Pacific Island Living Issue 10

ISSN 2200-9566

9 772200 956005

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Wedding Packages Hair Massage Natural facials Body Wraps Manicures Pedicures Waxing

Chantilly’s On The Bay Ph. 22740 Port Vila , Vanuat u Visit u s on www.bodyandsoulvanuatu. com

For all of your Hair Beauty and Spa Treatments

Body and Soul Special!!!

Volcanic Hot Stone Massage 1 hour 6,000vt Couples 11,000vt

The heart and soul of Brisbane.

Weekends from $185 per night at the epicentre of the city’s shopping and entertainment.

Historic Royal Albert Hotel is your central base for exploring the city on foot and enjoying everything from fine food to fashion, from the Casino to South Bank Parklands, from shopping to cruising the Brisbane River. Spacious guest rooms have 12 foot high ceilings, kitchens and dining rooms. Book now!

BRISBANE

Reservations: Freecall 1800 655 054 stay@royalalbert.com.au / www.royalalbert.com.au Corner of Albert and Elizabeth Streets, Brisbane.

INVESTMENT PROPERTY FOR SALE

P.O.A

• Good return • Long-term lease (Australian Government) • Good location, close to town and fully secure Located on the main island of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. Secure compound of three homes each consisting of three bedrooms, two-bathrooms, open plan lounge, kitchen and dining room.

Compound is fully fenced and supported by two on-site guard houses. Swimming pool also onsite.

Contact: +678 5522 744 or sales@airworxengineering.com

SEE VANUATU IN STYLE * New Vehicles * Competitive Rates * Free delivery & Pick up

Go to the Avis counter upon arriving in Vanuatu and present your boarding pass for great deals on your next car hire.

Asco Motors Lini Highway Port Vila Monday - Friday 7:30am - 5:00pm Saturday,Sunday and Public Holidays 7:30am - 12:00noon

AVIS

Phone: (678) 22497 Mobile: (678) 5542341 Web: www.avis.com.vu Email: reservations@avis.vu

Come and have a taste of the opulence, glamour and excitement of Monte Carlo right here at Vanuatu’s premier casino. The Grand Hotel & Casino is in the heart of town, with crystal chandeliers, gold leaf ceilings and meticulous attention to detail throughout, you’ll feel like you’re there, and best of all it’s at a price you can afford!

With Roulette tables starting with a minimum bet of only 100vt, as well as Blackjack, Baccarat and our newest game Texas Hold’em Bonus. Or just try your luck on any of our state of the art poker machines and have a chance of winning one of our many jackpots for as little as 1vt.

p +678 27344 hotel Lini Highway, Port Vila, Vanuatu e info@grandcasinovanuatu.com www.grandvanuatu.com

proudly

International Freight Forwarding Specialists How Can We Help?

Air Freight Sea Freight Air & Sea Charter Customs Clearance International Logistics Warehousing and Distribution

â– Cargo Transport System offers a complete range of freight forwarding and international logistics services, including importing and exporting, air freight and sea freight, Quarantine and Customs clearance as well as warehousing and distribution. With a truly global freight forwarding network, Cargo Transport System can take care of all your international shipping needs. â– As we have our own warehouse and a team of qualified international logistics experts in-house, we can provide a personalised service and customise a freight forwarding solution specific to your needs. We have shipped cargo as small as 200 grams through to equipment as big as 200 tons.

Cargo Transport - 3 Viola Place Brisbane Airport | PO Box 336 Banyo QLD 4014 Phone: (07) 3363 0400 | Fax: (07) 3860 4322 | www.cargotransport.com.au Contact David Brough: david@cargotransport.com.au

Looking towards the central ranges from the Kuma Rivermouth at Kuma on the Weathercoast (above)

LELEPA ISLAND DAY TOURS

So many have called it Paradise… but we call it home.

■ 100% owner operated by the local Lelepa Islanders

■ We operate every day except Saturday.

■ Fishing Charters half day and full day available.

Your day tour includes:

Return transfers, morning and afternoon refreshments, BBQ lunch, snorkelling at our beautiful coral garden, visit our historical cave, learn about native herbs used for medicines and visit the kids in our village.

traveller rating

Phone: +678 23144 or +678 77-42714 | Email: lelepatours@vanuatu.com.vu | Web: www.lelepaislandtours.com

Serviced Apartments Spacious & Panoramic Harbour Views Studio & Two Bedroom Apartments Free WIFI, Tour, Business & Concierge Services CORPORATE RATES AVAILABLE www.mariner.vu | Phone: +678 29802 reservation@mariner.vu ratua island 170-117,5 demi-page_presse 14/04/2014 12:10 Page2

PRIVATE

ISL AND

Investing in Paradise?

Come and talk to us.

MULTI-CURRENCY DEPOSITS & LOANS, INVESTMENT FINANCE SAFE, SECURE BANKING 22201 Tel: Tel: (678)(678) 22201 Fax: (678) 27227 Fax: (678) 27227 Email: info@nbv.vu Email: nationalbank@vanuatu.com.vu Website: www.nbv.vu Website: www.nbv.vu

With 30 branches and agencies across the major islands of Vanuatu, “NBV” is committed to offering a wide range of banking services (including internet banking) and to the development of our community.

We’re much more than a bank

Taste Beyond Anything You’ve Ever Experienced!

A new concept in personalised cooking, your meal remains hot and succulent after being cooked on the natural volcanic stone.

Whether it’s prime Vanuatu beef grilled to your personal taste, local lobster tail or fresh seafood. Not to be missed!

Open 7 days a week from 11.30am to 9:30pm. Reservations Recommended | 5 Mins from town | Phone 5464506

adventure

Solomon’s Diving Delights Shannon Kozak finds the ideal way to experience the scuba diving wonders of the Solomon Islands.

J

acques Cousteau famously said “The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.”

That is certainly true here in the Solomon Islands as our underwater world is as beautiful as it is diverse. Scuba diving the Solomons offers a unique opportunity to explore and the best way to maximise your experience is from a live-aboard dive boat.

In a world where we so often hear about degradation of the ocean’s health due to agricultural run-off, sewage and other environmental concerns, the conditions throughout the Solomon Islands are remarkably good due to the limited

number of visitors and the care with which the local operators treat the reefs.

Volcanic views

While there are numerous locations to dive in the Solomons, my favourite is a weekend or week long trip out to the Russell Islands. After an overnight steam from Honiara to Russell Islands, you wake in the morning to views of volcanic islands surrounded by numerous other smaller islets. By the time you are ready for your first dive, the locals may already have brought their canoes out for a visit.

Discover the undiscovered waters of Solomon Islands.

Experience some of the best diving in the world directly from MV Solomon Star.

Explore pristine untouched reefs, WWII wrecks and warm waters all year round, right on your doorstep. Only 3 hours from Brisbane, this underwater-explorer’s dream awaits.

2 Night - Florida Islands - Explore sheer walls, fan gardens, manta ray feeding stations, lava tubes and more 3 Night - Russell Islands - Dive the world famous Mirror Pond, Wreck of the Ann, find macro critters, schooling barracuda and sharks 7 Night - Central Province - Dive cuts, caverns and caves, hang with pelagics, enjoy an uninhabited island picnic and visit a local village

For more information or to make a reservation, visit www.solomonsdiving.com

66 | Islandliving pacific

One of the most well known dives in the Solomons is Leru Cut. Soft corals and gracious sea fans punctuate the wall there, but the true reason to dive this site is the morning light which filters through a gigantic crevice in the face of the island.

Look up and you will see your fellow divers silhouetted in the gleam of the sun.

Another phenomenal dive is Mirror Pond. There is a swimthough tunnel that exits into an idyllic pond in the interior of the island. It is rimmed by tropical vegetation and its calm surface gives the site its iconic name. Large isolated bommies arise from a plateau, and fish, such as the longsnout butterflyfish, which are particularly well-suited to foraging among the corals are abundant here.

A lesser known but equally spectacular site is Custom Caves where both the snorkelling and the diving is incredible.

On our last visit to the site, we were surrounded by a huge pod of dolphins who came to visit and play.

Mary Island highlight

A highlight location is Mary Island, just west of the Russell Islands. With two separate reefs, Barracuda Point and Jackfish Point, this region is noted for immense schools of jacks and treveally. The conditions here are pristine as this site is typically only visited on a seven day diving adventure.

There are only a few options for diving in the Solomons and the newest operator is Solomon Island Dive Expeditions.

With two or three-day weekend trips scheduled almost every weekend and seven day trips scheduled once a month, locals and travellers alike have the opportunity to explore our underwater world.

Three room classes are offered for every budget and trips are all inclusive with departures on Thursday or Friday evening from Honiara. Monthly specials offer the opportunity for even greater savings such as the upcoming two for one deal on the operation’s adventure special beginning September 23. See: www.solomonsdiving.com •

This spectacular underwater world awaits in the Solomons.

Smart Casual Italian “Fusion” Dining & Bar Eat • Drink • Swim • Massage Degustation Lunches Weddings & Functions Cooking Classes Open Wednesday to Sunday 11am – 8pm Located at Havannah Harbour 30 min from Port Vila

mobile. +678 7719898 email. gm@francescas.com.vu website. www.francescas.com.vu

Fr a n c e s c a ’ s Italian Restaurant & Bar

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Market stalls at both Santa Caterina and La Boqueria: Eggs and more eggs, from Ostrich eggs to the common old chook variety. Confectionery in every colour, razor clams, poultry and hams of every type, jamon Iberico to serrano. Below Gaudi’s Sagrada Família basilica.

La Boqueria market which is spilling over with mouth watering produce, you have to envy those who use it as their local supermarket.

Vanuatu Food Safari

Marine Consultancy Services Vanuatu’s Number One Inter-Island Freight and Passenger Service

Two landing craft vessels with weekly departure from Santo & Port Vila. Servicing Ambae, Pentecost, Ambrym & Epi.

LC Brisk, 25m x 8m bow loading landing craft.

Slip your curiosity in high gear and join me on a culinary day out on our beautiful island. You are invited on my own cook’s journey through the South Pacific, a unique food experience that’s inspiring, informative and fun!

Cooking classes by appointment.

For details, bookings and availability please contact: W: www.vanuatufoodsafari.com T: +678 26 108 M: +678 775 1793 E: bookings@vanuatufoodsafari.com

LC Tina 1, 40m x 11m stern loading landing craft.

General freight, heavy machinery passenger services.

Offices in Port Vila & Santo, private facilities & storage.

Available for private charter For enquiries phone 678 36517 or email enquiries@mcs.vu

www.vanuatufreightcompanies.com

Islandliving pacific

Another fun way to explore the islands is to take a local bus. If the bus is full when you board locals will sit on another person’s lap.

There are no bus stops around the islands, so just wave down a bus if you want to get on, and when you want to get off simply pull the cord to ring the buzzer.

Solomon Islands

Capital: Honiara Country code: +677 Population: 549,598 (2012) Currency: Solomon Islands dollar Official language: English Language Solomon Islands Time Zone (UTC+11:00) Basic Language • Good morning – mone/moning • Hello – Halo • Goodbye – Baebae • See you again – lukim yu moa • Thank you – Tagio tumas • Do you speak English – yu save tok englis • My name is – nem blong mi hem • I do not understand – mi no save/mi no undastadem Business Hours Banking hours in Honiara are from 8.30am to 3pm Monday to Friday (ANZ and Westpac open at 9am).

Government offices open

from 8am to noon and 1pm to 4pm Monday to Friday.

Private businesses close half an hour later and operate on Saturday until midday.

Most shops in town open from 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday and until noon on Saturday – some open longer, including on Sunday.

Transportation Not all taxis are metered, so agree on a price at the start of your journey. Solomon Airlines offer flights to the outer islands.

Tonga

Capital: Nuku’alofa Currency: pa’anga (TOP) Population: 106,137 (July 2002 est.)

Language: Tongan, English Time Zone: UTC +13 Basic language • Hello – Malo a lelei • Do you speak English – ‘Oku ke lava ‘o lea fakapalangi?

• I don’t understand –‘Oku ‘ikai ke mahino kiate au • How much is it? – ‘Oku fiha • Please – Faka molemole • Thank you (very much) – Malo (‘aupiti) Business Hours Tonga’s businesses operate Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 4.30pm, on Saturday from 8.30am to 12noon. It is important to note that all businesses are

closed on Sundays, this includes most cafés and bars. Food is available in hotels and resorts.

Transportation Most of the Island groups are serviced by inter island ferries, most of which depart from Queen Salote Wharf in Nuku’alofa. Water Taxis offer one way or round trip transfers between islands on fast, reliable and comfortable speed boats.

Road taxis are unmetered and often unmarked but identified by the letter T at the beginning of the number plate.

An acceptable fare from the International Airport to downtown Nuku’alofa would be $30 and short trips around the capital $5-$6.

Vanuatu

Capital: Port Vila Currency: Vatu, although AUD accepted in main towns Official languages: English, French and Bislama Population: 220,000 Time zone: GMT/UMT plus 11 hours.

Basic Language • How much is that? – Hamas long hem?

• I don’t know. – Mi no save • This is broken – Samting ia hemi bugarup or Samting ia i brok • How are you? – Olsem

wanem • Thank you –Tankyu • Thank you very much – Tankyu tumas • My name is… – Nem blong mi • What time does the plane land? – Wanem taem plen ia lan?

• Food/eat – Kai Kai Business Hours Offices and shops usually open from 7.30 -11.30am and 1.30 - 5.00pm Monday to Friday.

Many shops open on Saturday morning. Siesta (lunchtime) is 11.30am - 1.30pm when many businesses and shops close. Restaurants, cafés, supermarkets, banks and the Port Vila market remain open.

Vanuatu Post has locations throughout the country, some shared with the National Bank of Vanuatu. The Port Vila Post Office is open Monday to Friday 7.30am - 5.00pm and Saturday 7.30am - 11.30am Transportation Driving in Vanuatu is on the right hand side of the road.

Apart from taxis buses are a great way to get around town.

Any minibus with a red B on the number plate will take you on its route in central Port Vila for VT150 and trips further afield start at VT200.

Air Vanuatu flies to the outer islands of Vanuatu.•

islandliving | 97 pacific

Vanuatu | Fiji | Singapore | Australia | Hong Kong

strength experience growth We provide a fresh entrepreneurial approach to your investments in the South Pacific region.

Specialising in Tourism & Infrastructure Advisory, Investment & Asset Advisory and Funding, Government & Regulatory Advisory and Representation.

For results orientated advice, make Pacific Advisory your first call.

Vanuatu +678 22404 Fiji +679 9982 130 Hong Kong +852 8198 8410 Austrailia +61 415 588 546

Glen Craig Managing Partner

First Floor, The Loft Complex, Lini Highway, Vanuatu info@pamadvisory.com | www.pamadvisory.com