Category Archives: Vanuatu

Touring Tanna: Part I

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A group of our cruiser friends decide to take a tour of Tanna.  This beautiful island is famous for several things:

  • Mt. Yasur which we will dedicate a blog post to
  • The “World’s Largest Banyan Tree”
  • Tanna’s Baha’i House of Worship
  • John Frum’s cargo cult village (separate blog post)

We start our tour by driving below the majestic Mt. Yasur active volcano.  This is the world’s most accessible live volcano and we plan to visit it up close and personal soon.  It was so very interesting to see the change in the landscape.  It went from lush green foliage to desolate lava land.

I was in awe of the volcano and its surroundings and cannot wait to share our adventure as we hike to the caldera.

The Fresh Market

We stop in Lenakel which is the “main town” in the southern tip of Tanna.  We pick up some fresh produce at the market, local currency, and some SIM cards.  I love how they make their baskets out of leaves and everything is locally harvested.

After a leisurely breakfast and shopping we hope back in our Ute and head to what they claim to be the “world’s largest banyan tree.”  I will say it truly is a massive tree which spans across 200 meters and stands 80 meters tall.

World’s Largest Banyan Tree

Our guide walks us down a small, dirt path into the valley where the natural surroundings and undisturbed ecosystem send chills up your spine.  All you hear are the birds in the trees, you smell the flora, and see the beauty.  

The tree is located near the Leitouapam villages (there are two and they take turns giving tours) which is about 15 minutes from the town of Lenakel.  You pay a $2000VT fee for the 30-45 minute tour.  

Nobody really knows how old the tree is but rumors are that this tree was immense long before Captain Cook arrived in 1774.

Interesting enough, there are male and female banyan trees.  Male trees grow as one large trunk whereas a female has one main trunk which then grows branches that grow out and descend to take root in the ground.  These air branches can grow hundreds of meters wide, like our beauty below.  

It looks like a lot of unique trees in the photos, but in reality it is one beautiful, old female tree with thousands of air branches that have embedded themselves into the ground to feed the entire tree.

Tanna Baha’i House of Worship

Baháʼí Houses of Worship are open to both Baháʼís and non-Baháʼís for prayer and reflection. All Baháʼí Houses of Worship have a round, nine-sided shape and are surrounded by nine pathways leading outwards and nine gardens. Baháʼí literature envisages Houses of Worship surrounded by a number of dependencies dedicated to social, humanitarian, educational, and scientific pursuits.  There are currently 14 Baha’i Houses of Worship as of 2023.

The Tanna Baha’i House of Worship has no windows and now walls.  As is custom, it has 9 doors (entryways) and 9 paths leading to unique gardens.  It is truly a peaceful and breathtaking setting.

They select the locations based on peace and spiritual settings.

There are no priests and they welcome all religions into their sanctuary.  It is said that only one house of worship is allowed in each continent. They also believe in total equality for men and women.

Here is a website for the Baha’i House of Worship in Vanuatu.

Our last stop is the very unique john Frum Cargo Cult Village.  This required it’s own blog post so stay tuned and learn why they believe an American WWII veteran is believed to bring untold riches to this tiny village on Tanna.

Our blog posts run 10-12 weeks behind actual live events.  This blog post occurred in early June.  Learn more about the beautiful island of Tanna from our last blog post.

The Island of Tanna

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Our first port of call in Vanuatu is Port resolution on the island of Tanna.  It is beautiful, green, and full of friendly people!  As we were approaching Tanna, her beautiful, active volcano, called Mt. Yasur was showing off.

The top photo shows the volcano and the little bay (to the right) where we are anchored.

Port Resolution is a beautiful bay with black sand beaches, hot pools, and smoking caves.  We go ashore to the Port Resolution Yacht club (also known as Nipikinamu Yacht Club) first because we have to clear in.  Lucky for us it gives us a chance to walk around afterwards.  In the lower photo you can see the school on top of the ridge.

The Nipikinamu Yacht Club was recently destroyed in a cyclone so they have a temporary space set up for gatherings.  This is Werry and he and his brother, Stanley run the Yacht Club and its services.  Super nice people.

The new yacht club has the foundation set.  They are making progress but it is difficult and expensive to get supplies to Tanna as it is such a remote island.

There are several bungalows that are part of the yacht club.  But these have been damaged during the cyclone as well.  Their priority is to finish the yacht club and then begin work on the bungalows.  A few of these bungalows have amazing views of the anchorage.

The Locals

Lots of fishermen were out and about in the bay.  They fish from their homemade outriggers using nets. It is really a beautiful process and an act of patience.

We walk through a few of the villages but there are not many people out and about.  Evidently there is a large wedding that most of the locals went to today.

We stop by the school and medical clinic to drop off donations.  Ben is the principal and he was thrilled to receive the glasses, books, and medical supplies.

Super cute little boy.

Exploring the Island

Matt and I take off down a path hoping to do some exploring.  There are lots of paths on this island.  We ended up on the opposite side of the island on a beautiful beach.

Along our walk, we stumbled across White Beach Restaurant which looked vacant but well kept.  Surprisingly, we ended up meeting the owner back at the boat (he was fishing) and he said it is very much open.  We did not expect to find restaurants in Port Resolution, Tanna.

You will encounter loads of cows, some pigs, a few happy locals and beautiful settings no matter which direction you explore.

Across the bay are several hot pools spewing steam and smoke.  We had to go investigate.  

It was a super amazing first day on the island of Tanna.  We are so excited to be in Vanuatu and we look forward to sharing our experiences with you.

Our blog posts run 10-12 weeks behind actual live events.  This blog post occurred during the end of May.  Did you read about our passage from New Zealand to Vanuatu in our last blog post?

Answer the Call of Vanuatu

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Vanuatu is a South Pacific Ocean nation made up of roughly 80 islands that stretch 1,300 kilometers.  It is tiny in comparison to most countries but it is packed full of amazing one-of-a-kind experiences.

Located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, Vanuatu faces frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions and is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.  But despite this, it ranks as the happiest place in the world in 2024. The ranking is based on self-reported well-being scores, life expectancy, GDP per capita and carbon footprint.  The Happy Planet Index noted factors like tight-knit communities, a peaceful political system, and a serious stance on environmental issues as some of the reasons Vanuatu came out on top.

We are entering the Vanuatu Island chain in the south end at Tanna.  We will go further south to Anatom/Mystery Island after we clear into the country.  Then we will make our way North/West to the other islands.

WWII History

During World War II, Allied military bases were established on the islands of Éfaté and Espiritu Santo in Vanuatu. While the Solomon Islands experienced both land and sea battles, Vanuatu was spared from much of the actual fighting.  Remnants of WWII were left in Vanuatu as a stark reminder of the tragedy that struck this beautiful country.  One of the most famous wrecks is the Wreck of the Coolidge in 1942 which is now a very popular dive site.

Many fabulous things to do in Vanuatu.  Here is a list of the top 20 adventures.  We plan to see a lot, but we our primary goal is to hike Mt. Yasur, swim with the dugongs, witness the land diving, enjoy a few blue holes, and dive the wreck Coolidge.

Because we just arrived, the photos below came from other sources, but rest assured, we will take our own photos of each experience.

Mt. Yasur

Vanuatu is most known for of the worlds most accessible active volcanos, Mt. Yasur.  You can get as close as 150m of the crater and its spewing lava.  This volcano stands 361m above sea level and is 400m in diameter.  Matt and I plan to visit this amazing volcano during our visit in Tanna, so stay tuned for that blog post.

Image taken by AlluringWorld.com

Image taken by AlluringWorld.com

Land diving  

Vanuatu is said to be the originator of bungee jumping — but they call it land diving.  This is a right of passage for men and is only held during a few months out of the year on the island of Pentecost.  Men tie vines to their ankles and leap off platforms to show their manhood. We specifically came to Vanuatu to see this act of bravery.

Image provided by freedictionary.com

Image provided by freedictionary.com

Blue Holes

Vanuatu has more freshwater blue holes than any other place in the world.  Found hidden amongst the lush emerald rainforest, these iridescent blue holes are a direct result of Vanuatu’s unique geology. When it rains, water from the islands’ volcanic mountains flows underground into limestone caves, which corrodes the limestone and creates underground streams. Eventually, these streams resurface as freshwater springs, or what we know as the blue holes. The waters in these blue holes are incredibly clear, creating a dazzling luminescent effect that seems almost too perfect to be natural.

Dugongs

I’ve always had a soft spot for manatees but have never had the opportunity to see one.  In Vanuatu, they have the manatee’s cousin called the Dugong.  They look remarkably similar, yet they are very different. My goal is to find a few and swim with them in their natural environment.

Image provided by Smithsonianmagazine.com

Image provided by Smithsonianmagazine.com

14 Facts You May Not Know About Vanuatu:

  1. Vanuatu is an archipelago consisting of about 83 islands in the South Pacific Ocean, located about 1,750 kilometers east of northern Australia.
  2. Vanuatu was known as the New Hebrides before gaining independence from joint British-French rule in 1980.
  3. Vanuatu is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world, with over 100 indigenous languages spoken across its islands.
  4. The official languages are Bislama (a creole language), English, and French.
  5. The capital and largest city is Port Vila, located on the island of Efate.
  6. Vanuatu is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire and has several active volcanoes, including Mount Yasur on Tanna Island, which is one of the world’s most accessible active volcanoes.
  7. Vanuatu is known for its rich cultural heritage, including the annual Nagol (land diving) ritual on Pentecost Island, which is considered a precursor to modern bungee jumping.
  8. Vanuatu’s population is approximately 300,000 people, with a mix of Melanesian, Polynesian, and Micronesian heritage.
  9.  The economy is primarily based on agriculture, tourism, and offshore financial services.
  10. Vanuatu’s traditional music features bamboo flutes, drums, and slit gongs, with lively dances and songs accompanying various ceremonies and celebrations.
  11. Kava, a traditional drink made from the root of the kava plant, is widely consumed in Vanuatu. It plays an important role in social and ceremonial occasions.
  12. Vanuatu has been ranked as one of the happiest countries in the world.  This despite its economic challenges, due to strong community ties and a rich cultural life.
  13. The island of Espiritu Santo was a major military base during World War II. Remnants of the war, including shipwrecks and military equipment, can still be found there.
  14. The country has several UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the Chief Roi Mata’s Domain, which is significant for its cultural and historical importance.

Come along with us as we explore this spectacular country called Vanuatu.

Our blog posts run 10-12 weeks behind actual live events.  This blog post occurred around the first of June.  Did you read about how we got here?  Check out our post “6 days at sea.“