Participants: Ian Mann - United Travel Blockhouse Bay

Graham Elliott - Elliott United Travel Gisborne

Phil Tindle - Denise Tindle United Travel Otorohanga

Thank you Richard Elliott at Air Vanuatu for his assistance with the flights

& cost in getting us to Santo via Port Vila.

We found the service & standard for the aircraft & crew very good on the

International sectors with the flight time AKL/VLI being 3.20minutes and

VLI/SON being 55minutes.

The new terminal at Santo is nearly complete & is a very impressive & large

building & will greatly improve the look of Santo/NF overall.

The return trip from Santo to Vila with our 4 stops at Maewo, Longana,

Sara, & Londrore , with their grass runways were a highlight of the trip.

Properties we stayed

15/16Oct Corals Quays

Coral Quays is located 5 minutes drive west of Luganville & across the road

from Segond Channel with 18 light and airy hexagonal bungalows blending into

6 acres of lush tropical gardens. Transport is can be easily arranged to and

from town with easy access to all the sites, activities and dive locations

of Santo. The small beach across the road is great for a snorkel or swim

with lots of fish & coral life in the shallows. Dining on the veranda gives

fantastic views over the gardens & the sea. Remember to make the most of the

free kayaks and mountain bikes. We probably had our best dining here which

was topped off by the Santo Beef dishes. The resort is Australian owned &

managed by Phil & Charlotte.

16/17Oct Deco Stop Lodge

Set on a hillside 3 minutes from Luganville with the most spectacular views

overlooking both the township and Luganville Harbour. You can see eastward

to the entrance to the Segond Channel where it joins Tutuba Island and all

the way Westward where the channel separates Aore & Malo Islands. It's close

to the centre of town, local shops, restaurants, cafes and markets. The

rooms are basic but clean. Double or twin rooms have their own ensuite.

Single travellers may share a bunkroom which sleep up to 5 pax.

Deco's main cliental is the dive market having a very friendly and relaxed

atmosphere and is run by divers for divers. The restaurant & lounge area's

are located at the front of the property plus relax deck-side around the

covered pool with a cold one at the end of the day's diving overlooking the

views.

Again Kathy the owner/manager is Australian & a great host.

17/18Oct Hotel Santo

The original Hotel in downtown Loganville. There are 2 grades of room, the

budget rooms located at the back of the property which were of good standard

,garden setting, fan cooled.The Superior rooms are located in the main hotel

wing and have A/C. There is no pool, and bar & restaurant areas are located

at the building front close to the main road. Best points are the location

of the hotel which is central to shops, restaurants etc & the hotel is

located opposite Alan Power Dive which is 1 of 2 dive operators in Santo.

18/19Oct Aore Resort

Located on Aore Resort 3 kilometres from Luganville on the Southern side of

the Segond Channel making it private & secluded.

The resort has 3 different room types: Beachfront Bungalows which are

located 10mtres from the beach that accommodate 2 pax. Garden Dlx Bungalows

that have a bedding configuration of 1 double & 2 singles. Beachfront Dlx

Bungalows that have the same bedding config