Vanuatu The Havannah 5 stars Port Vila

Vanuatu is a Pacific island adventure far beyond any notions of cruise-ship ports and flashy resorts. Deserted beaches, ancient culture, remote and rugged islands and world-class diving are just a small part of the magnetism of this scattered 80-plus island archipelago. Where else can you hike up a crater to stare down into a magma-filled active volcano then ashboard back down, snorkel in a blue hole and drink kava with the local village chief – all in the same day? The resorts and restaurants of Port Vila have little in common with traditional kastom (custom) village life in the outer islands, but it's contrasts like these that make Vanuatu a surprise and a challenge. Vanuatu was slammed by Cyclone Pam in 2015, but the ni-Van people, resilient and laid-back as ever, take life in smiling strides. It takes a little time, effort and a healthy sense of adventure to truly explore Vanuatu's islands, but it's worth every bit of it. Vanuatu, whose name literally means "Eternal Earth," is one of the most unusual groups of exotic islands located in the southern Pacific Ocean. Due to the untouched natural framework found here, Vanuatu has won the surnames of the virgin paradise of Oceania. The volcanic chain on the Pacific Ocean has allowed these mountain islands to emerge, providing a submerged world as rarely seen as snow-white sandy beaches, clear water like crystal and a multitude of exotic corals. Vanuatu consists of 14 larger and 60 smaller islands, of which the most important are Efate, Espiritu Santo (the largest of them), Tanna and Malekula. The small island state hosts 114 different nationalities and languages. However, most of the inhabitants also speak English, with Vanuatu being renowned for the hospitality they are witnessing. Thanks to them the island was named by visitors to the Island of Smiles. Tanna Island is typically tropical, with spectacular waterfall and lush geothermal springs. Tourists here have the opportunity to climb Mount Yasur to meet the "Great Creator." For those eager for extreme adventures, there is a good opportunity to get deeper into the heart of the mountain, an old activity in the local tradition. Every year, enthusiastic locals drop into the hollow from the top of the mountain for about 35 meters, supported only by the lianas that slowly descend on its slopes. You can take part in the crazy ritual of the inhabitants and witness the black magic and witchcraft made by local magicians, even discuss with their leader and serve a glass of kava, the specific, traditional drink. Vanuatu is a renowned destination for underwater sports, a true Mecca of amateur genre, featuring a host of unprecedented facilities and conditions. Transparent sea water has a depth of 30 to 50 meters, depending on the season. The way coral reefs are arranged have a unique form of underwater terrain. Around them live no fewer than 600 species of fish and 1,200 other marine invertebrate species. The period of great geographic discovery left behind a large number of wrecks hidden in the shallow waters around the islands, turning the areas near them into a true colorful and exhilarating paradise. Apart from water sports, Vanuatu also finds other tourist attractions worth the attention of any visitor, such as the Katidral and Bleksendz caves, a special oceanic bed seen in northern Efate, full of canyons and other volcanic formations, Vanuatu National Park - Big Bay, Where we can see a massive stretch of extremely tropical rainforests. In Aneytyume, the southernmost island of the archipelago, the locals laid the foundations of a small natural reserve, thus protecting rare species of turtles, otherwise hunted in other parts of the small island state, for the delicious soup, tradition of the place. Almost all the islands offer excellent conditions for fishing in the ocean water. Special facilities for hiking and mountain hiking are found on the islands of Epiritu Santo, Eromanga, Gaoua and Ambrime. At the same time in Port Vila there are golfing conditions and some casinos. Overall, there are no tourists to get bored in this cheerful and brilliant country - Vanuatu.Vanuatu, officially the Republic of Vanuatu, is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is located approximately 1750 km east of northern Australia, 500 km northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea. Vanuatu was inhabited by the Melanesian people. The first Europeans to visit the islands were members of a Spanish expedition led by the Portuguese navigator Fernandes de Queirós, who arrived in Espirito Santo in 1605, he wanted the archipelago for Spain and called him Santo Espiritu. In 1880, France and the United Kingdom wanted parts of the country, and in 1906 they agreed on a joint management framework for the archipelago called New Hebride through an Anglo-French treaty. A movement of independence emerged in the 1970s, and the Republic of Vanuatu was founded in 1980. The name of the nation was derived from the word "Vanua" ("earth" or "house"), which is spoken in several Australian languages, and the word "You" ("place"). Together, the two words indicate the independent status of the new nation. Offering the most accessible and most active volcano in the world, and dozens of sparkling waterfalls located amid a tropical setting that appears as a paradise on Earth, Vanuatu is an archipelago of 83 different islands. These tropical islands are literally packed with wonderful experiences, and the best thing of all is that it has not really been discovered by the masses of tourists, meaning groups of noisy visitors have not yet managed to attack the holiness of the islands. If the beauty of an untouched island is something you think you could enjoy, then this is the time to experience Vanuatu. Although under a common governing between the French and the British until 1980, natives have their own distinct culture, which is different from anything else on Earth. There are primitive villages where the ancestral traditions are still practiced, hidden in shelters that have remained untouched by modern infrastructure and development, offering visitors a unique aspect of tropical life among indigenous tribes. And, at the same time, the capital of Porta Vila, a port on Efate, is a center of modernity that is woven with tradition. While it is accessible to all levels of travel, Vanuatu is not a destination for uninitiated. Tourist infrastructure is not as well developed as in other countries, but there are still many things to be experienced, especially when it comes to exploring the islands. From the volcano, Tanna, magical forests and Ambae massive lakes, guided excursions to Efate Island and diving on the beach, where you can rent your own private small villa, there is an endless series of opportunities. Vanuatu is absolutely one of the most adventurous islands for a person who wants a unique experience, peppered with its ancient traditions and beautiful interior areas that make it an unforgettable trip.