The Pacific War's forgotten capital — WWII reefs and Melanesian spirit
Honiara is one of the Pacific's most atmospheric capitals — a city of corrugated-iron markets, betel-nut-stained pavements, and reef-fringed coastlines where the iron wrecks of World War II battleships lie in 30 metres of water. The Battle of Guadalcanal (1942–43) was the first major Allied land offensive of the Pacific War, and the jungle around Honiara still conceals tanks, bombers, and field hospitals. The Central Market is among the most vibrant in Melanesia, selling pawpaw, river prawns, and smoked flying fox.
The island of Guadalcanal had been inhabited by Melanesian peoples for at least 30,000 years before the Spanish explorer Álvaro de Mendaña arrived in 1568. The name Honiara derives from 'nagho ni ara' in the Ghari language, meaning 'facing the east wind.' The Battle of Guadalcanal (August 1942 – February 1943) was the first major US ground offensive against Japan — both sides fought desperately for Henderson Field (now Honiara Airport), the strategic airstrip that would prove decisive for control of the South Pacific. The Solomon Islands gained independence from Britain in 1978.