|
Erromango,
bush walking, hiking and trekking
Erromango
is largely unpopulated and undeveloped. Today, the island's
main source of income is sandalwood (the season runs from
June to August each year), supplemented by lobsters and coconut
crabs.
Harvesting
sandalwood from the native forests is all done by manual labour,
much the same as during the 19th century. It's a lucrative
business and sandalwood planting is becoming popular.
There
was logging around Ipota in the south during the 1970s and
1980s. A logging road runs almost across the island. The next
big thing is reported to be limestone mining for export to
New Caledonia.
Erromango
is close to Efate and airfares are relatively cheap. It's
a good place for trekking and bushwalking. The Kauri forests
are supposed to be an attraction but remoteness and big kastom
fees are a deterrent. Simply walking around the island could
be more enjoyable. Walking
plans and routes are described on our Walking
Erromango page. Erro can easily be combined with a trip
to Tanna.
There
are mobile phone towers at Dillon's Bay (both Digicel and
Smile, June 2011). Please contact
us if you can update our phone numbers.
Bungalows
Upongkor
(Dillon's Bay) is the largest village on Erromango. It has
a few basic stores (that might be empty), a water supply,
generators and a medical dispensary. There
are two places to stay at Dillon's Bay:
Meteson's Guesthouse 
PWMU Guesthouse
At Ipota, there
is one place to stay:
Sandalwood Guest House
Elsewhere
on Erromango there is no tourist infrastructure (and no tourists).
Air
Transport
There are two airstrips on Erromango: one in the northwest
(Dillon's Bay) and another in the southeast (Ipota). Note
that the Dillon's Bay airstrip may be closed if it's raining
due to low cloud cover and/or wet conditions.
Air Vanuatu
flies to Erromango on tuesday and saturday and flights connect
through Tanna (October 2011). You can download a schedule
from the Air Vanuatu
website. Return air fares from Port Vila are about 18425 Vatu
to Dillon's Bay and 20450 Vatu to Ipota (July 2010). Tourists
with a return Air Vanuatu international ticket are entitled
to a 20% discount on these fares. Exchange
Rates.
Transport
around the island
There's
only one road on Erromango, which runs for about 9 km from
Upongkor to the Dillon's Bay airstrip. A truck charter costs
3000 Vatu or a shared ride is about 500 Vatu. Don't be surprised
if the truck doesn't turn up to meet your flight or breaks
down. Be prepared to walk (about two and a half hours).
A speedboat
charter from Dillon's Bay to Pongkil Bay is about 6000 Vatu
and to South River about 12000 Vatu. At Pongkil Bay there's
no estuary and getting ashore often involves jumping onto
the rocks (good fun!).
Speedboats
between Ipota and Port Narvin are 10000 to 12000 Vatu (1000
Vatu shared, if you're lucky). To Cook's Bay it's about 6000
Vatu (as low as 300 to 500 Vatu shared) and then a short 1.5
hour walk over the hill. The best time to find a boat at Ipota
is on Air Vanuatu flight days.
Last
updated: April 2012 by Stephen.
|
