Tanna: Mount Yasur and the heart of kastom

Mount Yasur

Mount Yasur is one of the world's most accessible active volcanoes. Visits are organised through the community tourism office at the base, which collects the entry fee and leads groups up by four wheel drive, followed by a short walk to the crater rim. Most tours go in late afternoon so you see the eruptions in daylight and then glowing in the dark.

Safety is managed through the official volcanic alert level set by the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-hazards Department. At higher levels, access to the rim is restricted or closed. Check the current level before you travel, follow your guide exactly, never wander alone on the rim, and bring a torch, closed shoes and a warm layer, as the summit can be windy and cool. The ash plain below the volcano is an eerie moonscape worth seeing too.

Kastom villages

Tanna is the island where kastom, the traditional way of life, is most visible. Some villages, such as **Yakel**, have chosen to keep traditional dress and customs and welcome visitors on arranged visits, with dances, demonstrations of fire making and explanations of village life. Always visit through a lodge or guide who has arranged it, pay the agreed kastom fee, ask before taking photos and follow your host's lead.

Sulphur Bay and John Frum

At **Sulphur Bay** near the volcano, followers of the John Frum movement, often called a cargo cult, hold weekly gatherings and a large celebration each year on 15 February, with marching, flags and songs. Visitors may be welcome but should ask permission through a guide.

The coast

**Port Resolution** on the east coast is a sheltered bay named after Captain Cook's ship, with a small yacht anchorage, simple bungalows and nearby beaches. On the west coast near Lenakel, **Shark Bay**, the **Blue Cave**, where you swim into a sea cave lit by a shaft of sunlight, and black sand beaches make good half days. Nearby, a giant banyan tree, one of the largest anywhere, is a favourite stop.

Lenakel and the market

**Lenakel**, the main town, is small, with a market selling produce, kava and coffee. Tanna coffee is grown here and roasted for sale across the country, and it makes a lovely souvenir.

Where to stay

Accommodation ranges from village bungalows near the volcano, where you fall asleep to its rumble, to a few comfortable resorts on the west coast near the airport. Facilities are simpler than on Efate: power may come from generators or solar, hot water is not guaranteed, and Wi-Fi is patchy.

Getting around

Tanna's roads are rough, and the cross-island drive from the west coast to Yasur takes around an hour or more by four wheel drive. Nearly everyone travels with transport arranged by their lodge. Plan at least two nights so a cloudy or high-alert evening does not ruin your visit.

When to go and what to bring

The drier season from May to October brings clearer evenings and easier roads, though the volcano can be visited year round when the alert level allows. Bring cash for the volcano fee and village visits, a headtorch, a rain jacket, sturdy shoes, and a scarf or mask for ash on windy days. Protect camera gear from fine ash in a sealed bag.