Vanuatu is right on our doorstep – a mere 2.5 hours from Brisbane or 3 hours from Sydney – but fly to this charming tropical paradise and you’ll truly feel like you’re worlds away.
Rich in history and natural beauty, with an intriguing culture and the friendliest locals, Vanuatu’s 83 islands offer an incredibly diverse range of activities that will gently ease you out of your comfort zone and into some truly liberating, life-changing experiences.
For many visitors it’s all about the cultural journey: the chance to meet remote tribes face-to-face and see a truly different way of life. For others, it’s about the soft adventure of trekking, snorkelling, diving among WW2 shipwrecks and riding horses in the sea – and finishing in time to enjoy that beachside cocktail at sunset
Or read on to learn about the (surprisingly easy and accessible) ways Vanuatu can leave you forever changed…
One of Vanuatu’s most genuinely transformative bucket list experiences requires a trip to the southern island of Tanna. Here you can climb a volcano… but not just any volcano: a brilliantly active one.
Mount Yasur is known as the most accessible volcano in the world, so it’s not just for experienced climbers. A brief 360-metre walk (steep but moderate) will take you to the top in just 10 minutes. With a handrail for easy access, the majority of travelers will be able to fulfil those long-held dreams of being a volcanologist!
A word to the wise: Tanna’s most famous attraction is best viewed in the evenings, when the colours of its eruptions are the most visible.
Click here to arrange your Mount Yasur volcano adventure!
You won’t want to leave Tanna without a visit to Yakel Custom Village.
Entering this remote community will feel like a step back in time. There’s something truly remarkable about meeting a culture so untouched by western culture, with values, languages and a way of life remaining essentially unchanged over the centuries.
While many cultures in the area regard Mount Yasur as a living deity, the John Frum Villages worship a much more unlikely figure: His Royal Highness Prince Philip! (Learn more about the fascinating Prince Philip Movement here.)
If these experiences wet your whistle for adventure, check out some of the other extraordinary things you can do on two of Vanuatu’s other islands…
Vanuatu’s most populous island is home to the capital, Port Vila, and some gorgeous experiences for water lovers. It’s also one of the best places to soak in local culture and make fast friends with the wonderful residents. Take a 1.2km seafront walk and you’re sure to be stopped some warm and friendly chats along the way. Learn more about Efate Island here.
Mele Cascades
Travel just 10 kilometres from bustling Port Vila and you’ll be at this dramatic waterfall, featuring a series of beautiful travertine cascades leading up to a 35m waterfall that crashes down into a natural plunge pool. As you climb up the steep and slippery path to the top (don’t worry, there are guide ropes to help you), take a dip in some of the natural turquoise pools and pretend you’re in a scene from a movie as you let the smaller falls rush over you.
Hideaway Island
From the Mele Cascades it’s just a few minutes to Mele Beach, where you can catch the free ferry to Hideaway Island, just 100 metres or so offshore. The marine sanctuary is a famous spot for snorkelling or diving in waters teeming with coral and tropical fish, or for a spot of lunch at the island’s beach bar and restaurant. While you’re there, make sure you send a waterproof postcard from the world’s only underwater post office!
Vanuatu’s largest island, Espiritu Santo (or Santo as it’s affectionately known), is rich in natural and historical wonders, including:
Blue Holes
You’re definitely going to want to go swimming while you’re in Vanuatu, and on Santo there’s a natural pool so special you’ll never forget a dip in its blue, blue waters. The Nanda Blue Hole is just one of the magical blue holes on Santo, but it’s the most spectacular of them all. Surrounded by lush green forest, it’s formed thanks to natural springs bubbling up the ground through limestone, creating a water hole filled with water so blue you’ll think it’s been Photoshopped. It’s located halfway between Luganville (Vanuatu’s second-largest city) and…
Champagne Beach
Had enough of adventuring and want to simply relax on one of the most gorgeous beaches in the world? We recommend popping a cork and sipping a glass of Champagne on the Vanuatu beach named after the very same fizzy refreshment.
The beach – widely considered one of the most beautiful in the world – gets its name from the fresh water that rises through the sand and up to the ocean’s surface, creating an effect very much like champagne bubbles.
Located on the east coast of Santo, about 45 minutes from Luganville, Champagne Beach truly is the stuff of holiday fantasies. Imagine walking across powdery white sand, through the clearest, most vivid turquoise water you’ve ever seen, and breathing in the delicious smell of freshly-prepared crab and lobster from the nearby stalls. Learn more about this beautiful beach here.
The SS President Coolidge
For history enthusiasts, few adventures are as literally immersive as a dive among the wreckage of the SS President Coolidge.
This enormous 654-foot ship, described as “one of the last truly opulent vessels”, was repurposed during WW2. She was carrying troops to the island’s US base when she struck two mines, forcing the crew to evacuate as she sank in shallow waters.
Today it remains one of the most easily-accessible and intact shipwrecks in the world, and an absolutely unforgettable adventure for new and experienced divers alike.
Ready to tick these wonderful experiences off your bucket list? Click here to start planning your Vanuatu adventure!
This article is sponsored by Vanuatu Tourism and written independently by the Travel at 60 editorial team.