Day 1: Arrival in Port Vila
Welcome to Vanuatu! Arrive in Port Vila and transfer to your resort. Spend the afternoon exploring the capital’s waterfront, visiting the colorful produce market where vendors sell tropical fruits, kava roots, and handmade baskets. In the evening, enjoy a welcome dinner at a restaurant overlooking Vila Bay, with fresh seafood and local specialties like lap lap (Vanuatu’s national dish of grated root vegetables baked in coconut cream).
Day 2: Port Vila — Mele Cascades & Ekasup Village
Start the day with a visit to Mele Cascades, a spectacular series of waterfalls and natural swimming pools nestled in lush tropical rainforest. Hike up through the cascades and swim in the cool, clear water at the base of the main 35-metre waterfall. Continue to Ekasup Cultural Village for an immersive cultural experience — learn about traditional medicine, weaving, food preparation, and kastom law. Participate in a kava ceremony and enjoy a traditional Melanesian feast for lunch.
Day 3: Pentecost Island — The Nagol Land Diving Ceremony
Early morning charter flight to Pentecost Island — one of the most remote inhabited islands in Vanuatu. Arrive in time for the Nagol (land diving) ceremony, the ancient ritual that inspired modern bungee jumping. Watch as men and boys construct a tower from saplings and vines, then climb to platforms up to 30 metres high. With vines tied to their ankles, they leap — diving headfirst toward the earth in a breathtaking test of courage and faith. The ceremony, which takes place during the yam harvest season (April to June), is a prayer for a bountiful harvest. Spend the night in a local-style guesthouse and share dinner with the village community.
Day 4: Pentecost Island Village Life & Return to Port Vila
Spend the morning exploring the village, learning about daily life on this remote island. Watch women weaving pandanus mats and baskets, see sand drawing demonstrations (a UNESCO-recognized art form), and taste traditional island foods. Take a walk through the gardens where taro, yam, and kava are cultivated. Charter flight back to Port Vila in the afternoon for a relaxing evening at your resort.
Day 5: Port Vila to Tanna Island — Mount Yasur
Fly to Tanna Island (45 minutes). Transfer to your traditional bamboo bungalow accommodation. After lunch, trek through the island’s interior to discover the world’s largest banyan tree. In the late afternoon, drive across the volcanic ash plains to Mount Yasur. As darkness falls, hike to the crater rim and witness one of nature’s greatest spectacles — the volcano erupting with fiery lava bombs against the star-filled South Pacific sky. Return to your bungalow for a dinner of garden-fresh ingredients and local kava.
Day 6: Tanna Island — Kastom, Caves & Hot Springs
Morning excursion to the Blue Cave on Tanna’s dramatic coastline — swim through an underwater passage into a magnificent sea cavern lit by ethereal blue light. Visit Yakel kastom village, where the inhabitants maintain a traditional lifestyle wearing namba dress and practicing ancient customs. Continue to the John Frum cargo cult village at Sulphur Bay to learn about one of the world’s most fascinating living religions. Soak in the natural volcanic hot springs before returning to your bungalow.
Day 7: Tanna to Pele Island
Morning flight back to Port Vila. Board a boat to Pele Island, part of Vanuatu’s marine protected area. Spend the day snorkeling among pristine coral gardens with abundant marine life including parrotfish, butterflyfish, sea turtles, and rays. Visit Nguna Island’s traditional village and the crater of its extinct volcano. Enjoy a beach barbecue lunch with fresh coconut water. Return to Port Vila for a farewell dinner.
Day 8: Port Vila — Markets & Departure
Visit the Port Vila Handicraft Market for last-minute souvenirs — handmade carvings, woven baskets, and local art. Stroll through the waterfront promenade and visit the Vanuatu National Museum to deepen your understanding of this remarkable island nation’s history and culture. Transfer to the airport for your departure, carrying memories of fire, courage, and ancient kastom.
