Things to Do in Vanuatu (2026)

Vanuatu · VU

Eden On The River

Eden On The River is a tropical farmstay and eco-attraction set along the crystal-clear Rentapao River on Efate's south coast, about twenty minutes' drive from Port Vila. A working farm, rainforest adventure park, and river swimming hole rolled into one, it has become one of Vanuatu's most popular day trips for families, couples, and solo travellers alike. Its standout experience is the Bridges of Eden — a circuit of rope-suspended walkways strung over the river and riparian rainforest, topped off with a short zipline into a waterfall-fed swimming hole. Beyond the bridges, guests wander acres of tropical gardens, explore the farm's animal paddocks, try traditional Ni-Vanuatu cooking, and learn about kava culture in its plantation setting.

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Island

Vanuatu · VU

Mere Lava

Mere Lava — known to its own people as Mwerlap, and once charted by Europeans as Star Island — is a small, near-perfect volcanic cone rising abruptly out of the sea in the southern Banks Islands of Torba Province, northern Vanuatu. About 50 km east of Gaua and roughly 90 nautical miles north-east of Luganville, it sits alone and far from the usual tourist circuit, which is precisely what gives it its allure for intrepid travellers, yacht crews and liveaboard sailors. This is not a resort island with a marina and a row of bars. There is no good harbour and the landing is famously difficult onto a skirt of sharp black rock, so few boats come. Those that do are greeted by an exceptionally warm and self-reliant community of some 650 people living in scattered villages up steep jungle tracks. For the adventurous visitor, Mere Lava offers something increasingly rare in Vanuatu: dramatic natural scenery, genuine isolation and an unscripted encounter with island life.

Beach

Vanuatu · VU

Champagne Beach

Champagne Beach is the postcard strand of Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu's largest island: a broad crescent of pale, almost white sand shelving into clear turquoise water on the island's east coast. Its reputation rests on the sand and the sea rather than any resort development, and the gentle, shallow incline makes it a favourite for swimming and snorkelling, with views across to Elephant Island on the horizon. What sets this beach apart from every other white-sand curve in the Pacific is the water itself. Freshwater springs seep up through the seabed, so as you wade out you feel cold threads mixing with the warm sea, and in places the sand visibly fizzles and the shallows effervesce like champagne at low tide—which is where the name comes from. Forested cliffs flank the bay, sheltering it from wind and offering shady spots along the fringing vegetation. Reaching it is part of the appeal. From Luganville the drive takes roughly 45 minutes to an hour along a tar-sealed road through coconut plantations and villages, and cruise ships also anchor in the bay offshore—marketed as Champagne Bay—and land passengers by tender. The beach is community-managed, so it feels local and lived-in rather than commercial, with a souvenir market that pops up on cruise days.

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A little more
of Vanuatu.

Eden On The River

Mere Lava

Champagne Beach

Finding your next place…

A little more
of Vanuatu.

Eden On The River

Mere Lava

Champagne Beach