There are few places in the world where you can start your day scuba diving through seemingly never-ending underwater caverns, and end it overlooking a rumbling active volcano - Tanna’s one of them.
Tanna Island is a 40 minute plane from Vanuatu’s capital, Port Vila. It’s perfect for thrill-seekers wanting to get out and explore nature, both above and below the water. The people of Tanna are kind, warm and welcoming, and the island itself is lush.
Turquoise water surrounds the island, which when I visit in November is covered in bright pink bougainvilleas and the quintessential swaying palm trees. Plus, the nation is taking serious steps to reduce its plastic footprint and has banned single-use plastic like straws, bags and diapers. When we drive past the fruit markets, everything is packaged naturally in its own skin or using banana leaves.
During breakfast at White Grass Ocean Resort and Spa every morning, whole coconuts with paper straws are available to slurp on as you watch the butterflies flit amongst the bougainvilleas.
Here are three big reasons why Tanna is the perfect place to visit anyone with a sense of adventure.
1. Explore underwater caves
The reef surrounding Tanna is littered with underwater caverns, and most dives have at least one tunnel you’ll need to squeeze through. Blue Cave is an enormous cavern with a natural window in the ceiling where light beams through. Blue Hole 1 and 2 are networks of underwater swim-throughs that join up to vast basins of pristine coral in the dreamiest hues of pink and purple. Many of the sites are also accessible via snorkelling, so it’s a great island to visit for divers and non-divers alike.
2. Visit a volcano you can walk to in 10 minutes
Mount Yasur is one of the world’s most easily accessible active volcanos. After driving up the mountain, it’s just a ten-minute walk to reach the crater.
The best time to visit the volcano is at sunset when the colours come alive in amazing pinks and reds as the sky begins to darken. Some places make you feel truly in awe of the planet, and the edge of a bubbling, growling volcano is one of them.
3. Swim in private waterfalls and climb ancient trees
In Tanna, you can book day-trips that will take you to swim in a waterfall, wander around a 100-year-old giant Banyan tree, learn from a local village and watch the sun disappear over Mt Yasur.
Many of the utes in Tanna have been retrofitted so that seats are in the tray of the vehicle. This allows you to be completely immersed in your surrounding as the leafy green forest envelopes you when you drive to each destination.
Guest written and images by Grump Turtle.