Espiritu Santo is the largest island of the Vanuatu archipelago (4010 sq. km).

Its relief is quite characteristic of these places – along the west coast there is a high mountain range with the highest point of the country – the dormant volcano Tabwemasana (1877 m). The southern and eastern parts of the island are flat and almost entirely covered by crop plantations.

Because of its size and abundance of mountains, Santo, as the locals call it, has the largest tracts of relict rainforest, and is home to more than 170 species of birds and more than a dozen species of orchids. Huge kauri trees still form vast forests in the southwestern mountainous regions of this stunningly beautiful island.

Magnificent islets lie just a few hundred meters from the coconut-fringed white beaches, the amazing blue ocean water highlights the green of majestic mountains, and stunning gorges are sheltered by centuries-old rainforest.

The northern part of the island is home to Vanuatu’s first National Park, Big Bay, which ensures that this ancient island will retain its beauty for centuries.

Espiritu Santo was the first island of Vanuatu to be discovered by Europeans in the 17th century and was the most attractive place for European settlers. During World War II, the island was a major military base with more than 100,000 Allied soldiers. Despite this, the local tribes managed to preserve their culture, the most famous hotbeds of which are Fanafo, the birthplace of the country’s independence movement, and the Sakao Peninsula on the west coast.

Luganville is the capital of the island and the second largest city in Vanuatu (260 northwest of Port Vila). The appearance of the city is not impressive – in fact, it is a lot of modest two-story buildings, rusting hangars, and World War II-era headquarters structures that the Allied army simply didn’t remove for lack of use. There are very few restaurants and cafes – the locals prefer to cook at home, and tourists are rare guests here. The only exceptions are “nakamals” (cava bars) and a small, colorful market. But Luganville is the starting point for trips to northern islands like Pentecost, Maevo, or the Torres Group.