Melanesia · UN member
Solomon Islands: Travel Guide & Requirements
The Solomon Islands is a country in Melanesia with its capital in Honiara. It has a population of 838,645 (#163 in the world) and covers 28,896 km². The official language is English. The currency is the Solomon Islands dollar (SBD, $).
Where is the Solomon Islands? Map of the Solomon Islands
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea.
- Region
- Melanesia
- Coordinates
- 8° S, 159° E
- Neighbours
- none (no land borders)
- Coastline
- 5,313 km
- Solomon Islands
- Capital
Travel requirements
What you need to travel to the Solomon Islands
- Passport
Solomon Islands Immigration says you may not be allowed into Solomon Islands if your passport validity is less than 6 months.
- Visa or eTA
Depends on your passport: of 198 passports, 198 need an eVisa. Check yours or see The Solomon Islands entry requirements for every passport.
- Return or onward ticket
Solomon Islands Immigration lists a return ticket among the requirements for the Tourist Permit, and a copy of the travel itinerary with a return or onward air ticket for the Tourist Visa.
- Proof of funds
Solomon Islands Immigration lists evidence of funds to support yourself among the Tourist Permit requirements, and says Tourist Visa applicants must have sufficient funds to support themselves and submit confirmation of…
- Travel insurance
No official requirement. The UK government advises travel insurance for local treatment or unexpected medical evacuation, and says healthcare facilities are very basic, hospital facilities are limited, and the National Referral Hospital in Honi…
- Vaccinations
WHO's Annex 1 lists Solomon Islands as requiring proof of yellow fever vaccination from travellers aged 9 months or over arriving from countries at risk of yellow fever transmission.
- Arrival card
No official source we could read describes an arrival or customs declaration card for Solomon Islands.
- Customs allowance
The US Department of State gives 50,000 Solomon Islands dollars (approximately US$6,000) as the maximum on entry and on exit, without saying whether larger sums must be declared or are barred.
- Travel advice
Some caution needed — US and UK advice.
Entry rules: TravelRequirements.info — Entry Requirements Dataset (CC BY 4.0), each rule cited to an official government source. Always confirm with the airline and the official source before you travel.
Before you go
10 things to know before you travel to the Solomon Islands
- Safety: the Solomon Islands is generally safe for travellers, but some caution is needed: the US State Department rates the Solomon Islands Level 2 (“Exercise Increased Caution”), and the UK Foreign Office has no warnings against travel there.
- Best time to go: June to October — when daytime highs in Honiara are around 27–28°C.
- Money: the Solomon Islands dollar (SBD) — 1 US dollar is about 8.0279 SBD.
- Plugs: type I, 230 V, 50 Hz — standard 220–240 V: devices from the US or Japan (110–120 V) need a converter unless they are dual voltage (100–240 V).
- Emergency numbers: Police 911 / 999, Ambulance 911 / 999, Fire 911 / 999.
- Language: English is official.
- Driving: on the left.
- Time zone: UTC+11 in Honiara.
- Capital: Honiara. About 838,645 people live in the Solomon Islands.
- Outdoors: 1 national park.
Key facts
Solomon Islands at a glance
Languages spoken: Melanesian pidgin (lingua franca in much of the country), English (official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population), 120 indigenous languages
Geography & history
About the Solomon Islands
Settlers from Papua arrived on the Solomon Islands around 30,000 years ago. About 6,000 years ago, Austronesian settlers came to the islands, and the two groups mixed extensively. Despite significant inter-island trade, no attempts were made to unite the islands into a single political entity. In 1568, a Spanish explorer became the first European to spot the islands. After a failed Spanish attempt at creating a permanent European settlement in the late 1500s, the Solomon Islands remained free of European contact until a British explorer arrived in 1767. European explorers and US and British whaling ships regularly visited the islands into the 1800s. Germany declared a protectorate over the …
Read the full history
Settlers from Papua arrived on the Solomon Islands around 30,000 years ago. About 6,000 years ago, Austronesian settlers came to the islands, and the two groups mixed extensively. Despite significant inter-island trade, no attempts were made to unite the islands into a single political entity. In 1568, a Spanish explorer became the first European to spot the islands. After a failed Spanish attempt at creating a permanent European settlement in the late 1500s, the Solomon Islands remained free of European contact until a British explorer arrived in 1767. European explorers and US and British whaling ships regularly visited the islands into the 1800s. Germany declared a protectorate over the northern Solomon Islands in 1885, and the UK established a protectorate over the southern islands in 1893. In 1899, Germany transferred its islands to the UK in exchange for the UK relinquishing all claims in Samoa. In 1942, Japan invaded the islands, and the Guadalcanal Campaign (August 1942-February 1943) proved a turning point in the Pacific theater of WWII. The fighting destroyed large parts of the Solomon Islands, and a nationalist movement emerged near the end of the war. By 1960, the British allowed some local autonomy. The islands were granted self-government in 1976 and independence two years later under Prime Minister Sir Peter KENILOREA. In 1999, longstanding tensions between ethnic Guale in Honiara and ethnic Malaitans in Honiara’s suburbs erupted in civil war, leading thousands of Malaitans to take refuge in Honiara and prompting Guale to flee the city. In 2000, newly elected Prime Minister Manasseh SOGAVARE focused on peace agreements and distributing resources equally among groups, but his actions bankrupted the government in 2001 and led to his ouster. In 2003, the Solomon Islands requested international assistance to reestablish law and order; the Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands, which ended in 2017, improved the security situation. In 2006, however, riots broke out in Honiara, and the city’s Chinatown was burned amid allegations that the prime minister took money from China. SOGAVARE was reelected prime minister for a fourth time in 2019. When a small group of protestors, mostly from the island of Malaita, approached parliament to lodge a petition calling for SOGAVARE’s removal and more development in Malaita in 2021, police fired tear gas into the crowd which sparked rioting and looting in Honiara.
Location
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea
Climate
tropical monsoon; few temperature and weather extremes
Terrain
mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
Highest point
Mount Popomanaseu 2,335 m
Natural resources
fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel
Natural hazards
tropical cyclones, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earthquakes, tremors, and volcanic activity; tsunamis volcanism: Tinakula (851 m) has frequent eruption activity, and an eruption of Savo (485 m) could affect the capital Honi…
Safety
Is the Solomon Islands safe to visit?
the Solomon Islands is generally safe for travellers, but some caution is needed: the US State Department rates the Solomon Islands Level 2 (“Exercise Increased Caution”), and the UK Foreign Office has no warnings against travel there.
US State Department
UK Foreign Office (FCDO)Latest update: New information about Solomon Islands’ new electronic visa system (see ‘Visa requirements' on the ‘Entry requirements’ page).
Updated 12 Oct 2026 · Full travel advice
Sources: US Department of State travel advisories (public domain) and UK FCDO foreign travel advice (contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0). Checked daily. Advice can change quickly — always read the official page before you travel.
Weather
Best time to visit the Solomon Islands
The best time to visit the Solomon Islands is June to October, when daytime highs in Honiara are around 27–28°C. February to May and November are also a good time to go. December is the warmest month (29°C by day), August the coldest (24°C at night), and February the wettest with about 305 mm of rain.
- Jan28°C25°C
- Feb28°C25°C
- Mar28°C25°C
- Apr28°C25°C
- May28°C25°C
- Jun28°C25°C
- Jul27°C24°C
- Aug28°C24°C
- Sep28°C24°C
- Oct28°C24°C
- Nov29°C25°C
- Dec29°C25°C
Best time Good Less ideal
Before you go
Plugs, voltage & emergency numbers in the Solomon Islands
Plugs & sockets
230 V, 50 Hz · Standard 220–240 V: devices from the US or Japan (110–120 V) need a converter unless they are dual voltage (100–240 V).
Sources: Wikipedia — Mains electricity by country and List of emergency telephone numbers (CC BY-SA 4.0).
National parks
1 national park in the Solomon Islands
Largest: Queen Elizabeth National Park
Currency · 26 October 2026
Solomon Islands dollar exchange rates today
The Solomon Islands uses the Solomon Islands dollar (SBD, $). One US dollar buys 8.0279 SBD; over the last 30 days the SBD has gained 0.1% against the dollar.
What other currencies cost in SBD
Currency converter
Daily reference rates from the open-source currency-api (CC0), 26 Oct 2026. Banks and exchange offices add a margin.
World rankings
Where the Solomon Islands ranks
How the Solomon Islands compares with the rest of the world — open any card for the full ranking.
Airports
Airports in the Solomon Islands
38 airports and airfields — 1 large, 1 medium and 34 small, plus 2 heliports. 20 have scheduled passenger flights.
Borders
No land borders
The Solomon Islands has no land borders with other countries. Coastline: 5,313 km.
People
Population & society
Religion
Largest cities: Honiara (82,000)
Economy
Economy
Main industries
fish (tuna), mining, timber
Export partners
China 56%, Australia 11%, Italy 10%, Spain 5%, Netherlands 4% (2023)
Top exports
wood, fish, gold, precious metal ore, palm oil (2023)
Travel tools
Handy before every trip to the Solomon Islands
Next public holiday
Christmas Day — Friday, 25 December 2026. Then National Day of Thanksgiving (26 Dec).
Solomon Islander passport
Ranked #71: 86 countries visa-free, 29 with visa on arrival, 7 with an eTA and 36 with an eVisa.
Solomon Islander passport photo
Exact size, head position and background for the Solomon Islands's passport and visa photos — make one free with AI checks.
Calling the Solomon Islands
Dial +677 before the local number. Internet domain .sb.
Climate footprint
0.3 million tonnes of CO₂ in 2024 — 0.36 t per person.
Entry requirements
Visa rules for every passport visiting the Solomon Islands: visa-free stays, eVisas, visas on arrival and documents to bring.
News
Latest travel news about the Solomon Islands
Nauruans Applying to Study in Australia Now Pay Less for Student Visas
Australia's Department of Home Affairs has confirmed a reduced Student visa (subclass 500) application charge for eligible citizens of 23 Pacific Isl…
Australia considers more visa options for Papua New Guineans
Australia says it is open to further talks on easing visa arrangements for Papua New Guineans, and a new 12-month, multiple-entry visa for NRL matche…
Samoa Achieves 100% Success Rate in Pacific Engagement Visa Program
Samoa has recorded a 100% success rate in the Pacific Engagement Visa program, having joined the initiative a year late. This achievement highlights …
Frequently asked questions about the Solomon Islands
What do I need to travel to the Solomon Islands?
How long must my passport be valid for the Solomon Islands?
Where is the Solomon Islands?
What is the Solomon Islands known for?
What is the capital of the Solomon Islands?
What language is spoken in the Solomon Islands?
What currency does the Solomon Islands use?
What is the calling code of the Solomon Islands?
Does the Solomon Islands have land borders?
How strong is the Solomon Islander passport?
Is the Solomon Islands safe to visit?
When is the best time to visit the Solomon Islands?
What plug type does the Solomon Islands use?
How many airports does the Solomon Islands have?
Sources: CIA World Factbook (public domain); World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0); names, languages and currencies: mledoze/countries (ODbL); flag: flag-icons (MIT); coat of arms: Wikimedia Commons (file page); exchange rates: Daily reference rates from the open-source currency-api (CC0); airports: OurAirports.