Honiara

Honiara

Honiara is the Solomon Islands' capital and largest city, located on the northwest coast of Guadalcanal at the mouth of the Mataniko River. The airfield area east of Honiara was the location of the battle between the United States and the Japanese during the Guadalcanal Campaign of World War II, the Battle of Henderson Field in 1942, of which America came out victorious. One of the city's landmarks is the Guadalcanal American Memorial. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Red Beach landings, the American War Memorial was unveiled on August 7, 1992. The Solomons Peace Memorial Park, which was built by Japanese war veterans in memory of those who died in World War II, is approximately 3.5 kilometers down the coastal road. There are many other World War II relics in and around Honiara, such as the monument erected in honor of Sergeant Major Jacob Vouza, a highly decorated war hero who managed to escape after being tortured by the Japanese and lived to tell the story. The National Museum displays traditional handicrafts and historical artefacts, especially archaeology, currencies, weapons, languages, personal ornaments, traditional music and dance, agricultural tools, the country's life and natural environment, fishing tools and equipment, as well as a wide range of publications and handicraft products. The National Art Gallery's Botanical Garden is famous for its orchids and shrubs. The gardens include a herbarium, a lily-filled waterbody, walkways and a Watapamu village, one of the islands' most distinctive villages.