Exploring Vanuatu: A Hidden Island Gem in the South Pacific

Hello, Namaste, Sat Sri Akal, and Ram-Ram to everyone. Right now, I’m in Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu. This is a small island country in Melanesia, made up of 83 islands. Out of these, only 16 or 18 islands are inhabited; the rest are uninhabited.

Behind me, you can see the hotel where I’m staying. I arrived here yesterday. This morning, it rained quite a lot, so I thought I’d explore Port Vila on foot. But since it’s Sunday, everything is closed – even the markets.

Many tourists come here from Australia, Europe, and the US, especially for rainforests, coral reefs, and scuba diving. The beaches are also beautiful. Almost all supermarkets are closed today, but a few shops run by Chinese people are open. The Chinese community has a strong presence here.

I had thought of exploring by bicycle, but due to rain, I decided to walk instead. I planned to walk around 8 to 10 km. The public transport system here is quite simple – if you see a van, just wave your hand and it stops to pick you up.

The visa process here is very easy. Almost everyone gets a visa on arrival, and there’s no fee. At the airport, immigration simply stamps your visa. They even give a free SIM card with 2GB or 4GB data.

On Sundays, local people like to relax at home and play cards with family. Like in Australia and other Pacific nations, customs here are very strict. You need to declare if you’re carrying any medicine, plants, or soil-covered items. Since this is a volcanic island country, protecting its biodiversity is very important.

The country is extremely clean. Although it’s small, you won’t find litter anywhere. This shows how much the people love and respect their country.

Let me also share some history. In 1608, a Portuguese explorer discovered this island. Later in the 1800s, both the French and British claimed it. In 1880, they made an agreement to rule together. Finally, in 1980, Vanuatu became an independent nation, combining around 70-80 islands.

The shape of these 83 islands looks like the letter ‘Y’ from above, and this is also shown on their national flag. Today, Chinese, Vietnamese, and American influence can be clearly seen here. The US also has a base camp in the country.

I spoke to some locals – they speak a language called Bislama, which looks like English but sounds quite different. Over 130 languages are spoken in the country. The problem is that most of them never had a script, so their culture wasn’t recorded properly in writing.

The entire country is volcanic, and there are three active volcanoes here. You can even stand on one of them and see lava erupting – a major tourist attraction.

If you love beaches, this country is like a paradise. There is almost no crime here. Though it’s a little more expensive than Fiji, Indian food is available. A few Indian restaurants are here too.

The greenery and trees here show that someone must have worked hard decades ago, which is why we see such natural beauty today. I even saw the Gulmohar tree here, just like the one I saw in Africa, from which I had collected seeds.

There’s also a museum and a duty-free shop here. The biggest risk to this country is from tsunamis and earthquakes – warning signs are posted in many places.

Port Vila’s central market was built by Australia, mainly because cyclones are common here. Australia also has a large embassy in the country. The Parliament and Supreme Court buildings were built by China. A new parliament building is still under construction.

The central school looks beautiful, and the view from here is lovely. Now I’ve reached Independence Park, where national functions take place. The viewpoint here is very scenic.

By now, I’ve walked around 10 to 12 kilometres. I went to visit a cathedral and saw an Indian restaurant called “Taste of India” on the way. It looked like it might be closed, but I still ordered some dal and naan. Local staff were serving the food.

Towards the end of the trip, I also saw the Police Headquarters. This country may be small, but it is full of nature, culture, and peace.