Information
Landmark: Ngela IslandsCity: Makira
Country: Solomon Islands
Continent: Australia
Ngela Islands, Makira, Solomon Islands, Australia
Overview
The Ngela Islands, also called the Florida Islands, form a stunning and storied chain in the Central Province of the Solomon Islands, where palm-lined shores meet waters as clear as glass, not only that these islands, with rainforests thick as green velvet, dazzling coral reefs, and echoes of World War II, stand as one of the Pacific’s most treasured cultural and ecological gems.The Ngela Islands, or Florida Islands, sit in the Central Province of the Solomon Islands at roughly 9°S 160°E, just north of Guadalcanal across Iron Bottom Sound, with Honiara only about 35 km away by boat; made up of several islands, the largest are Ngela Sule (Big Florida) and Ngela Pile (Little Florida), home to the Ngela people-skilled fishermen, canoe builders, and traders who keep alive traditions of storytelling, dance, and fine craftsmanship, once trading widely and practicing headhunting before the late‑1800s arrival of British colonial rule and Anglican missionaries, whose influence ended the practice; during World War II, the islands became a strategic Allied base, the surrounding waters now holding the wrecks of ships, planes, and equipment beneath reefs alive with bright fish, sea turtles, and the occasional dugong grazing in sunlit shallows, while dense mangroves shelter birds and protect the coasts; today, most locals fish for tuna, reef fish, and shellfish or farm coconuts, taro, yams, cassava, and betel nuts, with tourism growing around diving on coral and wrecks, visiting traditional villages, and exploring WWII sites, though logging, overfishing, and climate change remain threats-efforts to conserve forests and marine life are increasing, and on Tulagi, once the colonial capital and now a small town of historic buildings and relics, visitors can arrange dives through Iron Bottom Sound, hike rainforest trails, and watch exotic birds flash through the trees, as well as the islands, with their glassy blue waters, colorful reef fish, echoes of World War II, and lively street markets, offer rich opportunities for sustainable tourism and conservation.Amid rising environmental pressures, local communities team up with conservation groups to safeguard this Pacific paradise, from its turquoise lagoons to its nesting sea turtles, for the generations yet to come.
