Travel Guide Oceania Melanesia Solomon Islands Rennell and Bellona Province Bellona
Bellona Island was the last Polynesian island to Christianize. The year was 1938. Since then, the people of Bellona Island completely transformed, but it took another 30 years before a handful of Bellonese achieved basic Western education. Bellona island is known throughout the world through the works of anthropologists, Tobern Monberg and Rolf Kuschel (Denmark). The island was named Bellona in the 19th century after Capt Edward Gardner's ship, Bellona. The original name is Mu Ngiki.
Bellona Island is a part of the Solomon Islands, an independent country since 1978. Nearby is Rennell Island with which it shares the same culture, language and ancestors. The two islands make up the Rennell and Bellona Province in the Solomon Islands.
Bellona is located some 180 kilometres southeast of Guadalcanal Island. The island is about 10 kilometres long and 8 kilometres wide. It is bowl shaped; high rising cliffs and forest protect the middle of the island where Bellonese live.
Bellona is the smallest of the two islands that make up the Rennell and Bellona Province. The main Provincial center is located on Renell Island (Tigoa, West Rennell). There are ten villages located on Bellona.
While visiting Bellona island, you can take the opportunity to visit the following historic places; places that are crucial to the history of the Bellonese people.
There are a variety of activities you could do while on Bellona including hiking, biking, photography, bird watching, watching sunset, watching stars on incredibly clear nights and watching cultural dances.
The weather in Bellona is perhaps the most unexpected and dangerous of all the places on earth. The island is extremely dependent on rainwater and each home has a water tank that stores water for cooking, bathing, and hand-washing of clothes and cooking/eating utensils.
However, Bellona island lies right on the hurricane path, which makes the island extremely vulnerable to both hurricanes and droughts. Between March and September, Bellona often experiences considerable dry/no rain period. Severe drought flows by a serious low-depression that then turns into the a tropical cyclone.
The worst cyclones that hit Bellona Island (known)
1. 1979 : Cyclone Kerry
2. 1986 : Cyclone Namu
3. 1993 : Cyclone Nina
Since then, strong winds have occurred on Bellona, but not ones strong enough to be considered cyclones.
Toward the end of the year (November to February) and the first two months of the new year, rain may be relentless. However, because Bellona has no running river, the island absorbs every drop of water. In other words, long periods of rain don't affect Bellona Island.
There are only two ways to get to Bellona island. Rennell and Bellona province acquired a ship in 2005 (Mv. Renbel) that serves the two islands on a monthly basis. Solomon Airlines also serves Bellona island twice weekly.
Solomon Airlines serves Bellona twice a week (Sunday and Thursday). Sunday is a late flight and Thursday is an early flight. You can make your own booking down town Honiara (Main Airline office) or online.
Mv. Renbel travels to Bellona twice a month. There is however no fixed schedule. The main office of Mv. Renbel is located in down-town Honiara, Solomon Islands' capital. This office is often sent a travel schedule for Mv. Renbel on the radio or by notice posted on public boards around Honiara.
Bellona is only 10 kilometres long, and quite achievable to navigate on foot.
Bikes are an ideal way to get around Bellona. You can have a bicycle put on the boat to Bellona Island and pick it up when the boat gets there. Or you can rent a bicycle. If you stay at a Lodge or Guest house at the end of Bellona Island and want to go to the air strip or to the other end of Bellona, you would need a bike. Don't under-estimate this.
Two Provincial trucks serve the island. The blue truck is stationed at the Eastern part of the island and the white truck is based at the Western part of Bellona. These trucks serve the island on rental basis ($100).
Guesthouses on Bellona Island provide their guests meals-mainly local food and basically sea-food. If you are not keen on trying out the local foods, you should bring your own.
There is no running water on Bellona, only rainwater. But the islanders are accustomed to drinking coconut juice. If you wish, you can take your own mineral water with you to the island.
Bellona Island is free of the world's most venomous creatures and fortunately free of Malaria mosquito and parasite. There are mosquitoes all over the place. They are just annoying and won't make you sick. You may want to bring your own mosquito repellent or insect lotion or spray.
You can sleep anywhere you want: outside, on the beach, in your room, etc.
If you stay at a guesthouse, you will get a comfortable bed and a comfortable room.
| Property | Location | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suani Rest House | Guesthouse | ||
| Aotaha Cave Resort | Guesthouse | ||
| Ngangomatangi Resort | Resort | ||
| Tauahiti Guest House | Guesthouse | ||
| Tungua Lodge | Guesthouse | ||
| Bellona Lodge (former Oki Oki) | Guesthouse |
Peter (52%)
jtmoana (31%)We don't currently have any Travel Helpers for Bellona
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