Vanuatu Yacht Charter - Cultural Itinerary

Note: All itineraries are customised according to your requirements. This is an example itinerary.

There are many options. Starting at Santo going north and finishing at Santo or starting Vila and finishing Santo. Or Starting at Vila , Tanna, north as far as Santo. Guests can fly into Santo, Tanna, from Vila. The islands are a real cultural experience and are very remote. The people are very polite and friendly and the traditional dances that they perform are quite primitive.

Anchorages are sometimes rolly. Overnights can be cut down if a smaller section of the group is explored in more detail. Some of the passages between islands can be a little rough if the trade winds are blowing hard. If guests have done open water cruising then it's a fascinating area to explore.

Champagne Beach - Hog Harbour

Day I

• Meet Party at the airport Santo/Vila
• Depart for Surprise 20 mins.
• Move to Aore for night. Or Aese depending on flight arrival time

Day 2 - 11/2 hrs to Aese Island

• Beaches
• Toys, Good anchorage

Day 3 - 21/4 Hrs to Champagne Beach and Elephant Island Dive

• Very white Beach, Dive
• Option: Maybe Move to Port Olry PM for anchor for dinner. 1 HR
• After dinner Overnight to Loh Island

Small Nambas people, Malekula

Day 4 - Loh Island (Torres Islands)

Options:

• Custom warrior dance and singing
• Visit birds /nature history/walk to view unique megapode birds
• Visit large caves
• Swimming from the beach
• Snorkeling and diving

Day 5 - Torres islands

• Explore

Day 6 - 5hrs to Ureparapara Island (volcanic crater)

• Dive, visit school , walk to rim of crater
• Great anchorage but sometimes a little rolly
• Options:
  • Bat cave tour
  • Bush walk or nature walk -longer walk to crater

Vanua Lava – Banks Islands

DAY 7 - 2hrs Ureparapara to Vanua Lava Island (Sarasara water fall)

• OPTION STOP AT REEF ISLAND EN-ROUTE. Dive and explore islet by tender
• Vanua lava, Banks Islands ( Sara Sara Waterfalls)
  • A welcome warrior dance
  • Traditional custom dance
  • Water music - Young children will demonstrate the fascinating water music to the visitors
  • Skulls cave tour - Visitors custom wall painting and historical sites and more especially the incredible cave of skulls.
  • Snorkel and dive off Ba
• Options: Vanua Lava ( vureas Bay )
  • Snake custom dance - Witness the spectacular snake dance performed specially for you and according to ancestral rules (colorful dance)
  • Bush walks & visit historical place. A short walk to the bush to experience the jungle life and the only opportunity to visit historical custom sites

Sara Sara Waterfalls Vanua Lava - Banks Islands

Day 8 - 10hrs Overnight 98 miles to Maewo

• OPTION: Weather permitting or visit Big Bay- quiet anchorage ( North Espirito Santo Island )
  Two Anchorages. One quiet with good snorkeling and the other full of culture, Tusker pigs, Eco sanctuary National Park for walks with flora and fauna, possible river trip

Day 8 Maewo Island Askari village anchorage

• VISIT Waterfalls and good diving, Calm anchorage
• Option:
  • Weather permitting move to Amari Village
  • Experience the moon cave
  • Maewo custom dance
  • Maewo magic show

Day 9 - 55 miles 5-6HRS to Santo, depart early am

• Scuba diving with Pro- dive, option of 4 dives in Santo:
  • Cyndies reef
  • Under water submarine net
  • Million dollor point
  • President Coolidg

Blue Hole - Santo
• Options: Santo day tours
  • Visit to the popular cultural village in Santo island called Fanavo village
  • Visit to Blue hole (swimming)

Day 10 - 35 miles 31/2 hours SANTO to Malakula island (Rose bay) Wala Is.

• Small Nambas tour - A half-day tour to the small Nambas village to admire ritual dance perform.
• Dive swim beach
• Option: Big nambas tour - A half day tour to big nambas village of Bekaier where your get to see the village and learn about how people live in their traditional way of life

Day 11 - 50 miles to Ranon anchorage Ambrym Island (active volcano)

• See a demonstration of the Custom magic, Flute playing Sand drawings.
• Famous ROM dance a must
• Great handicrafts
• Option: Maskellyne Islands - Explore Nice quiet anchorages and a few beaches Dives etc

Yasur Volcano Tanna

Day 12 - 40 miles 4 HRS FROM Ambrym to Epi Island

• Snorkel and swim with the tame Dungon.
• Visit Lamen island, beaches.
• Visit the waterfall and walk through the hard wood trees and learn about the secret plants of Epi.

Overnight 80 miles 8 hrs from Epi to Efate island

DAY 13 Port Vila

• Good restaurants, handicrafts.
• Options:
  • Round island tour including a village experience. This tour takes you around the island of Efate. Departing in the morning at around 0830 hrs and Return at 5pm in the afternoon.
  • Ekasup cultural village tour. Half-day tour that takes you to a cultural village that is just about 15 minutes drive. There you will learn more about the native ways of life in the olden day and now are still practiced today at the communities of Futuna Island .
  • Pele islands tour. Half day tour that takes you to Pele island and spend the rest of your half-day there. Giving you time to snorkel or kayak
  • Visit the world 2 wrecks
  • VISIT PORT HAVANNAH. Dive Pauls reef and others.
• Move to Turtle Sanctury
• Good anchorages Toys Explore. Anchor for night.

Port Vila - Efate Island

Overnight Efate to Tanna 120 miles 12 hrs

(Guests may like to fly in and let the ship meet them. They could stay in Vila for the night)

Day 14 - Tanna Island

• Witness the famous Tanna Volcanic in the day and in the night
• Visit the John Frum cargo cult
• Take a visit to the bat cave

Day 15 - 4hrs Aneityum Island

• Historical site on the gospel, at the main land of the island and continue to Mystery island where you will visit the traditional village.
• Scuba dive, Beaches.

Overnight back to Vila ( Efate ) 6hrs

Tanna Island Volcano

Day 16 - Depart ship

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