Sights in Vanuatu
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Sacré Coeur Cathedral
Standing proud on the main street of the French Quarter is modernistic Roman Catholic Sacré Coeur Cathedral.
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Nambawan Market & Café
Wholesome snacks, wireless internet access, ice creams, fresh-squeezed juices and a large range of handicrafts.
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Yasur Volcano
This active volcano is one of the world's most accessible. In fact, 4WD vehicles can get to within 150m of the crater rim. Mt Yasur's ash-laden smoke has smothered the vegetation, reducing the landscape to an alien prehistoric desert, with the gaunt shapes of surviving pandanus palms adding to the surrealistic view.
The level of activity within Yasur fluctuates between dangerous and relatively calm, but when it's hot it's hot. Along the path to the crater rim, there are whiffs of sulphur and whooshing, roaring noises. Ahead is a silhouette of people on the rim, golden fireworks behind them. Then you're looking into a dark central crater where three vents take it in turns…
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Vila Market
Colourful and busy, Vila Market is open round-the-clock from early Monday through to noon on Saturday. Fruit and vegetables, flowers, firewood, jewellery, woodcarvings and souvenirs are in the care of ni-Van women wearing colourful Mother Hubbard dresses.
Prices are rock bottom: coconuts, pawpaws and huge grapefruit can start at around VT20; a generous slab of laplap is around VT150. Produce is seasonal - look for wild raspberries in September, mangoes in November and passionfruit from March to May. Benches at the back are for diners. The ladies cook interesting meals like herb-coated fish with rice, as you watch.
There's no bargaining. Prices are clearly marked and no…
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Porte du Ciel
A charming little Vietnamese Roman Catholic church, designed to be semicircular in cross section.
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WWI memorial
Glorious views of the French Quarter.
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Lysepsep Culture Park
Like the leprechauns in Ireland, the Lysepsep people were the first inhabitants of Santo. They live a reclusive life in banyans and caves. Most people have never seen them, but spend time in the central jungle and impenetrable mountains of Central Santo, and you may find them watching you. About a metre tall, they grow their hair very long and use it as a screen.
The Lysepsep Culture Park will show you many of their unusual customs. You can also see local food preparation, and special dances are performed throughout June and July. Book, or join, a group (six or more people) at least a day before, through your hotel.
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National Museum of Vanuatu
The excellent National Museum of Vanuatu, in a glorious building, has a large and well-displayed selection of traditional artefacts such as tamtam (slit-gongs or slit-drums), a massive outrigger canoe, ceremonial headdresses and examples of Lapita and Wusi pottery. There are photographic displays and videos on traditional ceremonies and legends.
Temporary exhibitions have included the Silver Jubilee collection, and sculptures by Emmanuel Watt, the first local artist to have an international touring exhibition.
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Siri Falls
Gaua offers spectacular hikes, including a grand, difficult two-day test that visits the island's three major sights - pretty Lake Letas, one of the largest freshwater lakes in the Pacific; Mt Garet (797m), a semiactive volcano; and fabulous Siri Falls.
Climb up to the lake, where you canoe across to the volcano, a sulphurous mess that seeps orange into the lake. It's worth the effort, in an awesome way. Then it's a vicious trek down to the falls, 120m of roaring power pummelling down through the bush to the sea.
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Coconut Oil Factory
There's a small Coconut Oil Factory that operates most weekdays, and the obliging manager Ron Hawkins will be happy to show you around (probably for free if you buy some of his natural skin-care products based on nambagura plant oil). It's an interesting enterprise. Take the turn-off to Nambel and cross the disused Lambue wartime airfield. The factory is at the back of the house on the left about 1km past the old strip.
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National Museum of Vanuatu
This excellent museum and cultural centre is home to a well-displayed selection of traditional artefacts, including items such as tamtam (log drums), massive outrigger canoes, ceremonial headdresses and examples of Lapita and Wusi pottery. There are photographic displays, and you can watch videos about traditional ceremonies and legends.
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Michoutouchkine & Pilioko Foundation Art Gallery
This Oceanic art gallery and artists' studio is on the way to Pango. Named after its two resident artists, Nicolai Michoutouchkine and Aloi Pilioko, it's amazingly, wildly exotic, with Pacific bric-a-brac and artefacts, including ornate carvings and masks by the master craftsmen of southern Malekula.
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Million Dollar Point
Million Dollar Point, where hundreds of tonnes of US military equipment was dumped, now shows its coral-encrusted machinery to snorkellers and divers. At low tide you'll find metal objects littering the beach for a kilometre in either direction. Don't leave your valuables around while you dive.
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Independence Park
This large playing field with a lovely old grandstand is where the Condominium was proclaimed in 1906, with the ceremonial raising of the British and French flags. For years, daily checks ensured that the Union Jack was flying at the same height as the Tricolour - so neither was upstaged!
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Waterfront
A pleasant path and grassy area follows the harbour wall behind busy Lini Hwy. No rollerbladers or skateboarders zapping past your ankles. Just a view of harbour activities and moored yachts, a kids' playground, seats and the Nambawan Market & Café.
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French Residency
On the northern side of Independence Park, the French Residency - the white building with faded red roof - is now the Department of Foreign Affairs.
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Luganville Market
Villagers come from all over southern and eastern Santo to sell their produce at the Luganville Market, near the Sarakata Bridge.
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Supreme Court
The grand pink building higher up the hill from the WWI memorial. It's the former Joint Court of the Condominium.
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British Residency
This large, wooden building on the eastern side of Independence Park is now the Ministry of Home Affairs.
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Unity Park
Unity Park has a kids playground and lovely shade trees. Lie on the grass and look at the ocean.
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Ammunition Bunkers
Old lumps of concrete with roads on either side that were once part of a huge WWII complex.
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Rotary Park
Rotary Park where boats leave for Bokissa has barbecues and plenty of grass.
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Georges Pompidou Building
This former French hospital now houses several government departments.
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Lookout Point
Glorious views of the French Quarter.
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Quonset Huts at Main Wharf
Corrugated iron remains from WWII.
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