LOCATION
Turtle Bay – “The Bay of Islands”
Turtle Bay Beach House is located on Espiritu Santo, the largest island in Vanuatu (300km NW of Efate/Port Vila). And one of the prettiest areas on the east coast is Turtle Bay, a calm, protected turquoise lagoon surrounded by an archipelago of tropical islands. It’s an ideal place for kayaking, stand up paddling and snorkeling as it’s protected from the wind and waves. Turtle Bay is perfect spot for Espiritu Santo accommodation.
WHY TURTLE BAY?
Unlike Lonnoc Beach and Port Olry, which are stunning locations but isolated and lacking in basic amenities, Turtle Bay is half way to everything! It’s a 20 minute drive to stunning Champagne Beach and 25 minutes to Luganville, Million Dollar Point and the Coolidge dive site.
(Note* Luganville is the main town but it’s definitely not where you want to stay if you are dreaming of a relaxing holiday in paradise…).
Turtle Bay is the closest accommodation to 3 Santo blue holes. In fact, you can easily kayak or ride from the doorstep of Turtle Bay Beach House to all the blue holes.
Turtle Bay is within a 10 minute drive of Natanara Beach (home of Black Pearl Resort/Oceanic Restaurant) and Barrier Beach/Tides Reach (home to Barrier Beach Resort). However unlike these areas, Turtle Bay is protected from the strong SE trade winds that blow consistently from June to September and its beaches do not go super shallow at low tide!
Finally Turtle Bay Beach House is within walking distance of Turtle Bay Lodge (so you can eat out of you want to) and it’s a short boat ride away from Dany Island and Mavea Island, two gorgeous tropical islands with stunning coral reef.
For more information about our Espiritu Santo accommodation (holiday house and facilities) click HERE
ESPIRITU SANTO ISLAND
Santo boasts all the goodies you expect from a South Seas island paradise. It’s actually a big island surrounded by dozens of smaller islands (35 at last count) so you can choose between exclusive island resorts or a simple shack on the beach. Most of the action centres around Santo’s east coast. The centre of the island is lush and isolated and dominated by the highest mountain in the entire Vanuatu region (Mount Tabwemasana – 1,879m above sea level).
Those lucky enough to visit Santo say the island really is a hidden gem, an outdoor adventurer’s playground (think New Zealand without the cold), with world class fishing, kayaking, hiking and diving and low key Espiritu Santo accommodation to match! So if you prefer getting off the beaten track, taking the road less travelled, seeing the real, living culture of Vanuatu then this is the place for you! For more information about Espiritu Santo click HERE
DID YOU KNOW?
Espiritu Santo really is paradise on earth. And we have the facts to prove it thanks to famous American novelist James A. Michener. He was stationed on Santo, along with 50,000 other US Forces, in 1942, and lived in a small hut on the east coast. His classic WWII book “Tales of the South Pacific” (as well as the hit musical “South Pacific”) paint a picture of Santo as a laid back island paradise. In fact, the mythical island of Bali Hai mentioned in his book is actually the nearby volcanic island of Ambae. And the good news is, nothing much has changed! Sure the island is now easier to get to and the Espiritu Santo accommodation is a little more up market but the island still has that exotic South Pacific paradise vibe.
HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH?
Everyone wants to be happy on their holiday, right? Well, in Vanuatu we guarantee it! But don’t just take our word for it. The world Happy Planet Index (HPI) has twice named Vanuatu as the happiest country on earth. Even the famous travel guide “Lonely Planet” has named Vanuatu the happiest place on earth.
Why? Because Vanuatu has it all – a rich culture focused around family not money, a rich soil which provides bountiful food and water and a rich lifestyle that takes each day as it comes, allowing everyone to live relatively stress free and relaxed. We promise you will hear more laughter and see more smiles when you visit Vanuatu than on any other holiday. All you have to do is just switch over to island time and go with the flow!
ESPIRITU SANTO ACCOMMODATION
TURTLE BAY BEACH HOUSE
