WHY VANUATU

This website has a very strong link with Oceania.
It happened to me so many times to quickly rotate the globe and then stop it with a finger.
For some strange reason (perhaps simply by statistics, since the blue planet is covered for about 70% by water) often the finger ends up in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean or the Pacific Ocean.
Looking better, it can happen to “touch the ground” of a small island/atollo of which you do not even know the existence.

So I decided to visit some countries in Oceania.

The most difficult part of organizing a trip to this part of the world, especially for those with limited time and a lot of curiosity, is to choose where to go.
There are in fact hundreds of islands that make up the 25 or so nations that can be visited in this area, which covers almost a third of the earth’s surface.

I wrote the list of all the nations first and I inquired about the reasons why I should go.
I gave each one a rating and then started to narrow down the list to just a few.
Next, I started looking at all the possible flight routes.

I knew I had to visit Vanuatu as soon as I found out you can climb into the crater of an active volcano and watch the magma explosions on one of the islands there.
You just have to be careful of the flying red-hot stones!

I also got to visit Fiji, Tuvalu, Tonga, Cook Islands and New Zealand.

HOW TO GET TO VANUATU

Bauerfield International Airport in the capital Port Vila, is the Vanuatu’s main gateway.

It’s also home to the national airline Air Vanuatu, which operates a number of domestic and international flights to Fiji, Australia, New Zealand, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea.

Santo-Pekoa International Airport is in Luganville, on Espiritu Santo Island, the biggest island in Vanuatu.
Air Vanuatu runs several domestic flights and also flies to Nouméa – La Tontouta International Airport, New Caledonia’s main airport.

The local airline also connects Tanna Airport with several other islands in Vanuatu.
It’s an important airport because of the Mount Yasur Volcano on the island, but tickets are still written by pen, there’s no check-in and luggage is unloaded from the plane and delivered directly by hand.
I don’t like electronic boarding passes and I keep the paper ones, so this is a great memory.

Just a quick note: on the way back from Port Vila to Fiji, I tried Business Class for the first time.
I’d obviously gone for the cheapest ticket, but about five days before departure I received an email from Fiji Airways asking me to make an offer to change from Economy to Business.
With any hope, I offered € 30,00.
After a while, they accepted my offer.
I’m used to low-cost travel with just one hand luggage, so this was a real eye-opener.
There were lots of advantages at check-in, baggage control and priority access to the plane, plus reserved access to the airport lounge (with sofas, TVs, food and drinks included), a tablet available on the plane and a reserved menu. And the luggage was delivered first on arrival.

The only problem with Business Class is that it’s harder to switch back to economy.

WHAT TO DO IN VANUATU

Mount Yasur Volcano (Tanna Island)

I chose Vanuatu as my travel destination mainly because I wanted to see an active volcano on Tanna Island.
And I mean standing at the top of the crater and seeing the magma explosions: it’s a unique experience, no other volcano in the world can compete with it.

You can get to the volcano by taking an off-road trip along a very uneven road and then walking for a bit.
You’ll arrive at a large, safe area where you can see the smoke and hear the explosions.
You’ll have plenty of time to take photos and videos, but the guides will try to get you back in line by saying there’s danger at the most scenic points.

Point 8 is the best place to see what’s going on inside the volcano.
You can see the magma explosions, the glowing flying stones, the lava lapillus and the smoke that gets more and more fiery red, accompanied by shock waves.

Port Vila (Efate Island)

The capital city of Vanuatu looks out over a gorgeous bay in the southwestern part of Efate Island.

I’m from Cagliari, so I don’t need to travel far to find clear seas and dream beaches.
I didn’t come to Vanuatu to spend all my time on the beach, but I’ve been to the beach anyway.
I can say with confidence that the sea in Vanuatu is similar to that of Sardinia, and in fact is better than many places in the Caribbean and Oceania.

There are lots of great diving sites, and you can also enjoy snorkelling, kayaking, helicopter flights, trekking and much more.

I’d also suggest checking out the market stalls and trying some of the local fish and other typical foods (I found some new products there that I’d never seen before).

Land Diving – Nangol (Pentecost Island)

If you’re interested in land diving, you can try it at Nangol on Pentecost Island.
Every Saturday from April to June, men climb a wooden tower 20-30 metres high and then jump down with a rope tied around their ankles, falling into the ground below.

The lianas are assigned to each jumper by an old man from the village.
They need to be flexible, elastic and full of sap.
If the liana is too long, the diver can hit the ground hard. If it’s too short, though, they could end up colliding with the tower.

Before they dive, the men often sort out any unfinished business or disputes, just in case something happens to them.
There are songs and dances around the tower to boost the divers’ courage.

Diving from land as part of a ritual is a tradition in Vanuatu, particularly on Pentecost Island, which is similar to modern bungee jumping.
If it goes well, it’ll guarantee a good harvest, get rid of physical problems, and improve a diver’s health and strength.

If you go to Vanuatu at the right time of year, it’s definitely a must-see.

WHERE TO SLEEP

Port Vila

I stayed at Raynold’s Board & Lodge.
I opted for a shared room with six beds, a shared bathroom, and WiFi throughout the property, as well as a fan.
The house is spacious and has everything you could possibly need.
The property is just 100 metres from a bus stop that will take you to the airport, and the city centre is only a ten-minute walk away.

Tanna Island

If you’re looking to see the Mount Yasur Volcano, you have to go to Tanna Island.

Most tourists arrive from the resorts for the daily tour, but with the limited time they have, they miss out on almost all the magic of the place.

If you want to take your time to see the volcano and discover the surrounding area, I’d suggest you sleep at the Tanna Volcano View Tree House.
The lodge is just a few steps from the entrance to the park, and you can also stay in a tree house with a perfect view of the active volcano.
What’s more, this place is great for a sunrise hike, as there aren’t many tourists around from the resorts yet.

It’s also a great place to start your hike in the surrounding area.