Twenty Must Do Experiences in Vanuatu
Prepare for an unforgettable Vanuatu adventure. With such a diverse offering, you're in for a 'relaxing adventure' like no other.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Banks Islands are known for remote volcanic landscapes, living kastom, and some of Vanuatu’s finest quiet reefs. Gaua has Lake Letas and Siri Waterfall; Vanua Lava’s Sola is the provincial hub; smaller islands such as Mota Lava and Rah are walked more than driven. Water music, sand drawing, and village life remain part of everyday culture. This is northern Vanuatu at its most untouched.
Give time to the water and the villages rather than racing between sights. On Gaua, a day that includes the crater lake and Siri Waterfall is a standout if conditions allow. Elsewhere, a guided reef trip or a village welcome tells you more about the Banks than a rushed checklist. Ask your hosts what is appropriate that week, because weather and kastom both shape what is open.
They feel further away than Santo, with fewer flights, fewer vehicles, and nights that are genuinely dark. Daily life is village-centred, and visitors are guests in small communities rather than resort guests. Landscapes swing from jungle volcanoes to coral gardens with almost no crowds. The pace is set by weather, boats, and kastom, not by a tourism timetable.
The Banks suit independent, culture-curious travellers who can travel light and wait out weather. If you enjoy walking, snorkelling, and staying in locally owned bungalows, you will be well placed. This is not the easiest first island for a short holiday. Many visitors pair the Banks with Torres, or fly via Santo, so the journey itself becomes part of the trip.