Honiara, Solomon Islands · UTC+11 ☆

Honiara is in the Solomon Islands Time timezone (SBT/UTC+11), year-round with no daylight saving.

Honiara is the capital of the Solomon Islands, sitting on the northern coast of Guadalcanal island in the southwestern Pacific. It runs on Solomon Islands Time, UTC+11, year-round. No daylight saving.

At UTC+11, Honiara shares its timezone with Nouméa in New Caledonia. When it is noon in Honiara, it is 1am in London and 8am in Sydney.

The Battle of Guadalcanal

Guadalcanal was the site of one of World War II’s most significant Pacific battles. From August 1942 to February 1943, American and Japanese forces fought for control of the island, particularly the airfield that would become Henderson Field (today Honiara International Airport). The six-month campaign involved naval battles, air combat, and grinding jungle warfare.

Time coordination was critical in the campaign. Allied forces operated across multiple timezones. The “Tokyo Express,” the Japanese naval supply runs that traveled at night, required precise scheduling. The battles were planned to the hour.

Today the island is dotted with war memorials and sunken ships in what divers call Iron Bottom Sound.

Pacific island rhythms

At 9.4 degrees South latitude, Honiara has consistent tropical light year-round. The clock matters less here than the tides and the seasons. Fishing, market days, and religious services (the Solomon Islands has very high Christian observance) structure the week more than office hours.

Convert 9am Honiara time to other cities.

Sources

• IANA Time Zone Database
• Solomon Islands National Statistics Office
• Frank, Richard B. Guadalcanal: The Definitive Account of the Landmark Battle. Random House, 1990.