House of travel Samoa & Vanuatu Brochure 2017 | Page 25

Experience
Espiritu Santo
S anto was the inspiration behind James Michener’s “Tales of the South
Cape Cumberland
Pacific”, giving the region an aura it’s never lost. Santo encompasses a natural
beauty and still remains largely untouched and unspoilt. Champagne Beach,
with its silver sand and sapphire sea, fulfils every tourist’s expectation of an
island paradise. The Blue holes and underground caves are just some of the
natural wonders not to be missed. Santo is a legendary destination in every
way, boasting Vanuatu’s highest mountains and vast expanses of rainforest.
Santo is also a dream destination for diving enthusiasts, the main attraction
being the wreck of the luxury liner SS President Coolidge, which sank just off
Santo in 1942 after striking a mine. Still almost intact, the liner is considered
one of the best and most accessible wreck dives in the world, you can still
see guns, cannons and personal supplies left by some of the soldiers. If you
want to see the whole wreck it takes around 10-15 dives due to its sheer size.
A bonus for divers is that close by is the aptly named Million Dollar Point,
where the American forces dumped all their surplus equipment at the end
of the war. In addition to these there are many other sites to explore in this
underwater playground.
Cape Quiros
Big Bay
Port Olry
Champagne Beach
Mt Kata
a mtam
Mt Tabwem
masai
mas
Santo Peak
a
ESPIRITU
SANTO
S Shark Bay
Mt Tawakola
a
Luganville
lle
2
1
3
4
Cape Lisburn
Maio
Million Dollar
Point Dive Site
Tutuba Point
Dive Site
President Coolidge
Dive Site
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