5 days in Vanuatu
 

I have 5 days booked in Vanuatu in mid-January. Why? No particular reason other than I am flying from NAN-Australia and fancied a stop somewhere else. VLI fit the bill.

I'm struggling to find much information here about Vanuatu, and kind of starting from scratch. Any tips? I am willing to fly elsewhere in the country if it suits. I'm looking for adventure, off-the-beaten path stuff, or hidden gems (not really luxury or resorts, as I'll be doing that in Fiji). I enjoy snorkeling and may be interested in diving, if it is exceptional. Short hikes, culture, history are of interest as well.

Thank you for your help!

So far I've found:

- Mt Yasur Volcano, sounds amazing. Requires a flight to Tanna Island, but that doesn't sound too bad.
- Malekula Island, appears very isolated and the potential to have an islet to yourself, or meet indigenous tribes
- Espiritu Santo, great diving & snorkeling

Still researching :)

We are returning at the end of the month for our second trip. This time spending 4 days in Tanna and 6 nights (different places at different points in the trip) on main island. With 5 days it is hard to do more than 2 places. You can take day trips to see the volcano. We saw signs for them in the airport while we waited for our flight up to Santos. I recommend you spend most of the time on the main island you arrive to and do a day to the volcano. Or to another island if available. Otherwise you are spending a lot of time in transit and not "doing" or "relaxing".

Thanks. I feel like Tanna is the most appealing to me. So probably I will split time between Tanna and the area around Port Vila, in order to not spend too much time in transit.

Still open to suggestions of course :)

Regarding the area around Port Vila, I recently hired a car and went chuffing about the island. Plenty to see and do without a formalised itinerary. Some nice beaches to visit over the East side of the main island not far from the Blue Lagoon which is also worth a visit despite the V1000 ($20?) fee.

The locals are very friendly. Let them know you're happy to leave the tourist trail and get off the beaten path somewhat, they'll always be full of suggestions when you get there. 3 days near Port Vila will zoom past too quickly, dare I say!

Other than VLI, Tanna is also a recommendation. Since you're there, it seems a volcano visit us on everyone's list, being one of those rare experiences in life.

Thanks Catweazle ! I've pretty much decided to split between Tanna and Port Vila, with a priority on Tanna (as it will be easier to come back to VLI one day). But unsure how many days I should spend on Tanna. I have 5 nights and the first night is booked near VLI. My flight out is at 3pm so I think I can fly from Tanna that morning. So 2 nights in Port Vila and 3 on Tanna? Or vice versa?

Just an update on my itinerary. I spent 2 nights in Port Vila at the Holiday Inn Resort. It rained for my entire time there, and the resort was somewhat isolated, you must take a taxi to see anything beyond the resort (which is a nice, but very typical resort). So it was not a particularly memorable time on the island of Efate, although I didn't really give it a fair shot.

I stayed in Tanna at "Tanna Volcano View Tree house", across from the Yasur Volcano, for my first two nights. It was gloriously isolated, with power for only 1 hour per day, and the rumble of the volcano while I slept. Really surreal. I did a sunrise trip up to the Volcano, and walked about 15 km on my full day there. Just strolling through remote villages and meeting friendly locals. It was amazing. Then I spent 1 night on the west coast of Tanna at Rocky Ridge Bungalows. This was much more luxurious, but still basic by international standards. I snorkeled at the Blue Hole and took a boat ride to the Blue Cave.

I was blown away by Tanna. It was far more rural and traditional than I ever imagined. It was a marvel to see fishermen still in carved wooden outrigger boats, and living in pristine woven huts/houses.... it wasn't a show for tourists, it was real life, and the locals are so incredibly warm and friendly. Idyllic is the best word for it. I'm so glad I spend extra time there, because the people that fly in just to see the volcano are missing the best stuff. :)

I've posted several photos on my IG, here is one post of many