When Elena managed to score a couple of complementary tickets from Air Vanuatu a couple of weeks ago we couldn’t wait to check out our 21st country.
Being just 2.5 hours from Brisbane it makes an ideal island getaway.
There is really only one way to go when getting around the islands. Sure you could hire a car, but when there is an offer of a quad bike why would you want to be in a car. One point I just have to make is to think seriously before about hiring a scooter or motorbike. Port Vila’s township is absolutely full of potholes and they’re not small. Speaking with the guys at the currency exchange we’re told stories of broken hips, legs and wrists. Great, sounds like fun.
Arriving here on a Friday night we get in at 10.30 and stand in the queue lined up at customs. With two guys doing the processing we knew it was going to be a bit of a wait. Good thing we travel light and don’t have to wait around for bags. Thinking we managed to get off lightly we now had to catch our transfer bus, now the real waiting started.
3 other passengers were using the same transfers bus and with one not showing up I wondered if they did what I was thinking of and that was to say “stuff the wait I’ll catch a taxi and save some time”.
Poor Janelle, our lovely host at Travellers Backpackers Hotel, she was almost falling asleep when we arrived at midnight. Ushering us into our room and kindly offering to sort out the paperwork in the morning.
Breakfast on Saturday mornings here can be real entertaining. The main chef doesn’t work on Saturday as it’s his day of worship being a seventh day adventist, so we were stuck with Roy who is learning. Asking for an omelette he politely informed me that we cannot order as the breakfast ordering time is over… At 8.30…. So next thing I’m offered is scrambled eggs. Janelle arrives on the scene and is talking to another couple and realises that Roy is struggling in the kitchen. The scene reminds me of a TV series “Faulty towers” – no butter for the toast until Janelle brings it out explaining the whole situation. Apparently Roy doesn’t know how to cook an omelette and this is what all the confusion was about. Still with only 3 couples seated I wonder how Roy will fair on Monday when the Concordia cruise ship arrives.
We’ve been told that the prices will rise up to triple on some items when the ship comes in so we are kinda glad that we are getting to see both sides of the tourist trade here.
Our plan for the day was to ride right around the island, but with a bit of a late start as Elena loves her sleep in we made our way into town on foot, a quick 15 minute walk from Jack and Janelle’s Hotel.
If there is one place that you have to check out in town it’s the local market hall. It’s open every day except Sunday. Like most places here everything shuts down on Sunday. The range of fresh local products is awesome and the prices are great. Remember that in this small island virtually all the produce grown here is organic which suits us perfectly.
Finding the local currency exchange (opposite the main supermarket in town) we swapped our hard earned Aussie Currency into Vatu. Be careful where you exchange you cash as the rates do vary from place to place and the amounts can be staggering. Avoid small clothing stores with money exchangers buried in the back. Their rates were the worst in town!
Catching a bus here is easy, simply step up to the curb and you’ll have a small van pull up. There is no large bus here, only mini vans that display a red “B” sticker on their number plate (which is virtually all vans in town).
For the cost of 300VTU (about $4.00AU) we caught a bus to the Wharf Rd Roundabout where we were to hire our Quad Bike for the next couple of days. You can walk to Wharf Rd from town, it will take you about 20-30 mins but as On Wheels was closing at 11am we were cutting it a little fine.
There are a couple of places that you can hire a Quad, personally we can save you the trouble and time. Don’t hunt around, these guys at On Wheels have the latest models and they are much more reliable than the competition. You’ll find On Wheels tucked next to The logistic Building right on Wharf Roundabout. Just tell any Bus Driver that you want to go to Wharf Roundabout and you’ll get there fine.
Armed with instructions of how to get out of town and remembering that in Vanuatu you drive on the right hand side of the road we made our way toward the Blue Lagoon.
There is a little side road that for those who want to take the Quad onto a dirt road. It’s got some great scenery and is well worth it. As you head out of town and circle the Island in an anticlockwise direction be sure to turn left on the first bridge once you’re are past Emten Lagoon.
