Vanuatu is a nation in the South Pacific Ocean, which is a volcanic archipelago, which is east of New Guinea and Australia and west of Fiji and
Indians can travel to Vanuatu visa free for thirty days. The largest and also capital city is Port Vila and the official languages are French, Bislama and English. The island nation gained independence from the UK and France in 1980 and the population is around 243,304 citizens. The local currency is the Vanuatu Vatu and drivers drive on the right hand side. It was first populated by Melanesian people, then Europeans in 1606, in the 1880’s the UK and France claimed parts of the territory and jointly managed it. Vanuatu is situated on the ‘Pacific Rim of Fire’ and has many active volcanoes in its 80 islands as well as clean, peaceful beaches, lush greenery and an interesting traditional culture, which is still lived by the majority of the locals. Some tourists visit the islands while on a cruise ship, and just stop off to go scuba diving or do some shopping, but if you plan on holidaying in Vanuatu from India then check out all the islands by boat or plane.
There are not many fancy resorts and most holidaymakers stay in simple bamboo huts or perhaps a guest house, and the travel can be fun, squeezing into a small plane with locals or booking a ticket on the weekly island hopping ferries. If you are a fan of volcanoes then Mount Yasur on Tanna Island is a must see, where you can take a four wheel drive truck up to the rim of the crater and then look into the burning, magma filled interior.
There are plenty of other volcanoes to go and visit or if diving or snorkelling is more your thing then you can dive amongst tropical fish and even shipwrecks such as the wreck of the SS President Coolidge, a troop ship during WWII which struck a mine and sank, with only two fatalities from the 5000 seamen aboard. If you are interested in Melanesian culture then you can watch dances that are staged for holidaymakers. So Vanuatu has something to offer for any intrepid Indian tourist.
