Torres Islands, the forgotten islands of Vanuatu
Far from Port Vila, visitors to the Torres Islands are few. The islands are lightly populated and natural resources are mostly abundant. They have white sand beaches and there's rumoured to be surf on Hiu Island.

The small village of Lunghariki on Loh hosts the administrative centre for the Torres Islands (a vacant looking government building). There is a community phone (38565) and medical clinic but no bank, no police station and just a couple of very basic stores.

There's almost no copra production in the Torres Islands and ships visit only when there's a reasonable load of cargo booked, only a few times each year.

We feature two bungalows in the Torres:
Kamilisa Memorial Resort, Linua Island
Josedith Bungalow, Loh Island

John Wycliff had an unfinished bungalow on Linua in 2004. In 2005 there was a report of another place to stay on Loh called Lenua Guesthouse. If you've recently been to the Torres and can provide an update, please contact us.

Air Transport
The cost of flying to the Torres Islands is a big deterrent to travellers. If you skip Vila and start your travels in Santo, it's more affordable. Air Vanuatu has a weekly international service Brisbane (Australia) - Santo.

There's one Air Vanuatu flight a week to the Torres Islands. It lands at Linua, adjacent to Loh Island. At low tide you can wade across the estuary between Linua and Loh. When the water is high, people use canoes.

An adult return fare to the Torres Islands is 47383 Vatu from Port Vila or 29405 Vatu from Santo (May 2006). Tourists with a return Air Vanuatu ticket are entitled to a 20% discount. Exchange Rates.

You can get more value out of your air ticket by visiting some other islands in the the Banks. Stopovers add little to the cost of a return fare to the Torres Islands.

Travelling around the Torres Islands
Distances are short but it's difficult travelling around the Torres Islands. Operational outboard engines are scarce and there's often a shortage of fuel.

There were a couple of sailing canoes about, the technology was introduced by the Vanuatu Cultural Centre in the 1990s, but they are unsafe in heavy swells.

Last updated: June 2009 by Stephen