Resort Advice

I will be visiting in July and plan to stay for about 5 nights. I am really keen to find a resort that is self-contained, offers a pool, spa, perhaps a recreation room with games, nice outlook, restaurant, cocktail bar and possibly even shops nearby. I don't know if this list is too long :S

I have done a lot of looking online but am keen for suggestions from people who have actually been there and done it! I did a lot of traveling around last year so really looking for this holiday to be one of relaxation rather than itineraries and early starts!

Thanks all :)

Do you want to see any of Vanuatu? If you want only those things that you have listed then go to a resort closer to home. Hamilton Island in Australia sounds like it would suit you perfectly.

Irririki is probably the resort that fits your description or you could try Le Lagon.

Vanuatu is not a shopping destination.

Is this a piece of blatant advertising at #2 - which is forbidden on this forum. All of this person's previous posts seem to be about their own website.

We stayed a week on Erakor Island. It was nice and relaxing. It's expensive, though...! It's a short taxi ride to Port Vila. I agree the shops aren't great in PV, but I did manage to pick up some good quality fake Lacoste shirts...10x better quality than Mauritius.

Their website doesn't say much, so I don't know if they still do it but they used to have a sundowner "happy hour" every day, Tuskers 2 for the price of 1. The diving was nothing spectacular, but we were there right after a cyclone. There's a "kava village" on an island just adjacent - that was really fun. We met a mad Aussie couple there and pretty much did everything together. I think if not for that it would have been rather dull, but the view is great, the water's nice, it's very kicked back and the food is very good (recommend the coconut crab).

Oh, I should have mentioned - they have pool, spa, bar, restaurant and a pool table, plus lots of nature on the island. Or at least they did - we were there over 6 years ago.

I have to second that - I visited Erakor Island resort and it looks glorious.

This all depends on your priorities. If you want to dive - Hideaway, lie on the beach - Breakas, isolation - Bokissa. Of these the one with the best transport to the shops is Breakas. Buses go by all day.

I just had a couple of nights on Bokissa. It fits you criteria. It's a lovely, relaxing resort. As someone above points out it is isolated so there are no shops nearby.