I used to be obsessed with exploring the cultures of war-torn countries like Afghanistan in the Middle East, but my pursuit of Earth’s extreme landscapes remains a passion of mine throughout my life.
Band-e Amir Lake in Afghanistan, summer 2016▲
This is a place 99% of people have never heard of, but it has always been a special place in the 86 countries I’ve been to because it’s so unique!
Volcanic eruptions are the masculine pulsations of Earth’s hormones, and they best represent a man’s desire to conquer!
There are only five volcanoes in the world where you can see lava pools, unfortunately, in 2018, due to the redirection of the Kilauea volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii, I missed the opportunity to see the lava, and after excluding Mount Erebus in Antarctica, which is basically inaccessible to ordinary people, there are only three left that can let you face the gates of hell!
I once visited Mount Nyiragongo in the Democratic Republic of Congo under the escort of UN peacekeepers, a Virunga National Park where six anti-government armed groups still operate frequently.
Mount Nyiragongo in the Democratic Republic of Congo, photographed in December 2017▲
And Mount Erta Ale in Ethiopia, it takes a convoy to cross the no man’s land for two days. But when you witness the churning lava pool with your own eyes, every pore of your body feels like it’s bursting, it’s a visual climax you can’t get from going to any other volcano, it’s all worth it! Unfortunately, because of the war, I still can’t take you there.
Erta Ale crater in Ethiopia, October 2017▲
But Mount Yasur in the island nation of Vanuatu in Oceania is different, the stable cycle (every 15 minutes) allows you to 100% enjoy the magnificent fireworks of the volcanic eruption, the gentle eruption radius makes the whole process so safe, there is no better than it!
At the same time, exploring the most primitive naked tribes on the island, deciphering the current survival status of the ancient cannibalistic tribes with your camera is incredibly exciting. Don’t forget, there are also dreamy coastlines that are no less beautiful than Fiji, put on your swimsuit and play freely with the tropical fish!
The Australian film “Tanna” (Forbidden Love) released in October 2015, I recommend watching this film before going to Tanna, it will make your visit to the tribe more enjoyable.
“Tanna” is more like a documentary, the reason it’s said to be like a documentary is because all the actors are local natives, the real names of the two main actors are the names of the film’s protagonists, it seems to just present their daily lives.
“Tanna” is also like a scenic folk promotional film, the primitive civilization lifestyle, the tribal life against the backdrop of an ancient social culture, the native dances, languages and songs, make the audience yearn for Tanna Island.
Vanuatu is located in the western Pacific Ocean, belongs to the Melanesian archipelago, and consists of 83 islands (68 of which are inhabited). After 1825, missionaries, merchants and ranchers from Britain, France and other countries came to Vanuatu. In October 1906, Britain and France signed a joint administration agreement and Vanuatu became a British-French co-administered colony. It became independent on July 30, 1980 and the country was named the Republic of Vanuatu (English: The Republic of Vanuatu).
Location on the planet
Vanuatu is located in the western Pacific Ocean, 1900 kilometers east of Brisbane, Australia, 800 kilometers west of Fiji, 230 kilometers north of New Caledonia, and 170 kilometers south of the Solomon Islands.
From China via Australia to Vanuatu▲
From China via Fiji to Vanuatu▲
Other information
Area: Vanuatu is actually small in terms of land area; land area is 12,190 square kilometers, water area is 848,000 square kilometers.
Population: The total population of Vanuatu is 282,000 (2017). Of these, 98% are Ni-Vanuatu, a Melanesian race, the rest are descendants of French, British, Chinese, Vietnamese, Polynesian immigrants and other people from nearby island nations. There are about 600 Chinese and overseas Chinese. The official languages are English, French and Bislama, with Bislama as the common language. 84% of the population is Christian.
Climate: Tropical oceanic climate, with an average annual rainfall of 1600 mm. The average temperature is 25.3°C. The whole year is suitable for travel.
Time Zone: Vanuatu is in the East 11th time zone, local time is 3 hours ahead of Beijing time.
Language: The official languages are English, French and Bislama, with Bislama as the common language. 84% of the population is Catholic.
1. Port Vila (Efate Island)
Port Vila is located on the southwest tip of Efate Island in south-central Vanuatu. It is the capital of Vanuatu, and the entire city is covered with forests, like a big garden. The natural harbor of Mele Bay, surrounded by mountains on three sides and facing the sea, has modern hotels and shopping malls.
Efate Island, where Port Vila is located, is a beautiful coral island, with crystal clear water. There are many comfortable resorts on the island, and most of the beach resorts have beautiful snorkeling areas. Tourists can participate in sea turtle breeding bases, Mele Cascade Falls, blue holes, rainforest zip lines, sea cow viewing (sea cows are as big as pigs, have fur, and have a large mouth like a suction cup that gnaws on seaweed at the bottom of the sea) and other day trip activities.
Postcards: If time allows, waterproof postcards and volcano postcards are best bought at the post office in the city. Volcano postcards are only available at the White Grass Resort in Tanna, waterproof postcards can be bought at the ticket office of the secluded island.
Local fruit: Be sure to buy some local fruit when you visit the central vegetable market, it’s cheap and delicious.
High prices: Prices are relatively high for tourists, especially in Tanna Island, which is much more expensive than Port Vila and Santo Island.
Coconut crabs: Vanuatu is rich in coconut crabs, amphibious, feeding on coconuts, many people come here to taste, first, the price is very advantageous compared to other places, and second, there are not many countries that allow eating coconut crabs. Coconut crabs are not easy to grow, big ones usually take ten years to grow, the meat is thicker than ordinary crabs, but with a hint of coconut fragrance. Now the hotels on Tanna Island don’t eat coconut crabs for conservation purposes.
Underwater Post Office
Port Vila also has a unique experience, the only underwater post office still in operation in the world, where you can send out unique underwater postcards.
It is located on a nearby islet called Hideaway in Port Vila, so small that it can only be seen on Google Maps, and you have to switch to satellite view to see the whole island▼
Postcards need to be purchased on site waterproof, if you have no swimming or freediving experience, do not rashly send postcards by yourself, there are no rescue personnel around, it is easy to have an accident.
Island Fee: Non-hotel guests need to pay an island fee of 1250 vatu/person.
Remember to bring bait: You need to bring some bread, biscuits and other baits to take pictures of fish circling around the mail.
Underwater post office website: http://www.vanuatupost.vu/index.php/en/underwater-post
2. Tanna Island
Jesus Volcano
Tanna Island is located in the south of Vanuatu. The island has the most famous Mt Yasur Volcano, also known as Yasur Volcano. This is one of the most easily accessible active volcanoes in the world, you can stand at the crater rim and have a close-up view of the awe-inspiring impact of the volcanic eruption.
Volcano Post Office▲
Comfortable shoes: Wear comfortable shoes that are good for walking when you go to the volcano, don’t wear sandals;
Coat: It’s very windy on the ridge after dark, it’s quite cold, you have to bring a coat;
Mask: Prepare a mask, although it’s not necessarily needed, if the wind direction suddenly changes, it’s very necessary;
Safety: Be sure to pay attention to your feet when walking around the crater rim, and be sure to stand firmly before enjoying the view;
Lens: Pay attention to protecting the lens when going to the volcano, it’s best to use a UV lens and so on;
Tripod and telephoto lens: A telephoto lens and tripod are essential for taking pictures of the volcanic eruption, otherwise you won’t be able to capture the fireworks-like feeling;
Flashlight: The staff’s flashlights can’t reach everyone on the way back after dark, you can prepare a strong flashlight or use the flashlight on your phone;
Luck: Watching the volcano is a matter of luck, the intensity of the eruption is not the same every day, the wind direction is different, the viewing point is also different, good weather and wind and rain have different feelings, so it’s better to see it more than once.
Primitive tribes
There are many primitive tribes on Tanna Island, including the naked tribes, cannibals and other tribes, which are very distinctive, different hotels go to different villages, in addition, there are many combinations, you can choose your favorite tribes and routes in advance.
Dress difference between naked tribes and cannibals (Author: Huan Er Huan)
Mosquito repellent: Mosquitoes and insects are common on tropical islands, be sure to bring mosquito repellent and anti-itch medicine before going to the island.
Blue Cave
Located on the west side of Tanna Island, it is a cave by the sea, the entrance is underwater, you can’t see the entrance at high tide, you need to dive in to get in, at low tide the entrance is exposed, you can swim in. The water in the cave is fluorescent blue, with a large hole at the top, sunlight shines directly down, a different world.
There is a ladder on the rock wall, you can climb up the ladder to the entrance of the cave. To go to the blue hole, you need to take a group tour boat, but it requires swimming.
About the Blue Hole:
There are 3 blue holes in Tanna Island, but Blue Hole 1 and Blue Hole 2 are naturally formed deep vertical holes, because they suddenly turn deep vertically, the corals in the cave have not been damaged by humans, the cliff walls and the bottom of the cave are covered with corals, which is a good place for snorkeling.
Blue Hole 1
Suitable for snorkeling, the coral reefs are beautiful, large, complete, and there are many fish.
Tide time: Low tide is the best time, first, you can walk directly from the rocky beach to the edge of the blue hole at this time, second, the water is clearest at this time, third, you are closest to the beautiful scenery at this time, the light is much worse underwater if it is one or two meters away.
Snorkeling shoes: Essential! Be sure to wear snorkeling shoes, and buy those with a slightly thicker bottom, the reefs themselves are uneven, and the attached shellfish are sharper, you will be injured if you are not careful.
Pay attention to sunscreen: It’s easy to get sunburned when snorkeling, it’s best to wear a long-sleeved, long-pants snorkeling suit, which is cheap to buy on Taobao. Because sunscreen is harmful to coral, it is recommended to choose sunscreen labeled “marine life friendly”.
Rental underwater photography equipment notes:
Underwater camera: Be sure to rent the latest model, in case of malfunction, even if it is not your operation problem, it is difficult to explain, minor problems have repair insurance, major problems may not be able to get all the deposit back, the most important is that you will not be able to record the wonderful underwater world.
Gopro: All come with waterproof cases, there is basically no problem of water ingress, so there is no need to be too demanding on the new or old.
Snorkeling mask: It is recommended to bring your own, it is more hygienic and reliable. It’s hard to find masks with the right prescription for nearsighted people, so you can wear contact lenses.
Blue Hole 2
It is the private territory of Rocky Ridge, not free to open, there is a sign at the entrance, with the charging standard, accommodation here does not need to charge. Blue Hole 2 is very beautiful, especially the colorful coral is invincible, no matter how many beautiful underwater worlds you have been to, it will not disappoint you.
In addition, the guests of Rockwater Resort also speak highly of the snorkeling environment in front of their hotel, Tanna Island also has many attractions such as white sand beach, shark bay, waterfalls, hot springs, giant banyan trees and so on.
3. Espiritu Santo Island
Espiritu Santo Island, located in the north of Vanuatu, is the largest island in Vanuatu. Santo Island is a great place for swimming, diving, camping, fishing and many other entertainment activities, with better hotel facilities than Tanna Island and lower prices than Tanna.
Santo Island has the beautiful Champagne Beach, with silver-white sand, vast blue waves, the famous diving paradise “Million Dollar Point” and the largest shipwreck remains.
There are also 2 blue holes in the middle of the island, with a strong tropical flavor, rowing a small boat through the dense tropical rainforest, very quiet, only the occasional chirping of birds in the forest.
4. Malekula Island
Malekula Island is in the center of Vanuatu and has long retained its clan traditions. There are Nakamal huts, also known as “traditional men’s houses”. The roof is made of compressed coconut leaves, and the walls are woven with coconut leaves, which are both economical and practical and beautiful and ventilated.
5. Pentecost Island
This is the birthplace of modern bungee jumping. Few people know that the ancestors of bungee jumping are the residents of the island nation of Vanuatu in Oceania, where this unique activity called “land diving” can be traced back 1500 years.
The Vanuatu native tribes’ male coming-of-age ceremony – land diving, boys would jump from a vine tower tens of meters high, with green vines tied to their legs. People do this to pray for the earth to bring them a good harvest, and also to prove their bravery.
The activity only takes place in April and May every year, during the yam harvest season. The green vines at this time contain a lot of moisture, which can be stretched under the pull of gravity, if the green vines are too short, they can’t touch the ground with their shoulders, if they are too long, it will be dangerous. If you happen to be visiting Vanuatu at this time, you must go and see it.
1. International Flights
The capital, Port Vila, has an international airport with direct flights to Brisbane, Sydney, Auckland (New Zealand), Fiji, the Solomon Islands and New Caledonia.
Airlines include Air Vanuatu, Qantas, Virgin Australia, Air New Zealand, Air Caledonie, Fiji Airways, etc.
From China to Vanuatu, it is recommended to travel together with Australia or Fiji, otherwise the transportation is too tiring. Domestic large cities have direct flights to Sydney and Brisbane, you can transfer less. Hong Kong has direct flights to Fiji, other cities need to transfer in Hong Kong or Seoul.
It is said that buying more than 4 times Air Vanuatu tickets can have discounts, so if the price difference is not big when you go to Vanuatu from Sydney, Brisbane, Fiji, it is best to buy Air Vanuatu, because you usually need to take domestic flights after arriving in Vanuatu, domestic flights are basically no discounts due to monopoly, so you can get discounts if you buy them together.
1. When buying tickets, it is best to buy the domestic return trip to Sydney and the Sydney return trip to Port Vila separately, which is cheaper than buying the two segments directly, probably because there are fewer domestic agents providing tickets for the second segment.
2. The Sydney to Port Vila route may not be searchable on some mainstream ticketing websites, remember to search on several websites for comparison.
3. Vanuatu time is 3 hours ahead of Beijing, that is, Beijing time + 3 = Vanuatu time, Sydney time is Beijing time + 2, these two countries have a 1-hour time difference, be sure to confirm the local time of the destination when buying tickets, so as not to miss the next flight due to lack of time.
2. Domestic Flights
There are nearly 10 domestic routes, monopolized by Air Vanuatu. All major islands in Vanuatu have airports, but they only have flights to Port Vila, so all other islands must transfer in Port Vila, domestic flights are not security checked.
There are 1 to 2 flights a day from Port Vila to Tanna Island, operated by Air Vanuatu, both people and luggage are weighed before boarding. You can also take a 8-10 person taxi plane from Port Vila to Tanna Island, the plane is very small, luggage is limited to 10 kilograms, both people and luggage are weighed before boarding.
Port Vila airport is very small, with only 2-3 immigration counters in the entire airport, so it’s best to hurry up and get in line after getting off the plane.
Immigration officers usually ask you when you are leaving, prepare your flight tickets and hotel bookings in advance, and show them on your phone.
3. Island Transportation
In the capital, Port Vila, red license plate B-starting vans are like public buses, you can stop them by waving, and there are no fixed stops. The price within the city is 150 vatu, but if you go further, it is usually 300 vatu, but the driver will call out a price to foreigners, so remember to bargain before getting on.
There are no taxis on Tanna Island, it is said that there are buses on market days in town. The island now has a road built by Chinese people, from the airport to the largest town, Lenakel, and the road from the town to the volcano is still under construction. Other places are dirt roads, with poor road conditions, narrow, bumpy, big slopes are common, no streetlights, the most commonly used means of transportation is pickup truck.
Vanuatu gives 30-day visa-free entry to Chinese passport holders for tourism, and no visa fee is required. If you need to transfer to a third country, such as Australia, you still need to apply for a visa to the transfer country.
The local currency in Vanuatu is called Vatu, the exchange rate against RMB is about 1:16-1:17, there are almost no places in China where you can exchange it, so it is most convenient to bring US dollars or Australian dollars to exchange.
Local hotels can basically swipe VISA, UnionPay, Mastercard credit cards, just carry a small amount of US dollars or Australian dollars with you.
There is no WIFI in hotels on Tanna Island, it is recommended to buy a phone card immediately after getting money at the airport.
There are counters of two telecommunications companies at the airport, one is digicel, the other is Telecom Vanuatu (abbreviated as TVL), you can choose to buy after consulting on the spot.
Vanuatu is not a tipping country, you don’t have to pay.
Accommodation in Port Vila
Sunset Bungalows Resort
Located on the edge of the lagoon, open the bedroom’s entire window to reach the edge of the lake. It is said that the Sunset Hotel is named after the beautiful sunset here.
The dinner menu is rich, the staff is very enthusiastic and friendly, and you can speak Chinese at the hotel.
Accommodation in Tanna
Tanna Evergreen Resort & Tours
The hotel has a bay suitable for snorkeling in front of it, and you can meet dolphins if you are lucky.
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