The Banks and Torres are Vanuatu's northernmost islands where the local culture is still very much alive and unblemished by the modern world.
The unique “water music” performed only by the women of Banks islands, has been performed around the world, by the women of Banks islands, including at a 2017 international expo at the Universal Studios in LA where the women performed “water music” at the opening ceremony.
Water music can only be done by women, moving their hands beneath the water creating an amazing range of sounds, and each sound and rhythm has a story that is being told by the women, highlighting the northern island's culture and way of life.
Geographically, they reach north and west to the Solomon Islands. Being nearer the equator, they consequently experience the highest precipitation and humidity of all the islands, with an average rainfall of 3,900 mm per year.
As with all of Vanuatu, the main islands are volcanic in origin with active volcanoes on Gaua and Vanua Lava islands. Vanua Lava with its 1400 inhabitants, was once the trading base for exchanges with Solomon Islanders from Tikopia. The rugged interior looms up from the ocean to the 730m, the apex of the active Sere'ama volcano. With such terrain and high rainfall, waterfalls are common - and spectacular, particularly Waterfall Bay on the west coast.
South of the volcano is two small lakes varying in water level and colour. Vanua Lava is also home to saltwater crocodiles brought in the last century by Bishop Patterson. Only a few of them survive in the murky waters of the Selva and the Tahiti rivers. To the south is Mota Lava, a stunning island of jungle-clad craggy peaks plunging to long coconut trees lining white sandy beaches.
Nearby one such magnificent beach (so nearby it can almost be walked at low tide) is the classically beautiful Ra Island. From a distance, Ra looks like a thatch of greenery with coconut fronds pushing each other out of the way as they overhang the surrounding white sandy beach. The interior is studded with unusual rocks of enormous size. Ra is an excellent place to enjoy fresh lobster (weather permitting) and an ideal retreat for honeymooners and travellers looking to leave civilisation completely behind.