5 days in Santo, Vanuatu

So I will admit that Vanuatu was pretty low on my travel list. I had preconceived misconceptions about Vanuatu that it was an over-developed island that catered to all inclusive resorts. I should know better than to judge a place before visiting myself, but I’m here to say, that I was very wrong.

Solomon Airlines had just released direct return flights from Brisbane to Espiritu Santo in Vanuatu leaving on a Thursday and returning on a Tuesday, creating a perfect extra long-weekend 5-day trip. The flight was only 2.5 hours from Brisbane, insanely close given how untouched and remote it felt. Solomon Airlines also fly direct from Auckland on Tuesdays.

Espiritu Santo is one of the main islands in Vanuatu, however it is very different to the more popular tourist island of Port Villa. Port Villa I’m told is where you can find the all-inclusive resorts but according to locals, it doesn’t accurately portray what the real Vanuatu is like. And after visiting Santo, I feel like I experienced the best part of Vanuatu. Port Villa was hit badly by the earthquake, if you are intending on visiting, most of the island is back up and running apart from a few restaurants/bars.

Activities

Santo is where you can find all the incredible blue holes, and surprisingly, we were the only tourists ever there. We visited three blue holes, Riri, Matevulu and Nanda blue holes. The Riri blue hole you can get a canoe down the river to the blue hole, the canoe ride itself was a highlight, so I recommend including this. You can find guys at the entrance who will paddle you down. Matevulu blue hole is like an adult’s playground, it has a giant banyan tree in the centre of it with a ladder to climb on and swing off, as well as a slide and multiple swing ropes. We spent a full morning here as there was so much to do and it was also a good place to chill. Lastly, the Nanda blue hole has a lot of fish in it and the clarity is insane, so bring your snorkel set.

I spent my time horse riding at Port Orly and swimming with the horses, on one of my horse rides, my horse refused to get out of the water - a fellow water baby she was. We also had a stunning feast of lobsters at Port Orly, so you can definitely spend the day here relaxing and horse riding.

Champagne Beach is ranked as one of the best beaches in the world, shocking given again, there were no other tourists. We had the whole beach to ourselves. It was at Champagne beach we saw the traditional water ladies perform their songs and dance in the water, this was a really cool experience. They’re not always there, so make sure you check with your accommodation. Likewise with the horse riding at Port Orly.

In terms of something more adventurous, you can do the Millennium Cave Tour, which is a full-day excursion with a somewhat intensive hike through the caves. Alternatively, you can do the Water Cave tour, which is slightly easier or if you really want to relax, the Mount Hope Waterfall float. I chose the float lol, I was really treating this trip like a holiday and wanted to just float aimlessly down the river. It was so beautiful but everyone who did the Millennium Cave Tour, were raving about it.

Accommodation

We stayed at Barrier Beach Resort, which is adults only. It was at this resort that I saw the DUGONGS! Big deal iykyk. So this was a massive highlight for my trip.

Friends of ours stayed at Aore Island Resort, which was absolutely stunning so I highly recommend this spot. Other friends were also at Turtle Bay Lodge, another stunning spot.†

Transport

In terms of transport, your best option is to hire a car. Apparently it’s just as cheap to hire a car with a driver. There’s no ubers/taxis etc. and the roads are incredibly bumpy and mostly unpaved. But no complaints, because that’s why it’s still so untouched. Just more of an FYI.

Restaurants / Bars

There are very few restaurants so you eat most meals, apart from lunch, at your hotel. So your days are typically filled with activities and you’re back at your hotel by sunset to spot the dugongs. Also, in case this wasn’t obvious, there are no bars / nightlife.

All in all, 10/10 would recommend. It surprised me how much I enjoyed Santo. The lack of crowds, untouched beaches and minimal development made it incredibly special. I also think it’s a good option for people with young children due to its close proximity and relative ease of getting around if you have a driver.

Disclaimer - this trip was gifted by Espiritu Santo Tourism and Solomon Airlines however I’m not a very good liar, so if I didn’t enjoy Santo, I just wouldn’t write a blog post lol. Self explanatory I guess.