Hotel (2 nights), Village Bungalow (2 nights)

4 breakfasts, 2 dinners and 3 lunches

Food and dietary requirements

Local people in Vanuatu usually grow most of their own food apart from “luxury” items such as rice or tinned fish. Some specialities include fish curry, lap lap (pounded yams, breadfruit, bananas and taro with coconut cream and a piece of meat such as chicken, beef or pork, wrapped in banana leaves and cooked in an underground oven), local snapper and tuluk (tapioca dough with shredded pork). As a former French colony, you can also find some great French cuisine and baked goods around Vanuatu. In village communities, the day might start with a chunky slice of bread and lunch might be a banana leaf-wrapped bundle of rice. For dinner, vegetables from the garden and possibly some fish. Look out for seasonal fruit like pineapples, bananas, pawpaws, grapefruit, coconuts and rose apples.

Is this trip right for you

This trip gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself in an authentic island community and experience the culture and traditions. It’s a fascinating insight into South Pacific culture and a world away from your typical resort holiday.

The people on the Pentecost welcome tourists and are forgiving of inadvertent cultural transgressions. Even so, it is inappropriate for women to wear bikinis or skimpy clothing. Women should wear knee-length dresses or skirts with modest tops when visiting. T-shirts and board shorts make good ‘island-style’ swimwear as an option to bikinis.

Pentecost is a remote island with little infrastructure and very undeveloped villages. Your accommodation on Pentecost is in traditional bamboo bungalows. These have standard beds with mosquito nets and bathroom facilities, but showers are cold water only. Your meals on these islands will be home-cooked with love by the village mamas using fresh, organic produce from the gardens and the sea.

Transport notes

FLIGHTS
Due to frequent flight delays and cancellations on Air Vanuatu, we highly recommend allowing additional days in Port Vila before and after your tour and considering flying Virgin or Fiji Airways.

Our trips include scheduled flights between islands. In the case of flight cancellations, we will do our best to reschedule and rebook an alternative option if available, however please be prepared that on occasion due to limited aircraft, a charter flight may need to be booked instead, with the additional cost to be covered by the traveller and paid on ground locally.

Covid-19

Health related to Covid-19. This operator has a policy in place for COVID-19 and their adventures. Please request full details so we can share the most up to date information with you and be aware that the note below was relevant at the time of writing but may have changed. Thanks!

Is this trip right for you

This trip gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself in an authentic island community and experience the culture and traditions. It’s a fascinating insight into South Pacific culture and a world away from your typical resort holiday.

The people on the Pentecost welcome tourists and are forgiving of inadvertent cultural transgressions. Even so, it is inappropriate for women to wear bikinis or skimpy clothing. Women should wear knee-length dresses or skirts with modest tops when visiting. T-shirts and board shorts make good ‘island-style’ swimwear as an option to bikinis.

Pentecost is a remote island with little infrastructure and very undeveloped villages. Your accommodation on Pentecost is in traditional bamboo bungalows. These have standard beds with mosquito nets and bathroom facilities, but showers are cold water only. Your meals on these islands will be home-cooked with love by the village mamas using fresh, organic produce from the gardens and the sea.

Health

GENERAL HEALTH
All travellers need to be in good physical health in order to participate fully on this trip. For the safety and wellbeing of yourself and others, if you are unwell prior to travelling, please stay at home and contact us to make alternative arrangements.

When selecting your trip please make sure you have read through the itinerary carefully and assess your ability to manage and enjoy our style of travel. Please note that if in the assessment of our group leader or local representative a traveller is unable to complete the itinerary without undue risk to themselves and/or the rest of the group, we reserve the right to exclude them from all or part of a trip without refund.

You should consult your doctor for up-to-date medical travel information or for any necessary vaccinations before departure. We recommend that you carry a first aid kit as well as any personal medical requirements in their original packaging as they may not easily be obtained while travelling. If you are carrying medication, ensure you check your government’s foreign travel advice for any local restrictions or requirements. 

COVID-19
The safety and well-being of our travellers, group leader or local representative, crew, staff, and suppliers continues to remain our highest priority as we travel. Intrepid has no specific vaccination, testing or vaccination requirements, however please be aware that some parts of the world still require COVID-19 vaccination or testing as part of their entry requirements and may have their own quarantine or isolation protocols. Please check for any additional requirements on your government’s foreign travel advice website or here: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/au/visa-health-requirements

MOSQUITO-BORNE ILLNESSES
Dengue occurs in Vanuatu, especially in the north. Malaria has been officially eliminated in Tanna and is very rare in Efate, however is still prevalent on Pentecost. Speak to your doctor prior to travel if you are considering taking anti-malaria medication. Use insect repellent and wear long, loose, light-coloured clothing.

VACCINATIONS
Vanuatu has had cases of Zika virus, rubella, mumps, measles and chickenpox. Check your vaccinations are up to date before you travel.

WATER
Tap water in Port Vila and Luganville is generally safe to drink. Outside these areas, drink boiled or bottled water. Avoid raw or undercooked food, such as salads, as well as ice cubes.

MEDICAL FACILITIES
Hospital and medical facilities in Vanuatu are limited. Costs for treatment, including medication, can be high. Doctors and hospitals often require immediate cash payment. If you become seriously ill or injured, you’ll need to be evacuated to a place with better facilities, such as Australia.

Your fellow travellers

As you travel on a group trip you will be exposed to all the pleasures and maybe some of the frustrations of travelling in a group. Your fellow travellers will probably come from all corners of the world and likely a range of age groups too. We ask you to be understanding of the various needs and preferences of your group – patience with your fellow travellers is sometimes required for the benefit of everyone’s travel experience. Remember too that you have responsibilities to the group. If you are requested to be at a place at a certain time, ensure that you don’t keep the rest of the group waiting. We have found time and time again that the very best trips we operate are those where the dynamics within the group work well – this takes just a little effort on your part. Due to privacy reasons, we are unable to provide you with contact details and any personal information about your fellow travellers booked on your trip prior to departure.

SOLO TRAVELLERS
The beauty of our style of travel is that it caters to travellers who are travelling solo and who want to meet and share experiences with like-minded people.

On our trips rooming is organised on a twin-share basis. We pair up solo travellers with another traveller of the same gender as per the gender marker on each of their passports.

As a responsible tour operator, we strive to create a safe and inclusive environment for everyone. In the case that your gender identity differs from what is indicated on your passport, please contact us so that we can discuss rooming options with you.

We also have an optional single supplement available on most trips for travellers who prefer to have their own room. Please note that this only applies to accommodation during the tour. Pre-trip and post-trip accommodation booked through us will be on a single room basis.

On a small selection of itineraries some accommodations are booked on an open gender, multi-share basis (for example on a felucca in Egypt or an overnight train in Vietnam). In those instances it will clearly be stated in our Essential Trip Information prior to booking and travelling.

Covid-19

This operator has a policy in place for COVID-19 and their adventures. Please request full details so we can share the most up to date information with you. Thanks!