Skull Island Solomon Islands: Inside a Headhunter Shrine

Skull Island isn’t the kind of place you stumble across on a typical South Pacific itinerary and that’s exactly what makes it so fascinating. It’s home to an open-air shrine filled with real human skulls: the remains of warrior chiefs, tribal leaders, and victims of headhunting raids from centuries past.

Despite the name, you’ve got nothing to worry about. Headhunting hasn’t been practiced here for generations, and the Solomon Islands is a very safe place to travel. Skull Island, however, remains a sacred site still cared for by local communities. While the visit is brief (usually around 20 minutes), it’s absolutely worth it to experience this powerful piece of cultural history firsthand.

When I first heard the name, I assumed it was just a tourist gimmick. But Skull Island is very real and so are the skulls. It offers a rare glimpse into the Solomon Islands’ pre-colonial past, where customs like headhunting played a central role in society and status.

I visited Skull Island while exploring the Western Province. I didn’t know much about it going in, but I left feeling like I’d stepped into a story few travelers ever get to hear. If you’re planning a trip to the Solomons, or just love learning about remote, off-the-map cultural sites theh this guide covers everything you need to know: how to get there, what to expect, and why this mysterious little island is worth your time.

How to Get to Skull Island

Skull Island (local name Nusa Kunda) is located in the Vonavona Lagoon, just off the coast of New Georgia Island in the Western Province of the Solomon Islands.

The closest access points are Gizo or Munda but there's no public transport, so you’ll need to arrange a visit through a local guide, lodge, or tour operator.

I visited from Zipolo Habu Resort, which is located on nearby Lola Island. It only took about 10 minutes by boat, and the staff at the resort arranged everything, including the kastom fee and local guide. Highly recommend staying here if you want a simple, stress-free visit.

• You’ll need a boat – Usually a fibreglass boat with an outboard. These are easy to arrange once you're in the area, and usually a guide will take you– but always check fuel costs and travel times in advance.
• Kastom fee applies – A small fee is paid to the traditional landowners before setting foot on the island. Your guide or lodge will usually handle this for you.

Skull Island Updates, Visitor Tips, & What I Learned

• Best time to go: Early morning or late afternoon is best for calm water and softer light. It also tends to be cooler and less buggy than midday.
• Current fee: As of this year I was told the landing/kastom fee is 50 SBD.
• What to wear: Lightweight clothes, and reef shoes or sturdy sandals are ideal especially if you are arriving at low tide like I did. You’ll be stepping straight from the boat onto a sandy or coral shoreline—no jetty, no walkway.
• Photography etiquette: Always ask your guide before taking photos of the shrine or skulls. Our guide said I was free to take photos of it all and that was no worries, but doesn't hurt to be respectful.

The Days of the Headhunters

Before Christianity and colonialism reshaped the Solomon Islands, headhunting in the Solomon Islands was a structured cultural practice. Warriors—primarily adult men—conducted raids on rival coastal villages to take enemy heads.

Chiefs gained power and status through warfare, and collecting the heads of rival leaders, enemy clans (women and children included) was one way of showing dominance.

However, it's easy to mistake the skulls as trophies through a Western lens. The skulls were spiritual symbols; each serving as a kind of protective force, preserving mana (spiritual power) and garnering status within the clan and respect from rivals.

Though when I visited Skull Island, my guide explained that not all of the skulls were victims of headhunter raids. Some were defeated enemies, rival chiefs, and some high-ranking warrior chiefs, whose skulls were purposely kept close to the site to honor their mana.

While each skull tells a story, only a few are truly known.

Most of the skulls on Skull Island are from the Roviana people, the dominant cultural group in this part of the Western Province and who often launched surprise raids using war canoes.

Most of this practice faded out during the early 1900s, as missionaries and colonial authorities banned headhunting. But in places like Skull Island, the bones of the past are still carefully preserved and respected.

My Experience Visiting Skull Island & What to Expect

When I arrived at Skull Island, the first thing I noticed was how unassuming it looked. Just a tiny, tree-covered islet in the middle of the lagoon—no signs, no dock, no obvious landmarks. But as we stepped off the boat and walked a few metres inland, the energy shifted.

A short path leads to a small clearing surrounded by mangroves.

The first thing I noticed was a modern concrete grave with no headstone. I asked my guide who it belonged to, but they weren’t sure—possibly a recent custodian or the last person to maintain the shrine.

At the centre of the island sits a low, stacked stone platform holding dozens of human skulls. Some are bleached by the sun and exposed to the elements. Others—said to belong to chiefs—are tucked inside carved wooden boxes or sheltered beneath simple thatched covers.

It’s confronting at first—maybe because nothing separates you from what you’re looking at. These aren’t relics arranged for display or curated behind glass. The skulls sit in the open, exposed to salt air and time, still woven into the beliefs of the people who watch over them. And on this quiet islet in the Solomon Sea, that connection hasn’t faded.

Off to the side of the skull platform was a small shrine—just a simple stone slab where, according to my guide, offerings were once made to bring luck in battle or success on the sea. He told us that even now, fishermen will sometimes stop here to leave a token before heading out. We hadn’t brought anything to offer, and maybe that’s why we didn’t catch a single thing that afternoon. Superstition or not, I wasn’t about to argue.

After 20 minutes of exploring the tiny island and learning about the Solomons' headhunter history, we were about to climb back onto the boat when our guide suddenly froze. He’d forgotten to close the lid on the box holding the skulls of the chiefs.

White faced he scrambled back to seal it shut, visibly relieved.

I don’t know what would’ve happened if he hadn’t—bad luck? rough seas? haunted fish? Either way, I was glad he remembered. Some doors are better left closed.

Where to Stay in the Western Provinces

The Western Province of the Solomon Islands is one of the most rewarding regions to explore, with its calm lagoons, jungle-covered islands, and some of the best diving and cultural experiences in the country.

Munda or Gizo are the main hubs for flights and logistics, but I recommend travelers to base themselves at nearby island lodges or waterfront resorts to get closer to the reef, islands, and offshore adventures. Here are my favorite places to stay in the Solomon Islands that I can personally recommend: