Halo! Welcome to the land of fire and friendly faces—Vanuatu, a breathtaking Y-shaped archipelago of about 80 islands in the South Pacific. There are around 340,000 people living here, and the capital is Port Vila, located on the island of Efate. The official languages are Bislama, English, and French, but the nation is a linguistic wonder with over 100 distinct indigenous languages—the highest density of languages per capita in the world!
Vanuatu covers about 12,189 square kilometers (4,706 square miles). The country is roughly the same size as the state of Connecticut or about one-eighth the size of South Korea. The islands are volcanic in origin, featuring everything from rugged mountain peaks and tropical rainforests to coral reefs and active volcanoes.
The most popular sports are Football and Cricket, though traditional activities like outrigger canoeing remain vital to island life. Their national animal is the Dugong, a gentle marine mammal often found grazing in the seagrass of the warm coastal waters.
The flag consists of a horizontal bicolor of red and green with a black isosceles triangle at the hoist containing a yellow boar’s tusk and two crossed namele fern leaves within a yellow-bordered black ‘Y’ shape, where the green represents the richness of the islands, the red symbolizes the blood of men and boars, the black stands for the Ni-Vanuatu people, the yellow ‘Y’ reflects the shape of the archipelago, and the tusk and leaves are symbols of prosperity and peace.
The food is fresh, organic, and cooked using traditional methods. You must try Laplap, the national dish, which is a pudding made from grated root vegetables (like yam or taro) and coconut cream, wrapped in leaves and cooked in an underground oven. Another favorite is Tuluk, a similar dish but filled with minced meat. For a unique experience, many visitors try Kava, a traditional drink made from the roots of a pepper plant that has a calming, numbing effect and is central to social and ceremonial life.
Vanuatu is home to Mount Yasur on Tanna Island, known as the “world’s most accessible active volcano,” where you can stand on the rim and watch lava explosions. The country features the SS President Coolidge off the coast of Santo, one of the largest and most accessible shipwreck dives in the world. You can visit the Pentecost Island during the months of April to June to witness the Nagol (land diving), the ancient precursor to modern bungee jumping where men jump from tall wooden towers with vines tied to their ankles. For a serene escape, head to the Blue Holes of Espiritu Santo, which are crystal-clear, deep limestone pools of freshwater. Interestingly, Vanuatu has been ranked several times as the “Happiest Place on Earth” by the Happy Planet Index!
From the kastom villages of Malekula to the bustling Mama’s Market in Port Vila, Vanuatu is a land of volcanic energy and ancient traditions. Fulori! That means “Thank you!”