Easy Living – Ratua Private Island, Vanuatu

IMG_2205We were keen to get out of Luganville in order to catch up with our cruising buddies on ‘Rehua’ who we hadn’t seen for a couple of months. They were anchored off Ratua island, just a few miles away, and what a stunning location it is for a rendezvous.

We had another surprise in store as we got closer to the island, there in the anchorage were Kerry and Damian from “Sel Citron”, our neighbours from the hardstand in NZ, so it was an extra special reunion with cruising friends.

Nice to be anchored next to Rehua again!
Nice to be anchored next to Rehua again!
And Sel Citron...
And Sel Citron…

Ratua Private Island is fabulous – leased from the local communities by two former cruisers, they’ve created an eco-friendly and tasteful resort with Balinese-inspired buildings, and the most impressive part is that it’s a not-for-profit venture – all profits go to the local communities for educational, health and cultural projects. What a great idea!IMG_2215

IMG_2253IMG_2251IMG_2249

IMG_2230
Each bure has it’s own secluded waterfront

IMG_2257

Romantic dining on the waterfront
Romantic dining on the waterfront
and of course there's a fabulous over-water spa treatment bure
and of course there’s a fabulous over-water spa treatment bure

The resort provides two free moorings for visiting yachts or you can easily anchor in the sand in front of the resort – they’re very welcoming to yachties although the food and beverages are pretty pricey for those on a cruising budget.

Enjoying a few coldies with our cruising mates
Enjoying a few coldies with our cruising mates

Everyday we snorkeled in the crystal clear water and had encounters with the many resident turtles.

an abundance of fish life and interesting snorkelling
an abundance of fish life and interesting snorkelling
hello mr turtle
hello mr turtle

We also walked around the island (it takes about an hour). There are hundreds of goats (and their kids), lots of horses, a grass air strip, and a vast swathes of coconut palms left over from its’ plantation days. It was a little disconcerting walking through the plantation, hearing the loud ‘thump’ as coconuts fell to the ground – getting hit by one of those could ruin your day.IMG_2233

the airstrip on Ratua Island
the airstrip on Ratua Island
The horses roam free but you can ride them or swim with them
The horses roam free but you can ride them or swim with them

IMG_2262

there are also majestic trees on the island
there are also majestic trees on the island
And play equipment
And play equipment
And lots of lots of goats...
And lots and lots of goats…

IMG_2345On one of our walks we found a newborn kid that seemed to have either been abandoned by its’ mother or separated from her – we spent a long time searching without luck, so Audrie carried him to a nearby group of mums and babies, hoping they would look after him. He wasn’t anywhere to be seen the next day so hopefully he was reunited with his mum.

Audrie on a rescue mission for this little baby
Audrie on a rescue mission for this little baby

A few other boats arrived in the anchorage, so one afternoon we did a cruisers’ tour of the local blue hole – a convoy of dinghies navigating our way up the narrow, shallow creek to find the fresh-water lagoon at the end of it. It was a lot of fun, and there’s nothing like a fresh water swim on a hot day to reinvigorate you.

On the way to the blue hole
On the way to the blue hole
getting narrower..
getting narrower..
The cruisers convoy
The cruisers convoy
And there it was, the blue hole in the middle of the jungle
And there it was, the blue hole in the middle of the jungle

Ratua was such a special place that it would have been easy to stay for weeks, but with the cyclone season fast approaching it was time for us to go our separate ways – Rehua are going north into Micronesia, Sel Citron are heading back to New Zealand, and we’re heading home to Sydney via Huon and Chesterfield Reefs. We never know how long it will be before we see each other again, so the farewells are always hard – but as cruisers know it’s never goodbye, just ‘au revoir’.

IMG_2267

We're going to miss Audrie, Seathan, Tyrii & Aeneas on Rehua - let's hope it's not too long before we see you again
We’re going to miss Audrie, Seathan, Tyrii & Aeneas on Rehua – let’s hope it’s not too long before we see you again

Sadly our time in Vanuatu has been too short and there’s so much more of this beautiful country to explore. It will definitely be on the list to re-visit once we’re back out cruising again.IMG_2254

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.