Nguna and Pele Islands

Nguna and Pele sit off the northern tip of Efate, reached by open boat from Emua wharf, and both run village guesthouses and community-managed marine protected areas where the reef has recovered noticeably since the closures were put in. Nguna has a volcanic cone that can be climbed for the view over the group. Pele is smaller and flatter with good snorkelling straight off the beaches.

What you actually see

• The marine protected areas - reef closed by village decision and visibly recovered.
• Nguna's cone - the volcanic hill climbed for the view over the islands.
• The village guesthouses - accommodation run by the communities themselves.
• The snorkelling - reef reachable directly from the beaches on Pele.

When to go

April to October is the dry season with calmer crossings. November to March is wet with cyclone risk. Swell cancels the boat transfers.

Honest expectations

Accommodation is very basic with bucket showers and no power in places. Boat transfers are open craft and cancelled in swell. Meals are simple and set rather than chosen.

Nearby

Emua wharf is south, and Roi Mata's Domain is southwest.