Vanuatu, the Happy Destination
Vanuatu is fun - you are going to have a good time on your vacation in Vanuatu because the "ni-vanuatu" melanesian people have a happy, welcoming, friendly outlook on life.
Vanuatu - the happiest country in the world
Vanuatu was recently selected as the Happiest Nation in the World - and yet, at the same time, the United Nations lists Vanuatu as the poorest, least developed nation on Earth.
Not that everyone in Vanuatu runs around with a big silly grin on their face, and of course not everyone in Vanuatu is happy and content. But the people have a collective personality that you'll appreciate - like meeting a stranger that - for no special reason - you just happen to like.
And this means you will feel personally secure and comfortable even if you decide to fly down to Tanna and go to very remote, isolated villages deep in the mountains. You are, I'm sure, aware of how rare it is to be able to feel secure and safe when exploring remote, isolated mountain villages in our modern world. You'll need to go with a guide, but mostly so you don't embarass everyone by - for example - walking into the woman's bathing area on what you thought was a perfectly lovely little stream.
Making a difference on your Vanuatu vacation
Many visitors leave Vanuatu feeling that they want to come back again and also feeling that somehow they would like to help the Vanuatu people who are so friendly and welcoming but also so poor.
There is something you can do, and it's an important contribution that will benefit you as well as benefit the people of Vanuatu.
Book direct. Deal directly with the manager/owners of the Vanuatu hotels, Vanuatu resorts, and Vanuatu bungalows. If you book through one of the growing number of computer-generated online reservation agences you will contribute to mega-international corporations that are set up to profit from the efforts and investments of the people who will, after all, be your hosts.
Show your hosts your appreciation by paying them directly. In some cases you will be increasing their earnings by 20 to 30%. Tipping is not acceptable in Vanuatu so can't give your hosts a "tip" when you leave. But you can give them your hard-earned vacation dollars and not pass off 20 to 30% to a third party reservation and payment portal.
Some online booking websites say they will save you up to 40%. Right. How does that work? Even if they actually can save you a little money, who do you think is getting hit for the difference? Talk to the hotel or bungalow directly. These are, for the most part, little places run by very nice people who are trying to make ends meet.
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Plan your Vanuatu Vacation and book direct with Vanuatu Hotels and Vanuatu Resorts
This website - and the Rocket Guide to Vanuatu CD travel guide - gives you the information you need to plan your holiday in Vanuatu and then directly contact the owners and managers of the Vanuatu hotels, resorts and bungalows by email or phone.
It's the happy, friendly, personal way to holiday.
The Rocket Guide to Vanuatu travel guide on CD - is kind of like Google Earth but goes much further - allowing you to zoom from the satellite image Vanuatu maps right down to look at the hotels and resorts up close, even going into the rooms of the Vanuatu hotels and resorts for virtual tours.
We can't put the whole CD online because it's just too big (it completely fills a CD-ROM) and many of the Vanuatu hotel virtual reality files are over 20MB in size.
While we know that download speeds are increasing rapidly in many countries of the world - and could handle files this size - uploading and maintaining big files (or even looking at them on line) from out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean isn't practical yet.
Still, we hope to give you a taste of the actual Rocket Guide to Vanuatu here on this website and provide enough information so you can plan your Vanuatu Vacation on line.
(But if you could possibly wait a week or 10 days for the mail to deliver our CD based guide you'll be able to do a quicker and better job and browse more and bigger images and 360° panoramas. If you order the CD tourism guide - you only have to pay a small fee for handling and air mail postage).
Planning your Vanuatu Vacation with this website
- Begin by using our Vanuatu Vacation Planner for suggestions.
- Start with a quick overview of Vanuatu on the satellite view of all of Vanuatu. Put your cursor over the islands of Vanuatu for a brief summary of their holiday features.
Scroll down on the page for general information about all of Vanuatu and links to additional general information.
There is also a link on the Satellite View of all Vanuatu for general information on Vanuatu hotels, Vanuatu resorts and Vanuatu bungalows.
To find a particular hotel by name, scroll down the summary page for a list of Vanuatu hotels and resorts everywhere in Vanuatu.
- Click on an island in the satellite view of all Vanuatu or from the Vanuatu Accommodation Map to zoom in to an island for a closer look at the island and a list of places to stay.
- Point to the name of a Vanuatu hotel or Vanuatu resort on the satellite map to see exactly where it is located and a quick summary of what it has to offer.
Click on the name of the Vanuatu hotel or resort to go to a page with more information - or, alternatively, scroll down on the page for summary information and a quick-comparison chart of the main features of each Vanuatu hotel and resort shown in that particular satellite view.
- In Efate you can zoom in to see the Vanuatu resorts in the area surrounding Port Vila and then zoom in again to see the Vanuatu hotels and resorts in the central business district of Port Vila.
- Go to the page showing the Vanuatu hotels or resorts of your choice either using the zoom in and locate technique or from the Vanuatu Hotels and Resorts Summary . When you click on the link to a Vanuatu hotel or resort it will open a new window (or tab) in your browser so you can flip back and forth between them for comparison. When you find the one(s) you like, the information is right there for you to call or send an email to the owner/manager to reserve your room or ask about special prices that may be available.
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