There's more to Vanuatu than sitting on a beach with a Pina Colada (tho that's nice too). Here are 9 ways to 'meet the locals' that will inspire the traveller in you!.
1. CATCH LOCAL TRANSPORT
Vanuatu is an archipelago of 83 islands in 6 island groups. Each island has its own unique, culture, language and identity. So why not learn about it from the locals? Air Vanuatu flies daily to the most popular: Efate (Port Villa) Espiritu Santo (Luganville) and Tanna (Whitegrass). But why not take one of the tiny planes to the less visited islands. They don't run as often and you'll probably be the only tourist, but that's what OTBT is all about right? The cargo-passenger boats are kinda interesting too (Big Sista and Vanuatu Ferry).
2. GO TREKKING / CAVING / SWIMMING / CANYONING - all at once.
The Millennium Cave Tour is an award-winning local village initiative on the island of Santo Espiritu. It's regularly been in the Top 5 Tripadvisor things to do in Santo so it's not exactly unknown, but it is definitely OTBT. If you're into trekking, caving, canyoning and swimming and "paying it forward" this is a 4-in-1 adventure that proves it's possible to have fun and do some good at the same time. You'll be led by local village guides who will give you first hand insight into village life and tell you stories of growing up in the jungle. Oh, and there is no minimum number! Great for solo travellers!
3. TAKE IN A SPA TREATMENT
That's no ordinary rockpool. The Island of Ambrym has 2 active volcanoes that cause Terter's tidal pools to turn into thermal hot springs. The temperature of the water is regulated by the tide. Locals use the pools for bathing and doing laundry so it is a bit of a community hotspot, which means you are sure to meet the locals. Be aware that the beach is gender-segregated.
4. STAY WITH THE LOCALS
The outer island groups in Vanuatu are all about locally-run, culture-based, tourism. There are no resorts out here, just a bungalow in the village. With these isolated provinces only getting perhaps 100 visitors a year (and many of those are anthropology researchers) this is truly an awesome and unique travel experience. Being this isolated, means it can be hard to get in touch with locals directly and turning up without something in mind is not always a good idea in the jungle. Luckily, community based tourism hasn't been forgotten in a country where most foreigners opt for resorts in the capital. Vanuatu Travel is the country's official tourism website and has loads of easy to find information on locally owned and run tourism operators, even those in the most far flung provinces. Also, try the Vanuatu Island Bungalow and Tour Operators Association for information.
5. LEARN THE CULTURE
While most locals speak Bislama, there are actually over 100 language groups on the islands, each with their own cultural heritage. Sand drawing, black magic, ceremonial dances and Pentecost Island's land diving are some of the unique customs found in different parts of Vanuatu. Community-based tourism initiatives include sharing that culture with foreigners, which can also help to preserve it. But be aware, chasing the tourist dollar isn't always a good thing. While 'kastom' is real, some displays of it are clearly more 'authentic' than others, or it's questionable that they should be 'attractions' at all. As always, do a little research to ensure that the people or their cultures are not being exploited for foreign entertainment.
6. DRINK AT A LOCAL KAVA BAR
It looks and tastes like muddy water but this non-alcoholic plant based drink has a kick to it. And there's nothing like knocking back a few shells at a pop-up Kava bar in the jungle.
7. GO BELOW THE SURFACE
This is the South Pacific with pristine waters, coral gardens and oceans that aren't overfished. For WW2 military buffs, or just anyone who wants to dive something different, Million Dollar Point on Espiritu Santo was the US Army's dumping place for military equipment they couldn't be bothered taking home and didn't intend to gift to the locals. It's a great place to find out more about the War in the Pacific from the perspective of the locals and the legacies left behind, like the John Frum Cult.
The other big underwater winner is Gaspard Point, a dugout canoe ride from Lamap on the island of Malekula in the Maskelenes. Here, in the shallow waters, munching on seagrass are the hippo-like Dugongs.
8. CLIMB INTO A VOLCANO
Mt Yasur on Tanna is one of Vanuatu's active volcanoes, and its most visited. On the other hand, Marum and Benbow on the island of Ambrym don't get much traffic at all - save for volcanologists and black magic witch doctors. Maybe because it's a few hours by 4wd on a rough dirt track, then, when that runs out, it's a few more hours of jungle trek before you even hit the lava field. It's definitely an overnighter - with a pitched tent, campfire and pit toilet - where you can watch the lava show. Oh, and did I mention you actually climb up onto the rim of the active volcano? You need a guide for this one so arrange through the local tourism office Vanuatu Travel or your Ambrym host.
9. SAVE A TURTLE
Okay, so technically Tranquility Island is a resort but with only twice a day limited power, local style hut living and Robinson Crusoe furnishings it's a little more off the beaten trail than on it. You can, at night, if the wind is right, sit on the beach and catch some wifi, but don't count on it. Instead: dive, swim over coral, sail the ocean, chillax or help out at the island's Hawksbill turtle sanctuary.
OTBT and Independent Travel in VANUATU
GETTING THERE: There are flights to Port Vila (Bauerfield Airport) from Australia (Brisbane & Sydney); Fiji; PNG and Solomon Islands.
GETTING AROUND: There are regular Domestic Flights with Air Vanuatu between Port Vila and Santo or Tanna. Getting to the outer islands may require more planning as flights are less regular. You can also travel by Cargo-Passenger Boats (Big Sista and Vanuatu Ferry)
NEED TO KNOW: Accommodation and Activities in the outer island are locally run and may not have easy phone or internet access but can usually be contacted via the provinces tourism offices Vanuatu Travel is the national tourism office and has a great website to get you started. There are 6 Provinces in Vanuatu, each covers a couple of islands. You might notice the province name corresponds to its islands:
SHEFA - Shepherd Islands, Efate MALAMPA - Malekula, Ambryn, Paama TORBA - Torres & Banks SANMA - Santo, Malo
PENAMA - Pentecost, Ambae, Maewo TAFEA - Tanna, Aniwa, Futuna, Erromango, Anatom
