Luganville is the second largest city in the Republic of Vanuatu and is located on the island of Espiritu Santo. The population is 10,738.
Luganville is one of Vanuatu's busiest ports, especially as a transshipment point for copra and cacao. Segond Channel, the body of water off the coast of Luganville behind Aore Island, provides the town with an excellent sheltered harbour.
The main street that runs through Luganville contains most of the commercial businesses and is very wide as a result of the American base commander insisting that 4 trucks could be driven along the road. Small side streets and outlying roads cater for the residential zones. The main street contains the port at one end, and the markets and municipal council building at the other end. In the centre there are two main types of stores; tourist boutiques, and all-in-one stores, best described as a cross between a supermarket and a hardware store.
Broadband internet became available to Luganville in late 2006.
The current population of Luganville is quite diverse. It comprises a vast majority of indigenous Ni-Vanuatu, also it has a small population of Chinese and European descendants. Out from the local population, there are people although who reside in Luganville, they came from other different islands in Vanuatu.
Luganville has changed with the expansion of businesses and shops in the town. However critics have claimed that Luganville has a great potential and should have developed more with its economic activities since Vanuatu had gained its Independence out from Great Britain and France in 1980.
PLACE TO VISIT
As small as Luganville is there are a few things you'll want to make a point of getting to before you leave. Getting around town can be tricky because often the roads are unnamed but if you know the name of your destination it is small enough that most anyone on the street will know what you're talking about if you ask for directions. The open air market is one of them, its open 24 hours a day except for Sunday nights and it includes fresh fruit, vegetables and various other wares that the people of Santo bring to the markets from their village gardens. You can't beat the quality of their produce as its all organic and incredibly cheap. While in town you might want to take in Kava at one of the local Nakamals (outdoor seating area covered with palm frond roof). A favorite Nakamal of the local expatriate population is the Greenlight Kava bar opposite the Unity Shell petrol station.
The expatriates that frequent the greenlight are usually quite friendly and eager to engage a tourist in conversation and share a little of their insight on life in Santo from a western perspective. There are several good restaurants and cafe's in Luganville, Hotel Santo has a great bar and friendly staff (its also one of the few places you can get pizza in Luganville for those of you missing a western meal), the Natangora Cafe does wonderful breakfasts and you can get coffee, espresso's and fresh juices there. Coral Quays which is off on the western part of the town's main road is a great resort and a fantastic place to enjoy a good steak (I suggest the eye fillet steak with a peppercorn sauce). The beef is raised on a completely organic diet in Santo, and is some of the best beef you'll ever eat.
WHAT TO DO
The biggest draw to the Island is the wreck of the SS President Coolidge, a WWII troop carrier sunk by friendly mines in 1942. The majority of people traveling to Santo are divers who come for the expressed purpose of exploring this famous wreck. As such, there aren't many things to do in town other than to visit the local dive shops and organize some diving. Aquamarine is on the road opposite of the Unity Shell station and features a friendly and very experienced staff. They can take care of all your equipment needs and boast wide variety of Padi certified scuba courses at very competitive rates. Go to the outdoor produce market in the western end of town and buy some of the organic fruit and vegetables. Take a walk up to the top of the big hill and enjoy the view of Sagond Channel and Aore Island. There are a few great trips day trips you can do from town. Champagne Beach is about an hour long trip from town but well worth it. The sandy beach is postcard worthy and features silky soft silica sand as well as coconut palms. There is a nominal fee to enjoy the beach and this goes to the landowners. While in Santo be sure to visit one of the many blue holes (fresh water springs well up and form cool blue pools) its refreshing to stop at one of these on your way home from Champagne Beach, jump into the cool water and wash of the sand and salt before going home.
There is a golf course on Santo and if you meet up with some of the local expatriates they can give you a rundown of when the best times to go and play are (and if you make a good impression they may even let you know where you can borrow some clubs)! A trip through the Millennium Caves is well worth your time. You'll have to ask someone at your hotel about the best way to organize a trip there, often this will involve getting a group together, booking a bus and having someone prepare a guide at the village to take you through. The caves are beautiful and are inhabited by bats and sparrows.
The caves were worn through by the the river over many many years. This is a more adventurous undertaking, and you'll need to expect to get quite wet, bring a flashlight, and the best footwear are reef shoes or if you're a diver, your booties will work quite well if you have a good sole on them. Once you come out the other side of the caves you'll float down the river to a set of steps cut into a steep slope and find your way (with your guide of course) back to the village. If you just want to lounge around and relax by the pool for the day, I'd suggest a trip across the Segond Channel to the Aore Resort, where you can order exotic cocktails and enjoy a bit of fresh water and sun. Ask one of the staff at your hotel about the times the ferry makes trips across the channel. Luganville for the most part is a very utilitarian town, and consists mainly of Chinese stores which carry cheap imported goods and serves the local population's needs for western goods. There aren't many sites to see in town and most of your trips will take a large amount of planning on your part.
HOW TO REACH
The vast majority of people will come into Santo through Pekoa airport. Your options from here are to catch a bus or taxi. For the most part the taxi drivers will be able to understand enough English to get you into town, this trip should cost you somewhere in the neighborhood of 700 Vatu (approximately $7 US dollars). Alternately you can catch a mini-bus into town as well, they are less frequent and you'll have to wait till they get around to your destination (buses can take a while to figure out). Several of the Hotels do offer a pickup service from Pekoa airport and I would suggest taking advantage of that.
