Eratap Beach Resort

We asked if we could buy a fresh papaya, and the resort manager arranged something far better. Our whole family went to a papaya tree, where a local maintenance worker climbed up, picked two big ones, then cut and cleaned them with his machete and served them to us under the tree. Nobody asked for payment, though we tipped generously when we left. That says a lot about the way we were treated at Eratap. We felt like friends welcomed as family, not customers there to be squeezed for every dollar. We visited at the end of 2024, and it’s still my most treasured holiday. I’ve stayed in many five-star hotels and resorts across many countries, and Eratap beats them all, perhaps except for the Marriott in Phuket, Thailand, which is also amazing. Everything here felt like six stars out of five: the staff, resort, food, drinks, pool, snorkeling, beaches, canoeing and activities.

We were lucky to be in Vanuatu for its 45th Independence Day, and seeing the local colours, celebrations and national pride was wonderful. After five nights at Eratap, my wife and I came home feeling the warm weather, water and friendly people had been a great escape from the Australian winter. The best part for us was snorkeling just in front of our villa. We wanted a restful trip without too many planned excursions, so having a daily resort activity to choose from worked well. We’d arranged a sailing and snorkeling cruise ahead of time and joined three of the other activities. The accommodation, facilities, grounds and amenities were excellent. The staff were so hospitable too. Tony made us feel at home straight away, and Pascall was very helpful.

The snorkeling was great, and lunch was good. But day visitors have very limited access: you can use the restaurant and the nearby swimming area, but not the pool or other resort facilities. You also can’t walk along the main beach, and there aren’t any beach chairs where you can relax.

Snorkeling straight from the resort was the main reason I picked this place for a September school holiday with my two teenage girls, and it really delivered. The house reef was a highlight, with beautiful coral formations. We also had a lovely moment after our first snorkel at Castaway Island, when the girls said, “that was amazing, can we do that again?” It was nice seeing them put their devices aside and enjoy Vanuatu 🌴🌺 Our two-bedroom villa suited us perfectly, and the people and service were wonderful. Melanie made us feel like VIPs at the restaurant. Glenda at the shop always greeted us with a smile and helped when we’d forgotten some travel essentials. Thanks as well to the team who safely took us to and from the surrounding islands, ready to help if anything went wrong while we were snorkeling. Pascalle, the manager, was always around, and her knowledge of ocean conditions and extra effort made the stay so enjoyable. Tony, thank you for creating a beautiful resort that respects its surroundings and the coral reefs. It’s small and quiet, with everything close by. We made some lovely memories here.