Tanna Island in Vanuatu combines culture with adventure. Mt Yasur is one of the world’s most accessible active volcanoes and it is the main reason tourists visit the island. While you can take a day trip to see the volcano an overnight stay lets you see it at its best – red, hot and erupting in contrast to the dark surrounds. Unity Tours in Port Vila has day trips or if you are staying overnight your resort will be able to arrange a volcano safari. Air Vanuatu flies to Tanna at least once a day.

If you have the time, consider two or three nights – as well as being memorable and rewarding, it justifies the expense of the flight! It also gives volcano ‘insurance’. If it is raining, access to the volcano is denied due to safety reasons and it would be disappointing to miss out.

The island is home to the John Frum Cargo Cult. There are waterfalls, blue water caves, surf beaches, giant banyan trees, hot springs and great sunsets. There are black magic, kava tasting and cultural village experiences. Here is a link to adventures and activities to be had at White Grass Ocean Resort.

Many Tannese people live a traditional lifestyle that includes kastom medicine, initiation and circumcision. The award-winning movie, Tanna, is pretty close to how life still is in some villages.

Photo – poster from Tanna, the movie

Aggie Grey’s Hotel has been Apia’s most famous address for decades and, sitting opposite the harbour, the property is still Apia’s leading tourist hotel.

It first became famous as a hamburger outlet for US soldiers during World War II. While it has been refurbished many times, it has managed to retain colonial charm. There’s a lot of atmosphere in the architectural ‘bones’ and history.

It once was THE place for Hollywood stars to stay with the likes of William Holden, Dorothy Lamour, Marlon Brando, Raymond Burr, Robert Morley and Gary Cooper checking in. For a while the bungalows they slept in were given the name of the star as a marketing ploy – “Wow, I slept in the same bed/room as Marlon Brando!” These days it is Sheraton Apia Aggie Grey’s Hotel and Bungalows and it is the sister resort to the Sheraton Samoa Beach Resort which was previously Aggie Grey’s Lagoon Resort & Spa.

Bula is the famous Fijian greeting and it is the warmest and most genuine of welcomes. You will hear it everywhere from arrival at Customs to all around your resort from the staff. You will also find yourself replying “Bula” without a second thought in no time. The literal meaning of ‘bula’ is life but it takes on a variety of meanings from hello, welcome, good health, cheers and even ‘bless you’ if somebody sneezes.

The more formal greeting is “ni sa bula”, which is sort of the difference between “hello” and “g’day” although the actual original meaning would be something like, ‘wishing you good health and happiness.

On one holiday the kids and I made up a game – to get from our bure to the buffet breakfast without hearing “bula” – we darted about hiding in bushes but it was impossible – we decided the only way to do that would be to dig a tunnel there and, even then, chances would be you’d meet some flashing white teeth smiling in the dark with a heartfelt “Bula!”