Vacations & Travel

Cultural Activities:

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NATIONAL MUSEUM OF VANUATU

Set in a thatched-roofed building across from the national parliament, this excellent museum features terrific displays of wooden slit drums, outrigger canoes, shell jewellery and ceremonial headdresse­s. Guided tours include demonstrat­ions of sand drawing and playing traditiona­l instrument­s.

SECRET GARDEN CULTURAL CENTRE

The Secret Garden Cultural Centre offers fascinatin­g insights into Vanuatu’s diverse tribes, customs, history, cultural beliefs and traditions in a lush garden setting. Enjoy live cultural shows on Tuesday and Thursday Island Feast nights, which also feature custom magic, singing and dancing.

OKEANOS VANUATU

Take a two-hour sunset cruise around Port Vila harbour on the Okeanos Vanuatu, a traditiona­l Polynesian-styled doublehull­ed sailing canoe, which runs solely on wind, solar and coconut-oil power. You’ll learn about traditiona­l ocean voyaging, hear custom stories from different Vanuatu tribes and enjoy fresh fruits from the market.

ACTIV

Activ stands for Alternativ­e Community Trade in Vanuatu and is a thriving grass-roots organisati­on that works with local communitie­s to help develop their handicraft trade. They also produce virgin coconut oil, honey and, most exciting of all, they have a small chocolate factory which makes exceptiona­l dark chocolate from cacao grown on the islands of Santo, Epi and Malakula.

Come and visit the thatched roof bungalow in the hills behind Port Vila, where you can buy beautiful handicraft­s and carvings, visit the chocolate factory and enjoy chocolate tastings and watch the coconut oil being produced.

ROI MATA TOUR

Take a day tour of Chief Roi Mata’s domain. The last paramount chief of central Vanuatu’s domain is the first UNESCO World Heritage site in Vanuatu. It consists of three early 17th century sites, Roi Mata’s residence on Efate, Fels cave on Lelepa Island where he was poisoned and the site on Artok (Hat) Island where he was buried with 50 members of his family. Guides will explain oral traditions and archaeolog­y and describe Roi Mata’s social reforms and conflict resolution which continue to this day. Immediatel­y after his burial,

around 400 years ago, a prohibitio­n prevented people from residing there which led to the developmen­t of a unique biodiversi­ty of rare and endemic plant and animal species, which you will discover on a guided rainforest walk.

Other Adventures: HORSE RIDING

Enjoy a guided horse ride through the lush hinterland of Efate, between the mountains and the lagoons. You’ll ride through coconut plantation­s and cattle farms dotted with tropical vegetation and enjoy spectacula­r views of the coast. At the end of your ride you can go swimming with your horse in the lagoon. You may even hear them laughing!

MARKETS

Port Vila’s covered waterfront market (also known as the Mama’s Market) is open around the clock from Monday morning to noon on Saturday. Women from the countrysid­e bring in their fruit and vegetables to sell and there is excellent island raised beef and fresh fish and shellfish too. Vendors in the extensive handicraft­s section sell hand-dyed sarongs, traditiona­l wood carvings, woven baskets, shell jewellery and much more.

DUTY FREE SHOPPING

Vanuatu is one of the last genuine duty free ports in the South Pacific. As incongruou­s as it might seem, you can buy Swiss watches, French cosmetics and champagne, Tahitian pearls, high class leather goods and fashion labels at below Australian retail prices at several stores in downtown Port Vila, the capital city. •

 ??  ?? From far left, to left: Musicians in Ekasup Cultural Village; Sailing a Polynesian vaka canoe in Vanuatu.
From far left, to left: Musicians in Ekasup Cultural Village; Sailing a Polynesian vaka canoe in Vanuatu.
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 ?? Photograph­y by Susan Gough Henley. ?? From top: Port Vila markets; Slit drums at The Secret Garden.
Photograph­y by Susan Gough Henley. From top: Port Vila markets; Slit drums at The Secret Garden.
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