I’ve always found it important to distinguish between vacationing and traveling. Vacations are reserved for recharging and disconnecting. Usually they come right on time and act as a much needed break. They are always too short, but always much appreciated. Meanwhile, our definition of traveling isn’t as idyllic. It can be hard, dirty, and exhausting.
At times, we’ve found ourselves without access to the internet or hot water for days. We can be in uncomfortable sleeping arrangements (with a high likelihood of finding cockroaches in our bags.) Typically, everything we do requires strange or awkward modes of transport, and getting to the final destination feels like it's taken a year.
Traveling is to seek new experiences, far from what you’ve known. It requires you to step away from your comfort zone. It’s meant to expand your mind, test your patience, and push you to question most things in your life. In many moments like the aforementioned, you have to ask yourself, “do I really want this?”
However, when you make it to that place you’ve been researching and you meet the people you’ve been talking to for months, it makes it all worth it. More often than not, you come out the other side inspired, humbled, thankful and enlightened. And ready for what’s around the next travel bend.
Yes, the sandy beaches, shipwreck diving and cruise ships in the distance make it seem like you’re on a far away vacation here in Vanuatu. The archipelago nation located in the South Pacific is known for its stunning tropical landscapes, vibrant culture, and diverse array of volcanic islands. But, when you get past the first layer of tourism, this wild country is truly for those in love with off-the-map traveling.
The highlights of my time in Vanuatu all started and ended with the people. The ones who invited us to eat coconuts the “nasty way” on the side of the road; ride in an open truck back as we drove down unpaved streets far too fast; chase coconut crabs out of rock caves; dive abundant reefs and most importantly; get deep on their culture and way of life.
Marie started building Little Bay Bungalow in 2019. The pandemic hit and upended her plans. Situated far from the main tourism hubs in Vanuatu, she was destined to fail when the world shut down. But, the plot of land she owns and the desire she has pushed her through the challenging times and the doors to her eco-homestay opened in January 2023. Being her eighth guest ever, I was on a mission to make it to Vanuatu to meet Marie from Santo myself.
After a flight from mainland Australia to the hub of Vanuatu—Port Vila—followed by a charter flight to Santo—the largest island of the archipelago—we embarked on an unbelievably gorgeous hour and a half bumpy car ride through Santo's lush landscapes. Right when we thought the commute was over, we veered off onto a coconut plantation with no roads.
Ushering cows off the only clear path through the plantation trees, we finally got a glimpse of where we were living the next few days. Immediately, we couldn’t help but notice the glassed-off ocean with a house reef that we could see from the car—completely untouched by the mainstream. We had finally made it to Little Bay.
Marie told us that her house reef was a conservation area. That meant no one could fish, boat or pollute her little plot of paradise. Her family owns a major stretch of land on the coast line beyond just Little Bay, and it’s all entirely protected. Not fully sure what to expect—but filled with next level excitement—we dropped our bags, donned our dive gear, and off we went.
The fish were active and thriving. The coral varieties and colors were something I’d never seen in such abundance. The reef was so healthy that you could feel its life. With every turn, fluorescent schools darted past me and species I couldn’t identify swarmed their favorite bommie plots.
Coral reefs are ecosystems that hold immense value for both the environment and human societies. Often referred to as the “rainforests of the sea,” these reefs support a remarkable array of marine life, playing host to approximately 25% of all species. They serve as habitats, nurseries, and food sources for countless organisms, while also safeguarding coastlines from storms and erosion. Acting as carbon sinks, they assist in mitigating climate change by storing atmospheric carbon dioxide. Simply put: reefs are vital.
But, like anything related to the ocean, they are in critical danger. Climate change is the biggest factor, causing coral bleaching, ocean acidification, extreme weather events, erosion, sea-level rise, and biodiversity loss. Local pressures such as overly active tourism, fishing, water pollution, coastal population growth, and industrial development also weaken reef systems.
When you dive lots of reefs like we do, you see the devastation first hand. So, when you have the chance to see this much health in one place, it’s truly a special experience that’s worth celebrating. Marie had never seen what lies beneath the surface. We went on a careful mission to show her the magic that’s on her doorstep through our content. Not even experiencing it for herself, she still understood the importance of this reef and spent years pushing for its protection.
She took us to see more than just her home reef. One sunset, we cut one of her delicious coconuts from that plantation I mentioned before into four pieces. Away from the shoreline, there was a series of thorny rocks that lined two bungalows and headed back towards the plantation. Marie tied the pieces of coconut to plants outside of what she called “rock caves” where the infamous coconut crab lives.
These colossal land-dwelling crustaceans are the largest terrestrial arthropods, capable of reaching impressive sizes, with some individuals weighing up to 9 pounds and spanning over 3 feet in leg span. They earned their name from their ability to crack coconuts, which they primarily consume. With their powerful claws, they can exert tremendous force, enabling them to tear apart the coconut’s tough outer shell.
These remarkable crabs play a significant ecological role as both scavengers and seed dispersers within their ecosystems. Their feeding habits contribute to nutrient cycling and their movement aids in seed dispersal, making them important agents for maintaining the health and diversity of tropical forests. They typically venture out at night to feed. So, at around 7pm, we went back to look at the coconut pieces we left to see what had emerged.
In pitch black, we traversed through light bush, trying (key word, trying) not to make any noise. We were too excited to stop our whispered chatter. As we approached each coconut, we lit torches and thankfully found three massive males. Picking these massive crabs up with ease, Marie was happy with the catch that night as it meant we had found dinner for tomorrow.
Here in the remote Santo jungle, coconut crabs are monitored by Marie and her family, taking only the bare minimum of the large males for food. This is to ensure there’s enough breeding potential for the females—essentially creating a circular process that includes regular monitoring, breeding, catching, eating and repeating.
Humans and the ocean can coexist in a delicately balanced harmony. There’s a way to intersect respectfully, especially when your survival depends on it. Sometimes we lose sight of how to strike that balance and we take too much. Marie showed me that you don’t need much to be happy when you can learn to appreciate the nature around you. She took me around her land as if it was her first time seeing it as well—with the same awe I was experiencing.
We live in a world where the concept of taking all that you can often prevails. In many nations, the more you have, the more successful you are. That’s not how it works on Vanuatu time. Here, it’s about giving—to family, nature and the new people that come into your orbit.
I left Santo with a sense of deep appreciation for the balance Marie shared in her special way. From letting us out on her pristine reef and showing us the colossal coconut crabs. But more notably, the motherly warmth she shared made perfect strangers feel at home on the edges of earth. That made me remember the importance of the give over the take. This is why I travel, as this is what it’s all about.
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