Honiara Cruise Port
Honiara, Solomon Islands · Pacific
Cruise ships dock at Point Cruz Wharf — International Berth, Honiara.
Plan my port daysShips berth alongside at Point Cruz Wharf, where the Millennium Cruise Passenger Terminal opened in December 2024. Mendana Avenue, the National Museum and the Central Market are a 5–15 minute walk; the WWII battlefields, Bonegi wrecks and Vilu museum need a taxi or tour.
At a glance
Port summary
Honiara stretches along the north coast of Guadalcanal, facing Iron Bottom Sound, the strait named after the dozens of warships sunk here during the Guadalcanal campaign of August 1942 to February 1943. The town grew out of the American base after the war and became the capital in 1952. It is a busy, unpolished Melanesian city rather than a resort, and that is part of its appeal. Cruise ships berth alongside at Point Cruz Wharf, where the Solomon Islands Ports Authority opened the Millennium Cruise Passenger Terminal in December 2024, with arrival lounges, a café and space for local tour operators. From the gate you walk straight onto Mendana Avenue, the main street: the National Museum, the Art Gallery, the Visitors Bureau and the World War II memorials are 5–10 minutes west, and the Central Market, with its fish hall, betel nut sellers and shell money, about 10–15 minutes east. Up the hill behind the town stand the domed Parliament and, a short taxi ride further, the US War Memorial on Skyline Ridge, with views over Iron Bottom Sound and Savo Island. The famous battlefields lie east of town: Henderson Field (now the international airport), Bloody Ridge and Red Beach, 15–40 minutes by car. To the west, the coast road leads to Bonegi, where Japanese transport wrecks lie a few metres off the beach for snorkelling, and to the open-air Vilu War Museum, about 45 minutes away. There are no metered taxis or ride-hailing apps: agree the fare before you set off or hire a driver by the hour. Most of daily life runs on cash in Solomon Islands dollars. Sundays are very quiet, with many shops closed and few minibuses.
Cruise docks
Point Cruz Wharf — International Berth
Main deep-water berth on the Point Cruz peninsula (Solomon Islands Ports Authority), used by cruise ships that tie up alongside. The Millennium Cruise Passenger Terminal (opened December 2024) is beside the wharf; Mendana Avenue and the city centre are 5–10 minutes' walk.
Latitude: -9.426943, Longitude: 159.959606
See dock on port map →Honiara Domestic Port — Millennium Terminal Berths
Smaller berths in the domestic port area next to the new terminal and the SIPA gate on Mendana Avenue, used by expedition ships and inter-island ferries. Very large ships may instead anchor off and tender here.
Latitude: -9.428999, Longitude: 159.959264
See dock on port map →Getting to Honiara
From the cruise terminal to the city centre
Map & things to do
Money & payments
Bring cash: withdraw Solomon dollars at the Point Cruz ATMs and carry small notes for taxis, entry fees at Vilu and Bonegi, the market and crafts. Some drivers accept Australian or US dollars, but at a poor rate.
Build your perfect day in Honiara
Tell us your cruise line, ship and departure date and we'll give you a complete set of full port information and playbooks of how to spend your day.
Inside the South Pacific collection
Here's a peek at everything waiting for your Honiara cruise day.
Typical weather
Emergency & contacts
Excursions compared
3 comparedHoniara highlights: Central Market, US War Memorial and Parliament
≈ 2.5 h · sold by 2 cruise lines
Cruise line
€80$90
Do it yourself
€23$26
Save ≈ €57Save ≈ $64 (71% off)
Ships berth alongside at Point Cruz, so walk out of the port gate and 10–15 minutes east along Mendana Avenue to the Central Market (free, closed Sundays). From the market take an unmetered taxi up to the US War Memorial on Skyline Ridge and back down to Parliament: agree about SI$200 per car for the hour including waiting (Tourism Solomons suggests roughly SI$10 per km as fair). Walk down to the free National Museum and National Art Gallery on Mendana Avenue and have lunch at the waterfront Breakwater Café (SI$80–150) before walking back to the wharf.
See the DIY plan →
Guadalcanal eastern battlefields: Red Beach, Henderson Field and Bloody Ridge
≈ 3.5 h · sold by 2 cruise lines
Cruise line
€100$113
Do it yourself
€58$65
Save ≈ €42Save ≈ $47 (42% off)
Book a licensed local driver-guide in advance or hire a taxi at the port gate for about 4 hours at a fixed cash price (roughly SI$800–1,000 per car, including waiting). Drive east along the Kukum Highway to Red Beach (≈40 min), then back via the Henderson Field memorials, the Betikama relics (small cash fee) and Edson's Ridge, finishing at the free US War Memorial on Skyline Ridge on the way back into town. Sites are free or ask small landowner fees, so carry small notes.
See the DIY plan →
Ready-made port days
8 plansHoniara for Free: Mendana Avenue, the Market & Chinatown
The real capital on foot: memorials, the museum's leaf houses, a riot of a market and the old Chinatown bridge.
Honiara Highlights: Market, Skyline Ridge & Parliament
The ship's highlights loop done your way: walk the market, taxi up to the US memorial, lunch on the waterfront.
Guadalcanal's Eastern Battlefields by Private Driver
Red Beach, Henderson Field and Bloody Ridge in one loop — the heart of the 1942 campaign without the coach.
West Coast: Vilu War Museum & the Bonegi Wreck Snorkel
Fighter planes in a jungle garden, then snorkel a Japanese transport ship straight off the beach.
Frequently asked questions
- Where does my cruise ship dock in Honiara?
- Your ship docks directly at the Honiara cruise terminal in Solomon Islands.
- Can I walk from the cruise port into Honiara?
- Yes. Honiara is walkable from the cruise port — many cruisers reach the city centre on foot.
- How do I get from the cruise port to Honiara centre?
- Typical options include On foot, Taxi, Local bus. Durations and costs are listed in the transport section above.
- How much time do I need in Honiara?
- Plan for at least 2 hours ashore to see Honiara independently and return to the ship with a safe buffer.
- What currency is used in Honiara and are cards accepted?
- Honiara uses the Solomon Islands dollar. Carry some cash for markets, taxis, and smaller vendors — cards aren't accepted everywhere.
- Is there Wi-Fi at the cruise port?
- Wi-Fi isn't reliably available at the Honiara cruise terminal. Consider a local SIM or your cruise line's data package.
- When should I be back at the ship?
- Cruise lines usually require all passengers on board about 30 minutes before scheduled departure. Confirm the exact all-aboard time on your daily programme.
Have something to share about Honiara Cruise Port?
Share a photo, suggest a thing to do, drop a map link, or tell us what you did in port.
Add a contributionAdmin reviews every contribution before it goes live.