Asia and Oceania

• Travel Summary
• Safety and security
• Local laws and customs
• Entry requirements

• Health
• Natural disasters
• General
 

Travel Summary

• There remains a risk of civil disturbance in Solomon Islands. In April 2006, political tensions in the Solomon Islands resulted in wide-scale civil unrest in Honiara. You should exercise caution and avoid public gatherings and large crowds, and monitor local information sources.

• If you are visiting, or are resident in the Solomon Islands, you should exercise caution at all times and maintain a high state of personal awareness.  We advise you to ensure that you are comfortable with, and regularly review your own and your family's security arrangements.  You should take up to date advice about day trips or travel around the area close to Honiara, refrain from travelling around Honiara at night and avoid public gatherings and large crowds.
  
  
• Solomon Islands sits along a volatile seismic strip called the 'Ring of Fire'. Earthquakes occur regularly and tsunamis are possible. On 2 April 2007, a tsunami hit the Western and Choiseul provinces of Solomon Islands and more than 50 people were killed. See the Natural Disasters section of this advice for more details.
  
  
• The tropical cyclone season in the Solomon Islands normally runs from November to May. Landslides and flooding can wash away bridges and make roads impassable. Since January, heavy rains and flooding have affected the Solomon Islands. See the Natural Disasters and Local Travel sections of this advice and Tropical cyclones for more details.
  
  
• There is a low threat from terrorism in the Solomon Islands.  But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
  
  
• Very few British nationals visit the Solomon Islands each year.  Most visits are trouble-free.  Five British nationals required consular assistance in the Solomon Islands in the period 01 April 2008 – 31 March 2009 for the following types of incident; deaths (1 cases); hospitalisations (2 cases); and arrests, for a variety of offences (0 cases). During this period assistance was also requested with regard to lost or stolen passports (0 cases). If you intend travelling outside of the main population centres or by boat you might wish to consider carrying a locator beacon device (EPIRB). This will increase the chances of you being rescued if you get lost or into difficulty.
  
  
• We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling.  You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake.  See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and Travel Insurance for more details.