TAMANU BEACH CLUB

Tamanu Beach Club (now known as Tamanu On The Beach) is a boutique resort about 20 minutes out of Vila. There are five French Colonial cottages on a white beach setting with a delightful restaurant. An ideal one or two night romantic break or a place to head for on weekends for brunch/lunch but be sire to book as it is a favourite with the local expats. For more info...

TAM-TAMS

Tam Tams are hollowed out slit gongs or slit drums made from carved logs. Up to 6m high, you will see them all around Vila. Only Man Ambrym (men from Ambrym) are allowed by kastom to carve them although some Vila craftsmen risk being caught and fined. Ask Zilo at the Nambawan Cafe if you’d like a souvenir.

TANNA ISLAND

Tanna combines culture with adventure. It has one of the world’s most accessible active volcanoes. Most Tannese people live a traditional lifestyle that includes kastom medicine, initiation and circumcision. The island is home to the John Frum Cargo Cult. There are waterfalls and hot springs with great sunsets from Port Resolution. There’s basic, comfortable accommodation at the friendly Friendly Bungalows and it’s a little more upmarket at White Grass Ocean Resort. (also see Ceremonies, Toka Dance and Yassur) There are some photos taken by John Nicholls on author David Stanley’s site.

TAXES

The only real ‘tax’ in Vanuatu is the 12.5% value added tax on goods and services and is included in most prices. There is no personal tax as such. Vanuatu is a popular home for International Offshore Companies as it is one of the few places in the world where there are no corporate or personal income taxes, capital gains taxes, reporting requirements, or restrictions on company employment policies, however to be exempt from all local taxes and restrictions, the company may not conduct business within Vanuatu itself. (more info)

TAXIS

Look for a Tico or other small cars with a ‘T’ on the number plate and you’ll find yourself a taxi, and there are plenty of them. Some are metered some are not and usually it won’t be much more than a bus ride. It is recommended for longer journeys to be clear about the price before you set out. They can be hailed from anywhere with the wave of a hand or simply by raising your eyebrows.

TELEPHONE

There are several public phones in Vila. Most are by the post office, which also has a Telecom outlet where you can by phone cards. There is another phone by the Telecom office down the other end of town. All phones require phone cards. The Vanuatu Telephone Directory is available online. (see also Mobile Phones

TELEVISION

Local Vanuatu TV is pretty ordinary unless you want news in three languages, cartoons, a French documentary and maybe a movie, if someone at the station remembered to put the tape in. Satellite television is now happening and includes channels like Australian TV live from Perth’s Channel Nine, Imparja or Star TV out of Hong Kong. Most major sporting events like the World Cup, Wimbledon or any international rugby involving Australia and/or New Zealand will be broadcast (as well as State of Origin league). If it’s not available in your hotel/resort, head to Port Vila Pub, the Anchor Inn or Club Vanuatu.

TIME ZONE

Vanuatu is one hour earlier than East Coast Australia and an hour after New Zealand for the mid-year months. There’s no daylight saving in Vanuatu so when Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania go to daylight saving, it’s the same time zone. The official time zone is GMT + 11 hours.

TIPPING

There is no tipping or bargaining in Vanuatu - it goes against local tradition. If you give something for nothing, the receiver feels as though he/she owes you something. A smile and a 'thank you' is tip enough (“tank yu tumas”). Mind you, the prices at the souvenir markets may rise on days when cruise ships are in dock, so it's best to put off the shopping for a day if you know one is in town. This is not an attempt to rip off the tourists. Traditionally cruise ship people bargain, especially if they’ve already been to Fiji, and the stall holders simply put the prices up to settle on the normal price.

TOKA DANCE

This famous dance happens on day two of the Nekowiar Ceremony on Tanna. It can start before dawn and goes through to night to reach its climax, so to speak. During the previous night, the women huddle in small groups preparing for ‘attack’. The other preparation is to apply ‘beauty magic’ (colourful and artistic face paint). The Toka dancers make a circle to capture a woman and then she is tossed up and down between them with lots of touchy-feely stuff. The atmosphere sends hormones racing, so much so that girls often menstruate for the first time on this day. The dance may well go all night and the rule of thumb is that a man may have sex with any woman he catches, even tourists. Ladies, best not to go alone and to watch from a distance, unless we’ve really got you thinking!

TONGA

If you pick up a brochure on Tonga from a travel agent you will probably read that the Kingdom of Tonga is a “rare sprinkling of jewels set in the turquoise blue of the Pacific”. It could well say the same in a dictionary. The diverse natural beauty, the people and the culture make Tonga a unique and rewarding destination. Tonga is the only Pacific nation never to have been subjected to foreign rule and, as such, traditional lifestyle has been maintained. The monarchy is important, as is the church and the sense of family and inner peace can be somewhat enviable. Visit www.TongaAtoZ.com.

TORRES ISLANDS

The northernmost islands (6) of Vanuatu are home to about 600 people. They’re expensive to get to (by plane) and are really for the well-heeled adventurer or backpackers willing to boat to the remote. There’s lots of traditional culture and stunning white sand beaches. These islands never practiced cannibalism, which in turn led to a decimation of their population. Because they were known to be peaceful tribes they were easy targets for Australian ‘blackbirders’ in the 19th century.

TOURS

There are a number of tour operators in Port Vila (Adventures in Paradise, Adventure Centre, Evergreen, Meridian Charters, Destination Pacific, Melanesian Tours, etc) and resorts can organise tours for you. Honeymoon Vanuatu and Friendly Tours specialise in tours for couples or groups. You will know yourself if you are a ‘tour person’ or not. Tours take the worry out of planning and exploring and often have access to cultural events and the like that the independent traveller won’t. We recommend, for cost and simplicity, that tours of Vila town, the cultural centre and to places like Hideaway Island and Cascades be done independently while other tours are excellent value. A round island trip, for example, may include kastom dancing, a sample of Melanesian food, swim stops and a guide with good knowledge. Three tours we highly recommend are Vanuatu Ecotours, the Coongoola cruise and Ekasup Village. For more info....

TRADER VICS

The old Trader Vics on the harbour is now Moorings Hotel (where there’s a fine restaurant and Rumours Nightclub) – this is arguably a much better late night experience than the ‘new’ Trader Vics which has opened in the old Imperial Nightclub opposite the La Parisienne bakery.

TRADEWINDS RESORT

Tradewinds is a mini resort boasting good quality self-contained accommodation at a budget price. The 5 individual studio bungalows can sleep up to two adults and two children in comfort. There are new two-bedroom bungalows and there’s a three-bedroom house. All bungalows are fully screened and feature extensive use of tropical timbers. Tradewinds is positioned at the top of the hill overlooking the lagoon above Poppy’s at Seaside and is easy walking distance to town.

TRADING HOURS

For those shops/offices that take a siesta, 7:30am to 11:30am and 1:30pm to 5:00pm, Monday to Friday. The ANZ Bank opens from 8:00am to 3:00pm, Wespac from 8:30am to 4:00pm. The post office is open from 7:30am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday and 7:30am to 12:00 noon Saturday. Shops that have tourist products for sale don’t close for lunch and supermarkets open around 6:30am and close around 7:30pm.

TRADING POST

Now called Vanuatu Daily Post.

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUES

Traveller’s Cheques can be cashed at banks or Goodies but our question is, why are you travelling with them? With credit/debit cards, ATMs and cash, is there a need? Surely these things must go the way of the dinosaur?

TRIATHLON

Triathlon is a big thing in Vanuatu with several significant annual events including the Triathlon du Paradis Vanuatu. Visit www.triathlon.com.vu for more. There are also island trekking and swimming events at other times of the year.

TROPIK BISTRO

A delightful restaurant that serves excellent French fare (and occasionally Italian and African influences). Near the Melanesian up the hill from town, it’s a local favourite for the food but there’s no view.

‘TUMAS’

You will hear ‘tumas’ tumas (literally ‘too much’ but closer to ‘a lot’). Tank yu tumas in Bislama is thanks a lot. It’s something all visitors should have as part of their pleasantries. Sori tumas, but that’s the way it is.

TUSKER

Made by Vanuatu Brewing, Tusker is the local beer and preferred brew. It is a pretty good beer. If you don’t like it, there’s plenty of imported stuff but a lot of work has gone into producing the ‘bia blong yumi’ (the beer for us). Pripps from Sweden owns 50% of the business and brewer Lemart Satmark knows his stuff. You can buy from the cellar door (it’s near the big roundabout that swings you to either Mele or the airport), get some airside before going through customs and there are a number of bottle shops.

TVL (TELECOM VANUATU LTD)

TVL is another of Port Vila’s expensive monopolies. It’s owned by the British and run by the French. Some things in this country never change. While their services are expensive they are improving. Mobile phones are now available and with the purchase of a new SIM card you can use your phone from home. If you are heading to Vanuatu and want to rent a SIM card for a week or so, just email here.