🇻🇺Vanuatu

Mount Yasur, Tanna

One of the most accessible active volcanoes in the world, its viewing platforms sitting close enough to the crater rim to feel the ground shake and hear the roar of eruptions directly. It has been almost continuously active for at least 800 years, making it a reliable, if unpredictable, natural spectacle. Evening visits offer the most dramatic view, as glowing lava becomes visible against the darkening sky.

Champagne Beach, Espiritu Santo

A wide crescent of powder-white sand and clear turquoise water often ranked among the best beaches in the South Pacific. Its name comes from the fizzing bubbles that rise through the sand in certain spots at low tide. It remains relatively undeveloped, with just a few small local stalls rather than large resort infrastructure.

The Blue Holes

Freshwater swimming holes scattered around Espiritu Santo, their vivid turquoise color a result of exceptionally clear, mineral-filtered water. Riverbank rope swings at several of the holes add a playful element to what is otherwise a peaceful swimming spot. They offer a refreshing freshwater contrast to the island's saltwater beaches and diving sites.

Port Vila markets

A produce and handicraft market that anchors the capital's waterfront, selling fresh tropical fruit, kava, and woven goods from vendors representing Vanuatu's many islands and language groups. The town itself, wrapped around a natural harbour, offers a relaxed introduction to the country before heading to more remote islands. It remains the main transport hub for onward travel throughout the archipelago.

SS President Coolidge wreck diving

One of the world's largest and most accessible shipwreck dives, a former luxury liner turned troop transport that sank just off Espiritu Santo in 1942 after striking mines. Divers can explore multiple decks, including cargo holds still containing jeeps, guns, and personal effects from World War II. Its accessibility from shore, combined with the wreck's scale, has made it a bucket-list site for wreck diving enthusiasts.

Pentecost Island land diving

The origin of modern bungee jumping, this traditional ritual involves young men leaping from tall wooden towers with only vines tied to their ankles, performed each year as part of a yam harvest ceremony. It's considered a rite of passage and remains deeply tied to local custom rather than staged purely for visitors. Access requires travel to Pentecost Island specifically during the April to June ceremonial season.