Being a jouno, my phone goes off 24/7. So, best believe, when Vanuatu called, I picked up the line to check out the islands, discover all of its secrets, and fulfil a childhood dream of mine, sparked by a girl with beaded braids.
Let me paint you a picture: In the fourth grade, sporting my daggy sports uniform and pigtails, I was waiting for the arrival of my bestie Molly, who was returning from a round-trip cruise to Vanuatu.
As the morning bell rang — which meant it was time to say the Hail Mary to kick off our day — a faint sound of beads clanking against each other echoed from the hallways. Molly, with what looked like box braids with colourful beads at the end, waddled in, exclaiming how amazing Vanuatu was, from the blue water to the people, and of course, her new hairdo.
As a professional yearnalist, that memory of Molly, with beaded braids and all, and her enthusiasm for Vanuatu remained in my mind for YEARS.
And let me tell you, when I finally answered that call to Vanuatu — to the islands I've dreamed about since I was a wee little Filipino girl eating corned beef sandwiches for little lunch — I picked up, and it was everything AND MORE.
So, to give you a run-down of the magical things I saw during my six-night stay in Vanuatu, and what I recommend, here's what you need to know.
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Where to swim in Vanuatu
Champagne Beach — Espiritu Santo
I think all Aussies can agree that we're all a bit staunch when it comes to beaches. HOWEVER, Champagne Beach is NOTHING compared to what we've got at home.
Tucked in Vanuatu's Espiritu Santo, and just a 45-minute drive from Luganville, experiencing Champagne Beach can best be described as stepping into a Windows Vista desktop screen.
The powdery white sand makes it the perfect place to set down your towel and soak up sights, and the water???? Don't get me started. Firstly, it's as if someone dumped barrels upon barrels of Windex into the ocean; it's that clear and blue.
Swimming out towards the left side of the beach, underneath mangroves and towards the rocks, you will unearth an abundance of mesmerising coral structures and an endless number of tropical fish.
While I only spent an arvo there, you can also camp on site, with the beach offering changing rooms, toilets, shower facilities, a BBQ area and a concession stand where you can enjoy an ice-cold Tusker — but for throwbacks' sake, I did indulge in a cheeky blue Crusier to match the beach's aesthetic.
Riri Blue Hole — Espiritu Santo
Okay, H20: Just Add Water enthusiasts, clutch your tails for this one.
Vanuatu's Espiritu Santo has three main blue holes, including the Nanda, Matevulu and Riri Blue Holes. In this adventure, we only had time to visit Riri, and let me tell you this. While Champagne Beach had me with its blue water, Riri's Blue Hole was some next-level, fantasy mermaid type of experience.
While you can drive to Riri Blue Hole, we canoed to the swimming area, which I highly recommend as you get to experience the beauty of Vanuatu's nature in its glory. Like all five senses were tickled (okay, maybe not taste, but you get the picture).
One of my favourite things about this blue hole in particular was that there was a rope swing!!! But of course, like all activities, please do it with caution and safety and always, ALWAYS make sure you’re with someone, especially for water-based activities.
If you're considering booking a Riri Blue Hole canoe ride (which I highly recommend), you can peep this link right here for more info.
Blue Lagoon — Efate
Continuing on with our love for Blue Holes, head on to Efate for the Blue Lagoon.
Only a 45-minute drive from Port Vila, the Blue Lagoon is a massive space for everyone to enjoy a cheeky lil swim in some nature. What I loved about this place is that it had MANY rope swings to experience and man-made platforms to jump off.
As you can tell, I am definitely an adrenaline junkie, so when I had all these options, I was like a kid in a candy store!
What I also loved was that Joey was around to help with grabbing the ropes back and moral support. He even told us about a beach that was nearby, which we also checked out.
Blue Lagoon also had a small concession shop on site, so if you're fanging a snack, they got you covered.
Rarru Cascades — Efate
I know TLC said not to chase waterfalls, but this one is 100 per cent worth it.
Only 25 minutes from Port Vila, you can take a freshwater dip next to Vanuatu's Raru Cascades!! It's only a 5-minute walk (honestly felt less than that) from the car park, so you're not huffing and puffing for the site, and there are ladders around the waterhole, so you don't have to deal with a rock scramble for a refreshing dip.
This site also features a jumping platform and rope swing, but just like the other sites, please, please, please be careful. As always, it's better to be safe than sorry!
Where to eat in Vanuatu
The Moso Vanuatu's Bistro and Bar — Efate
The Moso Vanuatu's Bistro and Bar has a stacked menu that'll keep you full through brekkie, dinner and lunch!
However, the highlight was a buffet-style dinner that takes place on Wednesdays, where guests could mingle, indulge in some entertainment from the local village and enjoy a massive bonfire at the end!
The buffet features a series of Melanesian flavours including pork ribs, papaya salad, cassava in coconut milk and tuna steaks! The dessert, cinnamon fried bananas with vanilla ice-cream, was a massive crowd pleaser.
K2 Kitchen — Efate
OK, this one is a massive hear me out. Hidden in a bunch of tennis courts, the K2 Kitchen offers a menu for those who need a health kick.
I highly recommend getting the poached chicken salad — especially if you love coconut and your chicken juicy — with the pomelo juice!
So, as Lorde once prophesied, go down to the tennis court, and talk it up like yeah (yeah!).
Chez Louis Restaurant — Espiritu Santo
Located in Espiritu Santo's Port Olry, Chez Louis Restaurant offers up a series of Melanesian flavours in a bungalow, beachside. Yep, it literally gets better and better.
Visiting Chez Louis Restaurant, I got myself the Fish Poulet with cassava fries and rice! The fish was incredibly juicy and was paired with a delicious pickled onion with some kind of chutney, two salads and the crispiest cassava fries ever! Also, the rice was soooo fluffy; I think my mum would cancel me if I compared it to hers but… I'm gonna stay silent.
Where to stay in Vanuatu
The Moso — Efate
Located off the northwest coast of Efate, The Moso is an adults-only resort that spoils its guests with beautiful views, delicious meals and amazing hospitality.
One of my favourite things about The Moso was that it was right on the beach AND it featured a hammock that hung over the water.
Guests who are keen on physical activity can also use the paddleboards, kayaks and snorkel gear that's provided by the resort.
However, if you're not keen on the beach, some villas are equipped with a plunge pool to help you cool down from the tropical heat.
The lead-in room rate at The Moso starts at $319 AUD per night with The Garden Villa.
Barrier Beach Resort
One of my favourite stays of the trip, the Barrier Beach Resort is also an adults-only stay that truly gives you that rainforest meets beach experience.
What I loved about this place was the access to the private beach, which was abundant in sand dollars and little, nosy fish that follow you around. There was also a pontoon you could swim out to.
Also, if you stay here, you MUST say hello to the top dog, Milly.
The lead-in room rate, which is for the Garden Suite, begins at $400 AUD per night.
Grand Hotel and Casino
This hotel is absolutely STUNNING. From the pink decor, to the rooms — which featured a massive window that peeked into the bathroom, giving me a POV as Shamu at SeaWorld — The Grand Hotel and Casino is the perfect stay if you're in Port Vila.
The breakfast buffet was delectable, the views from the balcony were gorgeous and most importantly, the shower pressure???? HELLO.
The lead-in room rate, starting with the Harbour view room, is $277 AUD per night.
What experiences to book in Vanuatu
Nguna Outer Island Hike Vanuatu Ecotours
I know I'm glazing this trip, but the hike on Mt Marou with Vanuatu Ecotours was truly a one-in-a-lifetime experience. Guided by Ronnie and Daniel, who were absolutely hilarious, our group trekked all the way up the third-highest point of Vanuatu, which was roughly a 2.5-hour trip up and down.
While the trek was difficult — especially in the third section — it was so much fun. We stopped to learn about the agriculture of Vanuatu, which included tasting a sprouted coconut, and met the chairman of one of the villages on Nguna Island, who shared some information about the volcano in his dialect.
Again, this one was a bit difficult, so definitely check if you can handle it.
It was a fulfilling experience and one I highly recommend! You can book it right here.
Basket Weaving at Havannah Boat House
When I did this class, I felt my Filipino/Filipina/Filipinx ancestors roll their eyes because weaving is harder than it looks!!
At Havannah Boat House, Nellie, the master weaver, showed us how to create bookmarks while sharing her personal story about weaving, its importance to the Vanuatu people, and how she achieved the title of master weaver.
This experience was one of my favourites as it felt like I was truly immersed in Vanuatu's culture, and it was exciting to learn something new.
Also, the experience came with fresh banana bread!!!
You can lock in basket weaving at the Havannah Boat House right here.
Santo's Firewalks Cultural Tour
Truly tapping into Vanuatu's rich culture, Santo's Firewalks Cultural Tour showed us an amazing array of important customs. From customary welcome songs to the importance of sand drawing, traditional medicine and cooking, we learned so much about Vanuatu's culture and how it's been passed down from generation to generation.
One of the biggest highlights as well was learning about the significance of firewalking with a live demonstration.
If you're interested in locking this in, you can book right here.
How to get to Vanuatu?
While there are cruises to the islands, Virgin Australia operates up to 12 return flights to Vanuatu per week in Spring school holidays, direct from Brisbane to Port Vila. But if you're not available during the Spring school holidays, it also regularly operates up to seven return services from Brissy to Vanuatu.
The best part? The flight is only three hours and 30 minutes, giving you enough time to fit in a nap, a show and light reading before exploring Vanuatu.
Overall, Vanuatu was everything and more than what I imagined it to be, but most importantly, it was also the people I met along the way who made the trip worthwhile.
