Rah Round Island Canoe Race (7 Day Itinerary)

September 20 2008

*Visit Rah for the weekend to experience a unique event on a beautiful and culturally rich island paradise*

7 Day Suggested Itinerary (Port Vila, Santo, Mota Lava, Rah, Santo)

Please note: The tour days are selected based on available flight days to the outer islands.

PORT VILA

Pre-Tour
Enjoy your first days in Vanuatu at your leisure. Wander the open air markets seeing the local foods and sights while absorbing the friendly Melanesian culture. Swim over a reef teeming with tropical fish on Hideaway Island, visit the beautiful Mele Cascade waterfalls, or try your first local kava drink. You can choose to experience a wide range of activities in Port Vila.

Vanuatu Custom Travel can arrange your hotel transfers and accommodation. We have a detailed list of activities available to do in Port Vila to assists with your planning. We also provide a suggested list of what to bring on your tour to the outer islands.

Day 1 (Tuesday 16/9) Arrive in Port Vila

Welcome to Vanuatu. Your hotel transfer will be waiting to show you around town and escort you to your accommodation.

Day 2 (Wednesday 17/9) Port Vila

Enjoy the sights and activities of Port Vila.

Day 3 (Thursday 18/9) Port Vila

Extend your Port Vila experiences or simply relax into island time.

PORT VILA/SANTO/MOTA LAVA/RAH

Day 4 (Friday 19/9) Port Vila to Rah

This morning you will have a 1 hour flight to Santo where you will be met at the airport and introduced to Santo’s main town of Luganville to have a look around the markets, shops, etc. before returning to the airport 2 hours later for your flight from Santo to Mota Lava. Our local host will meet you at the Mota Lava airport for your 4WD transfer to the lagoon for your village welcome followed by a 10 minute outrigger canoe ride to the stunning Rah Island. The bungalows have excellent local food and swimming close by. All meals, activities, smiling islanders, coral reefs and stunning sunsets are included on Rah Island.

Day 5 (Saturday 20/9) *Rah Round Island Canoe Race Event and Festival*

Wake up in one of the most beautiful places in Vanuatu and there is a very good chance you will think you are still dreaming. You will hear the custom dancers approaching and see local ceremonies to honour the day’s events. Today is your chance to watch or join in the fun of an authentic local outrigger canoe race around Rah Island. The race takes approximately 30 minutes to complete. Teams compete for prizes. The atmosphere is fun and tribal as the people of Rah and Mota Lava celebrate this festival.

Day 6 (Sunday 21/9) Rah and Mota Lava islands

After the excitement of the canoe race and festival today is a good day to keep celebrating or relax and hang out with your local friends. There is unlimited snorkelling on reefs, canoeing, fishing and bush walking. Join in local community activities such as the Melanesian church service and hear gospel singing that will send shivers down your spine.

The finale tonight to your tropical tribal island escape is a Melanesian feast with local entertainment. You can choose from dinner on the beach or a fun party with the whole village community in their local Nakamal (meeting house). This is a funtastic, truly unforgettable community experience to complete an incredible week of discovery and fun.

Day 7 (Monday 22/9) Rah to Port Vila

Your host will escort you to outrigger canoes waiting on the lagoon to meet your 4WD transfer to the airport. Just after lunch you will fly from Mota Lava to Santo then on to Port Vila unless you wish to stay and play. Welcome back to ‘civilisation’.

POST TOUR

We can easily arrange for you to experience other islands in Vanuatu such as Santo, including diving on the President Coolidge wreck or simply return to Port Vila for an international flight. If you want to visit Tanna Island and see the world’s most accessible active volcano it is just a short one hour flight from Port Vila. Tanna overnight packages are available.

Example Tour Price:

7 Days: $2,383 per person subject to availability of airfares and accommodation used in this quote at time of publishing. To CONVERT from Australian dollars to another currency visit www.xe.com/ucc/

Includes: Return airfares from Brisbane to Port Vila and all domestic flights, accommodation (room only in Port Vila PLUS all meals, festival events and activities on Rah Island), return airport transfers, taxes and fuel surcharges.

Please Note: This kind of tour is custom made and only possible through in depth local knowledge and healthy relationships with remote island communities. There are definitely many unique “wow factors” on this tour which you will experience and will want to tell everyone about. There are not many places left like this in the world. We are proud to offer rare access with professional standards and the close collaboration and support of local communities.

BOOKINGS