Champagne Beach in Vanuatu is repeatedly described as the most beautiful beach in the South Pacific. The completely untouched beach and the crystal-clear, turquoise-blue sea captivate every visitor.
The gorgeous Champagne Beach is located in the north-east of Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu's largest island. It is one of the most visited sights on the island and one of our top 10 sights in the South Seas.
Champagne Beach got its exquisite name from volcanic rock in front of its shore, which repeatedly sent gas bubbles to the surface of the water. The first travellers to Champagne Beach were involuntarily reminded of bubbling champagne. The phenomenon is best at low tide, but even then it is not always visible.
From Luganville, Champagne Beach can be reached by car along the east coast of Espirito Santo in just under one and a half hours. The picturesque bay is also frequently visited by Australian cruise ships.
Once at the beach, the almost 1-kilometre-long pristine sandy beach shaded by lush vegetation and the crystal-clear turquoise sea immediately captivate every visitor, and the entrance fee is extremely low.
The small, powder-soft beach fringes a bay full of coral and is bordered by emerald-green rainforest that stretches over the rolling hills towards the interior. The calm, shallow waters never get colder than 22°C and reach almost bathtub temperature at 28°C in summer. For swimming, snorkelling, beach walks or simply sunbathing and relaxing, Champagne is the absolutely perfect destination in Vanuatu.
There are no hotels on Champagne Beach itself - thank goodness. The nearest accommodation is in Hog Harbour, the former seat of the British administration, or at nearby Lonnoc Beach. Thus, despite the occasional visits of cruise ships, Champagne Beach has been able to retain its unspoilt paradisiacal atmosphere.
Lonnoc Beach
If you walk a little further east from Champagne Beach, you reach the lesser known but no less magnificent Lonnoc Beach. Here, the privately run Lonnoc Beach Bungalows offer accommodation and meals in the beautiful tropical surroundings and only a few minutes' walk from Champagne Beach.
Matavulu Blue Hole
The Matavulu Blue Hole is located on the route between Luganville and Champagne Beach. From a former World War II airstrip near Matavulu, turn left over a hill to a gate, which unfortunately is often locked. Here you can leave your car and walk further down to a gorgeous natural freshwater pool with deep blue water. There are ropes hanging from the trees around the Blue Hole for the brave to swing into the water.
Tip: The Blue Hole is home to small black snails with sensitive pointed spines on their shells. Best to wear shoes or at least watch where you step.
The Manavutu Blue Hole is not the only natural pool on Santo. The Blue Holes offer an ideal way to rid your skin of sand and salt on the way back from Champagne Beach.
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