The sound of sawing and growth is building in the Western Province of the Solomon Islands. This time it's not the controversial loggers who have for years pillaged Solomons forests. It's tourism, one of the new hopes for the economy.
Across the islands of Western Province, tourism operators are step by step adding accommodation and facilities. But in this beautiful environment, there seems to be an understanding that small is better.
Development is underway at places like Zipolo Habu, Sanbis, Agnes Lodge, Wilderness Lodge and Naru Island. People like the Entrekins, Hans Mergozzi, Don Croft and the Keras, Lisa Choquette, the Howells and Shane and Sue Kennedy are investing in the future.
Western Province tourism operators have overcome all the challenges brought to their businesses by problems far away to the east in the capital, Honiara. Like the 1998-2003 ethnic conflict, called the "tension" by Solomon Islanders, the 2000 Honiara coup and 2006 Honiara riots.
Development out West now comes amidst two positive developments. First, stability brought to Solomon Islands by the Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission (RAMSI), a mix of military and police contingents and civilian governance advisers. Second, an emphasis on tourism by the government of Prime Minister Derek Sikua.
The Western Province is to Solomon Islands tourism what "The West" is to Fiji tourism, although on a much different and far smaller scale. .
The Western Province doesn't have anything like western Fiji's modern Nadi International Airport. Visitors still have to fly into grubby Honiara and its shabby airport, then catch domestic turboprop flights out to Western Province.
Growth in the air: The government has so far failed to deliver on promises to upgrade the old wartime airport at Munda so regional jets can fly there. (See WHISPERS column in this issue for more on that) and improve access. But growth is in the air nevertheless.
Key to this is what the Western Province islands offer and the type of tourists from overseas and visitors from Honiara they lure.
Examples: An Australian honeymoon couple at Wilderness are there because they read about it in a fishing magazine. An English fisherman seeking to land a prized Bone Fish is at Zipolo Habu because he read about it on the Internet. Expatriates working in Honiara are heading out West because they heard about the diving there from friends.
There's no pretence of the sophistication or big luxury facilities of top South Pacific tourism spots like Fiji and Tahiti (French Polynesia). Instead, Western Province offers a rich range of culture and nature. This in an environment packed with opportunities for diving, fishing, kayaking, surfing, trekking and World War Two heritage trips.
"The fishing is very diverse," says Joe Entrekin. Entrekin and his wife Lisa run the Zipolo Habu fishing resort on Lola Island, Vona Vona Lagoon. "You can fish the river for Spot-tail Bass, then the estuary for Mangrove Jack, then leave the river and troll for Sailfish and hit the reefs and popper for Giant Trevally."
Operators like the Entrekins are expanding despite the slow pace of government infrastructure development like airports, and frustration in the West over domestic air services. At Gizo, the Western Province capital, the Gizo Hotel owners Shane and Sue Kennedy are upgrading their two-storey establishment. This Australian couple have also launched a small local cruise boat, the Gizo Explorer. On Naru island off Gizo, they are building tourism bungalows. Back in Honiara they are adding rooms at their other hotel, the King Solomon.

At Sanbis (sandy beach in Solomon Pijin), a classy boutique resort near Gizo on Mbabanga Island, Swiss-born owner Mergozzi is developing too. He's building a new bar out over the lagoon. He has expanded his accommodation, making sure it doesn't lose the attention to detail and unique eco-appeal he sought in setting up Sanbis. A former fishing boat Mergozzi sank in the lagoon is attracting marine life that is a new attraction for divers.
Small is beautiful: Across at Zipolo Habu the Entrekins have opened their first luxury villa. They're now one by one upgrading their other cottages. In addition to fishing, they offer a range of diving and surfing opportunities. But fishing it what it is famous for. Joe Entrekin originally came to the Solomons as an American Peace Corps developing fisheries.
In nearby Munda, Don Croft is building a new budget wing for Agnes Lodge sitting alongside Roviana Lagoon . Croft is a New Zealand-born education specialist. He runs the lodge for the local Kera family he married into. Agnes Kera developed the lodge from a colonial-era government resthouse. Today, it is a popular hotel catering for government and business people as well as tourists. Croft is rebuilding former budget rooms into a luxury suite.
Agnes Lodge operates Go West Tours, offering activities on land and sea. Dive Munda is also based at the lodge.
At Peava Village on Gatokae Island on the edge of the Marovo Lagoon, Lisa Choquette has launched and is expanding her Solomon Dive Adventures. At the other end of the village, Corey and Waelinah Howell are looking at adding to their cosy, comfortable Wilderness Lodge. But without losing its unique appeal of fitting into the village.
"We've got the location and we've got the support of the community," says Howell. From Wilderness, guests can undertake a wide range of activities. From fishing, diving, trekking and nature trips to going out to Kavachi, an active and visible undersea volcano.
Australian-born Howell fell in love with the Solomons as he grew up. His parents were building a resort on the island of Anuha near Honiara. He came back to the Solomons and fell in love with Waelinah too. They developed Wilderness Lodge.
"There's not too many places that offer excellent diving and excellent accommodation like this," says Choquette, who works closely with the Howells. Choquette used to visit Peava on shipboard dive cruises with groups she brought from America. She too liked it so much that she sold up her dive business back home in Hawaii and moved her base to Peava.
Further around the edge of the Marovo Lagoon is the Uepi Island resort. It sits spectacularly on a barrier reef island with the lagoon one side and the ocean the other. Uepi is the Western Province's biggest island resort. It has just 32 beds.
Across the islands of the province, tourism operators are busy developing their facilities. But they remain mindful of preserving their unique environment and the opportunities it offers. Small, for them, is beautiful, thank you.