Not to miss

Aneityum Island

The southernmost of Vanuatu's islands, Aneityum arguably has the most pleasant climate. Tropical fruits and vegetables grow luxuriantly and an inviting walking track loops around the island. The interior's magnificent mountain scenery is punctuated by massive kauri pines and ancient waterfalls.

Three mountains dominate the interior; two of them extinct volcanoes, Mt Inrerow Atahein and Mt Tahentchai. Accessible reefs, such as Port Patrick and Inmal Reef, are ideal for diving, and hot springs at Umetch, Itchepthav Bay and Anwunupol offer a rewarding soak at the end of a long day.

The locals at Anawamet have created an offshore marine sanctuary to protect the numerous turtles that feed there, whereas they are hunted for food elsewhere on the island. Vanair links Aneityum to Vila.

Luganville

Luganville is a messy collection of corroded, corrugated iron WWII huts, ugly concrete slabs and rusting steel sea walls, with no decent beaches unless you like walking on coral the consistency of broken glass. Dining out is limited, although the market is reasonable for the budget-conscious.

There's no night-life to speak of other than numerous nakamals (kava bars), and they'll become very attractive if you have to spend too much time here. Nevertheless Luganville is a good base for trips to the northern islands, such as Pentecost, Maewo and the Torres group.

Down the road from town is Million Dollar Point, where the US military dumped tons of equipment - including canned food, bulldozers, trucks, jeeps and crates of Coca Cola - at the end of the war. Most of that is now encrusted by coral, making for great diving in the still, shallow water. More good diving is to be had 10km (6mi) across the Segond Channel from Luganville on Bokissa Island, which has a resort, restaurant, bar and swimming pool. Luganville is the capital of Espiritu Santo Island, 260km (160mi) northwest of Port Vila. There are daily flights from Vila to Pekoa Airport, 6km (3.7mi) outside Luganville.

Yasur Volcano

This active volcano is one of the world's most accessible. In fact, 4WD vehicles can get to within 150m of the crater rim. Mt Yasur's ash-laden smoke has smothered the vegetation, reducing the landscape to an alien prehistoric desert, with the gaunt shapes of surviving pandanus palms adding to the surrealistic view.

The level of activity within Yasur fluctuates between dangerous and relatively calm, but when it's hot it's hot. Along the path to the crater rim, there are whiffs of sulphur and whooshing, roaring noises. Ahead is a silhouette of people on the rim, golden fireworks behind them. Then you're looking into a dark central crater where three vents take it in turns to spit rockets of red-molten rock and smoke. The ground trembles and a fountain of fiery magma shoots up and spreads against the sky.

Some visitors find Yasur terrifying; it's definitely unforgettable.

Siri Falls

Gaua offers spectacular hikes, including a grand, difficult two-day test that visits the island's three major sights - pretty Lake Letas, one of the largest freshwater lakes in the Pacific; Mt Garet (797m), a semiactive volcano; and fabulous Siri Falls.

Climb up to the lake, where you canoe across to the volcano, a sulphurous mess that seeps orange into the lake. It's worth the effort, in an awesome way. Then it's a vicious trek down to the falls, 120m of roaring power pummelling down through the bush to the sea.