The Solomon Islands

The Solomon Islands are one of the few remaining places where one can well and truly get away from it all. Many of these islands support only tiny coastal villages where the main mode of transport is dugout canoe and where fishing on reefs by hand is commonplace. They are very much off the tourist map and, until recently, have been difficult and expensive for birders to reach – and the Solomons are worth reaching! The tour of these islands (and the optional extension to remote Rennell Island) offer the opportunity to see more than 70 endemics and more than 20 near-endemics (also found on other Melanesian islands), in addition to a large number of regional specialties.

In addition to the allure of the numerous endemics, near endemics, and endemic subspecies, we will also have the chance to see the sole members of four genera known exclusively to these islands: Woodford’s Rail, Solomons Frogmouth, Makira Honeyeater, and the Bare-eyed White Eye as the stars of the show.