Fun Facts on Vanuatu before the girls' trip
From Kava to lava, these islands sound fascinating
A series of exciting and arbitrary events has me going to Vanuatu with two darling girlfriend this week! We are leaving this morning, I’m actually posting this from the train to the Sydney Airport, ha!
It happened a bit like this.
Beth: I heard Vanuatu is beautiful and not expensive! There are amazing waterfalls and volcanoes.
Me: OMG I have heard a few people talk about it, but I know nothing about it and I would love to go.
Me later talking to Newcastle’s best bartender, Josie of Moneypenny: Beth and I are talking about going to Vanuatu! Have you gone? You should come!
Josie: OMG I would love to go!
We created a group chat last year about the idea titled “Vanuatu?” and here we are come May, it’s actually happening! The flights are booked, the accommodation is sorted, now we just need to find some authentic matching outfits for Instagram.
I’ll have more to report when I return next week, but in the meantime, here are some fun facts I’ve just inhaled.
1. Vanuatu is made up of a series of tropical islands (many estimates say 83) in the South Pacific.
2. It’s a varied landscape of mountains, volcanos (some active), beaches, rainforests and grasslands.
3. People are thought to have inhabited the archipelago for the last three or four thousand years, and Vanuatu most recently achieved independence from the British and French in 1980 after the “coconut war”. (Various Europeans, Australians and Americans have occupied the land from 1606.)
4. Many of the 300,000 plus population live in rural areas, although people continue to move to cities like Luganville and Port-Vila.
5.The most common language is Bislama, but they also speak English and French.
6. It’s current name means “Our Land Forever.” Previously it was called the “British-French Condominium”… sounds like a timeshare. Captain James Cook also named it New Hebrides, and before that the Spanish called it “La Austrialia del Espiritu Santo” meaning “The Southern Land of The Holy Spirit,” how Catholic.
7. Port Vila is the capital of the country and located on the island of Efate where we are going! From Sydney to Port Vila is roughly a 3.5 hour flight and we got our tickets or under $800 AUD each which is not too cheap but also could have been a lot more.
8. A famous drink I keep reading about is called “Kava”, no it’s not a cocktail, it’s a sedative made from the roots of the kava plant, which is native to the Pacific Island region. It is regularly described as muddy and bitter, and I’m not sure if it’s served hot or cold. I’ve met quite a few Aussies who have tried this drink before, but not this American gal!
9. Kava and agriculture are major industries in Vanuatu and everyone is telling me about the delicious organic vegetables and fruits. (Tourism is also a big industry.)
10. One Aussie dollar is 80 Vatus. One US dollar is 118 Vatus. I read one 16 oz domestic beer in the supermarket costs 327 Vatus.
On a more serious note, while getting excited about my trip I got engrossed and depressed watching this video about the importance of clean water in remote communities. This specific video was about Tanna Island, and how many of its citizens have to walk an hour several times a day to get water. It’s a glaring reminder that while people like me tend to think of islands as a glorious, luxurious escape from reality, many people who actually live in this place know a very different reality to the tourists.
More to come! Please let me know in the comments if you have specific questions and I’ll nose around and see what I can find out.
Ambryn island looks awesome.