Contact Us/FAQs

 FAQs

  • Does the resort allow children?

Yes but only during our designated Family periods and only if the child is aged 7 years and over. The resort does not cater for children under the age of 7 at any time. For further information and exact Family period dates see our Families section in the bookings/rates page or contact us on [email protected].

  • Does the resort have snorkeling equipment & reef shoes?

Yes the resort has snorkeling equipment (mask, snorkel, fins) and a selection of second hand reef shoes for in house guests to use free of charge. The resort also has new reef shoes for sale in varying sizes. To guarantee a perfect fitting mask or reef shoe it is always best to bring your own.

  • I am a Vegetarian – what options do I have?

The resort has plenty of vegetarian options on all menus. Feel free to email [email protected] to view our menu’s.

  • I have certain strict dietary requirements – can the resort cater for me?

The resort regularly has guests who are allergic to gluten, dairy, peanuts, seafood etc. Being a small resort we have the ability to adjust our menus as best we can to accommodate these needs. Please advise us of your dietary requirements and our Head Chef will meet with you to discuss the options.

  • Can you send me your menus?

Yes this is no problem, please email [email protected] for this information.

  • How far away is the Volcano on Tanna?

Tanna Island is a one hour flight from Port Vila and the Volcano is then a 1.5 hour drive from Tanna airport. This can easily be done as a day tour from the resort. If you wish to see the Volcano at night unless you book a twilight flight back to Vila you would have to spend a night in Tanna.

  • Can an island picnic or romantic dinner be arranged?

Yes this is easily done and is a very popular thing to do. This can be organized when you are at the resort.

  • Can you send me the Spa Menu?

Yes this is no problem, please email [email protected] for this information.

  • Do I have to be concerned about Malaria?

No, malaria is not a concern when staying at Eratap, no anti malarial tablets are required. If your travels take you to the very northern part of Vanuatu (1.5 to 2 hour flight from Port Vila) then Malaria might become more of an issue.

  • Does the resort have laundry facilities for the guests to use?

No the resort does not have laundry facilities for guests to use. All laundry is done by the resort’s laundry department, guests may hand in their laundry to the front desk to be washed, dried and or ironed as required. Laundry baskets are provided in the Villas and a laundry fee applies.

  • When is the best time to come to the resort for surfing?

This is a very difficult question to answer. We have had fantastic surf every month of the year and flat spells every month of the year. Generally the summer months (Nov to Apr) have less wind and so any swell that does come along is usually clean. The reefs around Eratap and throughout Vanuatu do not cope well with strong trade winds and these are more likely to occur during the winter months. That being said there is usually more swell during winter than summer. So to sum up the better months are probably from March to July.

  • What is the best time of the year for weather?

This is another very difficult question to answer as Vanuatu does not seem to have very predictable seasons due to the fact that it is very much a maritime climate. That being said it is fair to say that November to April are the hotter months and May to October the cooler months. February to April are the most humid, July and August the coolest and September to December the driest.

  • What times does the Resorts shuttle bus run?

The resorts shuttle bus leaves the resort each day at 10.00am and then leaves Port Vila at 12.30pm

  • Is it easy to get a taxi to town, if so how much does it cost?

If guests wish to travel at different times to the shuttle service this can easily be arranged. The resort can easily organize a local taxi for guests to town and back. Cost for a taxi to town is 1,500 vatu and from town to the resort is 2,000 vatu.

  • Does the resort have WiFi?

Yes, WiFi is offered around the resort free of charge.

  • Do the villas have TV?

Yes all villas have satellite TV (37 channels). They are a mixture of Australian free to air channels and cable channels.

  • Do the villas have a hair dryer and or fridge?

Yes all Villas have hair dryers and a small bar fridge. The fridge is stocked with water and milk on arrival. The fridges are not designed to store large quantities of food and drink.

  • What is the tipping custom in Vanuatu?

Tipping is not expected anywhere in Vanuatu however it is not offensive to tip if you wish to.

  • What clothes should I bring for my stay?

Generally light cotton clothes are all that is required. If you are holidaying during the winter months (June to August) you should bring a few warmer clothes in case of any cold snaps. The resort does not have any restaurant dress regulations. The water is warm to swim in year round. Bring a rash vest and reef shoes if you have some and of course a hat and sunglasses as well.

  • Does the resort have surfboards or paddle boards?

Yes the resort has 5 epoxy “learn to surf” surfboards of varying length – mostly mini mal size. It also has 2 body boards and 4 stand up paddle boards – again at varying length. Useage of all this equipment is free of charge. The resort does not have fibreglass short boards, guests should bring their favourite stick!

  • What are the fishing options at the resort and what gear should I bring?

Please email [email protected] for up to date local inshore fishing regulations. Offshore fishing is not regulated.

Guests can choose the following fishing options:

  • (i) Casting from the offshore islands or kayaks – this is for guests who have their own fishing gear and lures or flies. This option is free of charge and is catch and release only.
  • (ii) Casting from our boats – this is for guests who have their own fishing gear and lures or flies. This option is 1,500 vatu per hour and is catch and release only.
  • (iii) Game Fishing – the resort can book guests onto a charter boat leaving from Port Vila. These charters can be for 4 to 8 hours and allow guests to reach more far reaching fishing grounds.

The best gear to bring is as follows:

For fly fishermen an eight weight rod or even smaller will suffice. Floating line with 10lb tapered leader works well. Best flies are any that imitate bait fish – including clousers, crazy charlies, surf kandy’s etc.

For lure fishermen braid or mono line works, braid is very fragile on the coral and so a good mono leader is required if using braid. The best lures are “raider” slice lures (medium size), some soft plastics and some poppers.

Target species for casting too are Trevally (GT’s, Bluefin, Brassy), barracuda, red mouth bass & herring.

  • Is it safe to swim in the water?

Yes the waters around Eratap are safe to swim in. On one side of the resort’s peninsula is the lagoon and this is always calm and safe. The other side of the peninsula faces the open ocean and this can sometimes have quite big surf on it. When there is large surf this beach can become unsafe to swim. It is not a regular occurrence and all guests are briefed on arrival about any potential surf hazards. Swimming off all of the four offshore islands is safe all the time.

  • Is the tap water safe to drink?

Yes the tap water is safe to drink and all water in the resort is UV sterilized and filtered through carbon filters. That being said the tap water does come out of the ground from the resorts own bore and guests need to exercise care, especially those who have not travelled regularly to 3rd world countries. To be 100% safe guests should drink bottled water or use the resorts water maker in the restaurant.

  • Are there shops nearby?

The nearest shop to the resort is in Port Vila – a 20 minute drive from the resort.

  • What tours are recommended to do during our stay?

There are a wide variety of tours on offer in and around Eratap. Please go to the “Things to Do” part of our website for more information.

  • Can we bring gifts for the village and or school, if so what sort of gifts?

Yes this is a great thing to do, though gifts for the village are very hard to distribute equitably as there are well over a 1000 people in the village. Little things for the school such as stationary, paper, calculators etc are always gratefully received.

  • Should we hire a car, if so is this easy to do?

Yes this is an excellent thing to do if you are looking to explore the island and have great flexibility. In Vanuatu cars drive on the right hand side of the road – same as in America & Europe. Don’t be concerned about this however, Vanuatu has very little traffic, no traffic lights and people do not drive fast. Hiring a car is easy to do and can be organized whilst staying at the resort.

  • What type of power points does the Resort have?

Whilst the Resort is run on it’s own generator power, it has the same power points and voltage as Australia.

  • Do we need to bring beach/pool towels?

No, the Resort provides beach towels in your room and pool towels by the pool.