What's the best shore tour in VILA?

[prunes71]

Hi CCer's,

 

I'm going on the 26 March W811 Pacific Dawn cruise and will be travelling to VILA. In the past I have visited the Cascade Waterfalls and the boat ride/snokelling.

 

Can anyone suggest the best shore tour to go on? I'm not interested in paragliding or the speed boat ride but want to experience something different. :rolleyes:

 

Also what's the best time to do the tours? In the morning or at lunch? I have always booked the earliest tour, then when we return, take a bus to town (we always have to wait for ages for the bus to fill with people, so we usually lose an hour!). :eek: Prudence.

[takeout]

Hi Prunes71:)

 

We really enjoyed Ekasup Village Tour take the early one and they will drop you in town after to do shopping etc:D

[Teegiee]

The Blue lagoon tour. A two hour boat ride that takes you through some beautiful water. It will drop you back in town after too.

[Oxstang]

If you are interested in the local culture, I also would recommend the Ekasup Tour. It gives you a taste of true native life and includes a surprise.

The guide takes you through a village and gives numerous demonstrations on cooking, hunting, dancing and singing. It is very well done without being `a put on show for tourists'. At the end they provide a drink and a snack with the opportunity to buy trinkets.

[icemaiden2310]

Ekasup is fantastic as they say and i think the best tour in vila. I went on the lagoon cruise and it goes up the erakor lagoon i found it a bit boring really it is just like any other canal cruise. They point out who lives where like the anz bank manager... woohoo...For the money i wouldnt recommend it to anyone. If u want lunch and snorkel head to Irriki and have lunch and snorkel there . This time i wll be doing ekasup again (travelling with friends that havnt been b4) and Irriki

Icy

[MsMinx]

I was going to suggest the Mele Cascades but I see you've already done it :D

 

A LOT of people on CC rave about how good the Ekasup Village tour is, but I haven't tried it yet. It certainly sounds wonderful!

 

The other thing you can try is the free ferry to Iririki Resort, where you can take a free buggy ride to their free pool area (even free beach towels for use on the island ;))

 

There's a snorkelling area there which you can also use for free (getting the idea here? lol), and this area is the same area that the P&O glass bottom boat and snorkle tour goes to - except it's free ;)

 

Whatever you do in Vila i'm sure you'll have a blast :D

 

It's my favourite of all the islands!

[prunes71]

Thanks for the tips everyone. My hubby and I are travelling with his parents so I wanted to find something that we'd all enjoy. I think the Ekasup tour would suit us perfectly.

 

I really like VILA for the fun jewellery at the wharf and there's a really nice jewellery store there, but can't remember the name of it. Lots of beads and stuff...

[prunes71]

Has anyone else got ideas of the best tour in VILA - or the best for the money?

[arxcards]

Has anyone else got ideas of the best tour in VILA - or the best for the money?

 

We have just done the Village Circle tour, and enjoyed the day, especially the Epule River Custom Village. Although an all day tour, it allowed an hour for duty free in Vila at the end.

We found the roads outside Vila to be pretty bad though. Sorry, can't compare to any others, it is the only Vila tour we have done.

Bit of extra info here http://www.epule-river.com/

The Ekasup tour may well offer a scaled down version, and save on the pot-holed roads.

 

Cheers

[DennisN]

Whilst Ekasup is a commercial venture - it is an excellent microcosm of the Kanak culture.

 

A lot of it shows what an enterprising people they really are, and how they adapted their subsistence existence to fit into what was quite often an extremely harsh environment.

 

Excellent value for money, and a good learning experience.

 

Do one of the morning tours and have plenty of time to buy up on the duty free later. :) ;)

[goanna]

Our tour guide told us that there was an underwater post box. Not sure how to get to it, or what the advantage of posting a letter underwater is, but heck - what a story to share with your friends at home ....

 

Anyone else know of it, or used it?:confused:

[icemaiden2310]

I was under the impression that kanak was originally a term given to people from New Caladonia

 

And in Vanuatu the native people are the ni-Vanuatu

 

Icy:confused:

[MsMinx]

I really like VILA for the fun jewellery at the wharf and there's a really nice jewellery store there, but can't remember the name of it. Lots of beads and stuff...

 

Is it Prouds that you're thinking of?

 

Lots of beads & necklaces along with perfumes, watches, etc....... and about 1 of the only air conditioned shops in the whole street LOL!

 

I got a lovely white & pink pearl necklace there last year. :D

[kezza]

We've done a few tours in Vila and all have been very good. We found Irriki island is the best way to go if you've done a few things especially when it doesn't cost. We had a lovely lunch and a swim in the pool before heading back to town, having a cold beer in the bar at the end of town, then heading back towards the boat doing our shopping.

 

Kerri

[qld cruiser]

I was under the impression that kanak was originally a term given to people from New Caladonia

 

And in Vanuatu the native people are the ni-Vanuatu

 

Icy:confused:

 

 

Hi Icy, you are correct about ni-vanuatu, being native people born in Vanuatu.

however Kanak people are melanesians belonging to

The Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Fiji.

so both and Dennis are correct.

kind regards, Lorraine:) :)

[icemaiden2310]

Hi Icy, you are correct about ni-vanuatu, being native people born in Vanuatu.

however Kanak people are melanesians belonging to

The Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Fiji.

so both and Dennis are correct.

kind regards, Lorraine:) :)

 

Was just looking it up in wiki and here is What it says

 

Kanak (formerly also Canaque) are the indigenous Melanesian inhabitants of New Caledonia in the southwest Pacific.

 

and in everyculture.com Kanak

 

Location and Geography. Kanaks have settled over all the islands officially indicated by France as New Caledonia and Dependencies. The archipelago includes the principal island, Grande Terre, Belep Island to the north, and Pines Island to the south. It is bordered on the east by the Loyalty Islands, consisting of three coral atolls (Mare, Lifou, and Ouvea).

http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/New-Caledonia.html

[qld cruiser]

Was just looking it up in wiki and here is What it says

 

Kanak (formerly also Canaque) are the indigenous Melanesian inhabitants of New Caledonia in the southwest Pacific.

 

and in everyculture.com Kanak

 

Location and Geography. Kanaks have settled over all the islands officially indicated by France as New Caledonia and Dependencies. The archipelago includes the principal island, Grande Terre, Belep Island to the north, and Pines Island to the south. It is bordered on the east by the Loyalty Islands, consisting of three coral atolls (Mare, Lifou, and Ouvea).

http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/New-Caledonia.html

 

 

 

Hi Jen, sorry I left off the (A)from Kanaka, however it is a derogatory word for the people.

 

regards, Lorraine:) :)

[DennisN]

Hi Jen, sorry I left off the (A)from Kanaka, however it is a derogatory word for the people.

 

regards, Lorraine:) :)

 

As did I :o :o - but hey - its only a forum, not Sale of the Century:)

 

Mea Culpa :o

[thunderchaser]

Our tour guide told us that there was an underwater post box. Not sure how to get to it, or what the advantage of posting a letter underwater is, but heck - what a story to share with your friends at home ....

 

Anyone else know of it, or used it?:confused:

 

 

this would be hideaway island My mother has been there a few times and recomends it. Our last visit last year we tried to get there but ended up on a tour instead but this time (Feb 08) we are definatly going to spend the day there. I made a few enquiries and they will pick you up, lunch, provide snorkeling gear for about $60 pp. however I think it would be cheaper to go yourself.