East Rennell
East Rennell is an important site for the science of island biogeography, being a stepping stone between Papua New Guinea and the Pacific islands.
Its relatively undisturbed state and the frequent occurrence of cyclones make it a true natural laboratory. The designated area comprises the southern portion of Rennell Island, the largest raised coral atoll in the world. Its Lake Tegano is the largest lake in the insular Pacific and contains a number of endemic species such as banded sea snake. The site also has a high number of endemic bird and insect species.
Community Perspective: from the Solomon Islands’ capital Honiara it takes a flight and a drive on an unpaved road to get there. The main tourist facilities are centered around Lake Tegano.
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Gary Arndt
USA - 14-Mar-17 -I visited East Rennell in 2007.
Without a doubt East Rennell is one of the most remote, and difficult to visit world heritage sites on Earth.
To get there you need to fly from Honiara to Rennell. From there you then have to drive 20 miles on an unpaved road made of raised coral. We had EIGHT flat tires on our trip there.
Once you get to Lake Tegano you've reached the world heritage area, but the lodges are on the other side of the lake, which requires a final trip by boat.
Getting here is neither easy nor cheap, but it is a fantastic experience.
Read more about East Rennell on my website.
Simon Cave
A long flight from Honiara to Rennel but a longer drive from the
Rennel airstrip to Lake Tegano, on a WW2 coral based road.
Well worth the visit to see this amazing fresh water lake with its huge artesian springs. Some of these are hidden in little inlets under the forest canopy, others more visible. And then there is the magical attol like islands dotted about the lake.
Quite close to the sea at one end it's remarkable that it's fresh water. The few power boats on the lake were dragged by hand from the sea over a high ridge and then down some cliffs to the lake. The local villagers live a remote life with little interuption from the outside world. Be sure to leave ample time to get back to your flight out. This weekly flight is in itself is an occasion, interupting the children playing on the strip, not to mention the ducks wading in the puddles!
Well worth the visit and not to be missed. Shame the lodge closed down but may well be re-opened since my visit.
Rennell is beautiful!! As an environmental scientist, living and working in the Solomons, I was amazed at the beauty and diversity of Rennell and the lake. However, logging and bauxite mining has been on the cards of the locals in West Rennell, and many in East fear it will destroy their World Heritage Listing. There is great potential for alternatives, as my work is attempting to currently faciltate, but without the understanding of Australian and European nationals, I fear the island could be lost to a cash-economy.
Site Info
- Full Name
- East Rennell
- Unesco ID
- 854
- Country
- Solomon Islands
- Inscribed
-
1998 - In Danger
- Type
- Natural
- Criteria
-
9
- Categories
- Natural landscape - Insular
- Link
- By ID
Site History
2013 In Danger
Due to logging
1998 Inscribed
Site Links
Unesco Website
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