Surfing in the Solomon Islands is up there as one of my favourite wave-hunting adventures ever. This beautiful island nation — which sits to the east of Papua New Guinea — is well off the beaten track and offers the perfect mix of sun, surf, and new experiences. Getting to Honiara is an adventure in itself, but more for the views that the actual flights — which are pretty easy to be fair. The easiest route to the Solomon Islands is from Brisbane, Australia which has a direct flight into the capital Honiara with Solomon Airlines and only takes about 3 hours.
The internal flight is where the real adventure begins — the Twin Otter aircraft is not much bigger than a skydiving plane and feels like something out of an Indiana Jones movie! As you fly over the islands make sure you have your camera to hand as the views are epic. Then get ready for a unique landing — the airstrip is pretty much just a patch of grass on an island surrounded by blue ocean and lots of tropical islands dotting the horizon.
Tip: Arrive early to check in for the flight as luggage space is extremely limited so surfboards go on a first come, first served basis. There are plenty of stories of boards being left in Honiara and delivered a few days later and the same on the return journey too! This was my base for my time on Santa Isabel and I loved it. The camp is basic but comfortable — think fan-cooled, wooden rooms.
The surf guides will jump into the lineup with you each day, and are more stoked to see you get the wave of your life than steal it from you! The sister camp of Vavaghio, Kagata Village is the most budget friendly of the Santa Isabel surf camps. Papatura offers a range of rooms from shared dorms through to family rooms plus plenty of flat-day fun like snorkelling.
They also have a beach bar so you can kick back with a cold one after a tiring day in the water. Just along the coastline from Vavaghio is a spot where the graceful frigate birds nest at night — a small island with a magnificent tree in the centre — and there are hundreds of them. Want to see how the locals get around? Well nothing says Solomon Islands more than paddling a traditional dug out canoe. At low tide, this lagoon mangrove is simply a sandy patch around the corner from the main surf spots.
