Vanuatu: Volcanoes, Blue Holes and the Pacific South

Field notes

Vanuatu is an archipelago of 83 islands in the South Pacific, northeast of New Caledonia. It is the kind of place where you can climb an active volcano (Mount Yasur on Tanna), swim in a jungle blue hole that drops 30 metres, watch the original land-diving ritual (Naghol) on Pentecost Island, and finish the day on a deserted white sand beach. Efate, the main island, has the capital Port Vila with surprisingly good cafés and a small Francophone/English-speaking expat community.

Why go: It is one of the few places on Earth where you can combine adventure (volcano diving, kava ceremonies, waterfall hikes) with practical Pacific comfort (hotels, decent Wi-Fi, direct flights from Australia/NZ). Local culture is remarkably intact — kava bars in Port Vila, sand-drawing ceremonies still practiced on Ambrym, and custom dances by name of island.

How to get there: Direct flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland, and Nouméa to Port Vila (VLI). Air Vanuatu and Qantas operate the routes. From Fiji (NAN), 2-hour flight on Fiji Airways.

Practical notes: Vanuatu uses Australian/New Zealand-style Type I plugs (220V). The country is on the Pacific 'ring of fire' — expect black sand beaches and earthquake alerts. Customary land ownership rules apply on most islands; ask before walking or swimming.