Pentecost Island has become famous throughout the world for the land diving ritual (Nagol or N’gol) which occurs every Saturday between April and June.
The ritual, which influenced the invention of bungee jumping by Kiwi AJ Hackett, sees local men and boys as young as seven jump from a 20 -30 metre high manmade tower with only a vine tied around their ankle.
The tower itself takes locals five weeks to build using materials from the forest. The vines are carefully selected by jumpers who know that just 10 centimetres may be the difference between life and death.
Traveling to view this magnificent ceremony is a once in a lifetime experience. No words can express the feeling of the ground vibrating under the dancing and stomping feet of villages and the excitement of sitting beneath the tower waiting with unease for the diver to jump safely to ground.
The awe-inspiring ceremony celebrates the yam harvest and is a fertility rite for men.
Other facts
Population 16,843
Airports Lonorore (South Pentecost): Flights operate Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday Sara (North Pentecost): Flights operate on Sunday
Known for Land Diving (South Pentecost)
Best time to visit Any time of year April-June for Nagol major centres Pangi (south Pentecost), Melsisi (Central Pentecost 2), Ena (Central Pentecost 1), Nazaret (North Pentecost)
Phone signal Digicel and TVL work in different areas so it is recommended you have two sims Internet Schools have internet
Banks National Bank of Vanuatu: Enna (Central Pentecost 1), Pangi, (South Pentecost), Melsisi (Central Pentecost 2)
Food Options Pentecost does not have a market that sells fresh produce, small shops have basic food supplies.