Vanikoro

Vanikoro is a volcanic island forming part of the Santa Cruz Islands in Temotu Province, Solomon Islands, in the southwestern Pacific. It is the main island of a small subgroup located in the eastern Solomon Islands. The island has a rugged coastline, tropical forests, and several coastal villages. Its population comprises Melanesian communities engaged in subsistence farming and fishing, with crops such as taro, yams, and coconuts.

Vanikoro is best known for its maritime history connected to the Lapérouse expedition. In 1788, the French ships La Boussole and L’Astrolabe disappeared during their Pacific voyage, and their fate was later linked to the Vanikoro area. In 1826, the shipwreck hunter Peter Dillon located wreckage and recovered artifacts on Vanikoro’s shores, providing evidence that the expedition had met its end there. The wrecks have since become an important site for maritime archaeology and history, attracting researchers and scholars.

In modern times, Vanikoro is part of Temotu Province and is administered as part of the Solomon Islands. The island supports limited tourism, principally related to the Lapérouse wreck site, along with ongoing subsistence activities. Its environment includes coral reefs, coastal ecosystems, and tropical forests, contributing to the island’s natural and cultural heritage.