Solomon Islands

The Solomon Islands are a scattered constellation of nearly a thousand islands in the southwestern Pacific, where dense jungle, volcanic peaks, and some of the most biodiverse coral reefs on Earth create a landscape that feels genuinely primordial. The name comes from a 16th-century Spanish explorer who believed these islands held the riches of King Solomon, and while he was wrong about the gold, the natural wealth is staggering.

This is where some of the fiercest fighting of World War II took place. The Guadalcanal campaign of 1942-43 was a turning point in the Pacific War, and the seabed around the islands - known as Iron Bottom Sound - holds dozens of sunken warships and aircraft. Today, the Solomons remain one of the least touristed countries in the Pacific. Custom villages in the interior still practice traditional ways of life, shell money is still used alongside the dollar, and the Marovo Lagoon is the largest saltwater lagoon on Earth. It is a raw, wild, beautiful country that runs on its own unhurried Pacific time.