Luganville: Market Life, Handicrafts and History

When looking for a hotel in Luganville, it is worth considering which themes you want to shape your stay: market life, handicrafts or the history of the Second World War. The town has its own points of interest for each. The wider Sanma destination also offers landscapes and cultural experiences on Santo and other islands.

Market Life and Handicrafts in Luganville

Street food at Luganville Market includes grilled meat skewers, fresh coconuts, coconut or taro pastries, and simboro. The vendors and dishes available may vary. Luganville’s main market offers tropical fruit and vegetables, local dishes and handicrafts; the market offerings and operations may also change over time.

Handicrafts are another regional point of interest: Luganville is an important hub for handicrafts from the northern provinces, including from the islands of Pentecost, Ambae and Banks. So, alongside food and market goods, products from these island regions also feature in the picture the town presents of itself.

War History in the Town and Surrounding Area

The South Pacific WWII Museum displays a collection of objects relating to the Pacific War and Espiritu Santo. If you plan a visit, check the current visitor arrangements before your trip. In the wider region, the SS Coolidge struck a mine in the Segond Channel off Espiritu Santo on October 26, 1942, and later sank. The location and date place this historical event in the area around Luganville.

There are also points of interest related to the history of the Second World War across the wider Sanma destination. Million Dollar Point is an underwater dumping site from this period in Sanma Province. The wreck of the SS President Coolidge also lies off Espiritu Santo: it is almost entirely intact and contains wartime relics such as guns, cannons, jeeps, helmets and trucks. The wreck dive is accessible directly from shore.

Culture and Nature in the Wider Sanma Destination

Close to Luganville, Beterihi Cultural Activity Park offers traditional dances and demonstrations of food and kava preparation, weaving, wood carving and sand drawing. Check the current arrangements before visiting. More broadly, Sanma offers a range of cultural experiences: at Leweton Cultural Village on Santo, visitors can experience traditional dances, wood carving and the sand drawing unique to Vanuatu. On Malo Island, experiences include traditional dances, local music and ni-Vanuatu crafts; the programme may vary by community and season.

Activities also differ considerably. The Millennium Cave Tour includes jungle hikes, exploring a cave, crossing rocky gorges and travelling downstream back to the village. Guests are welcomed in the village of Funaspef; traditional face painting is part of the programme before entering the cave. Tour details and cultural activities may change. Mount Tabwemasana is a different undertaking: its ascent is offered as a six-day expedition through dense rainforests and remote villages on Espiritu Santo.

The Vatthe Conservation Area in Bay Bay on Santo’s north coast is a highlight for scenery and wildlife. The area covers 2,720 hectares and protects an extensive alluvial and limestone forest, considered the only large-scale forest of this type in Vanuatu. Forty-eight land and freshwater bird species have been recorded there; six of Vanuatu’s nine endemic bird species are known to use the forest. Mount Tabwemasana is also on Espiritu Santo in Sanma Province. At 1,879 metres, it is Vanuatu’s highest mountain and the highest point in the South Pacific.

Getting to Sanma and Boat Connections

For the wider Sanma destination, the official travel guidance lists international flights to Port Vila followed by domestic flights to Espiritu Santo. Ferries and cargo ships also connect Port Vila with Santo; the domestic flight takes one hour. Flight and shipping schedules and operators may change. From Luganville, there are also boat connections to Aore Island, taking about ten minutes, and Malo Island, taking about 30 minutes. Travel times may vary. These details provide different points of reference for planning a trip without conflating regional destinations with what is available in the town.

Discover more destinations: Hog Harbour.

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