Siri Waterfall

Siri is the waterfall the outflow from Lake Letas makes as it leaves the caldera on Gaua, dropping around a hundred and twenty metres in a single fall through forest and generally reckoned the tallest in Vanuatu. It is reached on the walk between the coast and the lake, and the base can be approached along the river. Flow is heavy year round because the lake behind it is large.

Background

The fall was once known as Santa Maria Waterfall. It lies about 3 km inland from the eastern shore of Gaua. Its water comes from Lake Letas, a large freshwater lake in the island's central volcanic crater, lying about 600 meters above sea level. From the lake the outflow runs 3 km east to the lip of the fall. Below it, the water continues for another 3 km to the sea as a sizeable stream, the Bē Solomul River, formerly the Namang, also known as Big Water. A rough estimate made in August 2006, during the dry season, put the flow at approximately 5 cubic metres per second.

Source: Wikipedia, "Siri Waterfall"

What you'll find

• The single drop - around a hundred and twenty metres in one fall.
• The lake outflow - the source that keeps flow heavy year round.
• The forest setting - dense growth all around the base of the fall.
• The river approach - the route to the base along the water.

When to go

April to October is the dry season and the walk is manageable. Flow is heavy in every month because of the lake behind it. Wet season tracks become impassable.

Before you go

Reaching it is a hard walk of several hours through mud and river crossings. A guide is mandatory and custom fees apply. There are no facilities anywhere on the route.

Nearby

Lake Letas is above, and Sola is north.

Key facts