Archive for the ‘Vanuatu’

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    Vanuatu Volcano – Amazing to Explore
    Toxic gases and bad weather is always a contact hazard.  When you compare the lines into the descent which brings it close to the actual lava lake, the whole thing is boiling and churning about four hundred meters below the ground. The weather here is quite changeable. For five minutes the weather could be sunny and then the next five, it could be pouring with rain. The lava lake at Vanuatu Volcano has large volumes of what looks like molten lave, the content is usually basaltic and this is contained in a vent which is quite a substantial volcano eruption. There is a broad depression here. And this tern is used to describe both the lava lakes and the ones which are whole and partly molten. Some of these have now solidified. The whole thing may seem quite dangerous but the crews here are experience and under usual circumstances always  [...]
    Posted at November 12th, 2010
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    The Bali Hai people of Vanuatu
    When you actually get yourself over here, you might find yourself in a fun filled dilemma.  On one hand you are holding a coconut shell that has been handed over to you by one of the locals here. According to them, when it comes to Kava, you should not do three things, don’t smell it, don’t look at it too much and definitely don’t sip it. Come to the island of Tanna in Vanuata, which happens to be a scenic archipelago in the southern side of the pacific. There were some local boys who were sitting in a tree house just nearby which was nicely nestled in an old banyan tree. These have been surrounded by a beautiful encasing of lush green leaves. While the coconut shell with Kava is still in your hand, you might want to drink it up by now, as the herd of Tanna men and women who are almost completely smeared with war paint, wait  [...]
    Posted at September 10th, 2010
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    The Original Bungee Jumpers – Pentecost’s Nanggol
    The history of bungee jumping can be traced thousand years ago, which took place on one of the Vanuatu’s islands, Pentecost Island. It is called the island of legend and to prove this tag nanggol, their rituals are perfect evidence. The island was first discovered by European, but many parts of the island do not have any influence of west. It’s a beautiful, mountainous, tropical isle with no towns and developments. The inlanders of the island are known has land divers. They are the inventors and original bungee jumpers which is a ritual done for the blessing of god on their first emerging yam crop. Modern version of bungee jumping is also a ritual done by the thrill seekers to give reverence to the crucial rush of adrenaline while diving down from high bridges or cranes with help of bungee rope made of elasticity to control free  [...]
    Posted at April 2nd, 2010
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    Exploring the Volcanic island of Ambrym
    Ambrym is an island of the archipelagic nation of Vanuatu in South Pacific Ocean. Ambrym, which is known for highly active volcanic activity, is spread over an area of 678 square kilometres. Ambrym, in fact, is the fifth largest island of Vanuatu (the largest being Espiritu Santo). The volcano summit has a desert-like caldera covering an area of 100 square kilometres. Ambrym, coupled with the neighbouring Malakula and a few other smaller islands, forms the Malampa Province. Eas village is the largest settlement in Ambrym. The Ambrym island is home to about 10,000 people who mainly live off coconut plantations. Most of Ambrym’s population lives along southwest and northern coastlines of the island. The villagers earn livelihood from copra (dried coconut flesh), fishing and wood carvings. About Vanuatu: Republic of Vanuatu has  [...]
    Posted at February 23rd, 2010
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    In the land of ‘land diving’ – Pentecost Island
    Pentecost Island is one of the 83 constituent islands of the small nation of Vanuatau in South Pacific Ocean. The island is located 190 km north of Efate island that comprises Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu. Pentecost Island is called Pentecôte in French, Pentikos in Bislama and Vanu Aroaroa in native languages. Pentecost is spread over an area of 490 square kilometres and has a population of over 12,000. The long and narrow island (north-south stretch of about 60 km) has Maewo island in the north, Ambae island in the north-west and Ambrym island in the north-west direction. Geography: Pentecost mainly has a mountainous terrain  and several rivers. The highest peak in the island is Mt Vulmat with an altitude of 947 metres. The mountain range of the island demarcates the humid and rain-prone eastern coast and the temperate western  [...]
    Posted at February 19th, 2010
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    The friendly dugongs of Lamen Bay, Epi
    Epi is one of the constituent islands of the small island nation of Vanuatu in South Pacific Ocean. The island, earlier known as Tasiko or Volcano Island, is located to the north of the Shepherd Islands in the Shefa Province. The area of Epi is 444 square kilometres and measures 43 km long from northwest to southeast and 18 km wide. Epi has a total coastline of 130 km. Population of Epi is little over three thousand. A number of languages are spoken in Epi, including Bieria in the south, Baki in the west, Bierebo in the northwest, Maii in the southwest, Lamenu in the northwest and Lewo in the east. About Vanuatu: Republic of Vanuatu is a small island nation located in Melanesia in South Pacific Ocean. It is an archipelago of volcanic origin situated about 1,750 km east of Australia and about 500 km northeast to New Caledonia. National  [...]
    Posted at February 19th, 2010
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    Fun at Port Vila – Efate
    Efate is one of the constituent islands of the small state of Vanuatu in South Pacific Ocean, and is located in Shefa Province. Efate (also known as Île Vate) is the third largest island of Vanuatu is spread over an area of 900 square kilometres and is the most populous with a population of nearly 50,000 people. The capital of Vanuatu, Port Vila, is located in the southwestern part of the island. Efate is also the most developed of the islands of Vanuatu. Efate is governed by both the Port Vila Municipality (Port Vila only) and Shefa Provincial Council (rural Efate and the outer Efate Islands). Efate has a number of smaller islands off its coast. While Eratoka Island is located about 3 km west, Lelepa, Moso, Nguna, Pele and Emao are other islands lying off coast in west and north. Mount McDonald with a height of 647 metres is the  [...]
    Posted at February 19th, 2010
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    Unearthing Espiritu Santo
    Espiritu Santo or Santo (meaning ‘Holy Spirit’) is the largest island in Samma Province of the small island nation of Vanuatu in South Pacific Ocean. The island was named by Pedro De Quiros in the 17th century. Spread over an area of 3,956 square kilometres, Santo precisely belongs to New Hebrides archipelago in the Pacific region of Melanesia. The town of Luganville, located on Espiritu Santo’s southeast coast, is the second-largest settlement of Vanuatu as well as the provincial capital. Espiritu Santo is one of those exquisite holiday destinations that offer great opportunities of diving and snorkeling among colourful fishes, spending quality time on the beaches, exploring tribal cultures and enjoying dinner on a jetty overlooking South Pacific Ocean. Espiritu Santo served inspiration for James A. Michener’s classic  [...]
    Posted at February 19th, 2010
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    Exploring Mt Yasur in Tanna
    Tanna or Tana is a constituent island of the country of Vanuatu in the South Pacific Ocean in Melanesia. It is located in Tafea Province and is about 100 miles southwards from the capital island of Efate. The island of Tanna is 40 km long and 19 km wide and has an area of 550 square kilometres. Tanna, with a population of about 20,000 is one of the populous islands of Vanuatu. The provincial administrative capital is Isangel, which is located on the west coast and near to the largest town on the island, Lénakel. Tanna has five main languages, namely, North Tanna, Lénakel (has the highest number of speakers), Southwest Tanna, Whitesands and Kwamera. These are generally grouped into the Tanna languages family, which is a subgroup of the South Vanuatu languages, an Austronesian language branch. People here also speak Bislama, one  [...]
    Posted at February 19th, 2010