For the avid diver, a 45 minute plane trip north of Port Vila takes you to the island of Espiritu Santo. Day trips from Vila are not suitable for divers due to fly/dive restrictions.

For travellers, the beauty of Santo is unmatched. Stunning jewel-like islands lie just a few hundred metres from coconut fringed beaches lined with powdery white sand. Amazing blue water swimming holes are connected by underground caverns and majestic mountains stretch from one end of the island to the other. Awesome ravines shrouded in magnificent tropical rainforest are home to jungle birds and beautiful orchids.

This largest island of Vanuatu (4,010 km2) was named by De Quiros, a Portuguese born commander in the service of Spain, in 1606 when he made a navigational error of some thousands of miles in a vain attempt to find Australia! Luganville, the capital of Espiritu Santo, was named in honour of French sea captain Armand Lugan back in 1889.

Despite the passing of three centuries, Santo's majestic beauty is little changed.. It is perhaps best known as the inspiration for James A. Michener's classic "Tales of the South Pacific".

World War II had a profound impact on Santo. During the course of the war, over 100,000 allied troops and support staff were stationed there. Amid the thick jungle there are remnants of crashed B17 bombers, deserted Dakotas and Quonset huts. Many of the buildings in the only town, Luganville, are old Quonset huts,with fences of upright Marsden matting rusting away under a deluge of decorative vines.

Beneath the waves at Million Dollar Point, divers can view the legacy of military evacuation, where the U.S. forces dumped thousands of tons of war surplus prior to returning home.

Today the population is 7,000, consisting primarily of Ni-Vanuatu, Chinese, Vietnamese and Europeans.

The Santo Market and Plantation Market is perhaps the most beautiful market in Vanuatu. Situated downtown on the Sarakata River, it is open on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Local fish fruit and vegetables are available and there are freshly prepared Melanesian meals. Also to be found on the plantations are cattle which provide excellent export quality beef, a major part of the economy of Vanuatu. A visit to these plantations is certainly recommended.

There are sightseeing tours available to suit all needs. Some of the sites to visit include:- Beautiful Beaches, Blue Holes, Crystal Clear river mouths, Custom villages (where time hasn't changed the custom lifestyle or dress), WWll sites, fire dancing, conservation parks, butterfly or bird tours and much more.

The fishing grounds at Aore are unique in that you begin to fish within minutes of leaving the jetty. Game, reef and sport fishermen will be amazed by the natural beauty of this tropical paradise and the abundance of the fish that are targeted by anglers world wide. Whether at anchor or trolling along the pristine coastline there is something to suit everyone. Anglers from novice to the most experienced will enjoy outstanding year-round fishing in the ward blue waters of Espiritu Santo and its neighbouring islands.