Vanuatu, formerly called the New Hebrides, is located in the Southwest Pacific Ocean comprised of 82 islands that extend between the Equator and Tropic of Capricorn. Most islands are formed from summits of the volcanic mountain ranges from the ocean floor.
Melanesians were the first human settlers in Vanuatu 3,000 years ago. They were then joined by a group of Polynesians between the 11th to 15th centuries. Europeans discovered and settled in the islands in the 19th century. The official languages are English, French and Bislama, but there are also more than a hundred indigenous languages.
The climate in the archipelago is tropical in the north and subtropical in the south. There is moderate amount of rainfall received annually. Expect warm and humid climate on months between November and April.
Sola is the administrative center of Vanuatu’s Torba Province. You will find a post office National Bank, Police, Immigration and the Torba Provincial Government. You can also find a good number of hospitals, shops and guest houses.
The island of Sola is quite quiet and picturesque, and more of a provincial town rather than a tourist resort. However, there are plenty of activities you can do when in Sola.
There are only three guest houses in Sola where tourists and visitors can stay, namely: the Eliezer Travel Lodge, the Wilkins Guest House and the Leumerous Guest House.
How to Get There?
To get there via air, Air Vanatu has both international and domestic flights to take you in and around the islands.
You can also travel to the different islands by ship. These local ships however have little to recommend. These ships are highly unreliable, the schedules are crazy, and they are quite difficult to track down.
Travel tips when traveling to Sola:
Number one rule is not to worry too much. Remember, you are on vacation. Enjoy yourself! Relax and there’s no need to rush. Sola is opposite of our common day to day lives: living in an overpopulated, highly urbanized and highly polluted environment. It’s time to bask in the rich nature and clean environment only a tropical island like Vanuatu can offer.
Second, allow a little flexibility in your travel plans. Sometimes, spontaneity makes things more fun when traveling.
Another mistake most tourists encounter is overpacking and under packing. Do not however forget to bring some anti-malaria tablets, medicine, spare batteries (no electricity in many Vanuatu islands), mosquito repellent and water purification tablets (if in doubt of the water’s cleanliness, use them).