Getting ashore
Ships call at Honiara by docking or anchoring, according to the CruiseMapper port wiki, so the arrangement can differ from one call to the next. If a ship anchors rather than docks, the ship’s programme will say how guests go ashore. The wiki does not describe the gangway, the landing point or the walk from the berth to the road. Read the ship’s port notes before the call and note the time you need to be back on board. The live port page is the place to confirm arrival and departure times for your date.
Terminal and berths
The CruiseMapper wiki names Point Cruz as the port’s seaport and gives the UN/LOCODE as SBHIR. It does not describe a terminal building or passenger facilities at Point Cruz, and the sources read do not give the berth layout. Honiara International Airport, also called Henderson Field, is a separate site about 11 km east of the city. The wiki records P&O Australia’s first call at Honiara, by the Pacific Eden, on 1 October 2016. The ship sailed on an 11-day round trip from Cairns.
Into town and transport
Taxis are plentiful in Honiara and can be booked or hailed on the street, according to Wikivoyage. Minibuses run often along the coast between Henderson and White River and stop frequently. The listed fare is SBD 3 for any distance. The listing was last updated in April 2019, so confirm the fare locally before relying on it. Agree a taxi fare before you set off. Air links listed on the same page include Brisbane, Nadi, Port Moresby, Port Vila and Sydney, which may also have changed since that update.
Sights and the war history
Honiara’s main historic sites are tied to the Guadalcanal campaign of the Second World War. US Marines landed at Lunga Point on 7 August 1942 to take a Japanese airfield, and the fighting lasted about six months. The airfield was later named Henderson Field, after a Marine aviator killed at Midway. The Battle of Cape Esperance was fought on 11 October 1942. Japanese forces left the island from Cape Esperance in February 1943. Wikivoyage also notes that Honiara became the capital of the British Solomon Islands in 1952.
Government buildings and museums
Most of the country’s government buildings and institutions are in Honiara, according to the CruiseMapper wiki. These include the National Parliament and the National Museum, along with the University, the College of Higher Education and an International School. The wiki gives Honiara’s population as about 65,000, a figure with no date. The sources read give no opening hours for the museum and no distances from the port to these buildings. Check the museum’s hours before you plan a visit, and allow time for the journey from the port.
Recent history and safety
Honiara has had periods of unrest. The wiki describes ethnic violence and rioting from the late 1990s, a peace agreement in 2000 that did not end street violence, and the deployment of Australian police and military in July 2003 to restore order. Riots in 2006 damaged part of Chinatown and hurt tourism. The sources read do not give current security advice. Check your government’s travel advice before the call, and ask the ship for its security notices on the day. These historical points are background, not a current assessment of the city.
Food & shopping
Neither source read for Honiara names restaurants, markets or shops, so this guide does not recommend any. Ask the ship’s shore team or a local tour operator for current options. Ask about opening hours on the day, since the sources give no hours for food outlets or shops. The sources also give no prices for food or goods, so budget for those on arrival rather than from this page. If the ship offers a shore programme, its list of local stops is more current than this guide. Choose options that are open on your date, and ask staff on board which places they recommend, since the sources read do not record any restaurant or shop.
Money & connectivity
The currency is the Solomon Islands dollar. The Wikivoyage fare listing shows it as SBD, which is the code used here. The sources give no exchange rate, card acceptance or ATM details, and no information on mobile data or Wi-Fi. Use the currency converter link to check the day’s rate. Carry some local cash for taxis and minibuses, since the listed fares are small. Confirm card and ATM options with your bank before you travel, as they are not covered here.
Cruise history and practical tips
The wiki records that cruise tourism adds about USD 0.64 million a year to the economy, a figure given without a date. It also records that P&O Cruises and Princess Cruises made six calls to the Solomon Islands combined in 2016, three times the 2015 total. Recent items on the page include a 2025 Swan Hellenic announcement and a 2023 Paul Gauguin itinerary. For planning, use the ship’s own port notes and the live schedule, and treat the wiki’s cruise history as background only.
Accessibility & mobility
The sources read do not describe step-free routes, gangways or accessible transport at Point Cruz or in Honiara. Ask the ship and any tour operator about wheelchair access before booking, including whether the ship anchors and uses a tender.