The Oyster Island resort was recommended to us as perfectly protected spot with a beach and things to do.  We sold it to Zinnia about a month before her birthday and got there the day before.  The resort is a step above the normal Vanuatu hotel and had a great restaurant and charming staff.  We made a bee line there from Ambrym overnight and wiggled through the poorly marked, shallow passage into the inner lagoon, in the early morning.  Quite a ‘lux place to have your eleventh birthday – after all I think Colin’s was probably in Camberley!

 

The Blue Hole was a 40min kayak ride up river passing through mangroves and woods as the water got clearer and clearer.  The river turned into a weed fringed stream and then popped out into a spring hole 40m diameter and 17m deep with crystal clear, fresh water that has a very blue look about it.

Birthday lunch of steake frite 

String band played that evening and Zinnia had a Happy Birthday Vanuatu style

 

The next day we gave a family whom Cosmo had brefriended staying at the hotel a lift up to Champagne Beach about 20nm North.

    Champagne beach has crunchy brilliant white sand and spectacular snorkelling – every bit the tropical beach