An island off an island. How much more idyllic can it get? When it comes to Moso, not much.

A short boat ride off the west coast of Efate, Vanuatu’s most populated island, sits Moso Island. At less than 25 kilometres squared, the tropical island isn’t super tiny but it’s small enough that it’s easily explored in a weekend. Although we spent four days here, either a quick 48-hour sojourn or an extended three-day weekend would give you plenty of time to make the most out of the island.

What to do on Moso Island

Snorkelling

Surrounded by pristine beaches and colourful coral reefs, Moso Island is paradise for water-lovers.

Just metres from the door of our beachfront bungalow, we could step right into the warm waters of Havannah Harbour and set off snorkelling. Beautiful, healthy coral reefs line the shores here and provided hours and hours of exploring. (As much as we love snorkelling at home in Sydney, this was nothing short of incredible.)

Turtles, eels, clown fish and plenty of bright-blue starfish were found in the clear waters. We were told that it’s not that uncommon to see dolphins or dugongs, too, but we weren’t that lucky.

Diving

Being pretty avid divers, we opted to stay at Tranquility Island Resort, which is known for its diving. And on the last day of our stay, we finally got to blow some bubbles.

A truly unique feeling, was experiencing a (luckily) minor earthquake under water. Surprisingly, the fish nor coral seemed to move but you could definitely feel it.

When the resort is busy, there is diving available every day and you can even take courses here to get certified. And with calm waters and plenty to see, it’s a beautiful place to learn.

Note: When it’s not busy, there may not be a dive guide available at the resort unless it’s booked in advance. We learned the hard way and had to wait until the last day we could dive as they weren’t available everyday.

Bushwalking

From our bungalow at Tranquility, we had a few options for bushwalks. But, given the tides, we were recommended to take the roughly 5 km walk to Fred’s Beach on the west side of the island.

(Other options included heading to the southern-most tip for a sunset view and caves. These ones you’ll need to plan around tides.)

Armed with no map, we set off at the instruction of the hotel staff to just follow Boots, one of the resort’s three dogs. A bit apprehensive at first, we followed her along the rough track all the way to Fred’s Beach. Beautiful and secluded, but unfortunately too rough that day for swimming, the beach felt untouched. Much like our resort, there wasn’t a single person there and it felt like we had our own little private island escape.

Where to stay on Moso Island

Unlike Efate, Moso has very few accommodation options. We stayed at Tranquility Island Resort, which is the only budget-friendly option on the island.

Tranquility Island Resort

Less than a dozen simple bungalows, a dorm and a camp site make up the place. Private rooms start at about 8,800 vatu (AU$120) per night.

Rooms

Although it was basic, it was just what we needed. The open air (but secure from insects thanks to netting) bungalows let the ocean breeze come through overnight and featured a private bathroom with shower. We will admit though, on the night with no wind it was quite warm, but we were there during the wet season which meant additional humidity.

Food and drink

There’s no a la carte restaurant at Tranquility, so guests have two options: buy a full-board meal plan, or purchase individual meals. We opted for the full-board plan.

While you don’t get to choose from a menu, the cook does cater to any dietary requirements. We didn’t have any, so enjoyed whatever he served us – and enjoy it we did. Everything served tasted great, especially any dish that was made using the island’s fresh fruit and vegetables.

If you want a cold drink or a glass of wine with dinner, there is a self-serve “bar” (an esky with some ice blocks!), and you mark down what you took and pay when you check out. There’s always a few cold tuskers inside that are just perfect after a day under the warm, tropical sun.

Other accommodation options on Moso Island

If you’re looking for something a bit more upscale, The Moso features a selection of villas (many with private pools) starting from about 50,000 vatu per night (AU$700) including all meals and transfers.

Alternatively, you can stay in Port Havannah across the water and take a day trip over to Moso Island.

Where to eat on Moso Island

There aren’t any public eateries for tourists on Moso Island, so unfortunately you will need to either purchase meals at your accommodation or self-cater.

How to get to Moso Island

From Port Vila, you’ll need to either hire a car or book a transfer to the pier where your accommodation’s boat will pick you up. It’s about a 40-minute drive.

Where to go next…