Why Vanuatu should be your next Pacific Island holiday

The best parts of our lives are made up of little moments that move us - sights, sounds and smells, people, places, experiences - these indelible marks shape how we see the world. We’ve all had those moments when travelling: talking to the man selling juicy sweet mangos on the roadside with his kids giggling and running around, that beach where you were one of a handful of people and time seemed to stand still as you relaxed in the turquoise waters, the food market full of delicious aromas and the sound of people chatting and having fun.

A trip to Vanuatu is full of those kinds of moments and as a smaller, less crowded, pacific destination you can have more genuine, less-rushed interactions with the local community and nature, making memories that will make you smile for many years to come. Now that the borders have opened it’s time to explore this beautiful part of the world - the conch shell has been blown to welcome visitors back, and if you choose to follow the sound, there are so many magical moments awaiting you.

Here are just some of the reasons Vanuatu should be your next pacific holiday destination.

BIG EXPERIENCES MINUS THE BIG CROWDS

Not overrun like other Pacific Islands, you can have some really relaxing small-group experiences

in Vanuatu: day trips to Lelepa Island only take limited numbers meaning there’s no fight for hammocks and kayaks, diving trips to wrecks and reefs always involve way more fish than people, swimming in waterfall pools is serene and never overcrowded. Choose between boutique resorts like The Havannah, Eratap or Tamanu Beach Resorts and you will quickly see that social distancing is not an issue here. You won’t be jostling for position anywhere when you are in Vanuatu, there’s plenty of room to breathe, think, relax and dream.

FUN WITH THE LOCALS

You don’t have to be a tourist looking in on local existence here. The Vanuatu experience is organic and close to the surface; just walk the 2km walkway along the Port Vila Harbour and you’ll come face to face with everyday life without even trying. The people of Vanuatu love to share their daily routines with visitors - stay with a local family on Pele Island, chat to the mamas and aunties at the markets, take a tour with a local guide, or ride the local buses. There are so many opportunities to discover and connect with the warm, welcoming people of Vanuatu and traditional ways of life are on full display from the moment you step off the plane. Show some interest and you’ll be sharing food and the local gossip in no time.

TASTE THE LAND

We all have wonderful memories of things we ate and drank in places all over the world and Vanuatu definitely isn’t short of great experiences in that department. The country has had a kind of culinary renaissance while visitors have been away, with local food coming back to the fore - coffee, chocolate, vanilla, juicy sweet fruit, and locally caught fresh fish are all abundant and taking their rightful place on menus all over town. The Port Vila Market House has been upgraded making it the perfect place to try local dishes or buy a platter of local fruit. You’ll also encounter previously unseen paddock-to-plate experiences that are part of a new agri-tourism movement. And of course, the French influence is still around - a good pain au chocolat or flaky croissant is never far away.

REST AND RECOVER

Visitors to Vanuatu always comment on the abundance of space. It’s easy to rent a sprawling house for an extended wh nau holiday, or for big groups of friends - but just as easy to find premium villa stays like The Moso Vanuatu, Venui Plantation Villa, or Vila 25 for secluded romantic getaways. Here, life is lived outside - sit waterfront or beachfront on patios in restaurants or at the markets, enjoy your favourite evening tipple with your feet in the sand at Bayan Beach Bar, afternoon swimming and reggae tunes at the Beach Bar or overlooking the specular Port Vila Harbour at The Stone Lounge. Swim in waterfall pools at Mele Cascade, kayak down jungle-lined rivers past villages, snorkel off the beach at Havannah Eco Lodge. In a time that’s been filled with noise and information and extra stressors we never knew possible, this country gives you space to finally exhale.

Vanuatu is not about a simple list of things to see and do, but more about how being here makes you feel. When you answer the Call of Vanuatu, you’ll be swept away by any number of incredible moments that will make you feel good, long after the holiday is over.

For more information or to get inspired for your holiday visit