Things to Do in Solomon Islands in May
May weather, activities, events & insider tips
Low Season · Budget Friendly
May Weather in Solomon Islands
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
87°F (30°C)
High Temp
73°F (22°C)
Low Temp
5.6 inches (142 mm)
Rainfall
70%
Humidity
Is May Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
Advantages
- + Trade winds return, giving you actual breeze instead of the soup-thick air of the wet season - afternoons on the water finally feel refreshing
- + Water clarity peaks around WWII wreck sites near Bonegi and Tulagi, so snorkelers can see the Kinugawa Maru's deck rails 20 m (66 ft) down without a dive torch
- + Village yam and taro harvests finish, meaning markets in Auki and Gizo overflow with purple-skinned yams you can buy straight off the canoe and roast on hostel stoves
- + Flights from Brisbane and Nadi drop back to shoulder-season loads, so you stand a real chance of an empty row for the 3 h hop across the Coral Sea
Considerations
- − Afternoon squalls still roll in fast. If you're kayaking Marovo Lagoon you'll be pulling onto beaches at 2 pm half the days
- − Malaria risk bumps up a notch as temperatures stay above 23°C (73°F) at night - you'll need prophylaxis plus repellent for dusk ferry rides
- − Some high-island interior tracks, like the ascent to Mt. Kolombangara's crater lake, stay slick and leech-ridden even in the 'dry' month
Best Activities in May
Top things to do during your visit
Florida Islands Wreck Dives
May's plankton die-off turns the channel between Tulagi and Florida into aquarium water. You can free-dive the 1942 American Hellcat fighter at 6 m (20 ft) off Tanambogo and still count the rivets. Current is mild, surface temp sits at 29°C (84°F), and only live-aboards that bothered to sail up from Australia share the site.
Booking Tip: Book Tulagi-based operators at least a week ahead. They consolidate divers from Honiara hotels and need head-count for fuel. Look for vessels with shade canopies - sun off white coral sand is brutal.
Marovo Lagoon Village Stay
May evenings drop to a tolerable 25°C (77°F), so sleeping in leaf-hut bungalows above the lagoon no longer feels like being wrapped in a plastic bag. Carvers finish big nguzu-nguzu figureheads for June festivals. You can watch them adzing mahogany while kids paddle dugouts home from school at dusk.
Booking Tip: Seghe airport to Uepi is a 45-minute open-boat ride - confirm transfers are included or you'll pay twice. Community stays require cash payment to the chief on arrival. Bring clean bills.
Honiara Central Market Dawn Circuit
Sunrise at 6:15 am gives you two hours before the day's heat hits 30°C (86°F). That's when women from Guadalcanal's Weather Coast unload baskets of slippery cabbage and reef fish still flapping. You can breakfast on roasted breadfruit slices dipped in fresh coconut cream for pocket change and watch parliament staffers haggle over betel nut.
Booking Tip: No booking needed. But bring small Solomon dollars before 8 am - the nearest ATM runs dry on Fridays. Keep camera in a dry bag. Drizzle starts suddenly and taro leaves leak water everywhere.
Skull Island & Roviana Canoe Culture Day
North-west winds flatten the strait between Munda and Skull Island, so outrigger travel time halves compared with February swells. The shrines of head-hunting chiefs sit only 1 m (3 ft) above high tide; May's lower spring tides let you walk the coral causeway without soaking your camera bag.
Booking Tip: Depart Munda mid-morning - by midday the breeze dies and chugging exhaust fumes back toward the mangroves ruins photos. Licensed guides carry portable VHF radios for weather checks. Confirm before boarding.
Highlands Waterfall Treks, Guadalcanal
Mt. Austen's ten waterfalls still flow strong even though rainfall eases off. Mid-morning cloud cover keeps the saddle at 24°C (75°F) so the 8 km (5 mile) loop to the WWII American memorial doesn't feel like jungle boot camp. Trackside villager stalls sell chilled young coconuts for re-hydration that beats any isotonic drink.
Booking Tip: Hire a guide in Tetere - trailheads cross customary land and fees go straight to land-owners. Allow five hours including photo stops; Honiara hotel pickups add an hour each way due to traffic around the Burns Creek ford.
Where to Stay in Solomon Islands in May
Hand-picked hotels across price tiers for May travellers.
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View Solomon Islands Packing List →Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
Insider Knowledge
Book domestic flights first, then hotels - Solomon Airlines releases extra Honiara-Gizo and Honira-Munda seats only 30 days out, and accommodation owners know it
If the lagoon looks glassy at 7 am, move boat trips forward. Wind often picks up by 10 am and operators won't risk whitecaps
Village protocol: always bring a small gift of rice or sugar. Handing over cash directly is fine at markets but awkward in family kitchens
Sunday flights still run. But almost every shop in Honiara shuts - stock snacks on Saturday or you'll breakfast on instant noodles from the Chinese trade store
Avoid These Mistakes
Assuming 'shoulder season' means cheaper guesthouses - most outer-island eco-lodges keep the same rate year-round because supply is tiny
Waiting for perfect weather windows; May is transitional and forecasts change in hours, so say yes to today's trip and accept a soaking
Trying to do five islands in a week. Domestic hops rely on 19-seat planes that prioritize locals and cargo - build two spare days into the itinerary
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