Vanuatu

17 June 2016

Zoom photo from Mount Yasur volcano on Vanuatu's Tanna Island.

Vanuatu is southeast of the Solomon Islands and has some key things in common with the Solomons:

• It's also poor, the third poorest country in the Pacific behind the Solomons and Kiribati.

• It's also part of the ethnic, cultural, linguistic, DNA region called Melanesia.

The highlight for me was the volcano.



Mount Yasur from a distance.

Near Mt Yasur's base a low rainbow celebrates the lush landscape beyond the edge of volcanic soil.

Panorama shot (by Chris Tripodi) of our small group at the volcano rim.

With volcano park guides at Mount Yasur.

Part of the cultural heritage is quickly, continuously drawing handsome, geometric sand drawings.

Port Vila, Vanuatu's capital and largest city.

Lots of big banyan trees on these Pacific islands but Vanuatu had some of the most fantastic ones. Sam, the man in traditional clothes, was at the Port Vila hotel not a remote village but I still liked the garb.

View from a hilltop on our last morning in Vanuatu.