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Cluster · Honiara

National Museum & the US war memorial ridge

Half-day cluster: the museum and the Second World War memorial on the ridge above town; go before 10:00, the ridge road is steep and open.

Key facts

28″ bags
forbidden
Time budget
half
Rescue coverage
100% ≤7′
max p90 5.6′
Places
3
National Museum
National MuseumPhoto: U.S. Department of State, Public domain
Rules in force · 9Broken pavements and heat
  • Oceania ↗Oceania's island states guard their farms and reefs at the border: tick 'yes' on the arrival card for any food, plant, animal product, soil or used outdoor gear, and let the officer decide.
  • Oceania ↗Across the tropical South Pacific, cyclones are possible from November to April: choose insurance that covers weather delays and keep one spare night before a long-haul departure.
  • Melanesia ↗Malaria is present in Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and parts of Vanuatu (not Fiji or New Caledonia): ask a travel clinic about tablets before you go.
  • Solomon Islands ↗Many nationalities receive a visitor permit on arrival with an onward ticket, but rules vary: check Solomon Islands Immigration for your passport before booking.
  • Solomon Islands ↗Most land and reefs are under customary ownership: pay custom fees for visits, snorkelling or diving where asked, and ask before using a beach or taking photos.
  • Guadalcanal (Honiara) ↗In the wet season (Nov–Apr) rivers rise and roads flood: keep the day flexible.
  • Honiara ↗Broken pavements and heat: bags go from the car to the door, never on a walk.
  • Honiara ↗After dark, take a car door to door; do not walk between clusters.
  • Honiara ↗Honiara has seen civil unrest in the past: avoid crowds and demonstrations and check your own government's travel advice before you book.
More
Map to the centre
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Directions
From where I am

Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.

Walking weather, next 5 days

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Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Plan

How the ground walks, and what is here

Bound and physics

The museum area and the memorial viewpoint above the centre (approximate box).

Slope
steep
Stairs
Some steps at the memorial
Shade
low
Surface
road and stone steps
Sleep here or visit
visit

On the ground

Where to rest, how to leave, where to sleep nearby

Rescue anchors

6 places to rest · checked on a 40 m (130 ft) grid

A rescue anchor is a spot where you can stop and recover if the walk goes wrong: a bench, a café, a toilet. Every letter on the map is one anchor, and each has a card below. We check that any point in the cluster is within about 7 minutes’ walk of one, so you are never far from somewhere to sit down.

ABCDEF
Map © OpenStreetMap contributors. Lettered circles: rescue anchors (green works in any conditions, amber only on hot days). Dashed outline: the cluster. Red dots: spots more than 7 min from any anchor (none if you see no red). North is up; not for navigation.

Memorial car park

Place to sit · works in any conditions

Museum entrance shade

Place to sit · Shelter from rain · works in any conditions

Ridge-road viewpoint

Place to sit · works in any conditions

Roadside kiosk

Place to sit · Food & drink · works in any conditions

Museum café or stall

Place to sit · Food & drink · works in any conditions

Memorial steps landing

Place to sit · works in any conditions

100% of the cluster is within 7 min of an anchor in any conditions (slowest walker, worst cell 5.6 min) · 100% on hot days

Nodes in this cluster

  1. Solomon Islands National Museum and Cultural Centre

    A small national museum on Mendana Avenue with shell money, carved canoe prows, tools and Second World War displays: 30 to 60 minutes indoors, a useful orientation before you book a driver for the ridge.

  2. American War Memorial (Skyline Ridge)

    A memorial above the town to the American, Australian, New Zealand and Solomon Islander forces of the 1942 to 1943 Guadalcanal campaign, with panoramic views of the coast and Ironbottom Sound: go early in the day and take a car, not a walk.

  3. Edson's (Bloody) Ridge

    The ridge south of Henderson Field where US Marines held off Japanese attacks on 13 to 14 September 1942: a guided visit of about one to two hours by car and a short walk, for readers of the campaign.

Listen: audio walk →

Edges out

directed
ToHowp50Climb
Point Cruz, Central Market & Mendana AvenueCar north~10 minflat
Chinatown & Kukum roadCar east~12 minflat

Red lines here

  • Unexploded ordnance remains in the country: stay on paths and never touch old munitions.

Deep dive

Around this cluster

Straight-line distance; walk time adds 30% for streets.