Malekula Island Hiking & Tourism - VANUATU

Second Annual Port Sandwich Festival

2011-06-19T07:08:00.000-07:00

Nice write-up in the Vanuatu Daily Post:

Port Sandwich Festival 17-18 August, 2011

Hello Friends of Port Sandwich, We’ve got a lot of activities coming up that maybe you’d like to promote to your clients. Here’s a look at what’s happening in Port Sandwich:

2nd Annual Port Sandwich Festival, 17-18 August 2011. On August 17th and 18th Lamap invites you to celebrate its history and culture at the Port Sandwich Yacht Club. Several of South East Malekula’s kastom dance groups along with a few local string band groups will come together to share with you the culture that makes Vanuatu great. The women’s club will show you how to cook and eat in the traditional way. And of course you’ll be able to relax with plenty of fresh kava, cold Tusker, and good company. 2000vt/day/guest (kids 1500vt, 5 and under free). If you come early there’ll be a snorkeling tour on the 16th (1500vt/guest). And if you’re staying late there’ll be a day hike to swim in the Limangao cascades on the 19th of August (1500vt/guest).

Island Nights: One night of every month from June-October there’ll be a celebration of the island lifestyle. It starts with a traditional kastom display then an evening of fresh kava, Melanesian feast, a lively string band and a chance to get to know the friendly locals. 2000vt/per person (children 1500vt). Here are the dates: June 16th, July 21st, September 15th, October 13th.

Private Island Night: If you won’t be able to join us on one of those dates, don’t worry. You can have your own private island night. A private island night includes fresh kava, Melanesian feast, a roasted pig and our local string band. 28,000vt for groups of 4-12. 38,000vt for groups of 14-25. Rock and Noela’s Rainbow Restaurant: Learn the true meaning of ‘storian’ with these Port Sandwich ambassadors. Open every day for lunch June-November. Dinner and breakfast is available by appointment. Just 2 minutes walk from the wharf. Follow the sign on the road to Rock’s front porch for some tasty Vanuatu food with a little Wallis and Futuna magic. Hiking, Snorkeling, and Kastom Dance.

The Lamap Ecotourism Committee has lots to offer. Some of our activities include a 1 day cascades hike, 2 day bush village hike, hike to South West Bay, snorkeling tour, rent snorkeling gear or even a private showing from one of the Kastom Dance groups. Give us a call, email, or check out our blog for more information.

Contact Us: English: Stephanie: +678 56 18 096, Nigel: +678 53 64 181. French: Tito: 678 54 36 814, Kuzi: 678 54 61 422. Email: lamapecotourism@gmail.com and lamapecotourism.blogspot.com.

http://www.dailypost.vu/content/tourism-news-inbrief

Lamap Custom and Tourism Video

2010-09-30T04:13:00.000-07:00

A special thanks to Luc Callebaut for making these videos available. Clips of Port Sandwich and Lamap start at 6:31 in the video, or simply enjoy all that North and Central Malekula has to offer! Also be sure to get your Lamap travel plans in order for the October Island Night on October 7th and 8th (see the post below for details).

For more videos check out:

www.youtube.com/user/vanuatu4you
-or-
www.vanuatu4you.com

October Island Night

2010-09-27T20:34:00.000-07:00

~October 7th 2010 6pm-10pm
800vt includes Melanesian Feast and Live String Band
(does not include fresh kava and cold Tusker)
~October 8th 12pm-5pm
1000vt includes Melanesian Feast, Traditional Dance, and Live String Band
(does not include kava)

Thank you to all those who helped and attended the September 16th Island Night. The locals were very happy to see 15 boats lined up at the Port Sandwich wharf. We hope to see as many yachts again this Thursday, October 7th. Safe Travels!

Island Nights in Port Sandwich, Malekula

2010-09-05T19:57:00.000-07:00

Join the Locals for a night of live string band, traditional foods, and new friendships

-September 16th
-and October 7th
-800vt (kava & tusker not included)

Hello Friends of the Lamap Tourism Committee,

I want to say thank you so much to those of you who attended or helped with the Port Sandwich Art & Culture Festival in August. The community was very happy with the outcome and are excited to do it again next year. The organisers gained a lot of good experience and are preparing to receive more training in Tourism and work on improving the "yacht club" facility over the next few months. As they've been saying here this festival broke down a wall (i.e. set a good precedent) and now the community can work together to develop their area through community run tourism activities. Thanks to your support Tourism in Lamap is off to a running start.

After building up such a nice facility down at the Port Sandwich Wharf, the Lamap Environment and Tourism Committee has decided to make use of it with monthly island night events. Every month during the yacht season, May-October, the Tourism Committee will be hosting an island night down by the wharf. These nights will feature live string band, a Melanesian feast, the freshest kava, and cold Tusker. The following day there will be a custom dance display offered in the same location for those interested in learning more about the vibrant culture of South Malekula. The first of these events will be taking place on September 16th followed by one on October 7th. So come join the locals for a night of live string band, traditional foods, and new friendships. Hope to see you in Lamap soon.

Now with Student discount ;)

2010-05-23T16:35:00.000-07:00

The prices for the Port Sandwich Art and Culture Festival are:
adult 7000vt
student/volunteer 6000vt
under 13 years 3000vt

Port Sandwich Art and Culture Festival

2010-05-21T19:10:00.000-07:00

It will be a three and a half day festival from the 2nd of August to the 5th of August featuring custom dance from the two local custom dance groups, a circumcision ceremony, sand drawing, snorkeling, hiking, custom crafts, and local foods. Plus every night there will be a live string band, DJ, kava.

The price is 7000vt which includes all custom displays for three and a half days plus transportation to the custom displays. Tickets will be sold at the Vanuatu Cultural Centre in Vila, Wrecks to Rainforests in Santo, and at the Port Sandwich library/book exchange. The festival will be held down near the wharf to give easy access to visiting yachts.

There is limited accommodation: 12 beds at bungalows in the area for 1500vt a night and 5 tents for rent with sleeping bags at 1000vt per night. There is a direct flight from Vila to Lamap on Monday the 2th and from Lamap to Vila on Thursday the 5th. To arrange accommodation call Stephanie at 5618096. If you don't get through please leave a message.

Also all guests are welcome to come early for the July 30th celebration being held in Lamap on Friday. Also there will be a group hiking doing a 3 1/2 day hiking trip to South West Bay when the Port Sandwich Festival is over. Just in time to catch the Nalawan festival.

So tell everyone, South Malekula is the place to be this summer for
the most exciting custom displays and adventure tourism.

Festival Program Schedule

Monday 2
7:00 Plane lands in Lamap
9:00 Opening ceremony “captain cook lands” at Port Sandwich
11:30 Lunch at Port Sandwich
1:30 Learn to make a fan from local materials, learn how to make a custom fire
7:00 Live String Band at Port Sandwich

Tuesday 3
7:00 Tea
8:30 Transport
9:00 Labouvar Nakamal custom dance
11:30 Lunch at Labouvar
1:30 Snorkeling and Canoeing in Lamap
7:00 Live String Band at Port Sandwich

Wednesday 4
7:00 Tea
8:30 Transport
9:00 Maghar Nakamal custom dance
11:30 Lunch at Maghar
1:30 Sand drawing workshop
3:00 Take transport or hike back to Port Sandwich
7:00 Live String Band at Port Sandwich

Thursday 5
7:00 Tea
8:30 Transport
9:00 Closing Ceremony at the traditional nasara
11:30 Lunch
1:30 Walk about to cascades (or tranport to airport for those flying to Vila)

3rd Annual Nalawan Festival!

2010-04-20T02:43:00.000-07:00

The communities of South West Bay, Malekula would like to cordially invite you to the 3rd annual Nalawan Festival, taking place from August 9th to 12th, 2010.

Experience the ancient Nalawan festival celebrated through the ages by the fierce Small Nambas warrior tribe of Malekula’s South West Bay!
The Nalawan marks the start of a new season in the traditional calendar and includes grade-taking ceremonies, spectacular custom dances, pig killing, the ancient Noho ritual with offerings to the gods of the land, and much more!
Immerse yourself in the rich tradition and customs of Malekula’s South West Bay!
Get an authentic taste of Vanuatu life with an eye opening Village Tour; try your hand in traditional food preparation, partake in local craft, and witness ritual.
Snorkel the spectacular protected reef and witness the pristine sunset!
Dance the night away with a live traditional String Band!

Day 1: Cultural program at Lembinwan Yacht Club
Day 2: Snorkeling on 10 Stick Island
Day 3: Nalawan Festival Day 1, Labo Village
Day 4: Nalawan Festival Day 2, Labo Village

Package Price (two day event with lunch): 5,000VT adult / 2,500VT child

Extras! (not in package): August 9: Lembinwan Yach Club & Lagoon Tours(5372341), August 10: Snorkel Ten Stick Island

Come celebrate our living culture!

Reservations advised; please contact Willie Isno(5366168) / Yegor Makhiboroda(5617845) for information

A Fond Farewell

2009-07-08T19:33:00.000-07:00

Well, my time on Malekula has come to an end, and most of the new posts on this blog will probably come from someone other than myself. What can I say? It was a wild ride. After two years on the island, here are my recommendations when it comes to tourism in south Malekula:

Trekking along the south of the island is great, but there are some spots I would avoid. I think my ideal trip would be something like:

Day 1: (Monday) Fly into Lamap, and take a walk around the different villages. Lamap has a lot of custom still, and is a great place to see custom dancing simply because of the sheer number of participants. This can be arranged in advance if you contact Joseph Soksok (see the video clip or Lamap tourism link for more information). After half a day in Lamap arrange for a truck to take you to Aruev Bridge, and then do the short trek across to the village of Hokai. From Hokai a canoe or boat could be arranged to travel to Akamb Island.

Day 2: (Tuesday) Take an early boat back to the mainland, landing in Farun village (it is not far, and a canoe would be sufficient). Hike from Farun to Malfahkal village. This is a really nice hike with a lot of pristine beaches and smaller villages along the way.

Day 3: (Wednesday) Hike from Malfahkal to Southwest Bay. This hike can be accomplished in one day if you take the trail that leads up the Matanoi River, and then over a ridge. It would be best to have a local guide for this trip, but it would get you into Southwest Bay in time for a shell of kava and the plane on Thursday. It may be best to avoid the village of Melip due to ongoing concerns within the Vanuatu police community (marijuana farming), and this road would bypass that area.

Day 4: (Thursday) Catch the plane out of Southwest Bay (Wintua). If it is the rainy season odds are the plane will not be able to land. If this is the case boats can be arranged to go up the coast towards Vinmavis, near the 'dog's neck' where it is only a short truck ride to Lakatoro.

Alternative days:
Day 1: (Monday) Alternative route to Akamb. Take a canoe across Port Sandwich and hike to the Akamb canoe landing. This is a really fun hike. There are some difficult sections, and a tough climb, but once on top the road is generally good. If you go with some guides who hunt there are chances of them catching wild pigs.

Now that I have more computer time I hope to add some more pictures and tourism links.

Till next time.
Nt

Interesting Stuff, New Links!

2009-06-18T16:26:00.000-07:00

There are two new links about Malekula! The first is ecoadventuremaskelyne.blogspot.com, which provides travel information to those interested in visiting the Maskelyne Islands in South Malekula. To get to the Maskelynes you could fly into Lamap (Vanair services Lamap on Mondays and Thursdays), or you could find a ship heading that way (variable to quite variable).

There is going to be a three day cultural festival starting on October 1st, which will include some of the custom dancing highlighted on this site.

"The festival will be hosted in a new village daily, and visitors will be taken to each village by the local village chief. There, visitors will witness Smol Nambas Kastom Dance, and will be invited to participate in interactive workshops and displays of weaving, carving, coconut scratching, canoe building and sailing amongst other cultural activities."

The second is http://members.shaw.ca/scombs/trv_main.html which is a guide to Rural Travel in Vanuatu. There are some particularly interesting sections on hiking around South Malekula, http://members.shaw.ca/scombs/letters/870807a.html and also the middle of Malekula, http://members.shaw.ca/scombs/kas_imar.html

There is also a section on Malekula itself, covering the geography, infrastructure, people, and economy, http://members.shaw.ca/scombs/mal_intr.html

A big thank you to Stan Combs for sharing this information which he compiled during his work on the island between 1987-1989 as a local government Regional Planner. Some things have changed, but I found a lot of the information was still relevant. It is worth checking out if you are planning on visiting Malekula.

Bush Waterfall Hike

2008-12-08T16:14:00.000-08:00

The Malekula Hiking Trail Komiti is happy to announce a new overnight hike to a bush village and waterfall.

The hike goes to the bush village of Vanmai, and then on to a large waterfall.

Lamap to Waterfall Tour

Lamap to Vanmai

Distance: 7.33 km

Elevation: Flat

Difficulty: Easy

The trail starts on the opposite side of Port Sandwich. The trailhead can be reached by paddling a canoe across the inlet and entering a river on the other side. The trail goes through a coconut plantation, before meeting up with the main road that runs all the way down the east coast of the island. (note: Therefore, you could also take a truck to this point if a canoe is not available.) From here the trail goes past a village called Small Hokai, and crosses a river that you will have to wade. The trail is clear and wide, but can get muddy. Soft mud is a problem after heavy rains. Mosquitoes can also get heavy in through here. There is a large field that could be used to camp. A few people in Lamap have houses built out here, and keep a second garden in this area. You will pass a few before crossing the river again and reaching the village of Vanmai. A good idea is to sleep in this village. You can drop off most of your heavy belongings and then proceed to the waterfall with as little weight as possible.

Vanmai to Waterfall

Distance: 5.57km

Elevation: 300 m

Difficulty: Difficult

To proceed to the waterfall ask for a man named Ising. One of his children will be able to guide you on from here. The road heads into some steep and sometimes slippery terrain. It also becomes overgrown really quickly. Ising’s children are very adept with their bush knifes, and never seem to tire while cutting away the countless vines. The road leads to the top of the waterfall, and the road down is extremely steep. Make sure to use your hands and feet, even your bottom if necessary. If you time it right you can get a few hours at the falls and still make it back to Vanmai before nightfall. (If you ask there will certainly be a bowl of kava to take away the stiff joints from the walk.)

Total Distance from Lamap to the Waterfall and back to Vanmai is 18.47 km.

The entire experience costs 3,500 vatu per tourist and includes guides to the waterfall, a nights stay in Vanmai village (in a custom house, or in a tent if you choose to bring one), food and kava.

New Maps!

2008-10-17T19:06:00.000-07:00

A special thanks to Steven G. Clegg, the executive director of the non-profit VOLCAN Vanuatu, for helping us turn the GPS points taken along the trail into hiking maps.

For more information on VOLCAN and their projects please check out the website:
http://www.volcan.org/home.html

The maps can be found in the sidebar under the Malekula Hiking Trail Maps heading. Please keep in mind due to weather and other factors trail routes can sometimes change. It is recommended you use local guides before attempting any hikes on Malekula.

Man Bush Walk

2008-10-13T19:08:00.000-07:00

This is another option for hiking on Malekula. The trail starts near the Pankumu River on the Unua side. Our guide was from a village called Tisman, but they could probably be found in Unua as well. It is not recommended to try this entire walk on your own, you could, however, probably hike to Melkin on your own if you got someone to put you one the right road.

After Melkin the road becomes very difficult. There is a huge climb out of the river valley that at points seems straight up. It is, however, very beautiful and the village you end up in, Lambongbong, is spectacular. (It was also very humbling to learn that some villagers from Lambongbong had recently carried a generator over the road we just slipped and slided up and down for 6 hours! That is a pretty amazing feat.)

We had to find another guide in Lambongbong to steer us the rest of the way to Lawa. This is an amazing hike, with a very impressive waterfall when you reach the Matanoi river. There are three climbs, but none as severe as the previous day. The biggest one is right after the Matanoi river crossing. The river is a perfect spot to rest to get ready to head up hill again. After Lawa we took a boat for 1,500 vatu to sleep in a village near Wintua. There is an aid station in Wintua that has antibiotics if you happen to get any infections along the journey.

Here is the basic rundown:

Day One:
Unua to Melkin

9.32 km

Elevation 94 meters

Time

Walking: 2 hr. 15 min.

Resting: 30 min.

Total 2 hr. 45 min.

Notes:

Easy walk. The road is good and clear. The village is currently working to widen the road so that trucks can pass. You cross the Paunkumu 12 times, so a lot of river crossings. Most crossings are shallow, rarely over thigh high. Heavy rains could make the road unpassable.

Accomodation:

Stayed at the Melken woman's club. Simple. Mats were placed on the floor for bedding, and food was included. Only 100 vatu per person.

Day Two:

Melken to Labongbong

17.39 km

Elevation 840 meters (finish at 540 m)

Time

Walking: 6 hrs.

Resting: 2 hrs.

Total 8 hrs.

Notes:

Difficult. One very steep climb that gains over 500 meters of elevation very quickly. There are some river crossings early on, and also areas with soft mud. There is a fresh water source after the big climb.

Day Three:

Labongbong to Lawa

15.19 km

Time

Walking: 5 hr. 30 min.

Resting: 1 hr.

Total 6 hr. 30 min.

Notes:

Moderate to Difficult. Lots of mud. Three climbs, including one steep one after you cross the Matanoi river. Gains 300 meters of elevation in less than a kilometer. There is a large waterfall at the river, which is amazing. After Lawa we chartered a boat (1,500 vatu) and slept in a small village near Wintua.

Custom Dance, Lamap, Malekula

2008-10-09T20:36:00.000-07:00

There is a new custom dance group in Lamap. If you are interested in seeing a custom dance here is the contact information! See below for a preview!

Kastom Danis

Mahah Barigai Nakamal
Joseph Soksok
Dravai Village
5435722

Ol Danis:
Wenbur Masive: 40,000 vatu
Luan Sirsir: 30,000 vatu
Luan Vewve: 25,000 vatu
Boulon: 20,000 vatu
Lele: 8,000 vatu
Barghari: 7,000 vatu
Waeve: 6,000 vatu
*The price is for groups and includes the cost of entry into a taboo area (a pig). Food is also included.
*Praes hemi blong ol grup mo hem i karvaremap ol kakae. Ol danis ia hemi ol tabu danis.

Souvenirs
Custom Karving: i stat long 5,000 vatu
Bigfala Tamtam: i stat long 10,000 vatu

Kastom Danis, Lamap Malekula

2008-10-09T18:19:00.000-07:00

New Trail

2008-06-28T15:46:00.000-07:00

Last month William Hoyer took a two day route across Malekula from Unua on the East Coast down to Southwest Bay. This trail goes directly over some of the most rugged terrain on Malekula and through plenty of custom villages. This route is unmarked and changes constantly due to weather and erosion. It is not recommended to attempt this hike without a local guide. Prior outdoor and hiking experience and excellent physical conditioning would be required before attempting this adventure.

William is currently in China, but we look forward to posting his description of the hike, along with distance and time intervals. To reach the Unua area it is best to fly into Norsup and then take a truck south.

Here are some photos from his journey:

Update - April 25, 2008

2008-04-24T11:26:00.000-07:00

Just of couple of things:

There has been a ton of rain in South Malekula for the past three weeks. This would make trail conditions hazardous in some areas, especially after Malfakhal where you have to cross the Matanoi river. Even during dry times this is not easy, and at the moment would not be possible without some strong swimming! Again weather is something you want to check before coming to Malekula.
In Port Vila right now trying to get funding to mark the trail with something more sustainable than our yellow cloth strips. We hope to be able to mark the trail, as well as put up informative signs of places of cultural significance in South Malekula. As of now, because of the weather and quality of the fabric we used, the trail has a shelf life of anywhere from 3 to 6 months. Also some markings that are more exposed to the weather could deteriorate faster than others, which would also be a big problem.
Our first guide training courses are tentatively schedule for the week of May 19th! This is a great way for the young folks of South Malekula to gain some valuable skills and hopefully provide some income in the future. The course is being provided by the Malampa Tourism Office in Lakatoro, and the cost is 2,500 vatu for interested participants.

Malekula Hiking Trail Komiti Explores the South Trails of Malekula

2008-03-20T13:33:00.000-07:00

Reflections on a Week With no Shoes

From March 10-March 18 the members of the Malekula Hiking Trail Komiti (MHTK), based out of Lamap, Malekula walked the stretch of the island from Lamap to Southwest Bay. Over the course of the first five days the members of the MHTK marked the 44.7 miles of trail that spans from Lamap to the village of Lembinwin in Southwest Bay. The komiti then pushed on up "the dog's neck," to Dixon Reef, before taking public transport to Lakatoro. The entire hike, from Lamap to Dixon Reef was just over 60 miles long.

Along the way the trail komiti spoke in each village close to the trail, explaining that the markings are just to steer tourists and also how a successful hiking trail could benefit the small villages in the future that currently do not see too many tourists.

The walk was filled with stunning beaches, challenging terrain, and plenty of river crossings. The trail is marked with yellow calico, but the trip was primarily to gauge just how difficult the trail is. In the future the komiti hopes to mark the trail out with something more permanent as well as place signs along the route indicating distances and places of cultural significance.

I'm going to update this blog with each segment of the trip and highlight where dangerous and problematic spots are. We took GPS readings from the trails, but it is safe to say that the trail sticks pretty much along the south Malekula coast. We are going to work to get a detailed map prepared as well. Guides are currently being trained in Lamap, and it would be a good idea to bring one along if you were to attempt the hike before we can improve the roads.

A special thank you goes out to the members of the MHTK who went along for the walk, some sacrificing valuable football training time to help the cause. Also, thanks to the guides we picked up in Farun and Mborvor to steer us to our final destination.

Malekula Hiking Trail Komiti (Hikers):
Kusy Damasing
Rino Sali
Jean-Erik Soksok
Joachim Batikakon
Lona Telisi
Festi Talis
Jean-Guinea Bakolili

Farun Guides:
Kensy Keneth
Mark Anis
Bong Masing

Mborvor Guide:
Aso Ising

Also thanks to Tito Luan and Jacky Abong for their work in preparing the trip and providing Kava for a weary group upon their return!

2007-12-20T16:08:00.001-08:00