Vanuatu: Tales of the South Pacific

Capital magazine - September/October 2007

When James Michener wrote about endless ocean, coral islands, “coconut palms nodding gracefully towards the ocean” and “inner lagoons, lovely beyond description” in Tales of the South Pacific, he was gazing out from a hilltop in Vanuatu. Michener was a US soldier based in Vanuatu during World War 2, in the days when it was an Anglo-French condominium known as the New Hebrides. A republic since 1980, the country is made up of around 80 picturesque islands. Even the capital, Port Vila, operates on island time, with the tropical climate, the absence of high-rise and a small population of around 40,000 giving it a laidback feel that quickly puts visitors into relax mode. Located on the island of Efate, Port Vila is a pot pourri of European, Chinese and Melanesian cultures.

It’s easy to do as little or as much as you like – find a lovely beach, wander around the town with its duty-free shops and restaurants, or check out the colourful market where the locals sell their fruit, vegetables, shells and flowers. Go horseriding or abseiling, play a round of golf, or go sailing, kayaking, diving or fishing. Enjoy a leisurely climb to the top of the Mele Cascades, a series of rock pools that wind their way through cool, lush tropical rainforest to a 50m waterfall cascading down into the rocks and pools below. It’s a beautiful spot, with a profusion of tropical blooms and crystal-clear water inviting you in for a refreshing dip. Take part in an island feast at a traditional village or enjoy a sunset dinner cruise while being serenaded by a guitarist. Some of the best food in Vanuatu can be had at Tamanu on the Beach, where excellent local seafood and beef is served in a smart little restaurant overlooking a white sandy beach. Another good restaurant is Tilly’s, at Chantilly’s On The Bay, where you can dine around the pool, on the deck or for something really romantic, at a table for two on the jetty.

Melanie Mayne-Wilson was so captivated by the Vanuatu lifestyle that she and her husband and kids relocated from Australia for a sea change. Recognising a need for an independently run spa, Melanie set up Lotus Health & Beauty in Port Vila, which offers a full range of treatments, the highlight being a pamper package that includes a coconut oil hair treatment, coconut ash body scrub, massage and a facial using volcanic ash. One of the treatment rooms is a double one so you can have side by side treatments with a partner or friend. Port Vila has several deluxe resorts including Le Lagon and Le Meridien Resort Spa & Casino, both on the shores of the tranquil Erakor Lagoon. Both have golf courses, beautifully landscaped tropical grounds and offer a wide range of water sports.

Le Meridien has a striking Melanesian lobby, a great restaurant where local ingredients are incorporated into the dishes, and the Namele Day Spa with some exotic-sounding treatments such as a frangipani scrub, pina colada scrub, and mango and passionfruit body glow. In addition to its 145 guest rooms and suites, it has 10 over-water villas that are the height of luxury. Each has its own spa and a deck from which you can leap straight into the water. Le Lagon Resort offers special wedding and honeymoon packages. The resort has recently undergone extensive upgrades including the installation of a cascading pool and the opening of Wild Ginger, a swish Asian fusion restaurant with teppanyaki grills, sushi bar and wok station.

For a different perspective, it’s worth visiting one of the outer Vanuatu islands. Bokissa Eco Island resort is actually an island off an island, reached in a 30-minute boat ride from Espiritu Santo. Santo, as it is commonly known, is the largest island in Vanuatu but even more laidback than Efate. Bokissa is more of an escape still, with the whole island exclusive to Bokissa guests, of whom there are no more than 35 at any one time. The 14 bungalows front directly onto the beach, and as the island is surrounded by coral reef, you can literally go snorkeling at your doorstep. Life doesn’t get much better than lying in a hammock (every bungalow has its own), watching the sunset on a palm-fringed beach.

Air Vanuatu has regular connections from Port Vila to Espiritu Santo, which offers everything from light game fishing to caves, treks and swimming at one of the island’s several blue holes. The intense blue colour of the water is breathtaking. World War 2 tours also rate highly. During the war, the island was an important operations base for the US Army, which left behind airfields and bomber wrecks and sank a staggering amount of military equipment at what is now known as Million Dollar Point. The best way to tour the island is with the very knowledgeable Luke Tokar, of Paradise Tours, who has his own four-wheel-drive minibus.

Luke has an agreement with the traditional owners of Champagne Beach allowing him access to what must surely be one of the finest beaches in Vanuatu, if not the world. He also does tours to the island’s traditional villages, or custom villages as they are known locally. Those on Santo are the real deal, with the villagers living the same way they have for hundreds of years. There’s no admission box or souvenir stand other than a few woven bags that the villagers make for sale. For scuba divers, Santo offers world-class diving on the wreck of the SS President Coolidge. The former American luxury passenger liner was converted to a troop ship which hit a mine in 1942 and sank, creating an artifical reef. Diving here is not for the feint-hearted, but for experienced divers, it offers the thrill of a lifetime.

FACT FILE

Air Vanuatu has regular services from Sydney and Brisbane: (02) 9299 5737.
Le Meridien Port Vila: www.lemeridien.com or 1800 622 240
Le Lagon Resort: www.lelagonvanuatu.vu
Bokissa Eco Island: www.bokissa.vu
Paradise Tours: www.paradisetourssanto.com
Tourism information:www.vanuatutourism.com

© Christine Salins

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