Wala .& Santo...Anyone been there ?

[angelwingsflys]

Hi Everyone ,

Was wondering if anyone has been to Wala ? What is it like ? What can I do ? Any recommendations? 2 ports that I haven't never been to yet .:),

anyone able to help me please?

Cheers Deb

[bronte2]

We went to Wala several years ago but haven't yet been to Santo.

 

We really enjoyed Wala although there isn't much there in some respects. We took a guided tour with one of the locals which was a heap of fun. I think we paid $5 each and found the tour quite informative. At various parts along the track the locals had displays of craft or skills such as lighting fires.

 

We took the tour as a way of leaving some $ behind but obviously it's optional.

We were on a smallish ship at the time with 680 passengers so not sure what Wala would be like when a large ship arrives :)

 

Things may have changed since our visit, so perhaps someone with more recent info may answer your post. I hope you enjoy your visit there as much as we did.

[rkmw]

Hi Everyone ,

Was wondering if anyone has been to Wala ? What is it like ? What can I do ? Any recommendations? 2 ports that I haven't never been to yet .:),

anyone able to help me please?

Cheers Deb

 

Deb we have been to both stops, Wala is a tender port and as Bronte said its very nice, you can do a guided tour around their village for a fee, lovely spot for a swim...if its been raining the night before dont wear your good shoes as it can get very muddy

 

with Santo its a nice place but i'd advise to do either a ships tour or get a private vechicle with a few friends from the dock, they can take you to the Blue Hole as its only about an hour or so drive...not much to see in the main street...if you want to check your emails they have an internet cafe in town

[karmac]

Deb we have been to both stops, Wala is a tender port and as Bronte said its very nice, you can do a guided tour around their village for a fee, lovely spot for a swim...if its been raining the night before dont wear your good shoes as it can get very muddy

 

with Santo its a nice place but i'd advise to do either a ships tour or get a private vechicle with a few friends from the dock, they can take you to the Blue Hole as its only about an hour or so drive...not much to see in the main street...if you want to check your emails they have an internet cafe in town

 

We have also been to both and totally agree. We've been to Wala twice and did the tour both times. It is a beautiful island. As for Santo (Luganville)....the main thing I remember about that is it was BLOODY HOT!!:eek:

[tassie cruiser]

We have also been to both and totally agree. We've been to Wala twice and did the tour both times. It is a beautiful island. As for Santo (Luganville)....the main thing I remember about that is it was BLOODY HOT!!:eek:

 

Exactly. Agree 100%........

[angelwingsflys]

Deb we have been to both stops, Wala is a tender port and as Bronte said its very nice, you can do a guided tour around their village for a fee, lovely spot for a swim...if its been raining the night before dont wear your good shoes as it can get very muddy

 

with Santo its a nice place but i'd advise to do either a ships tour or get a private vechicle with a few friends from the dock, they can take you to the Blue Hole as its only about an hour or so drive...not much to see in the main street...if you want to check your emails they have an internet cafe in town

Thankyou rkmw,will take your advice and do the village tour in Wala ,old shoes sound like a great idea ..I was going to buy new ones for the cruise , but will save my money instead.I have a feeling that I have been to the blue hole ,when in Champagne Bay ,we went on a tour to the blue hole ..I wonder if its the same one?

Cheers Deb

[angelwingsflys]

We have also been to both and totally agree. We've been to Wala twice and did the tour both times. It is a beautiful island. As for Santo (Luganville)....the main thing I remember about that is it was BLOODY HOT!!:eek:

thanks Karmac , for your imput ,hot is not my best idea of fun ,but will take bottles of water with me that day.

Cheers Deb

[rkmw]

Thankyou rkmw,will take your advice and do the village tour in Wala ,old shoes sound like a great idea ..I was going to buy new ones for the cruise , but will save my money instead.I have a feeling that I have been to the blue hole ,when in Champagne Bay ,we went on a tour to the blue hole ..I wonder if its the same one?

Cheers Deb

 

Deb nothing to stop you buying new shoes for the cruise but when you go to Wala wear a pair of thongs and if they get muddy you can wash them in the water

[angelwingsflys]

We went to Wala several years ago but haven't yet been to Santo.

 

We really enjoyed Wala although there isn't much there in some respects. We took a guided tour with one of the locals which was a heap of fun. I think we paid $5 each and found the tour quite informative. At various parts along the track the locals had displays of craft or skills such as lighting fires.

 

We took the tour as a way of leaving some $ behind but obviously it's optional.

We were on a smallish ship at the time with 680 passengers so not sure what Wala would be like when a large ship arrives :)

 

Things may have changed since our visit, so perhaps someone with more recent info may answer your post. I hope you enjoy your visit there as much as we did.

 

Thank you for reply bronte2,from all accounts it looks likea good idea to take a tour ,looking forward to seeing these both these islands now.

Cheers Deb

[angelwingsflys]

thankyou everyone for your replies

think i will pack thongs for the islands ,take a $5 tour in Wala and check out the blue hole

Cheers Deb :)

[Kay Bee]

We did both islands last December. Wala was one of our favourite stops. Easy snorkelling from the beach. Take a bunch of AUD$5 notes - you can buy beers on the beach, get a massage of get hairbraiding done. Some of the guys have shaded areas for you to sit under for a small fee.

 

Santo we did the ship's tour to the Blue Hole - nice, but no commentary or anything like that, apparently Champagne bay is the place to go. We also had a large earthquake the day we were there!

[Kinkacruiser]

Does anyone know if there is still a tender to Champagne Beach? Last time we were there (2009), there was talk of a resort development there.

[angelwingsflys]

We did both islands last December. Wala was one of our favourite stops. Easy snorkelling from the beach. Take a bunch of AUD$5 notes - you can buy beers on the beach, get a massage of get hairbraiding done. Some of the guys have shaded areas for you to sit under for a small fee.

 

Santo we did the ship's tour to the Blue Hole - nice, but no commentary or anything like that, apparently Champagne bay is the place to go. We also had a large earthquake the day we were there!

thanks Kay Bee, That sounds like the place I will be getting a massage ! thank you for reply,:)

Cheers Deb

[rkmw]

Does anyone know if there is still a tender to Champagne Beach? Last time we were there (2009), there was talk of a resort development there.

 

Anna def a tender and a lovely spot, never heard talk about a resort there

[Bellamariya]

Wala has some of the best snorkelling I have ever done (and I live in Port Vila!). When you get off the boat walk to the right, it's past most of the people offering village tours and last time I was there an older gentleman had a bathtub full of baby turtles and other sea creatures that people would pet. There seemed to be a lot of people on that cruise that knew where to go and I just followed.

I snorkelled until the cramps in my thighs forced me out of the water, so many different corals, lots of clown fish colonies and a beautiful dropoff.

Well worth the walk!

[yatchet]

 

Yes, his name is Maynard Kuto.:)

Edited November 10, 2013 by yatchet

[Bellamariya]

Nice to know he's still there :)

[Waihekean]

It has been a few years ago we were on Wala with a cruise and here is hoping it is still as unspoilt as when we were there.

 

The snorkeling is great and you can do it straight of the beach (well hope still great, if the tourists have not stood on the coral and ruined it :()

[Mum81]

Anna def a tender and a lovely spot, never heard talk about a resort there

 

So to clarify, when in Santo you can get a tender to either Champagne Beach or Luganville (as in, you have a choice) or are they one and the same place??

[rkmw]

So to clarify, when in Santo you can get a tender to either Champagne Beach or Luganville (as in, you have a choice) or are they one and the same place??

 

Santo/Luganville is the same place and its a dock....Champagne Bay is a tender port

[annenic]

We thoroughly enjoyed both these places on our last cruise there.

 

The Blue Hole can be reached from either Santo or Champagne Bay - so yes, it is the same place.

 

Wala is wonderful and the people are lovely. Their village tours are great for only $5 - please pay them with notes and not coins. Apparently they do not get a good exchange rate on the coins so notes are much more valuable to them. You may find lots of locals on the beach trying to change the coins they have been given for notes so consider taking a bunch of $5 notes with you and changing their money for them. That would be so helpful to them :)

 

In Santo we just walked as far as we could and enjoyed the simplicity of the town. We got stuck in a torrential rain shower at one point but luckily we were close enough to the shops to be able to run and shelter under the awnings until it passed.

[angelwingsflys]

We thoroughly enjoyed both these places on our last cruise there.

 

The Blue Hole can be reached from either Santo or Champagne Bay - so yes, it is the same place.

 

Wala is wonderful and the people are lovely. Their village tours are great for only $5 - please pay them with notes and not coins. Apparently they do not get a good exchange rate on the coins so notes are much more valuable to them. You may find lots of locals on the beach trying to change the coins they have been given for notes so consider taking a bunch of $5 notes with you and changing their money for them. That would be so helpful to them :)

 

In Santo we just walked as far as we could and enjoyed the simplicity of the town. We got stuck in a torrential rain shower at one point but luckily we were close enough to the shops to be able to run and shelter under the awnings until it passed.

Hi annenic,Thankyou for your reply about the blue hole ,remember getting there last time in the back of a ute which had planks nailed in like seats ,that we sat on ,had bruising for days later ouch...Have been collecting all my $5 for the cruise spending money,sounds like they are going to be useful. Won"t go to the bank and cash them in now.. Will just keep them now for the islands .

Cheers Deb

[yatchet]

I think there is some confusion about " blue holes" on Santo.

There are several of these on Santo. I have visited one several times on a quick tour from champagne beach in the back of a ute, about 15 mins away.

 

On a weeks holiday in Luganville I visited another known as Jackie's blue hole, this is much larger and an hour from Champagne bay, I suspect this is the one visited on a tour from Luganville where the ship docks at the wharf.

 

Santo is the name of the whole island. Luganville is the main town on Santo.

Edited November 12, 2013 by yatchet

[bazzaw]

I think there is some confusion about " blue holes" on Santo.

There are several of these on Santo. I have visited one several times on a quick tour from champagne beach in the back of a ute, about 15 mins away.

 

On a weeks holiday in Luganville I visited another known as Jackie's blue hole, this is much larger and an hour from Champagne bay, I suspect this is the one visited on a tour from Luganville where the ship docks at the wharf.

 

Santo is the name of the whole island. Luganville is the main town on Santo.

 

You spent a WEEK in Luganille???? Please tell me more - I know that sometimes places need a bit of time to reveal their beauty but our one day in Luganville did not convince me that I would want to go back there again. :) But I do, in general, love most of what I have seen in Vanuatu and would indeed like to spend some time ashore there (cruiseships are not a very good way to see the World really!)

 

Barry

Edited November 12, 2013 by bazzaw