Top Things to do in Espiritu Santo
Top Restaurants in Espiritu Santo
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What to do and see in Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu: The Best Budget-friendly Things to do
The pink sands of Champagne Beach spill into warm waters filled with wrecks and reefs begging to be explored by Espiritu Santo vacationers. Rinse off with a dip in one of the island’s many freshwater blue holes. Trek over a bamboo bridge to visit the bats and swallows of Millennium Cave, who nap among spectacular rock formations. Divers can wave hello to "The Lady," one of the many intact artifacts of the wreck of the SS President Coolidge.
Restaurants in Espiritu Santo
1. Millennium Cave
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 678 reviews
Reviewed By CherylS84 - Brisbane, Australia
Great Day, Physically challenging, my one suggestion is to make sure you stop now and again and enjoy the moment. As you are climbing down ladders and over rocks we tend to be focused on ground. Stop and soak in what you are doing and look around. Hopeful to return again, Thank you Jerry and Paul for looking after us. You are going to get wet, you will get dirty, you MUST have walking shoes that you dont mind getting wet. If you are on cruise ship remind them of your return time.
2. SS President Coolidge
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 383 reviews
Reviewed By S897LVdavidp - Honiara, Solomon Islands
Dived with Coral Quays Resort, they've got an awesome dive operation and setup, the equipment and guides are all top-notch, and safety is their first priority. The wreck itself - wow! So much to explore, I did 23 dives in one trip, and still didn't see most of it! Highlights were the night dive with the flashlight fish, and Tom's magical mystery tour down the back end of the wreck. I'll be back there again as soon as I can!
3. Island Time Kayaking Tours - Day Tours
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 158 reviews
Based at the Bay of Islands, we offer a range of guided eco-tours including kayaks to blue holes, islands and reef, jungle rivers, and even Champagne Beach. We also hire kayaks and SUPs on an hourly, half daily, daily or overnight basis and can organise longer expeditions for the experienced paddlers.
4. Mount Hope Waterfall
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 165 reviews
A half day excursion floating down river, snaking your way through the dense Vanuatu rainforest. The river has carved out a magnificent gorge, lined with remarkable limestone formations and overhanging supersized ferns and trees. You will exit at Mount Hope Waterfall. Exiting the waterfall you will follow the guides on an instructive walk through the lush jungle and finish with morning tea, infectious laughter and smiles coming from the happiest people on the planet. Travelling by road from Luganville you will see the daily village life in all its simplicity. Required are closed (reef) shoes and shorts. Bring camera, towel and change of clothes.
Reviewed By H8426DHkarens
Thoroughly enjoyed this experience with 3 very helpful guides. Safety standards can be interesting in different countries, this group had an initial safety talk, waivers were signed, safety gear was provided, water shoes, gloves, life jackets. The guides were very coordinated, positioning themselves to assist & ensure guest safety, I was very impressed! The gorge itself was breathtaking to float gently down. Small rapids were not an issue with our guides to direct us & help. The waterfall was warm & not slippery to walk up. There was also a small cave directly under the waterfall you could go into to view from the inside. I am a 54 yr old with chronic arthritis & the only issue I had was the moving water at the waterfall set off my vertigo, again the guides (& my partner) were quickly able to allow me to grip their hands & walk over it. Magical experience !
5. Magical Water Music Experience
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 78 reviews
Reviewed By SKSJSS
This is a must do - Sandy is very informative and very passionate about keeping their island culture alive and it was so wonderful to interact with the ladies, children and men of the village. The ladies made us feel so welcome and easily communicated their history and day to day life with us
6. Santo Horse Adventures
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 152 reviews
Reviewed By 501gt - Australia, null
We highly recommend this tour! Our morning started with being picked up from our accommodation by friendly Megan and taken to her 200-acre riding ranch near Surranda Bay on the Coral Sea. Megan does a wonderful job with her many rescue horses and was very good checking out everyone’s riding experience to match us up with appropriate horses - all of which may have some quirks from their past mistreatment but are wonderful animals. We loved riding through the Island’s countryside, farms, mangrove rainforest and even through a village preparing for a local wedding! Meanwhile, Megan and her local Ni-Vanuatu riding guide explained some of the native bush and birds we saw. The best part was riding through a freshwater stream covered with mangrove trees down to the sea, and of course Megan herself. We sincerely hope that she, her family, workers, and horses are safe after the recent Cyclone Harold and that tourists are soon able to return to her magical ‘Santo’ Island paradise.
7. Santo's Blue Hole Hangout
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 25 reviews
Vanuatu's largest island, Espiritu Santo, is home to many blue holes: naturally occurring springs of clean, clear water that get their blue colour from their depth, purity, and mineral content. Santo's Blue Hole Hangout is located at the best of them - Jackie's blue hole (previously known as Nanda Blue Hole). Dive in from one of our jetties or jump from an overhanging tree into the crystal clear waters that is home to a rich diversity of beautiful fresh water fish. It does not end here - there is a campsite available for those happy campers and an on site cafe for those wanting a cup a coffee or a cold beer.
Reviewed By MichelleO1313 - Sydney, Australia
This was amazing and worth a visit. It really is a big blue hole. Water was beautiful and heaps of fish swimming with you. Loved it. Great cool off
8. Freshwater Plantation
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 113 reviews
A unique interpretive experience of a working cocoa plantation incorporating the Aore Island Bat Cave on the 300 acre property in the Segund Channel. Just a short boat ride from Santo mainland and a few minutes out of Luganville, Freshwater welcomes guests to stay on the plantation (see www.freshwater.vu for details) or visit for the day to relax, swim and snorkel and dine in our restaurant. Daily guided tours of the plantation are conducted every day in the morning and afternoon and suitable for all ages, and fitness levels. We are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and host events such as Thirsty Thursday happy hours and Sunday afternoon buffet with live entertainment. Don't miss this highly recommended day out during your visit to Santo.
Reviewed By sue_marieUk - York, United Kingdom
From the beginning (catching the free ferry from St Michel Landing) to finishing with lunch, snorkelling and the ferry back this was a wonderful trip. Jack was my excellent guide and he pointed out various plants, insects, fruits and trees, plus told some local folklore tales as we walked around the plantation. I personally loved everything about the bat cave but it might not suit everyone and you can easily miss out this part of the walk if you don’t like the thought of all the batS overhead and cockroaches underfoot! Lunch after the tour was superb and great value. I had the Tuluk entree followed by Death by Chocolate - both dishes were by far the best food I’ve had since coming to Vanuatu ten days ago. For the tour, my advice is to wear sturdy shoes if you have them, and take drinking water. Put some mozzie spray on before setting off. Hand sanitiser might be good, although it’s provided at the bat cave. After lunch, I went snorkelling in the crystal clear water and saw the most beautiful fish without ever getting out of my depth. Take reef shoes. Magical. I can’t recommend the Freshwater Plantation enough!
9. Million Dollar Point
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 78 reviews
This incredible dive site was created when Americans dumped millions of dollars worth of equipment at the end of the war.
Reviewed By lucas315 - Wellington, New Zealand
This is such a cool experience, just pop into the water (start swimming right away or wear water shoes) and see boats, forklifts, and other stuff from the end of WWII dumped right off the beach. It was 500 Vatu pp, and there were bathrooms and picnic tables. Although just a 5 minute walk along the beach to the right is Million Dollar Resort- where there is free access to the beach, a restaurant, and beautiful bungalow accommodation.
10. Matevulu Blue Hole
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 367 reviews
20 mins northwest of Luganville
Reviewed By TinaGoneTravelling - Berlin, Germany
For sure one of the nicest blue holes I have seen in Vanuatu, way more beautiful than ri ri. You can easily kajak up Cristal River. Its about a 30-45min way. kayaks for 2 or single kayaks can be rented out at Island Time Kayaking. It's amazing seeing the water color change when you go up the river until the very deep and cristal clear blue of the swimming place. Take the swing down from the Banyan tree, its lots of fun.
