Mount Yasur
VolcanoThe active volcano and ash plain.
Vanuatu city guide
Tanna Travel Guide
Tanna is home to Mount Yasur, an active volcano where you can stand on the crater rim at dusk and watch it throw lava into the sky. Around it is an island of custom villages, black-sand beaches and bungalows, about an hour's flight from Port Vila.
About 1 hour
Flight from Port Vila
VT10,000–20,000
Mount Yasur with transport
1774
Cook names Port Resolution
Tanna at a glance
Tanna is an island in the south of Vanuatu, about an hour's flight from Port Vila. It's green, rugged and rural, with villages, gardens and forest, and very few roads.
Mount Yasur, on the east side of the island, is one of the most accessible active volcanoes in the world. Tours drive across the ash plain and walk up to the crater rim at dusk, when the eruptions glow in the dark.
Tanna is also one of the most traditional islands in Vanuatu. Some villages still live by kastom (custom), and the John Frum movement, a cargo cult, is based around Sulphur Bay.
The airport and the main town, Lenakel, are on the west coast. Most places to stay near the volcano are simple bungalows on the east side, a long 4WD ride across the island.
Two or three nights is ideal, with one evening at the volcano.
Where to stay on Tanna
Stay near Mount Yasur for easy volcano trips, or on the west coast near the airport and Lenakel. Most places are simple bungalows.
Port Resolution
Bay and beachesSheltered bay on the east coast.
Sulphur Bay
John FrumVillage near the volcano.
Lenakel
Town and airportThe main town on the west coast.
Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Mount Yasur, custom villages and Port Resolution
Visit Mount Yasur at dusk. Tours drive across the ash plain by 4WD, then walk up to the crater rim to watch the volcano throw lava a few hundred metres away. The fee, including the custom fee to the landowners, is VT10,000 to VT20,000 with transport. Access depends on the alert level, which can change without warning.
Visit a custom village, where people still live by traditional ways, with dances and demonstrations of daily life.
See Port Resolution, a sheltered bay on the east coast named by Captain Cook in 1774, with beaches and snorkelling.
Walk across the ash plain below Yasur, a strange grey landscape.
Learn about the John Frum movement around Sulphur Bay.
Snorkel and swim from the black-sand and coral beaches.
Free things
Tanna for free (or nearly)
Little is free on Tanna, as most land is customary and sites charge custom fees.
Swimming from your bungalow's beach is usually included.
Watching Yasur's glow at night from a distance is free.
Food and drink
Bungalow meals and laplap
Tanna has very few restaurants. Bungalows cook for guests, usually with set meals of fish, root crops, fruit and laplap.
Lenakel has a market and small shops.
Bring snacks and cash from Port Vila.
Nightlife
The volcano and kava
On Tanna, the evening is the volcano. Otherwise, it's kava at a nakamal, dinner at your bungalow and early nights.
Tanna kava is famously strong, and some nakamals don't welcome women. Ask your host.
Getting around
Getting to and around Tanna
Air Vanuatu flies from Port Vila to Tanna in about an hour. Schedules change and cancellations happen, so leave a buffer day.
The airport is near Lenakel, on the west coast. The drive across the island to Mount Yasur takes a couple of hours by 4WD, on rough roads.
There's no public transport to speak of. Bungalows arrange 4WD transfers and volcano tours.
Costs
What Tanna costs
Tanna is not cheap, mainly because of the flight and the volcano. Hostelworld has no listings right now, so book bungalows directly, often with meals.
Mount Yasur costs VT10,000 to VT20,000 with transport and the custom fee.
Domestic flights from Port Vila are the other big cost.
There are few ATMs, so bring cash.
Allow around VT9,000 to VT16,000 a day, before the volcano.
Safety
Staying safe on Tanna
Mount Yasur is an active volcano. Its alert level is monitored and can change without warning, and access closes when it rises. Follow your guide, stay where you're told and don't argue with closures.
Check the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geohazards Department before you go, and make sure your insurance covers volcanic activity.
Roads are rough, and vehicles are often poorly maintained.
Malaria is present on some islands, so take medical advice before travelling.
Medical care is very basic. In an emergency, call 112.
Day trips on Tanna
Tanna's trips are to the volcano, villages and the coast.
Mount Yasur at dusk
The crater rim as night falls.
Custom village
Traditional dances and daily life.
Port Resolution
Bay, beaches and snorkelling.
What's on
What's on on Tanna
The Toka Festival, a custom exchange between villages, is held every few years.
Irregular, dry season
Toka Festival
Tanna
A custom exchange festival between villages, every few years.
30 July
Independence Day
Nationwide
Celebrations marking independence in 1980.
April to October
Dry season
Tanna
The best weather for the volcano.
When to go to Tanna
Tanna is slightly cooler than the rest of Vanuatu, with highs from 24°C to 29°C. April to October is the dry season and the best time. November to April is hot, wet and cyclone season.
Jan
Hot, wet and cyclone risk
Feb
Wettest
Mar
Still wet
Apr
Improving
May
Dry season
Jun
Cool and dry
Jul
Peak season
Aug
Cool and clear
Sep
Excellent
Oct
Still dry
Nov
Cyclone season returns
Dec
Hot and wet
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average daily highs from weather2travel's Tanna climate data. Crowd levels are our rough guide.
How much does Tanna cost per day?
Pick a style and a number of nights for a rough total. Per day, for one person, in vatu.
Estimates, based on bungalow prices. Mount Yasur at VT10,000–20,000 and flights sit outside these figures.
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- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
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Tanna FAQs
Prices and timetables change. Check before you travel.
Can you stand on the rim of Mount Yasur?
Yes, on guided tours at dusk, when the alert level allows. Access closes when it rises.
How much does it cost to visit Mount Yasur?
About VT10,000 to VT20,000 with transport and the custom fee.
How do I get to Tanna?
By Air Vanuatu from Port Vila, about an hour.
Are there hostels on Tanna?
Not on Hostelworld right now. Bungalows booked directly are the option.
How long should I spend on Tanna?
Two to three nights.
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