Munda: Roviana Lagoon, Skull Island and war history

Arriving in Munda

Munda Airport has one of the longest runways in the country, and flights from Honiara land here several times a week. The town is spread out along the coast, with a market, a few stores, guesthouses, a hotel and the dive shop. Most lodges send a boat or vehicle to meet you.

Roviana Lagoon

Roviana Lagoon stretches along the coast of New Georgia, protected by a chain of barrier islands. Boat trips take you past villages on stilts, through mangrove channels and out to white sand islets. The lagoon was once home to fearsome head hunting warriors, and its history is still visible.

Skull Island

**Skull Island** is a small islet where the skulls of Roviana chiefs and warriors were placed in a shrine of coral stones. It is a sacred custom site, so visit only with a local guide, pay the custom fee and behave respectfully. It is one of the most memorable cultural stops in the country.

War relics

Munda was a major battleground in 1943. The **Peter Joseph WWII Museum** displays a large private collection of helmets, weapons, dog tags and aircraft parts found around the area. Divers explore an **Airacobra** fighter, a **Douglas Dauntless** dive bomber and other wrecks in the lagoon, and on land you can see guns and aircraft remains in the bush with a guide.

Diving and snorkelling

Outside the barrier islands, the walls drop into deep blue water with sharks, barracuda, turtles and huge fans. **Shark Point** and **Susu Hite** are well known sites, and inside the lagoon there are coral gardens perfect for snorkelling. Dive Munda runs trips for all levels.

Tetepare and Rendova

**Tetepare Island**, a short boat ride south, is one of the largest uninhabited islands in the South Pacific, protected by its descendants' association. Its eco lodge offers rainforest walks, turtle tagging, snorkelling with bumphead parrotfish and real conservation work. Across the channel, **Rendova** has a volcanic peak, quiet villages and simple eco lodges.

Waterfalls and rivers

Inland, **Holupuru Falls** is a refreshing swimming spot reached by a walk through village gardens, and boat trips go up rivers into the rainforest. Ask your lodge to arrange a guide and confirm who owns the land.

Where to stay

The **Agnes Gateway Hotel** on the waterfront is the main hotel in town and a good base for diving. On a lagoon island, **Zipolo Habu Resort** on Lola Island offers simple bungalows, fishing and snorkelling. Small family guesthouses round out the options. See our places to visit list for more.

Practical tips

There is limited banking in Munda, so carry enough cash. Bring reef shoes, a torch, insect repellent and malaria tablets as advised by your doctor. Sundays are for church and rest, so plan quiet days.

A sample few days

On day one, visit the Peter Joseph WWII Museum and walk along the airstrip road to see how the town grew around it. On day two, spend the morning diving or snorkelling outside the barrier islands and the afternoon on a lagoon tour to Skull Island and the villages. On day three, walk to Holupuru Falls or take a river trip into the rainforest. With more time, add two or three nights at Tetepare or an eco lodge on Rendova, or take a boat on to Gizo. Book boat transfers a day ahead and always check the weather before open water crossings, because conditions outside the lagoon can change quickly.