from that will take you into the crystal
blue waters to see for yourself the array of
marine life in all its glory. Close to Tulagi is
Twin Tunnels, a unique coral bombie. The
top of the reef is 12-16 metres and features
two tunnels eroded in the edge of the reef
descending down to a common cavern
exiting to the wall at 35 – 40 metres.
The make-up of the Solomon Islands
archipelago also means excellent surf and
especially during the October to March
period and surfers can still enjoy the
privilege of being among the first to surf
new breaks. One of the last surfing frontiers,
the ‘Hapi isles’ offer uncrowded surfing
perfection in a pristine natural and cultural
environment.
Diving, surfing, white-water rafting,
kayaking and sports fishing aside, if you
feel the need to slow down a little, the
destination offers trekking to suit all fitness
levels and timeframes. A short trip from
Honiara can take you along trails to exotic
beaches and local villages and waterfalls
including the magnificent Mataniko Falls,
an awe-inspiring experience just a short
distance from the bustling capital Honiara.
The Solomon Islands are also an
ornithological paradise, the jungles
teeming with unique, colorful endemic
birdlife best seen amongst mosses and wild
orchids found high in the cloud forest on
the slopes of volcanic Kolombangara.
And from the perspective of culture, with
an exotic mix of Melanesian, Polynesian and
Micronesian peoples, this part of the world
offers a beyond unique cultural experience,
elements of which are readily practiced
on an annual basis including the Wagosia
Spear Festival in June and the Shell Money
Festival in August.
A trip to Skull Island on the Vona Vona
lagoon offers a fascinating insight into a
time when headhunting was very much a
way of life before the advent of Christianity.
A skull-studded shrine on the island depicts
this deadly habit and also on nearby
Roviana Island where a shrine to Ingava, the
most ferocious head-hunter of all, still exists.
With 992 islands to choose from, the
Solomon Islands offer a truly unspoiled
natural playground but slowly and surely as
the word gets out, more and more people
are starting to discover this slice of the ‘New
Pacific’ for themselves.
Happily for the Solomon Islands,
the guardians of this wonderful place,
the Solomon islanders themselves, are
determined that nothing will change and
this remarkable place will always remain
just as it was meant to – a veritable garden
of Eden in an unchanging paradise.
GETTING THERE
Solomon Airlines, the national airline
of the Solomon Islands and the ‘best
little airline in the Pacific’, celebrates 54
years of service in October. Solomon
Airlines operates its regular international
Airbus A320 services from Honiara to
Brisbane, Sydney, Vanuatu and Fiji.
For information on flights, visit:
www.flysolomons.com;
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/flysolomons
24 Ultimate Adventure Pass
the new
HIMALAYAS
an adventurer’s delight
T
he word ‘Himalayas’ is often
synonymous with Nepal, but
vast tracts of this magnificent
range form the northern borders
of India. From Ladakh and Himachal
Pradesh in the northwest through to
Darjeeling and Sikkim in the east, these
beautiful mountains offer a diversity of
scenery and culture unmatched anywhere,
without the crowds of Nepal. Nestled at the
base of the range, in the state of Himachal
Pradesh, sits Manali, the gateway to
adventure in the Indian Himalayas.
Although growing in popularity over the
past 10 years, Manali is still a sleepy laidback town. Surrounded by high peaks in
the beautiful green valley of the Beas River,
it’s not dissimilar to the Swisse Alps. With
mountain adventures beckoning from all
directions, adventurers come for trekking,
climbing, mountain biking, canyoning,
paragliding, rafting and skiing. It’s also
the main jumping point for access to
Ladakh and the Spiti Valley, and as Manali
has an altitude of only 2000m, it makes a
great spot to relax and acclimatize before
heading higher into the mountains.
Meo Adventures offers trekking, cycling
and mountain biking tours in the region.
All are tailored to suit you and your family
and there is a wide range of experiences, so
you’ll find something to put a smile on your
face. Here are our picks from their offerings:
MANALI TO LEH CYCLING TOUR.
14 days. 11,000m climbing. Only road
bike tour of the Himalayas.
If you’re up for a real challenge and like a
mix of on and off-road riding, then this tour
is for you. Starting in Manali with green,
snow-capped mountains then through the
Himalayan moonscape to Leh, a traditional
Northern Indian city.
Over 10 days of cycling, you’ll cycle
600km climb over 11,000m up and over
Continue
OUTER EDGE 25