MYSTERY ISLAND - existent shout INYEUG ISLAND - VANUATU
LAST VISITED JAN 2019
Mystery Island is most people's thought of a tropical isle - it is a coral cay, an ex atoll whose fundamental lagoon has been filled partially filled past times wave/wind deposited detritus from the reef. Mystery Island is pretty tiny - the province merely to its due north is a due south western peninsula on a bigger isle of Aneityum, which is inward the far due south of the Vanuatu isle chain. Note some confusion hither - HOLLAND AMERICA cruise trace calls the smaller isle ANEITYUM as well as the larger ane TANNA but other cruise lines as well as online sources differ.
RELATIVE SIZES As said, Mystery Island (at bottom) is tiny. I'm thinking 900m/200m longest/widest.
Vanuatu is a fair flake south-east of PNG's Trobriand islands - approx 2400km. But you lot are yet good as well as really inward the tropics. Aneityum is the southern-most isle visible inward the chain above. I pinched this map from https://lb.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanuatu. MYSTERY ISLAND-VANUATU (2) relative to other places inward this department - 1 KIBOLA-KIRIWANA-PNG 3 YEJELE-MARE-NEW CALEDONIA 4 NOUMEA-NEW CALEDONIA five ISL OF PINES-NEW CALEDONIA half dozen LIFOU-NEW CALEDONIA. Numbers may live on clearer if you lot click-expand image.
Aneityum (at left - top image) is pretty mountainous whereas Mystery isle is typical of coral cays which rarely larn to a greater extent than than a few meters inward a higher house sea level. I reckon this is the principal argue MI has no permanent village (the story goes it's haunted) - it would non live on also groovy during the huge waves as well as tidal surges of a tropical cyclone aka hurricane/typpoon. Lack of running H2O is some other problem. So "locals" alive on the bigger isle as well as motility across to sell beers, food, touristy souvenirs, hire snorkels etc when the cruise liners arrivE. Hell, at that topographic point is fifty-fifty a petroleum grass airstrip to enable access from farther afield - as well as it's nigh the alone apartment spot roughly Aneityum as well as thence naturally it acts equally that island's airpfield.
The full general expanse has a pretty large surrounding reef which requires cruise liners to moore a fair agency from the island, important tender trips are non short. However the isle as well as the reef provides proficient shelter from the prevailing due south eastward merchandise winds - inward iv visits nosotros accept e'er managed to larn onto the isle different nation nearby ISLE OF PINES. However I accept read that some cruise visits to MI accept ended amongst no landing - as well as thence perhaps nosotros accept been lucky. Kinky horizon from my elcheapo camera's panorama setting which doesn't e'er sew together shots all that well. However they utilize click-expand nicely.
Um---a picayune better. This shot shows to a greater extent than island, less surrounding reef-lagoon. I cranked inward enouth telephoto to approximated thought from send (most cameras' normal settings throw to mild broad angle which makes objects seem to a greater extent than distant as well as smaller).
BEST BEACH WINDY represents most pop beach spot, but if you lot brand it on a blustery 24-hour interval you lot may live on ameliorate off on the lee side (arrivial) of the isle - the whole beach along at that topographic point is SHELTERED. People seeking an uncrowded strip of sand should caput for the places marked "s" for SECLUSION. BEST SNORKELING I've works life is inward the south-east bay (fortunately the offshore reef protects this from bounding main swells as well as chop on blustery days) but I accept seen people snorkeling all roughly the island. Only house without sand is inward the far due south - hither a stone platform replaces silca, but I accept seen snorkelers working over the aqua here.
ANEITYUM behind VOYAGER OF THE SEAS Feb 2018;
This beach inward the island's south-east is in all probability the best, but at that topographic point are sections of sand all roughly the isle except at the really due south end. H5N1 walking rail does the circuit - took me nigh xl minutes. Note conditions conditions are of import - I accept been hither inward slowly Oct as well as Nov - despite beingness inward the sub-tropics, the SE trades as well as sea temps during Spring are non quite warm plenty to brand it pleasant on this exposed side of the isle on to a greater extent than blustery days - the western lee side is a ameliorate idea. H5N1 2016 visit was inward mid-summer Feb - the trades yet blowing but were welcome equally a cooling agent inward this hotter period. Water temp really nice.
PIER SIDE If it's windy, specially inward SPRING/AUTUMN you lot may prefer the arrival/lee side of the island.
The beach is okay hither - perhaps a flake narrow but plenty of room to lay a towel/sarong. There is express shade inward dorsum of the beach. Maybe the biggest hassle is a band of stone on entry to the H2O or merely offshore depending on the tide. Locals offering snorkeling gear as well as some neat glass-bottomed kayaks along here. Sheltered side - moving painting from the pier. These people are off on some diving/snorkeling/sightseeing trip. In this 2016 moving painting the LEGEND is a lot farther offshore than 2017 inward the shot before. If the air current has some due north inward it (not also mutual but featured our Feb 2018 visit) the department of beach roughly that far spit is sheltered.
Since this 2016 moving painting was shot a novel pier has been constructed.
WINDWARD SIDE This is the contrary side - pretty overnice when the air current is non also rigid (or on those mid-late summertime days when the Sun is existent hot as well as you lot welcome some cooling wind). This is 2017 moving painting is shot from to a greater extent than or less the same spot equally the 2015 ane upwards page. Area roughly photographic television set camera is proficient for people seeking depression crowds, but heading away from the camera.... ....you accomplish the MOST POPULAR beach expanse (doesn't seem existent crowded inward this shot) which is easily accessed past times walking the curt distance driectly across the isle from the arrivals pier. Beach is overnice hither - non also steep, broad plenty depression tide as well as amongst a bunch of local services behind (see adjacent spot). Water offshore is clear, doesn't shelve also quickly, protected from swell/chop past times really distant offshore reef, but at that topographic point is a flake of stone merely off the sand. Lotsa people snorkeling unopen inward amongst a few fish as well as rocks/coral to depository fiscal establishment fit but if you lot larn farther out you lot accomplish much ameliorate stuff.
There are a position out of proficient snorkeling spots, but a pop ane where a lot of the paid snorkeling trips larn is the ane mentioned inward a higher house off the fundamental south-east beach. The boat center-background is ane of the snorkel trip arts and crafts - if you lot await unopen you lot may run into heads inward H2O to correct of it. I swam out - it is nigh 250m - coral as well as fish were pretty proficient without beingness fantastic. Water pretty shallow. Close to shore at that topographic point were plenty fish as well as pocket-size coral patches to brand it interesting for novices.
Local dudes had cool bar gear upwards behind the sand. Beer/sot potable prices considerably lower than on ship.
COASTAL TRACK Around isle rail - xl minutes as well as I'm a tedious walker. Footwear advised - some roots as well as rocks inward places as well as inward the north-eat you lot divert onto the stone platform for a curt distance.
ISLAND INTERIOR The isle interior for some distance roughly the arrivals pier has lotsa attractive walkways leading to....
....a bunch of local's work organisation as well as services. Every fourth dimension nosotros render they accept upgraded the expanse - latest catch a really overnice modern lav block had been built as well as at that topographic point was a novel arrivals pier. Signs advertise eats/drinks/clothing/touristy trinkets/swimming-snorkelling gear for hire/snorkeling as well as other trips/ summation of course of study the ubiquitous as well as really pop pilus plaiting.
New inward Feb 2018 - a large sqare of shopping stalls offering the green clothing/artifacts/massages/hair braiding yada. This expanse instantly has to a greater extent than choice than the large pier-side markets at PORT VILA.
Not novel but e'er pop - the ol' canibal pot/snap pix fer $5. Guesse if I paid fer this shot.
Waiting to live on tendered dorsum to the Legend (tender transfers are free). Mystery Island seems a proficient anchorage - the island's reef gives protection from the SE swell as well as thence that transfers are relatively stable - inward iv visits nosotros accept got off the send each time, different nearby Isle of Pines (2 inward 4)
LATEST VISIT UPDATE Things were much the same inward JAN 2019 apart from beingness hotter on the lee side of the isle on work organisation human relationship of beingness the commencement high summertime visit). However the far side had a delightful sea breeze (um, really the SE TRADES which are the prevailing winds hither to a greater extent than oft than not) which made it the expanse to go. Plenty of tree shade inward dorsum of beach.
One novel to me characteristic (I didn't venture hither inward DEC 2018) was an expanse on the windward beach amongst several operators offering beach cabanas. Apparently rental includes drinks as well as snacks. Seemed really popular. (image TRIPADVISOR)
ACCESSING MYSTERY ISLAND. Nearly all visitors are cruise send passengers. It would live on possible to wing inward from PORT VILA or NOUMEA but amongst as well as thence many other closer options why would people utilize this? Ditto cruising yachts - MYSTERY ISLAND is overnice but VANUATU, THE SOLOMAN ISLANDS as well as NEW CALEDONIA'S LOYALTY ISLANDS accept hundreds of gorgeous beaches amongst proficient anchorages for pocket-size craft.
WARNING UPDATE - since our render from the latest JAN 2019 CRUISE social media has reported ane illustration of VANUATU CUSTOMS AUTHORITIES inspecting visitors' bags at the pier as well as fining them for whatever nutrient brought from the ship. This is e'er warned nigh prior to disembarkation but I accept to nation that inward perhaps a hundred SW PACIFIC shore-side visits over the years it has never happened to me. However the fine of $aud150 (added to your onboard account) is a groovy deterrent.
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