If you visit the island of Efate in Vanuatu and never venture further afield than the capital, Port Vila, you’re missing out! There’s so much else to see, and it’s all within easy access of Port Vila. Here are three ideas for three great days out…
A 122-kilometre Ring Road circles the entire island, providing the perfect way to explore its natural beauty.
You can make your way around the Ring Road on an organised tour, which can be especially great if you get a guide with brilliant knowledge (and a brilliant sense of humour), not to mention the fact that you won’t have to drive. If you like independent travel, however, one of the best decisions you can make is to hire a rental car and go it alone.
Drive without stopping and it will take you about three hours to drive around the island, from Port Vila back to Port Vila. But if you stop along the way you can easily stretch things out to a full day trip – or even two or three days! Along the way you can expect to see idyllic bays, white-sand and coral beaches, small villages, forests and coconut palm plantations.
The Ring Road is easy to navigate as it’s the only road that goes around the whole of Efate – the only question is: which way should you go? You can tackle it either way, but the following suggestions are presented in an anti-clockwise order (a word of warning: if you do them all, you’ll probably need to extend your trip!):
Port Vila – Starting off in Vanuatu’s capital, your first essential stop is the Port Vila Markets to grab some snacks for your road trip (you won’t find a lot of shops or restaurants along the drive, so stock up before you head off). This is one of the biggest and best produce markets in the South Pacific, and a top spot to pick up some fresh, exotic fruit.
Blue Lagoon Swimming Hole – Look out for signs to the Blue Lagoon when you’re about 1.5 hours’ drive from Port Vila. Swim in this massive natural pool during low tide and, thanks to an underground spring, it will be filled with the clearest turquoise fresh water. But go during high tide and you’ll swim in salt water (the Blue Lagoon is situated very close to the sea). Either way, it’s an unforgettable experience. Just be sure to come prepared with your own food and drinks, and –of course – your swimsuit, towel and sunscreen. Price: 500 vatu (approx AU$6) per adult.
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Eton Beach – About two kilometres along from the Blue Lagoon you’ll want to stop for another swim when you see Eton Beach. The view here is breathtaking – surrounded by palm trees there’s dazzling white sand leading to blue, blue waters, with a small river inlet to complete the scene. There’s an entrance fee of 500 vatu per adult (approx AU$6) to access the beach, which is used to support the local community.
Hot Springs – Want a rejuvenating beauty treatment while you’re on holiday? Forego a pristine spa and get down and dirty at the thermal hot springs and mud pools, located near the village of Takara. Slather yourself in the mud and clay, and then soak in the warm waters of the thermal spring – locals swear by its healing properties. They’re not pretty and they’re not polished, but the hot springs are a quirky, fun (and messy!) experience, and reports of smooth, ultra-soft skin following a visit cannot be denied!
Havannah Harbour – This is a gorgeous spot to make a pitstop for a meal of the freshest seafood or a well-deserved cocktail – perhaps at The Havannah, Francesca’s Beach Club or the Wahoo Bar – and to take advantage of the views. Located on the lee side of the island, protected from southeasterly trade winds, Havannah Harbour is a place of stunning beauty, with idyllic coral beaches and pristine lagoons, where clear blue water gently laps the shore and is home to abundant marine life.
Mele Cascade Waterfalls – About 10 kilometres north of Port Vila you’ll come across these magnificent all-natural waterfalls. A trail takes you from cascade to cascade, until you reach the stunning 35-metre waterfall at the end. You can swim in all of the pools along the way, which is a good thing as you’ll definitely want to take a dip and cool off along the way! The path to the top waterfall is a bit of a walk, but well-maintained and with handrails on the last section to help you navigate slippery rock surfaces. But do wear good water shoes to give you good grip – and don’t forget to wear your swimsuit! Price: 2,000 vatu per adult (approx AU$24).
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Hideaway Island – Just down the road from Mele Cascade Waterfalls is the turn-off to the car park for Hideaway Island – your last stop on this epic road trip. From here, a complimentary boat will take you to Hideaway Island (or, if it’s low tide, you can simply walk there – either way, keep your water shoes on, as the beach is coral, not sand). Once you’re on the island and have paid the fee (1,250 vatu per adult; about AU$15), you can go swimming, snorkelling, kayaking, have a spot of lunch and send a postcard from the world’s only underwater post office!
From here, keep heading south on the Ring Road and, roughly 15 mins later, you’ll be back in the heart of Port Vila. There are loads of other spots along the way worth enjoying (for example, the “Bigfala” Bayan Tree, the Rural WWI Museum & Corsair Plane Wreck and the Ekasup Cultural Village), but hopefully this list will inspire you to start planning! Head off with a free tourist map, your camera, swimsuit and some supplies, and even if you only make it to one or two of the places mentioned above, you’ll go home with some unforgettable memories.
Once you’ve had a taste of the sort of day trips possible from Port Vila there’ll be no stopping you! Next on your list should be a visit to one of Vanuatu’s most beautiful islands, Pele.
From Port Vila it’s an easy 40-minute drive to Emua Wharf on the north coast of Efate. Here, you can jump on a small boat and arrive at Pele Island about 10 minutes later. It’s sure to be one of the highlights of your whole trip.
Located just seven kilometres off the north coast of Efate, Pele Island and nearby Nguna Island are dreamy, remote and sparsely populated getaways where the pace of life is unhurried. Step ashore on Pele and you’ll be in a Pacific Island paradise – all white sandy beaches, swaying palms and picture-postcard lagoons with turquoise waters perfect for swimming. There’s also brilliant snorkelling at the spectacular coral reef about 100 metres offshore. It’s part of the Nguna-Pele Marine Protected Area, where marine life is abundant, and tropical fish and beautiful coral formations vie with each other to be the most colourful.
Take an organised day trip to Pele Island and you’ll not only get to go snorkelling, swimming and kayaking, and laze on a deserted beach while a barbecue lunch is prepared for you, you’ll also get to visit a local village to experience the culture and traditions of the Pele Islanders, to see how they live and learn about their relaxed lifestyle. And at the local primary school you can delight local children with gifts of much-needed stationery items as they delight you with their singing.
Various single-day excursions are on offer that combine snorkelling, a BBQ lunch and a village tour on Pele Island – but again, you’ll probably want to spend more than a day here!
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A third fantastic option for a day trip from Port Vila involves another boat trip – this time from beautiful Havannah Harbour to Lelepa Island, about 15-20 minutes away.
Located off the northwest coast of Efate, this stunningly beautiful tropical island is special. There’s no electricity, no cars, no highways and, according to at least one website, no worries!
The experience of snorkelling in the pristine waters around Lelepa will stay with you forever. You can snorkel off the beach or off a boat in the Marine Protected Area. In a colourful coral garden you’ll be surrounded by thousands of fish in every colour of the rainbow – and a swathe of other hues you’ll only ever see in nature and underwater. As well as snorkelling you can feed tropical fish, go swimming or kayak on the lovely blue waters.
On a day trip to this island paradise you can take a short bush walk through rainforest, learning about native herbs and how they’re used for local medicines. You can visit the site of a World War II plane crash. After a tasty barbecue lunch you can take a siesta on a hammock or just relax on powder-white sandy beaches. You can also visit historical caves to view 500-year-old handprints and drawings.
A visit to Lelepa Island culminates in a visit to the local village for afternoon tea and the chance to be part of the local community for a couple of hours, learning about the culture of the Lelepa people, and being farewelled from this unforgettable paradise by songs performed by local children. Bliss.
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