The capital of the Solomon Islands sits on the shore of Ironbottom Sound, where dozens of WWII warships and aircraft rest on the ocean floor. Raw, authentic, and unforgettable — Honiara is history you can swim through.
Most ships now berth at the new Millennium Cruise Passenger Terminal at Point Cruz, right in the heart of Honiara.
💡 Pro move: Cash is king in Honiara. BSP and ANZ ATMs on Mendana Avenue work but can run out on cruise days — bring USD or AUD as backup; some vendors accept AUD.
Honiara's new Millennium Cruise Passenger Terminal at Point Cruz opened in December 2024, making it one of the South Pacific's most capable cruise facilities.
| Cruise Line | Typical Berth / Arrival | Dock or Tender |
|---|---|---|
| Holland America, Oceania, Princess, P&O Australia | Millennium Terminal, Point Cruz📍 | Docked |
| Silversea, Seabourn, Ponant, Hapag-Lloyd (expedition vessels) | Point Cruz wharf or tender to shore📍 | Docked |
| Very large ships / busy port days | Anchor in harbor, tender to Point Cruz📍 | Tendered |
WWII battlefields and snorkeling over sunken warships are Honiara's signature experiences — both reward booking a guide.
About 45 minutes west of town, this open-air museum displays Japanese and American fighter planes, artillery, and vehicles rusting in a jungle garden. One of the best surviving collections of in-situ WWII hardware in the Pacific.
Find Honiara WWII tours →High above town, this memorial honors Allied soldiers killed during the Guadalcanal Campaign and looks out over Ironbottom Sound — the graveyard of dozens of WWII warships resting on the seabed below.
Book Guadalcanal memorial tours →The Kinugawa Maru, a massive Japanese transport ship, lies grounded right on Bonegi Beach 30 minutes west of town. Snorkel straight off the black-sand shore and explore coral-covered wreckage teeming with tropical fish.
Find Bonegi Beach snorkeling tours →Scene of one of Guadalcanal's fiercest battles, now a National Peace Park. A local guide brings it to life — the ridge, foxholes, and jungle setting are evocative and largely unchanged.
Find Bloody Ridge battlefield tours →The Central Market on Mendana Avenue is a sensory overload of tropical fruit, fresh fish, betel nut, shell money, and hand-woven crafts. Add the National Museum for a small-but-real collection of traditional canoes and artifacts.
Find Honiara cultural tours →For certified divers, Ironbottom Sound is world-class: cruisers, destroyers, torpedo bombers, and transports on the seabed at recreational depths. Several operators run day dives from Point Cruz.
Find Honiara scuba dive tours →Honiara's walkable zone is compact — everything worth exploring on foot sits within 1.5 km of the pier along Mendana Avenue.
Walk from Point Cruz terminal along Mendana Avenue past the National Museum, BSP bank, and shops to the Central Market, then loop back along the waterfront. Hot and humid — start early.
🗺️ See full route in Maps →Head uphill from Mendana Avenue to the distinctive conical-roofed Parliament Building. Views over the harbor are good; grounds are open when parliament is not in session.
📍 Open in MapsClimate normals for Honiara, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands (2014–2023 averages). Pack for the month you sail — highs, lows, and how many rainy days to expect.
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Rainy Days | Sunrise | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 85°F / 29°C | 76°F / 24°C | 27 | 6:11 AM | 6:47 PM |
| Feb | 84°F / 29°C | 76°F / 24°C | 26 | 6:22 AM | 6:46 PM |
| Mar | 84°F / 29°C | 75°F / 24°C | 26 | 6:24 AM | 6:33 PM |
| Apr | 84°F / 29°C | 75°F / 24°C | 26 | 6:23 AM | 6:16 PM |
| May | 84°F / 29°C | 76°F / 24°C | 21 | 6:26 AM | 6:06 PM |
| Jun | 83°F / 28°C | 75°F / 24°C | 18 | 6:33 AM | 6:07 PM |
| Jul | 83°F / 28°C | 75°F / 24°C | 18 | 6:37 AM | 6:14 PM |
| Aug | 83°F / 28°C | 74°F / 23°C | 19 | 6:31 AM | 6:18 PM |
| Sep | 84°F / 29°C | 75°F / 24°C | 20 | 6:14 AM | 6:16 PM |
| Oct | 84°F / 29°C | 75°F / 24°C | 22 | 5:57 AM | 6:14 PM |
| Nov | 84°F / 29°C | 75°F / 24°C | 25 | 5:48 AM | 6:20 PM |
| Dec | 84°F / 29°C | 75°F / 24°C | 27 | 5:55 AM | 6:35 PM |
Source: Open-Meteo ERA5 (10-yr daily averages)
Upcoming cruises that call at Honiara, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. Dates, prices, and ports of call change — always confirm with the cruise line before booking.
Itineraries and prices change — always confirm with the cruise line before booking. Some links are affiliate links that may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.