Unless you are a volcano enthusiast, you may not have heard of Tanna Island. But the island was one of my favorite places in Vanuatu! Below I outline my experience visiting the island in February of 2018.
Most of the infrastructure was destroyed from cyclone Pam in 2015. The locals talked about stories of how they rode out the category 5 cyclone in their dome-shaped shelters made of local coconut trees and leaves so the wind would blow over the flatter structure. And how all of the local villages lost most of their homes. But the local people are resilient and have rebuilt their communities.
Why go
Mount Yasur, the world’s longest continuously erupting volcano, steals the show on Tanna Island. There are other things to do on the island like hot springs, a white sand beach for snorkeling, waterfalls, blue pools and caves. And the local communities are very primitive so it is interesting to see how the locals live by staying at one of the local lodges. But the volcano is a must!
Where to stay
I suggest staying near the volcano with a direct view of the volcano so you can see the volcano at different times of the day. The volcano is about a two hour drive from the airport. Very few roads are paved so be prepared for a bumpy ride. I stayed at the Volcano Island Paradise Bungalows which had a great view of the volcano. And at night, the glow from the volcano crater would light up the sky! You can hear the eruptions and the sound waves would move the window coverings of the bungalow! Sometimes the entire bungalow would rattle because the earth would shake with a larger eruption.
What to expect
Be prepared for a very rustic and primitive lodging. The bungalows are made from surrounding materials such as coconut tree leaves. The floor boards aren’t nailed down nor fitted perfectly so there are many cracks in the floor going down to the ground. The doors don’t fully close as they are made from wooden planks. The bed did have a mosquito net however there weren’t a lot of mosquitos. But I found the net gave me a sense of security to know no critters would interrupt my sleep.
No dangerous animals are on the island. The only thing crawling around at night were spiders, geckos and mice. Only solar power exists for most of the island. And the place did have a working toilet but it was outside in a separate structure with a sheet as the door. The shower was in a room next to the toilet that pumped in rain water.
The air is very humid in Tanna, especially at night. No breeze exists so the air is very still but that means the damp air just sticks to your skin and all of your belongings. My clothes were damp the entire visit. And sleeping wasn’t the most comfortable due to the humidity. I laid there in my underwear hoping for some sort of air movement.
What to see
Mount Yasur at Sunrise
One of the coolest things I have done is stand on the edge of an erupting volcano in total darkness with only one guide and then watch the sunrise. I had visited the volcano two days prior for the sunset tour that began at 4:30pm and paid the USD$90 entrance fee. But since this was my second visit, they let me go up for free. I arrived at 3:30am and a driver with one guide drove me up to the top (a very rough drive in the pickup truck due to rain creating large ruts in the mostly dirt road). And then we walked about 15 minutes to the volcano edge. You aren’t able to walk up on your own anymore like you were able to several years ago. A company now collects a fee for you to have a guided tour.
There I was standing on the edge with no security rope or barrier in front of me. It was just the small, three foot wide path I was standing on with the edge of the path beginning the slope down into the crater. It was a little dangerous for sure. I had a torch to know where to step in the darkness. I could smell the sulfur from the earth. The guide and I had to stay out of the smoke that would billow out and shift directions with the wind.
I am still awestruck by the Earth’s power. I was looking directly into the bubbling crater of lava violently shifting around down below. And then BOOM! A loud explosion sent huge chunks of red hot lava shooting up from the crater into the air about eye level to our elevation. And the air pressure would push the air into me making me move a little as I held my feet secure. It was almost meditative and mesmerizing seeing and feeling such routine power every few minutes.
The east sky began to slowly light up as the sun began to rise. It was so peaceful. The sights and sounds of the volcano erupting next to me combined with the beautiful view of the sun rising over the sea below. Absolutely stunning!
White Sand Beach at Resolution Point
This white sand beach is another hour drive from the local village near the volcano. So it’s quite remote and a long drive. We hired a local guide to drive a group of us to the beach. The beach was beautiful with endless white sand. It was refreshing to swim on a hot, sunny day and there are no other tourists around. The coral off the beach makes it great to snorkel but make sure you snorkel at low tide when the waves aren’t so strong. The local restaurant provided us some fresh local food for the afternoon.
Life on the Island in a Local Village
Staying in the local village near the volcano provides a great cultural experience and shows a peek into the daily life of the village people. The host family’s son walked me around the village where we stayed. The community of about 300 people was located in the dense forest but each family had carved out a small section for their homes and property. And small black ash paths connected each area of the community. Everyone walks around barefoot and if they do put on any footwear they wear flip flops.
No one owns a car and all of the children walk to school – sometimes two hours one way. Their homes are simple and made out of local materials. They sleep on mats on the floor. Their kitchens are very basic with no electricity but they use canisters of gas to heat their burners. Rain water collected into large storage tanks that they used for washing and cooking. Because the ash is so prevalent in the ground and air, they need to boil their water before drinking it.
It’s a simple life. The women take care of the children, cook and sell fruit or other food at the market while then men will do a number of things to make money like construction or work for the local government building infrastructure. They don’t have an economy like western civilizations. Their survival depends mainly on trading services and food as the villagers rely on each other.
The locals eat many carbs and fruit and do not eat a lot of protein. With a lack of exercise and healthy diet, they don’t live the healthiest lifestyle since they haven’t been educated on this topic.
What to eat
Everything is expensive in Tanna and they have very few food options. The meals at the lodge I stayed at were reasonably priced but my taxi driver in Santo told me to go to a grocery store in Port Vila during my layover to Tanna to buy food for my stay. It was a good idea and I would suggest only one to two meals to be prepared locally to taste the local food!
Powerful Off the Beaten Path Destination
While Tanna Island isn’t the most luxurious destination with higher end accommodations (and far from it), the island is certainly unique. It is worth visiting if you are looking for an off the beaten path location to experience earth’s power and see earth’s beauty combined with traditional local culture. And a must see for any volcano enthusiast!
Have you visited Tanna Island? Share your experience and what you loved most below
