Vanu-what? Where on earth is this? It would probably not surprise you if you were asked the same question…or maybe you’re not sure about it yourself?! I have to admit that until a few years ago, I had no idea about where exactly in the Pacific this island country is located (I did know however that it is in the Pacific – do I get some browny points for this, wink wink?). Vanuatu sparked my interest when I started thinking about the possibility of a sabbatical and destinations I could explore.

A short plane hop from Fiji, Vanuatu aka Vanu-what (😀), is one of those places that you’d not want to leave behind. The reputation of the Pacific people as being extremely friendly and welcoming is not least shown by the Nivan people (people of Vanuatu) and this is perhaps what I will best remember and cherish from my travels here). With a tourist app ready to help you plan your trip, Vanu-what made me think (already before leaving Fiji) that it is rather a popular destination among tourists (French, in particular, given its historic connections). And it turned out to be true, as my first encounters with fellow travellers would show. Despite this, I was surprised by how untouristy the country felt and how relaxed the people seemed, also displaying a sense of community that in some places has been long forgotten – something that immediately put a smile on my face and gave me a big relief. And you’ll soon come to see this all throughout the country. Those who decide to visit Vanu-what would typically choose its 3 main islands (those who usually come for 2 weeks or less, that is): Efate (that hosts the capital Port Vila), Tanna (famous for its active, lava spitting volcano) and Espiritu Santo (known for its beautiful beaches and wreck diving). I didn’t depart from this trend either (mostly due to the short time available and convenience).

Strolling in Port Vila, you get a feeling of a rastafari, close community. At least this is how I experienced it: many dreadlocks “sightings” around the city, laid back atmosphere and chilled conversations with the locals, kind greetings at every corner of the street, just to name a few things that gave me this impression and made me feel safe and almost at home. And it is not just Port Vila that charms you, it is the entire country, starting with the Efate Island. Efate is very resourceful: hop on a rental car or on the local mini vans and go out exploring. You’re guaranteed to have some fun times swimming in the Mele waterfalls – which might give you some chills as the water is not exactly warm (you’ll keep those chills as you’ll later on read about cannibals in Vanu-what) -, crossing on foot at low tide to the Hideaway island (and escaping the island’s entrance fee like a cheeky fella you are), swinging on a rope before launching yourself in the Blue lagoon and splashing everyone around you, covering yourself in mud at some mudbaths along the way (and come to understand the happiness of those cute piglets that you saw mud bathing so many times), before finally admiring the passion of a 10 year old telling you ancient stories about his village’s famous cave, Valeva.

You’ll then fly on to Tanna, to witness Mount Yasur’s magnificent display and discover the island’s incredible scenery – all this assuming the weather is your good, well-behaved friend. I had a rather moody friend when I was in Tanna, not really allowing me to do much. I however got to experience a bit of Yasur’s rumbling and shy lava explosions from up close (what an incredible feeling) and a much better lava spitting display from a further away family bungalow deep in the jungle. In exchange for getting me stranded on one side of the island in drizzling rain, my moody friend gave me some valuable memories: fully immersed in the village life, among others I got to spend time with wonderful children and assist the family’s grandma in preparing my meals.

And it won’t be long before you’d find me playing with children in some other village all the way across to Santo, a relatively popular place among divers or visitors wishing to get some rest in the more “active” lizzarding style: eating, laying in the sun, snorkeling, occasionally jumping on a kayak or taking strolls in the nearby village. Ah, I forgot the cocktails… or, in their absence, a glass of wine or a cold Tusker (Vanuatu’s beer for the curious). But when your moody friend shows up uninvited, with a full day drizzle deterring you from all this, what better choice do you have than entertain it?! A beach walk in the pouring rain watching kids enjoying both the rain and the ocean, a stroll in the village with your new besties – a local, his kid and 2 dogs, a cold lime juice bringing back the chills and an opportunity for your first solo hitchhike. Not to worry though, your moody friend would leave soon, making space for some sun tanning and working out your muscles kayaking to Champagne Beach and back (and you’d do it twice since you returned to get your phone – you really wanted to get some nice pictures of that beautiful water and the solitary beach – only to see that by the time you got it and returned, the clouds took over and the landscape changed a bit. At least you got some more muscle power!). Next to your muscles work out, you might even lose some weight after one your night buddies – some know it by the name of Ratatouille – greedily ate your food, those tasty roasted peanuts that you couldn’t stop enjoying. But the weight loss might turn into a weight gain, with your appetite growing bigger after the peanuts’ long regretted disappearance. The appetite would continue to grow after some rewarding snorkeling at the Million Dollar Point, where you got to see various wrecks and some colourful fish – one of those might have even ended up on your plate later on.

All these and many others are experiences that you’ll take home or share along the way with fellow travellers or hosts, hoping they won’t get bored listening. The two weeks that I spent in Vanuatu provided enough material for my brain and heart to process and store. They were also a good reminder (or rather little nudges) not to second guess my travelling decisions. It’s all part of the adventure that will continue beyond the incredible Vanu-what country.