Tulagi

Tulagi is the small island capital of Central Province in the Solomon Islands, set within the Nggela (Florida) Islands north of Guadalcanal. A former capital of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate, it is now a quiet provincial centre known for its sheltered harbour and deep Second World War history.

The town served as the administrative capital of the protectorate from 1896 to 1942. In August 1942 the Battle of Tulagi opened the Guadalcanal campaign, and the waters of nearby Ironbottom Sound still hold numerous wartime shipwrecks, making the area a noted destination for history and wreck diving.

The waterfront settlement of Tulagi Station is the island's focus, with government offices, a wharf and a small number of shops and guesthouses. Around it, Central Province spans the Nggela Islands, volcanic Savo Island with its megapode fields, and the Russell Islands, offering boat trips, reefs, hot springs and village visits.

Tulagi remains an important administrative and service centre for island communities, with a hospital, wharf and modest tourism infrastructure. Its compact scale, WWII heritage and access to dive sites such as the USS Aaron Ward, USS Kanawha and HMNZS Moa give it a distinct Pacific character.

For travellers, Tulagi offers a slower, historically rich island experience reached by boat from Honiara. Leisure visitors come for diving and island exploration, while business and government travellers use the town as a base for provincial work across Central Province.