Vanuatu Travel Guide | Spacifica Travel

Published 21st Jan 2020

Vanuatu is so much more than a South Pacific cruise ship port or island nation of fancy resorts – there’s plenty of untouched paradise to explore. It’s made up of about 83 islands and home to secluded beaches, ancient culture, rugged and remote islands, lush rainforests, colourful coral reefs and superb diving! Here’s a Vanuatu travel guide of just a handful of things to see and do to make the most of your visit.

Vanuatu’s Volcanoes

Vanuatu is one of the rare places in the world where you’re able to hike up a crater and look down into an active volcano then ashboard back down. Tanna Island is the home of Vanuatu’s most famous volcano, Mt Yasur! Getting to this island is a 45 minute flight with Air Vanuatu from Port Vila, and for adventure seekers, the venture over to this island is well worth the visit, not to mention a once in a lifetime experience! Visitors can get up close and personal to the glowing embers and rumbles of this famous and powerful volcano – the most accessible dry volcano in the world. The journey up the volcano is considered just as exciting with moonscapes made of ash, plus views of local villages, plantations, lush forests and plenty of pot holes along the way! It’s wise to take extra caution while on this adventure, there’s no safety rails or barriers along the crater’s rim, and listen to every advice from your guides!

Million Dollar Point

Espirutu Santo is a 50-minute plane ride from Port Vila and is home to Million Dollar Point, one of many World War II sites. It’s where the American troops dumped their millions of dollars’ worth of hardware such as crashed B17 bombers, the destroyer USS Tucker and one of Santo’s most famous attraction, the 22000 tonne SS President Coolidge into the ocean after the war. The “President Coolidge” is now the world’s largest accessible wreck diving experiences, attracting divers from all over the globe – almost like an underwater museum!

Blue Hole

Espirutu Santo is also famous for its legendary Blue Holes! The water in these holes are pure and clean, creating breath-taking shades of blue – so vibrant and transparent! The Blue Holes are home to an array of marine life like shrimp and freshwater hermit crabs, and an ideal spot to snorkel and enjoy a cool swim. The largest and most popular of the Blue Holes open to the public is Nanda which was set up specifically for tourists by its tribal owners. It features a boardwalk, café, coconut stand and rope swings for those wanting to jump into the water this way. The Riri Blue Hole is more tranquil, where visitors can gently paddle through water on a traditional canoe in complete silence.

Mele Cascades Waterfall

Mele Cascades Waterfall is located on the island of Efate and only a 20 minute drive from Port Vila. This waterfall is one of the most famous in the country and very easy to get to, and if you love nature and waterfalls, then this is a ‘must-visit’. For those who love to get active and explore on foot, the surrounding area is filled with jungles to take a hike in. Once you arrive to the area, hiking to the waterfall takes about 10-15 minutes and you’re able to journey at your pace. Paths are also well laid-out. Once you reach the waterfall, make sure you climb to the best spot – the top! The water is fresh and cool making it the perfect spot for a swim, particularly on a hot day. Some visitors also like to make the most of the surrounds and enjoy a picnic while they’re there.

Millenium Cave

Explorers will love Millenium Cave - situated in South Central Santo, 45 minutes’ drive from Luganville town. Getting there will take you through jungle paths, creeks and cascades, but before approaching the Cave, symbolic etching from clay paste is applied to your face to make sure your passage through the river and Cave is a safe one! You’ll be given torches to explore inside the Cave, from the walls to the Cave roof – home to tiny bats and swallows. Once out, the river adventure begins! Visitors will need to climb over and under boulders so this adventure is physically demanding that involves risk – so, good fitness levels will need to be considered when taking on this experience. At the end of this tour, adventurers can enjoy a river swim surrounded by stunning scenery and waterfalls. The best time in the day to go is in the morning, when it’s not so busy.

Mystery Island

For that real holiday feel, head over to Mystery Island, a tiny uninhabited island just south of Anetyum – part of the Tanna Islands. A leisurely stroll around the island the only takes about 40 minutes to an hour, but the surrounds of coral reefs, palm trees and white sand make it the perfect place to relax and unwind. The crystal clear water is too inviting not to snorkel or go for a swim. It’s also one of the ports for where cruise ships dock so you’ll find local guides and markets for those visitors stopping by for the day, plus other activities such as glass bottom boats, kayaks and even deep sea fishing. If you don’t land on this island via a cruise ship, you can fly here on Air Vanuatu 2 times a week from Port Vila and Tanna landing.