The Central Province consists of the Florida and Russell groups and Savo Island, just north and west of Honiara. The Provincial centre is Tulagi, the old pre-war British administration centre, now reachable across the "Iron Bottom Sound" by ship or canoe, from Honiara. There are some excellent dive locations around the coast of the Floridas and Russells, in particular. There are some eco-resorts including Maravagi, just a two hour canoe ride from Honiara (book via the Visitors Bureau) located in a tranquil passage with superlative growths of coral and an excellent cook.

The main town in the Russell Islands is Yandina (Solomon Airlines flies there). This region is home to many small sandy-shored islets and lagoons, as well as a substantial oil palm and copra planation.

Savo Island, a live volcano, is one of the most interesting trips you can make whilst based in Honiara. Savo is a 31 sq. km island lying 13km off Northern Guadalcanal.  It is an active volcano island with a pair of craters, one enclosing the other.  Although these volcanic cones are currently dormant, they are believed to be potentially dangerous.  The islands’ several peaks are a mixture of eroded ridges and lava flows. Alvaro de Mendana’s expedition saw the volcano erupting in early April, 1568 and called it Sasarga. In 1840 it erupted with considerable loss of life.

The population of about 2,500 is wholly Melanesian and scattered around the island in 14 main villages. Savo is renowned for its megapode birds which use the heat of the volcanic soil to help its young hatch from their large eggs.

The highlight of the trip is a visit to the megapode nesting and hatcheries. The bird is about 28 - 38 cm and digs a deep hole in the hot soil for nesting.  After a long incubation period of 8 to 9 weeks, the young hatch fully feathered and are able to run immediately and fly within 24 hours.  Ground temperatures rise to around 85C (185F) and mud boils in several places.  The best hot springs are at Fisher Voghala on the edge of the main crater.