Champagne Bay Espiritu Santo Island, Vanuatu
Vanuatu
42
Cruises availables
At departure or passage at this port
Carnival Cruise Line (10 Cruises)
Crystal Cruises (6 Cruises)
Crystal Serenity
6 Cruises
Paul Gauguin Cruises (2 Cruises)
Silversea Cruises (7 Cruises)
Windstar Cruises (16 Cruises)
Star Breeze
16 Cruises
Frequently Asked Questions
Ships anchor in the bay and tenders land passengers beside a small concrete jetty. There is no port here: what opens in front of you is a crescent of white sand fringed with coconut palms, on the coast of Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu's largest island.
Because at low tide, when conditions allow, tiny bubbles rise from the volcanic seabed through the pale sand: the bay seems to fizz like a glass of sparkling wine. The effect depends on the tide and is not visible at every call.
A beach day with no complicated programme: swimming in a warm, transparent lagoon, snorkelling towards the far end of the cove, and browsing the stalls set up under the trees. Those on the first tenders enjoy an almost empty beach.
Yes. Coral heads begin in shallow water, especially as you move away from the jetty, sheltering butterflyfish, damselfish and giant clams with fluorescent lips. The fuller reef lies a little further out; some visitors have themselves taken there by outrigger canoe.
Strongly recommended. The lagoon is superb, but reef shoes save a good deal of scraping on coral. Bring your own mask too: gear from the ship is plenty, as there is no rental outlet on the beach.
On call days, families from nearby set up stalls under the trees with sarongs, shell necklaces and wood carvings. You can try freshly opened coconuts and crab or lobster grilled on the spot. Bring small denominations in cash.
None. No hotels, no busy roads, no pushy vendors: just the turquoise lagoon, the outrigger canoes and the forest edge. Everything you need must come from the ship, shade included, as the coconut palms give little of it at midday.
The vatu, Vanuatu's currency. English, French and Bislama mingle in conversation, a legacy of an archipelago long administered jointly by France and the United Kingdom. No card payment on the beach.
Very much so. The water is warm and shallow near the shore, and local children happily join in the visitors' games. The groups of musicians and dancers who sometimes perform in the shade of the banyans make the day easier still.
May to October, Vanuatu's dry season: less rain, calmer sea and outside the cyclone period. From November to April, humid heat and tropical depressions make calls less reliable.
