Making the most of Pentecost Island
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Cruise ships cannot dock at this location, so you will travel ashore by tender.
Panngi has a jetty able to receive cruise ships, which visit occasionally during the land-diving season.
Vanuatu, formerly called the New Hebrides Islands, is an archipelago of 83 islands in the south-west Pacific Ocean, north of New Zealand and east of Australia.
One of Vanuatu's 83 islands, Pentecost Island lies 190km directly north of the capital, Port Vila. This lush, mountainous island extends from north to south for about 60km.
Pentecost has no towns. Most islanders live in small villages and grow their own food in small gardens. Some areas remain comparatively untouched by Western influence, and local traditions continue to be strong.
Pentecost Island is best known as the spiritual birthplace of the extreme sport of bungee jumping, rooted in the ages-old Gol ritual, called nanggol in Bislama, or land diving. Each year between April and June, men in the island's south leap from tall towers of around 20 to 30 metres with vines fastened to their feet. The ritual is believed to secure a good yam harvest and is now also used to mark acceptance into manhood.
Another fascinating island custom is sand drawing, in which symbolic figures are traced through the sand in one continuous movement without raising a finger.
Money
Vanuatu's Vatu (VT) is the local currency, valued at approximately 1 US cent or 0,7 Euro cents.
In Vanuatu, tipping is not expected, and neither are haggling or bargaining.
Staying connected
English, French and Bislama are the three official languages.