Tanna Island in Vanuatu: untouched by tourism

Tanna Island in Vanuatu: untouched by tourism

Tanna Island in Vanuatu is where our adventure truly began, an island just 40km long and 25km wide

After a week of comfortable self-catering in Efate, followed by a fairly luxurious week on Aore Island, Santo, it was time to go back to basics, shed the first world and experience a bit of real Ni-Van culture.

Tanna Island in Vanuatu

We knew our adventure would truly begin here: on Tanna Island in Vanuatu, a 40-minute flight southeast of Port Vila on an island just 40km long and 25km wide. We stayed on the east side of the island at the Port Resolution Yacht Club, which sits above a beautiful, calm bay.

The glow of the island's active volcano, Mt Yasur, can be seen for miles and serves as a beacon for travelers and locals alike. We spent five nights in Port Resolution and really enjoyed it - here's why.

The Yacht Club

Captain James Cook sailed aboard the HMS Resolution in August 1774 into the bay below the cliffs from which the village and today's yacht club take their name.

With no boat available, we had to make do with reaching both via a very bumpy two-hour drive on little more than a dirt road. The Port Resolution Yacht Club is a community-run business under the confident command of Werry, a popular and enterprising local who seems to know everyone on the island.

alt="Port Resolution Yacht Club">Atlas & BootsOur accommodation at the Port Resolution Yacht Club

It consists of eight bamboo bungalows with thatched roofs, all built from local materials. There is rarely hot water and the electricity is only turned on for two hours a day - but that's almost part of the charm.

Monique, Werry's wife, cooks simple dinners for guests who are a mix of yachties and dedicated travelers who don't mind getting their hands dirty for the sake of good old-fashioned adventure. This is not a resort and does not pretend to be. This has been traditional village life for decades.

The village

Port Resolution has two restaurants (Lea’s Restaurant and Avoca Restaurant), a soccer field, around 400 people and… that’s pretty much it. There are a few chickens running around, but they won't cause you much trouble. It's quiet - really quiet.

alt="a restaurant on Tanna Island in Vanuatu">Atlas & BootsOne of the restaurants on Tanna Island in Vanuatu

The thatched bungalows all have pretty gardens that are well maintained and people sit around their fires chatting, smiling and waving as you walk by. The restaurants don't have menus; You will get whatever is available that day, which will probably be rice, omelette and some curried vegetables with sweet fruits for dessert. If you want to splurge, order fresh Tanna coffee to wash it all down.

We spent our afternoons wandering around the village, taking wrong turns through the forest, discovering tiny beaches, and never managing to get to the stowa (store) or market when they were open.

The beach

Step aside, Leo. I was on Koh Phi Phi Leh, the setting of Danny Boyle's film starring Leonardo DiCaprio about a beach paradise on a secret island - and it was full of tourists, along with public toilets, snack bars and campsites... a far cry from the legend portrayed in the film.

alt=“Small beach”>Atlas & BootsSmall beach on Tanna Island in Vanuatu

Port Resolution's Little Beach is a beautiful tropical paradise that rivals the film's secret island, but that's the real deal. The sandy beach is only two or three hundred meters long, surrounded by rocky outcrops at both ends and lined with palm trees and rainforest.

We spent four days there and met a westerner and a handful of locals. There are no snack bars here, just fresh coconuts and dugout canoes.

The volcano

You don't go to Tanna without visiting the volcano at least once. We went there twice and probably would have gone back a third time. It rumbles and growls at you as you approach, but nothing quite prepares you for its violence.

alt="Mount Yasur on Tanna Island">Atlas & BootsThe Mount Yasur volcano on Tanna Island in Vanuatu

I'm not kidding - at one point we were really worried about our lives. You know the eruptions are coming, but they still make you jump. You're unlikely to see lava flows (you wouldn't be allowed onto the volcano at level 3; at level 4 the island is evacuated), but you will see red-hot embers being shot hundreds of meters into the air, a force that comes from deep within.

Just take a flashlight and don't get too close to the edge.

The map

I just couldn't resist. This island paradise is a real treat, but not exactly easy to get to. If you can't find your way to The Beach using my map, just email Werry at wnarua@gmail.com. He will pick you up from the airport and let the island do the rest.

alt="The map of Tanna Island in Vanuatu">

Tanna Island in Vanuatu: How to get there

We flew to Tanna Island in Vanuatu with Air Vanuatu. Book flights via Skyscanner. On arrival we met Werry who took us to Port Resolution. Contact Werry at wnarua@gmail.com.

Lonely Planet South Pacific covers Tanna Island in Vanuatu, ideal for those looking to both explore the main attractions and take the road less travelled.

Mission statement: Atlas & Boots

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