breezes and relative security. Housing here is comparatively expensive and often employer-arranged or agency-managed.
Vavaea Ridge
A quieter elevated residential area popular with diplomats, aid workers and managers, with detached houses behind gates. Cooler than the valley floor and a short drive down into town, though you will rely on a vehicle or taxis.
Panatina / Vura (east)
A developed eastern strip near the university and industrial areas that has grown into a major housing zone where local middle classes and some expats mix. More affordable, closer to the airport, and less central to Point Cruz.
Tandai / Rove (west)
A western district near Rove towards Kakabona, mixing local housing with some expat compounds and serviced apartments. Handy for the western coast and diving, with a more residential, everyday-Honiara feel.
Kola'a Ridge
A large hillside ward with a spread of housing from local homes to better-appointed properties on the higher slopes. Popular for the elevation and outlook, with quality varying sharply street by street.
What things cost
Solomon Islands feels expensive for what you get, because almost everything except fresh market produce and fish is imported and freight-heavy. Expat-standard housing, imported groceries and reliable internet are the big costs, while local markets, minibuses and taxis are cheap. Budget in Solomon Islands dollars and expect prices to jump the moment you want familiar Western brands or a secure, well-equipped home.
Staying safe & avoiding scams
Honiara is manageable with sensible precautions, but treat security as a daily habit rather than an afterthought. Petty theft, opportunistic bag-snatching and break-ins are the most common issues, so keep valuables out of sight, use a home with a gate and guard where possible, and avoid walking alone after dark, especially around Chinatown, the market and quieter streets. The bigger, occasional risk is civil unrest: political and inter-island tensions have sparked riots before, most seriously in 2021, and situations can escalate fast, so avoid crowds, protests and any tense gathering and keep some cash, water and a full phone charge in reserve. Natural hazards, earthquakes, cyclones in the wet season and tsunami risk, are real, so know your building's exits and note high ground near the coast.
Newcomers are common targets. Know these before you arrive — and read our guide to avoiding immigration scams.
Taxi fare and 'no change' games
Unmetered taxis may quote inflated fares to newcomers or claim they have no change for a large note, hoping you will pay the difference. Agree the price clearly before you get in, ask locals or your employer what a fair rate is, and carry small SBD notes so you are never forced to round up. Keeping one trusted driver's number avoids this entirely.
Wantok and school-fee sympathy requests
Newly arrived expats are sometimes approached with heartfelt stories seeking money for school fees, funerals or medical bills. Genuine hardship is widespread and the wantok obligation to help is real within families, but you are not part of that network. Treat unsolicited requests from strangers with caution and give, if at all, through a known church, NGO or your workplace rather than cash to individuals.
Fake accommodation and land 'deals'
Offers of cheap rentals or land bargains advertised online or by intermediaries can be fraudulent, and customary land ownership makes 'buying' land especially fraught for foreigners, who generally cannot own land freehold. Never pay a deposit before viewing in person, insist on a written agreement, and verify any property through a lawyer or your employer before parting with money.
Online, romance and advance-fee approaches
As elsewhere, watch for messages via Facebook or WhatsApp offering deals, jobs, freight-forwarded goods or investment 'opportunities', and romance scams that build trust before asking for money. Never send funds, share bank or card details, or pay 'release fees' for a parcel or prize. If an offer is unsolicited and urgent, assume it is a scam until proven otherwise.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get by with card payments in Honiara?
No. A few hotels, larger supermarkets and airline offices take cards, but almost everything else, taxis, minibuses, markets and small shops, is cash only. Keep a healthy supply of SBD and expect ATMs to sometimes be empty or offline. Treat cards as a backup, not your main means of payment.
Which SIM should I buy and where?
Our Telekom (Breeze) and bmobile-Vodafone are the two main networks, both sold at the airport and along Mendana Avenue. Bring your passport, as SIM registration is legally required. Our Telekom generally has the widest rural coverage, so choose it if you plan to travel to the provinces.
Is Honiara safe for new arrivals?
Daytime Honiara is generally manageable with normal caution, but avoid walking alone after dark and steer clear of crowds during any political or ethnic tension. Petty theft, break-ins and opportunistic crime are the main everyday risks. The country has seen serious riots in the past, most recently in 2021, so keep informed and have a plan.
What should I do about serious medical problems?
Local facilities handle only basic care, so anything serious usually means medical evacuation to Australia. Secure international insurance covering air evacuation before arriving, and carry the policy details and 24-hour assistance number. Bring a personal supply of any regular medication, because pharmacy stock is limited and unreliable.
Do I need to register my address with the authorities?
No, there is no compulsory address-registration or town-hall sign-in for new arrivals. What matters legally is your visa and, for workers, your work permit and residence permit, arranged through your employer. Keep those valid and renew them on time, and register your passport when you buy a SIM.
How do I get around without ride-hailing apps?
There is no Uber, Grab or equivalent in Solomon Islands. You use shared minibuses (PMVs) for a few SBD on fixed east-west routes, or unmetered taxis where you agree the fare first. The easiest approach is to find one reliable taxi driver, save their number and call or WhatsApp them directly.
Can foreigners rent or buy property easily?
Renting is possible but the expat-standard market is small, competitive and expensive, and most people find homes through their employer or Facebook rather than agencies. Buying land is very difficult for foreigners because most land is held under customary ownership and cannot be sold freehold. Always view in person and use a lawyer before paying anything.
Is the tap water safe to drink?
No, treat tap water as unsafe to drink. Boil, filter or buy bottled water, and be cautious with ice and salads outside trusted places. Stomach upsets are common in the first weeks, so ease in and keep rehydration supplies at home.
How reliable are power and internet?
Both are patchy. Power cuts are common, so keep a torch, power bank and surge protection, and back up important files. Internet has improved in Honiara since the Coral Sea Cable landed but is still slow, capped and prone to outages, so keep a data-loaded mobile SIM as backup even with home internet.
Do I need to speak Pijin to live here?
Not to survive, since English is official and widely used in work and government. But Solomon Islands Pijin is the everyday lingua franca in markets, taxis and casual life, and learning even a handful of phrases dramatically improves how warmly you are received. Locals appreciate any effort to use it.
Planning the move, not just the landing?
This guide covers your first days on the ground. If you’re still weighing visas and pathways to Solomon Islands, start with a free eligibility assessment.
