Ironbottom Sound

Ironbottom Sound is the grim nickname given by Allied sailors to the stretch of water between Guadalcanal, Savo Island, and the Florida Islands. Formally known as Savo Sound, the area earned its name due to the dozens of ships and aircraft that sank to the ocean floor during the intense naval engagements of 1942 and 1943. The sound witnessed some of the most violent maritime battles in history, including the Battle of Savo Island, the Battle of Cape Esperance, and the massive Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. The high concentration of steel on the seabed is so significant that it is said to affect the magnetic compass readings of passing vessels. Today, the area is a protected underwater archaeological site and a final resting place for thousands of sailors. While many wrecks lie in extremely deep water, some are accessible to specialized technical divers, making it one of the world's most significant wreck-diving locations.

Nearby cities

Point Cruz Business District

This district in Honiara is the commercial heart of the country.

Honiara

The capital of the Solomon Islands is located on the north coast of Guadalcanal.

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Kokumbona

A former village west of Honiara that served as the headquarters for the Japanese 17th Army during the Guadalcanal campaign.

Lungga

Lungga is an industrial and residential settlement on the eastern edge of Honiara, located by the river of the same name.

Auki Market Center

Auki is the economic center of Malaita Province.

Auki

Auki is the capital of Malaita Province and one of the largest towns in the country.

Buala

Buala is the capital of Isabel Province, located on the Maringe Lagoon.

A-Tulagi

The surrounding area of Tulagi includes several small island settlements in the Central Province.

Tulagi

Tulagi was the former capital of the British Protectorate and is now the capital of the Central Province.

Tulagi Island

The former capital of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate.

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Aruligo

Aruligo is a growing rural community northwest of Honiara, known for its agriculture.

Visale

Visale is a historical Catholic mission station on the western tip of Guadalcanal, featuring a prominent church.

History & landmarks

Honiara City Council

The city council's administrative building is the hub of Honiara's local government.

Savo Crater

The Savo Crater forms the center of the volcanic island of Savo north of Guadalcanal.

Vilu War Museum

An impressive open-air museum on Guadalcanal featuring well-preserved WWII aircraft wrecks and memorials.

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Ironbottom Sound Memorial

This stretch of water between Guadalcanal and Savo is an underwater memorial to dozens of sunken ships.

Bonegi II Wreck

The Bonegi II is a Japanese transport ship lying just meters from the shore.

Vilu P-38 Wreck

A well-preserved P-38 Lightning wreck at the Vilu Museum, representing the aerial combat over Guadalcanal.

Lungga Plain

The Lungga Plain is the most significant lowland area on Guadalcanal, formed by the deposits of the Lungga River.

Point Cruz

A small peninsula in central Honiara.

More places

Savo Island Wrecks

The waters surrounding Savo Island are the final resting place of numerous warships sunk during the disastrous night battle of 1942.

Savo Island Volcano

The volcano on Savo Island is a prominent geographical landmark.

Savo Island

A volcanic island north of Guadalcanal that gave its name to one of the worst naval defeats in US history.

Mount Gallego

Mount Gallego is an extinct volcano in northwestern Guadalcanal.

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Aruligo Copra Mill

The mill near Aruligo processes coconuts into oil and copra meal.

Bonegi Beach

A popular beach west of Honiara, famous for two large Japanese shipwrecks resting in shallow water just offshore.

Vilu War Museum

An open-air museum west of Honiara featuring an impressive collection of WWII aircraft wrecks, artillery, and memorials.

Poha Cave

A significant archaeological site west of Honiara providing evidence of human habitation dating back thousands of years.