Malaita has a limited road network, and most of it is concentrated around Auki and the west coast. The main road north from Auki reaches as far as Dala but deteriorates quickly beyond the capital. In the wet season, even sealed sections become difficult, and unsealed tracks in the interior can become impassable for days at a time. There are no car hire companies in the conventional sense; vehicles are shared taxis and trucks, hired informally or through guesthouse contacts.
Along the coast, outboard-powered fibreglass canoes and dugouts are the standard form of transport, and for reaching the Langa Langa Lagoon settlements or villages north and south of Auki, they are often the only practical option. Journeys that look short on a map can take several hours by canoe if conditions are rough or the engine is small. Fuel availability outside Auki is unreliable — make sure any boat you hire has enough fuel for the return journey.
Walking is the way to reach the interior. Paths connect coastal villages to the bush communities above, but they are steep, often overgrown, and unmarked. A local guide is not optional for any serious journey inland — it is essential for navigation, for making introductions at villages along the way, and for avoiding areas where strangers are not welcome.