Hopping the Hapi Isles

The only traffic in Gizo is underwater and none of it is human. As MARK HARADA emerges from its depths, he understands how the Solomon Islands got its Hapi Isles moniker.

A VISIT to Gizo, capital of the Western Province of the Solomon Islands, can mean many things. Travellers come to dive, snorkel, surf, fish, or just while away time in a place where time’s almost forgotten.

Here, one can experience island hopping in its truest form: from wining and dining across isles to grocery shopping for a homestay in Gizo town. Resorts are all accessible by boat, with many located on their own islets. Even the airport is on its own island.

Day trips in Gizo mirror this island hopping way of life.

The most popular tour around here, but one on which you won’t actually see another tourist, is the ‘triangular’ tour. By way of small motorised boat, of course, it takes in Gizo town, an isle dubbed ‘Kennedy Island’, and usually a visit to Mbabanga village.

Author: Mark Harada

Publisher: www.traveltalkmag.com.au

Date: September 13 2019

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