Discover Vanuatu!
Vanuatu is divided into six provinces. Torba province includes Torres and Banks islands. Sanma consists of Espiritu Santo, Malo and surrounding islands. Penama is made up of Pentecost, Ambae and Maewo. Malampa province includes Malekula, Ambrym and Paama. Shefa province is Shepherd islands and Efate where the capital Port Vila is located, the southernmost province Tafea consists of Tanna, Aneityum, Futuna, Erromango and Aniwa.
All provinces have their own signature attractions from Torba’s women’s water music and snake dancers, pristine blue holes, world war 2 relics and champagne beach of Sanma, Penama’s daring land diving ritual, vibrant cultures, black magic, and ancient tribes in Malampa, Shefa being the international gateway is a mix potpourri of culture and gourmet, and the mighty Mount Yasur down south in Tafea province.
Torba Province
The TORBA Province is the northernmost province of Vanuatu, made up of the Banks Islands and the Torres Islands. It sits above the SANMA Province. The province’s name derives from the initial letters of TORres and BAnks.
Torba is made up of over 15 islands divided into the Torres and Banks Islands. Torba has an estimated total population of around 9,500 people who are friendly, welcoming and cannot wait to show you their island home!
Relatively new on the international tourism scene, Torba is Vanuatu’s best kept secret. Famous for its white sandy beaches, world-class fresh seafood, unique culture and dense rainforests, you can be sure that your visit to the northern islands will be an experience you will never forget. Each island is unique and offers its own adventure. Choose to visit Gaua, Vanualava, Motalava, Rah or Loh Island – or island hop between them all to get the ultimate Melanesian island experience!
The islands are relatively small and most attractions are easy to walk to; explore white sand beaches and coral reefs around west Mota Lava and Ra or climb the massive rocks on Ra, or climb the Sleeping Mountain on Mota Lava with beautiful island bungalows dispersed across the islands.
While there are no standard hotels in Torba, the island style bungalows, home-stays, tours and activities on offer are high quality and have been developed collaboratively by the local community. In fact all tourism operations in Torba are Ni-Vanuatu owned ventures! This means that when you visit these islands you can be sure that your money is returned directly to the community.
Malampa Province
Located in the heart of Vanuatu’s archipelago, Malampa’s islands offer the adventurous traveller a unique South Pacific experience.
Meet the Big Nambas and Small Nambas; the ancient people of Malekula; Peek into the heart of a live volcano; Go snorkelling with a dugong in the Maskylnes! Malampa province has something for everyone – traditional dancing, sand drawing, ancient cannibal sites, lush jungle trekking, remote waterfalls, snorkeling tropical clear waters and much more…
MALAMPA province gets its name from the islands of Malekula (MAL), Ambrym (AM) and Paama (PA). The region also includes a number of smaller islands along the coast of Malekula and the uninhabited volcanic island of Lopevi.
The islands of MALAMPA are steeped in culture, history and a rare tropical wilderness. Malampa also boasts the twin volcanoes of Mt Benbow (1160m) and Mt Marum (1270m) on the island of Ambrym or the ‘black magic island’.
The people of MALAMPA province are proud of their cultural heritage and pristine environment, they welcome you to experience, enjoy and learn about the wonders of their home.
Penama Province
Penama province, where culture entwines with nature’s discovery, consists of three Islands Pentecost, Ambae and Maewo Island.
Each of the three Islands has natural attractions that are as memorable and unique as their own signatory attractions and culture. Despite their distinctiveness, the three islands share the same history and kastom stories teaching people how they relate to the land, seas and one another.
Takaro, Penama’s ancient God, is believed to be the source of all wisdom in Penama province. Takaro has bestowed unto the Penama people great knowledge and understanding of humankind, morals and values, the land, the ocean and everything that lives in or on it.
Visitors are guaranteed a unique experience hosted by the friendly people of all three islands. Some people will call it a cultural escape, but at the end of your trip, you will leave calling any of the three islands home.
Many of the tourism operations in Penama Province are still in the process of being registered, a few are open for business and will be joined by others soon.
Sanma Province
Sanma Province is made up of the islands Espiritu Santo and Malo, and includes a number of smaller surrounding islands that sit just offshore, such as Aore, Tutuba, Turtle, Bokissa and Ratua island.
Known for its world-class diving, blue holes and white sandy beaches, Sanma Province is the perfect destination for your next holiday. Whether you are looking for a romantic escape, off-the-beaten-track adventure, relaxing spell on pristine beaches or a family-friendly getaway, we guarantee that there is something here for everyone!
Getting here is stress-free as Espiritu Santo’s Pekoa International Airport, located just outside Luganville, receives daily flights from Port Vila and twice weekly flights from Brisbane Australia via Air Vanuatu.
Sanma Province is also the gateway to the northern outer-islands of Vanuatu. Pekoa airport has direct flights to Torba, Penama and Malampa provinces, making it easy for you to explore!
For more information visit Santo.travel and when you get to Luganville, pop into the Santo Travel Centre and say hello to our friendly staff.
The team at Santo Travel will be happy to help answer any queries you may have of Santo and her surrounding islands.
Tafea Province
Tafea, the southernmost province of the six in Vanuatu, is an acronym (the name) deriving from the five islands that make up the region: Tanna, Aneityum, Futuna, Erromango and Aniwa.
The province has a population of 32,540 people and an area of 1,628 km². The main island, though second to Erromango in land size, is Tanna, with some 80 percent of the province population, with the provincial capital of Isangel, and the largest village of Lenakel, both close together on the southwest coast.
The three larger islands are Melanesian, but the smaller two, Aniwa and Futuna, also known under the collective term Erronan Islands, are Polynesian outliers. Futuna is sometimes called West Futuna to distinguish it from Futuna Island, Wallis and Futuna.
The island of Tanna has the world’s most accessible volcano, Mount Yasur, at 1,084 meters the highest peak of the province. Aniwa Island is the only coral island, the other four are volcanic and reach much higher elevations than Aniwa.
Aneityum is the southernmost island of Vanuatu (not counting the remote, tiny and uninhabited Matthew and Hunter Islands, 280 to 335 kilometres (174–208 miles) to the southeast, which are disputed with New Caledonia, but which are considered by the people of Aneityum part of their custom ownership). Its southeastern cape Nétchan Néganneaing is the southernmost point of land in Vanuatu.
The latter, however, is surrounded Intao Reef, that extends even further south, albeit submerged, thus being the southernmost feature of Vanuatu.
Shefa Province
Shefa is one of the six provinces of Vanuatu, located in the center of the country. The province’s name is derived from the initial letters of SHepherd islands, Epi, and EFAte which make up the province.
With a population of 78,723 people and an area of 1,455 km², it is home to the nation’s capital city Port Vila located on mainland Efate.
The Shefa Islands are volcanic, and limestone/raised reef in origin with one active volcano on Epi – only sporadically active, and other underwater and extinct volcanoes are scattered throughout the province.
Shefa is made up of approximately 27 islands, Efate being the most populated located and surrounded by several smaller islands: Iririki, Ifira, Eratap, Erakor, Erueti Lep, Eratoka (Hat), Lelepa, Moso, Nguna, Pele, Kakuhla, and Emao. To the north are the Shepherd Islands which includes Naore, Etarik, Matasao, Makura, Emae, Buninga, Tongariki, Tongoa, Ewose, and Laika. Past Shepherd islands lies Epi, and Tefala, Namuka and Lamen. Some of these islands are uninhabited.
With many great snorkelling spots, you can even sight endangered species such as turtles and dugongs near Erakor Island and marine sanctuaries.
Marine sanctuaries are popular to attempt preserving marine life around Shefa, although traditional methods of conservation have also been highly effective. This movement is also an effort to promote sustainable tourism through the Efate Land Management Area, the Nikaura Marine Protected Area on Epi, the Nguna-Pele Marine Protected Area Network at north Efate, and the Hideaway Marine Sanctuary at Hideaway Island.
