Honiara, Solomon Islands

Capital City

With a population of just 92,344, Honiara is the largest city in the Solomon Islands, but it's far from a tropical paradise. Decades of ethnic violence and political unrest have left the city scarred, with the commercial heart "virtually reduced to rubble and ashes" during riots in 2006. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, with the city's three parliamentary constituencies home to over 10,000 voters each. And while the climate is tropical, Honiara is subject to monsoons and has even recorded temperatures as high as 36.1°C. Honiara may be the capital, but it's a gritty, conflict-prone city best suited for the hardened expat or adventurous traveler, not the faint of heart.