Vanuatu Tourism Opens New Remote Trails Across Malekula and Gaua

Written By: Abhirup Gan

Abhirup Gan

I'm Abhirup Gan, a Mass Communication graduate and digital marketing professional. Driven by a passion for storytelling, I create insightful, research-led content that explores tourism trends, destination stories, and hospitality developments with depth and clarity. Through my writing, I hope to inspire readers to discover not only where to travel, but the stories, cultures, and experiences that make every journey meaningful.

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September 8, 2026 12:14 PM

The Vanuatu Tourism Authority, in Malekula and Gaua, is adding to its adventure tourism offerings by developing difficult rainforest treks, accommodations based within the community and nature tourism that transports tourists away from the more famous beach destinations of the country. In Malekula, there is the four-day Manbush Trail Trekking Tour, which spans the entire island from the east coast to the west coast through the mountains, forests, rivers, fields and villages. According to the description provided on the Vanuatu Tourism website, the Manbush Trail is an extremely challenging and physically demanding tour that requires great fitness levels. The trail starts near Unua in the eastern part of the island and goes inland up into the mountainous region. Travellers stay in local accommodations while on the trail.

Manbush Trail Connects Visitors With Remote Communities

The Manbush Trail places community interaction directly within the trekking experience.

Vanuatu Tourism Office information describes opportunities to experience “manbush” living and encounter traditional customs in small remote villages. Accommodation along the route includes simple local houses and thatched bungalows, while food is based largely on local produce.

The trail crosses rugged terrain and includes an ascent toward Mount Laimbele. The official route information recommends appropriate hiking equipment, water supplies, personal essentials and suitable footwear because of the conditions encountered during the four-day journey.

The experience therefore combines physical trekking with cultural tourism and community-based hospitality.

Malekula’s Interior Creates a Distinct Tourism Experience

Malekula is one of Vanuatu’s important outer-island destinations for visitors seeking hiking and cultural experiences.

The island’s trekking products include the Manbush Trail and the Dogs Head Trail, another multi-day route crossing remote terrain and providing access to Big Nambas territory. The Vanuatu Tourism Office notes that travellers on the Dogs Head Trail should expect simple village accommodation and limited modern infrastructure.

These routes create a tourism model based on small groups, local guiding and overnight stays rather than conventional resort infrastructure.

For visitors, the attraction lies in travelling through landscapes where forests, villages, rivers and traditional buildings form part of the itinerary.

For local communities, the trail network provides opportunities to participate in guiding, porter services, accommodation and food provision.

Gaua Brings Lake Letas Into the Adventure Circuit

Farther north, Gaua provides another demanding nature-based tourism experience.

The island is home to Lake Letas, a major freshwater lake surrounding Mount Garet. The lake forms part of a multi-day hiking experience that also includes the volcanic landscape of Mount Garet and the route toward Siri Waterfall.

Vanuatu Tourism Office information describes the Gaua trek as a three-day experience covering Lake Letas, Mount Garet and Siri Waterfall. The destination is specifically promoted as an outer-island adventure experience for travellers seeking a more remote setting.

Lake Letas is also identified in Vanuatu’s national biodiversity documentation as a conservation area at the foot of Mount Garet.

Mount Garet and Siri Waterfall Add Adventure Appeal

The journey around Gaua connects volcanic landscapes with rainforest trekking.

Visitors can hike toward Mount Garet and cross Lake Letas by outrigger canoe before continuing toward Siri Waterfall. Local tourism operators provide guided access through the island’s terrain.

The official Vanuatu Tourism Office recommends combining the Siri Waterfall walk with the overnight Lake Letas and Mount Garet trek for a fuller Gaua experience.

Siri Waterfall is another major attraction. The waterfall has a drop of approximately 120 metres, and reaching it involves a substantial walk through rainforest terrain. The route can be undertaken as a day excursion from local accommodation or as part of the longer Lake Letas itinerary.

Gaua Links Nature Travel With Local Culture

Gaua’s tourism offer extends beyond hiking.

Local accommodation providers can arrange excursions to Siri Waterfall, Lake Letas and Mount Garet, while visitors can also experience Vanuatu Water Music, a traditional performance involving women creating rhythms with movements in shallow water.

The Vanuatu Tourism Office highlights water music among experiences available around Gaua and identifies locally operated accommodation as a base for exploring the island.

This creates a combination of nature and cultural tourism within the same destination.

Visitors can spend time trekking through rainforest, travelling by canoe, exploring the lake environment and experiencing local traditions during the same island stay.

Outer Islands Gain From Tourism Development

Vanuatu’s Department of Tourism identifies delivering tourism benefits to outer islands as one of the priorities within its tourism development framework. Its programme also places emphasis on product development, infrastructure and transport access while promoting tourism that protects the country’s environment and cultural heritage.

The Manbush Trail and Gaua’s Lake Letas circuit fit this outer-island tourism model by placing local communities, nature and cultural experiences at the centre of visitor journeys. Travel to the northern islands remains more limited than access to Vanuatu’s principal tourism centres. The Torba tourism information states that Gaua can be reached by domestic flights from Port Vila and Santo, while travel between islands is primarily by small boats and canoes. That connectivity shapes the character of the visitor experience and makes planning important for travellers undertaking multi-day expeditions.

Vanuatu Expands Its Remote Adventure Map

There are two routes through which one can access Vanuatu’s tourism environment on the outer islands through Malekula and Gaua. Malekula allows for several days of jungle hiking in remote villages and interior jungles, where there is the Manbush Trail that takes one on a journey from East to West for four days. Gaua, on the other hand, incorporates Lake Letas, Mount Garet and Siri Waterfall along with local hospitality and culture. This gives an added dimension to Vanuatu’s adventure tourism experience by incorporating activities off the beach and in marine environments.