Rennell and Bellona Province

Introduction

Rennell and Bellona is a province in the Solomon Islands comprising two inhabited atolls, Rennell (Mu Nggava) and Bellona (Mu Ngiki), as well as the uninhabited Indispensable Reef. They are both inhabited by Polynesians, unlike most islands in the Solomons which are inhabited by Melanesians. The main attraction in the province is UNESCO World Heriage listed Lake Tegano on the island of Rennell. It is the largest lake in the Pacific.

Geography

Both Rennell and Bellona are raised coral atolls.

Rennell is the larger island and has a land area of about 660 km². It is 80 kilometres long and about 14 kilometres wide. It is the second largest raised coral atoll in the world and has the largest lake in the Pacific.

Bellona is the smaller of the two islands, only 10 kilometres long and a width of about 2.5 kilometres. The total area is about 17km². It is surrounded by 30-70 m high cliffs.

Villages

• Tigoa is the provincial capital and is located on the island of Rennell.

Sights and Activities

• Lake Tegano, on Rennell, the largest in the Pacific, is 27 km long and 9 kms wide. At the western end of the lake, there are about 200 islets. In addition to the unique wildlife in the area, there are also the sunken remains of several Catalina seaplanes from WWII. Some of them are in shallow water.
• There are various caves on Rennell with streams running through them that can be great for a refreshing dip. Ask around with the locals to get someone to take you to one.
• Sacred stones can be found on the western end of Bellona, at Metahenua.

Events and Festivals

• Province Day is celebrated on the 20th of July

See the Solomon Islands article for a list of national holidays.

Weather

The Solomon Islands has a tropical climate with temperatures averaging 28 °C in coastal areas. May to November tends to be the drier time of the year. The northwest monsoon season is from November to March, bringing with it warmer and wetter weather and occasional cyclones.