Top 5 best scooter rentals in Honiara

Guadalcanal's capital doesn't look like much from the airport road, but give yourself a set of wheels and Honiara opens up fast. Ride out past Point Cruz waterfront in the morning and you can be snorkelling over a WWII shipwreck at Bonegi Beach by lunchtime, or climbing into the hills above town to stand on Bloody Ridge, where some of the fiercest fighting of the Pacific campaign took place. This is a city built around one coastal highway and a scattering of unforgettable stops, and a **scooter rental in Honiara** is the easiest way to string them all together in a single day.

Honiara suits two wheels better than most Pacific capitals. It's small, low-rise and coastal, with light traffic by regional standards, so you're never fighting the kind of gridlock you'd find in a bigger city. The catch is that public transport is thin on the ground and taxis aren't always easy to flag down once you're outside the centre, while a rental car and driver can feel like overkill for what is, in the end, mostly flat coastal road. If you want to reach the waterfalls, wrecks and war memorials strung along the coast without committing to a full-day car hire, **renting a scooter in Honiara** gets you there on your own schedule.

Top 10 things to see in Honiara by scooter

1. Bloody Ridge (Edson's Ridge) — WWII trenches and monuments in the hills above town, a short climb from the centre.
2. Vilu War Museum — an open-air field of wrecked WWII aircraft and guns west of the city, the classic day-trip stop.
3. Skyline Ridge / US War Memorial — a hilltop memorial with sweeping views over Honiara and Iron Bottom Sound.
4. Botanical Gardens — a shaded green space near the National Museum, worth a break when riding through town.
5. Point Cruz waterfront — the harbourfront strip of markets and views, a natural start or end point for any ride.
6. Bonegi Beach — the Bonegi I and II wreck sites just offshore, perfect for a snorkel stop on the coast road west of the city.
7. Tenaru Falls — a waterfall inland from Honiara, reached by riding then a short walk, and a firm local favourite.
8. Mataniko Falls — another accessible waterfall, often paired with a walk through a nearby village once you've parked up.
9. Henderson Field / Guadalcanal American Memorial — the historic WWII airfield and a peaceful memorial park east of the city.
10. Honiara Central Market — a lively produce and craft market, a good first ride to get your bearings in town.

What do you need to rent a scooter in Honiara?

Organised scooter rental is still a rare thing in Honiara, and where it's arranged, expect the basics you'd need anywhere: a full home driving licence with a two-wheeler entitlement, and an International Driving Permit (IDP) alongside it, since local recognition of foreign licences isn't clearly standardised here. Minimum age is set by the individual operator rather than a fixed national rule, so expect to be treated as a fully licensed adult rather than a young learner. A cash deposit in local currency is usually held for the duration of the rental, and it's worth asking upfront what it covers, since insurance excess on informal rentals can run high.

How much does it cost to rent a scooter in Honiara?

Prices swing with the weather more than with crowds. In low season you're looking at roughly 45-55 SBD per day for a standard scooter, rising to around 65-85 SBD per day in high season, with premium models running 90-120 SBD per day.

• June to August, the dry season and peak diving period, is when rates climb toward the top of the range.
• December to March, the wetter months, bring quieter roads and the cheapest daily rates.

When to book a rental scooter in Honiara?

Book well ahead no matter the month — fleets here are small, and availability is limited by supply rather than demand. That said, June through September is the sweet spot: the driest, coolest stretch of the year with the most reliable road conditions for reaching Bonegi, Tenaru and the ridge memorials without a washed-out crossing in the way. November through April brings the wet season and cyclone risk, when unsealed roads outside town can turn to mud and prices ease off as visitor numbers drop.

Local traffic rules in Honiara

Solomon Islands drives on the left, and vehicles are right-hand drive, so keep that in mind if you're used to the opposite. Posted speed limits are low, around 50 km/h in Honiara and other built-up areas, though sparse signage and patchy road surfaces do more to keep speeds down than any sign ever will. Wear a helmet on any powered two-wheeler as a matter of course, even where enforcement is light — medical evacuation from the Solomons is slow and expensive, so it's not worth the risk. Drink-driving is a criminal offence and police checkpoints do operate around Honiara, particularly at night and on weekends, so plan your rides with that in mind and always fill up before heading out of town, since fuel stations thin out fast beyond the city limits.

Types of scooters available

On our website you can rent the following types of scooters: classic scooter, Vespa, moped, motoroller, motoscooter, with a sidecar, with automatic or manual gears, three-wheeled scooters, large, maxi-scooter, touring, scooters with a windscreen and a roof, underbones, electric scooters.

Models of scooters available

On our website you can hire scooters from the following manufacturers: Adly, Aeon, Aprilia, Piaggio, Bajaj, Benelli, Beta, BMW, Derbi, Gilera, Honda, Kawasaki, Kymco, LML, Malaguti, Peugeot, PGO, Suzuki, SYM, TVS, Vespa, Yamaha.

Which insurance is provided with my rental scooter?

Usually basic third-party insurance is included in the rental price. If you wish to have more protection you can purchase additional CDW insurance, which limits your risk to the amount of your deposit. If you wish to rent a scooter without a deposit and with zero risk, you will need to add full insurance to your reservation.

Extra services available

When you make an online scooter reservation you can also order the following extra services and equipment: integral helmet, GPS navigation, intercom, unlimited mileage, top case, side cases, boots, jacket, gloves, individual guide or tour, map, full insurance, one-way rental, delivery to your hotel, delivery to your address, delivery to the arrival point of your choice.

Why use BikesBooking.com?

• Find the best deals for scooter hire;
• Compare prices of scooter rental companies;
• Read reviews of previous customers;
• Reserve a scooter online with the Best Price Guarantee!

Most of our local moped rental companies have many years of experience and will provide you with a well-kept scooter, helmet, lock, top case, GPS, insurance and friendly service. The number of companies we work with is increasing every day, so if you want to rent a scooter, just use the search form at the top of the page. Have a nice trip!