Day 1: Port Vila to Espiritu Santo
Fly 50 minutes from Port Vila to Luganville on Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu’s largest island. Transfer to your beachfront accommodation overlooking Segond Channel with views of Aore Island. After settling in, take a walking tour of Luganville’s WWII-era historical sites, including the old military base infrastructure. Visit the local market where islanders sell fresh produce, handicrafts, and the famous Santo beef. Enjoy sunset dinner at a beachfront restaurant.
Day 2: Blue Holes & Champagne Beach
Depart on the full-day Santo East Coast tour. First stop is Matevulu Blue Hole — one of Santo’s most spectacular natural wonders. Swim in impossibly clear, brilliant blue fresh water surrounded by towering rainforest and dangling vines. Continue to Nanda Blue Hole for another swim stop. Drive along the scenic east coast to Champagne Beach at Hog Harbour, consistently rated one of the world’s most beautiful beaches with powdery white sand that squeaks beneath your feet. Enjoy lunch at a beachfront restaurant in the Francophone community of Port Olry, where you can sample French-influenced Melanesian cuisine.
Day 3: Million Dollar Point & Riri Blue Hole
Morning visit to Million Dollar Point — where the US military dumped millions of dollars worth of equipment into the sea at the end of WWII rather than ship it home. Snorkel among bulldozers, trucks, jeeps, and countless crates of Coca-Cola bottles now encrusted in coral and teeming with tropical fish. Continue to the Riri River, where you will take an outrigger canoe upriver through lush jungle to reach the magnificent Riri Blue Hole. Swim and relax in this pristine natural pool before returning to your accommodation.
Day 4: Waterfalls & South Coast Discovery
Venture off the beaten track to South Santo, a less-visited region of dense forest and traditional villages. Trek through the rainforest to Tuffuntari Waterfall, where you can cool off in crystal-clear pools beneath the cascading water. Walk along the dramatic black sand beaches of the south coast. Visit remote kastom villages to learn about traditional Santo life, weaving, and sand drawing — a UNESCO-recognized intangible cultural heritage. For certified divers, an optional morning double dive on the SS President Coolidge — one of the world’s greatest wreck dives — is available (surcharge applies).
Day 5: Loru Conservation Area & Departure
Visit the Loru Conservation Area, protecting some of Santo’s last remaining lowland rainforest. Join local guides for a 2-hour trek through this biodiversity hotspot, home to the rare Vanuatu megapode bird, coconut crabs, and a micro-bat cave. Enjoy a tropical fruit platter prepared by the local community. Transfer to Santo-Pekoa International Airport for your departure flight, or continue to Port Vila for onward connections.
