Known as the site of one of the most important battles of the Pacific Theater, visiting Bloody Ridge in the Solomon Islands can be done fairly easily and to the intensity you require.
This means as a quick stop on a general tour of Honiara, or in depth as part of a World War 2 focused trip. Regardless of how deep you want to go, it is a must see site when you are in Honiara and interested in the real history of the place rather than just beaches and markets.
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What is Bloody Ridge?
Bloody Ridge is the informal name given by Allied troops to a narrow coral ridge south of Henderson Field on Guadalcanal. Officially it is known as Edson’s Ridge, named after US Marine Colonel Merritt A Edson. In September 1942 this ridge became the focal point of one of the most critical land battles of the entire Pacific War.
At this stage of the war the Japanese were determined to retake Henderson Field, the airstrip that allowed the Americans to control the skies over Guadalcanal. If the Japanese had succeeded here, the entire Guadalcanal campaign could have collapsed. Over several nights Japanese infantry launched repeated frontal assaults up the ridge against dug in US Marines and Raiders. The fighting was close range, chaotic, and brutal, often involving bayonets, grenades, and hand to hand combat in the dark.
The Marines held. The failure of the Japanese attack at Bloody Ridge marked a major turning point. It effectively ended large scale Japanese attempts to recapture the airfield and shifted the momentum of the campaign firmly in Allied favor. Guadalcanal would eventually fall fully under Allied control, making Bloody Ridge one of the places where the tide of the Pacific War truly turned.
What is there to see here now?
In reality, not all that much in terms of physical remains. This is not a manicured battlefield park with museums and big information boards. Instead, Bloody Ridge is more about understanding the terrain and letting the history sink in. You are standing on a narrow, uneven ridge, surrounded by dense greenery, looking down toward what was once Henderson Field, now Honiara International Airport.
What really hits you is how confined the space is. The ridge is far narrower than most people imagine, which makes the scale of the fighting hard to ignore. Today the area is quiet, almost peaceful, with birds, trees, and the general hum of daily life in the Solomon Islands continuing all around you. Locals pass by, gardens grow nearby, and the war feels very far away until you remember what happened here. It is this contrast between beauty and violence that makes the visit worthwhile.
How to get here?
Bloody Ridge is located just outside central Honiara, near the eastern edge of the city and not far from Henderson Field, now Honiara International Airport. Most visitors reach it by car or taxi from central Honiara, with the journey taking around 15 to 20 minutes depending on traffic. You can ask for Edson’s Ridge or Bloody Ridge and most drivers will know roughly where you mean, even if there is no big sign announcing it.
There is no formal entrance, ticket office, or visitor center. You are essentially visiting an open historical site, so common sense applies. A local guide is strongly recommended, especially if you want proper context rather than just standing on a hill wondering what you are looking at. Many Honiara based guides and tour operators include Bloody Ridge as part of a World War 2 circuit that also covers the Vilu War Museum and other Guadalcanal sites.
Location: Edson’s Ridge, Guadalcanal, Honiara, Solomon Islands
There are no official social media pages or contact numbers for Bloody Ridge itself, as it is not a managed attraction. Any visits are arranged through local agents, such as YPT.
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