What to do on Santo if your time is restricted? Everyone will have a different opinion. This is just mine... Riri and Matevulu Blue Holes are an absolute must. These can be done in 2 hours each, so easily tagged on to the end or the start of a day. Beware though, that it often rains in the late afternoon as Santo has a tropical climate. Riri is accessed via outrigger dugout canoe, whereas Matevul can be accessed by road or canoe (from Oyster Island). In 2015, it will also be accessible by Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) through Santo SUPS. Snorkeling or diving should also be seen as an essential activity. If youre a certified diver, then you will want to do the President Coolidge and Million Dollar Point for certain. Schedule a full day with 2 - 3 dives. If you only want to snorkel, then you you are best to choose between Aese Island and Million Dollar Point. However - as MDP gets a fair amount of chop from prevailing winds, Id opt for Aese Island hands down. Again - set aside a good half day and plan for lunch afterwards at Lope Lope Lodge. Easy to hit up Riri Blue Hole after lunch. If you seek hard core adventure, then you absolutely MUST NOT miss experiencing Millennium Cave. Its a full day though and you may be too sore or tired to move much the next day. It can only be done if there havent been heavy rains and should not be attempted if you are not fit and healthy. Also - leave the kids behind! For those wanting a somewhat similar experience where they can take the kids or expend a little less energy (and time), the Mount Hope River Float is an excellent option. A morning will suffice and youll be back in time for lunch about 1pm. To lounge around at a blue lagoon style beach and eat freshly caught lobster (NOT Coconut Crab), head up to one of three beaches: Port Olry (I strongly suggest you stay overnight as you will not want to leave), Lannoc (have lunch there), or Champagne Beach (NOT when the cruise ship is in. All of these require you to have a driver for the whole day or hire a car though! Check which direction the winds are coming in from before you go up and BYO snorkel, mask and refreshments! There are many excellent cultural/ village experiences and for a short stay, I would check with Mayumi at Wrecks to Rainforest in Luganville to get her suggestion as some will only run when there are sufficient people booked in. Two great new tours have started up in South Santo, but each requires a full day. Shorter trips are available to other villages. Please consider bringing a donation of clothes or educational equipment when you visit. If youre in to horse riding - or even if you havent ridden before but always fancied the idea of swimming with a horse or riding along a beach, then schedule in a half day to join a trail ride at Santo Horse Adventures. Its great to know all horses are rescue horses, so our money is supporting a great cause. Ask the operator Megan if you can sponsor a horse for a few months... Youll find profiles for all these activities in the Photo Albums section of this page. Remember: Santos weather is hot, so a half day adventure is usually all youll be able to manage most days. Dont try to cram too much in and set aside at least 2 hours for lunch (nothing is done fast on Santo). Enjoy!
Posted on: Sun, 07 Dec 2014 03:38:12 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015