Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu Disconnect to Reconnect Down the Coconut Tree Lined Highway By Jessica Palmer
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coconut tree-lined highway that ends with white sand, turquoise water and not a soul in sight...
...Unless a well-fed cow taking a siesta under the shade of a large banyan tree counts. This is Port Olry on the island of Espiritu Santo and this is Vanuatu at its finest. By finest, I do not mean luxury. You will be hard-pressed to find that here. Mains electricity hasn’t made it this far down the island so the locals use a combination of solar power and coconut oil powered generators. But it certainly is fine. Better than fine actually. People pay top dollar for this kind of seclusion and view. You won’t need to here though as resorts haven’t been allowed to buy up the land. Here you will find small, comfortable, family-owned bungalows. Some of these bungalows are built into the trees allowing you for at least one night, to be a kid again.
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I close my eyes and rejoice in the feeling of the warm sun on my face and the gentle swaying motion of the hammock beneath me. Crunch, Crunch. The moment is interrupted by my youngest, cuddled up to my side and loudly chewing an Arnott’s Scotch Finger biscuit in my ear. Actually, this calm cuddle is a nice change from the energizer bunny fueled tornado that she usually is. “I’m still hungry. Can I have another one?” she whispers in my ear. ‘’Ummmm….’’ Before I can answer, the chef at Chez Louis Restaurant, a sandy floored, casual establishment who were thoughtful enough to install the hammock we are lying in, appears with a fruit smoothie for the kids. He apologises, explaining that he sent someone to get some steak over two hours ago but he ‘’seems to have gotten distracted.’’ The steak we ordered is off the menu. Being honest, this isn’t really uncommon in Vanuatu but I’m sure I’ll have plenty more opportunities to try out the well known Santo beef.
Above: Port Olry Beach. This Image: Lonnoc Beach. Opp. Page Top Left: Organic Cocoa Plant. Opp. Page Top Right: Champagne Beach. Opp. Page Bottom L&R: Lonnoc Beach. Views from one of the Lonnoc Eco Beach Bungalows. Photos: Jessica Palmer . Opp. Page Middle: Lonnoc Beach Eco Bungalow. Photo: Courtesy of Lonnoc Beach.
