Luganville, Vanuatu: SS President Coolidge WWII Wreck, Million Dollar Point, and Santo

Luganville is the main town on Espiritu Santo, the largest island in the Vanuatu archipelago in the southwest Pacific. Vanuatu is a nation of 83 islands, most of them small and many of them inhabited by communities maintaining subsistence economies and traditional customs (kastom) alongside Christianity introduced by colonial-era missionaries. Espiritu Santo is the largest island and the one with the most developed visitor infrastructure, though "developed" is relative — Luganville is a small town with a single main street.

The dominant visitor draw is WWII history. Espiritu Santo was the largest Allied base in the South Pacific between 1942 and 1945; at its peak, over 100,000 American troops were stationed here. When the war ended, the US military offered the equipment and vehicles to the French and British colonial administrations (the islands were then the New Hebrides Condominium, jointly administered by both powers) at nominal cost. When negotiations failed, the Americans dumped everything into the sea off a promontory now called Million Dollar Point. Snorkelers and divers swim over jeeps, trucks, bulldozers, and forklifts in a shallow reef — the coral has covered everything in fifty years and the visibility is good. The site is among the more surreal WWII dive sites in the Pacific.

The SS President Coolidge, a luxury liner converted to a troop transport and sunk by two of its own mines in 1942, lies on a sloping reef a short swim from shore near the entrance to the harbor. It is one of the most accessible large wreck dives in the world — the bow is at 21 metres and the stern at 72 metres — and is rated among the top ten wreck dives globally. Dive operators in Luganville run daily expeditions.

The Blue Holes — natural freshwater springs that emerge from the jungle into deep circular pools of extraordinary clarity — are the other main attraction. Nanda Blue Hole and Riri Blue Hole are both accessible by road. The water temperature is cool, the visibility is 20 to 30 metres, and the colour of the water in certain light conditions is an electric turquoise. Luganville town itself is small and limited in services; the port call is organized around these specific sites.

Vanuatu does not have a strong tipping culture, and Luganville on Espiritu Santo is a small, unhurried town where local norms prevail. At the handful of restaurants and cafés along the main strip, tipping is not expected — local prices are modest and staff are paid wages rather than relying on gratuities. Leaving VUV 200–500 (roughly USD 1.50–4) for a good meal is a generous gesture that will be warmly received without being an expectation.

Taxi drivers covering routes from the port to town or to Santo's key excursion sites (Million Dollar Point sunken WWII equipment, the blue holes of Champagne Beach, Matevulu Blue Hole): fares are set, often by negotiation; no tip is expected on top. Dive guides at the SS President Coolidge wreck dive — one of the most celebrated wreck dives in the South Pacific — appreciate USD 5–10 per person for a guided dive of this complexity and depth. Kastom village guides: pay the agreed entrance fee; a small additional amount if you felt the experience was genuinely educational is a kind gesture. The Vanuatu vatu (VUV) is the currency; some tourist operators accept USD or AUD.

Luganville is the second-largest town in Vanuatu and a working port city with a relaxed, genuinely local food scene — not a tourist-polished one. The central market on the main street is the morning heartbeat: vendors sell fresh produce (sweet potatoes, taro, island cabbage, passion fruit, pamplemousse), and small stalls serve lap lap, the traditional Vanuatuan dish of grated yam or taro steamed in banana leaves with coconut cream and, often, island chicken or fish. Freshly caught fish — snapper, tuna, wahoo — appears at the several informal restaurants and cafés along the main road, typically grilled and served with rice and a local vegetable side. Kava is the cultural drink of Vanuatu: a mildly sedating infusion made from the root of the kava plant, drunk from coconut shells at nakamals (kava bars) throughout the day and evening. It is earthy, slightly numbing on the tongue, and an important social institution — participating is a respectful way to engage with local culture. Cold Tusker beer (brewed locally) is the casual alternative. Prices are low: a local restaurant meal costs VUV 800–1,500. French baguettes from the town's bakeries are a legacy of the Franco-British Condominium period and are excellent.

Ships dock directly at Luganville's wharf on the Segond Channel, just steps from the town centre on Santo island. Luganville is compact and walkable — the main street, banks, market, and several restaurants are all within 10–15 minutes on foot from the pier.

For excursions beyond town, taxis and minibus trucks (trucks with covered flatbeds) are the standard; always negotiate a fixed fare before departing. The Blue Holes (freshwater spring pools, 7–12 km from town) cost approximately VUV 1,500–2,000 (USD 12–17) per vehicle one-way. Million Dollar Point dive site — where US military dumped equipment in 1945 — is visible from shore, with dive operators a 5-minute walk from the pier.

Champagne Beach (widely considered one of the finest in the Pacific) is about 50 km north on mixed-surface roads; hire a 4WD driver for the day (around USD 80–120 total). Roads outside town range from sealed to deeply rutted dirt; heavy rain can make some routes impassable. The rural north is best explored with a local driver who knows current road conditions. Allow plenty of return time — distances in Vanuatu take longer than maps suggest.

Luganville on Espiritu Santo island is a genuinely off-the-beaten-path port, and its signature attraction — the Blue Holes — is perfectly suited for children who love swimming. Riri Blue Hole and Matevulu Blue Hole are freshwater sinkholes fed by underground springs, producing an otherworldly electric-blue colour that looks unreal in photos and even more striking in person. Children can swim freely, and rope swings are typically set up at Matevulu for the braver ones. Water shoes are useful on the rocky entry.

The SS President Coolidge, a WWII wreck in the harbour, draws experienced divers rather than families, but a glass-bottom boat tour covers the shallower sections and suits all ages. Luganville town itself is small — a handful of streets with local markets. Families with limited time tend to focus on a single Blue Hole and a beach stop. No age restrictions on the Blue Holes themselves, though toddlers need close supervision in the water. The port is tender or dock depending on the ship; confirm before planning.

Vanuatu is one of the world's most linguistically diverse nations, with over 100 indigenous languages spoken across its 80-plus islands — an extraordinary cultural density for a population of under 350,000. Luganville, on Espiritu Santo, is the country's second city and has a particularly layered history: it was a major Allied base during World War II, and the sunken SS President Coolidge — one of the world's most accessible large shipwrecks — draws divers from around the world.

Bislama (a creole English) is the national lingua franca; English and French are co-official languages, reflecting Vanuatu's unique colonial history as a joint British-French condominium. Ni-Vanuatu people are famously warm and welcoming; kastom (custom law and traditional practice) remains central to village life. The local currency is the Vatu; tipping is not part of traditional Vanuatu culture but is increasingly accepted in tourist-facing businesses. The vibe is genuinely unhurried — this is one of the Pacific's most unspoilt destinations, and it feels it.

Luganville on Espiritu Santo is home to one of the Pacific's most beautiful beaches and some of the world's best diving. Champagne Beach on the northeast coast (about 45 kilometres from town, accessible by guided excursion or hire truck) is frequently named among the finest beaches in the Pacific: brilliant white coral-sand shoreline, impossibly clear turquoise water, and a sheltered bay backed by coconut palms and rainforest. The snorkelling in the shallows is excellent. Closer to Luganville, the Matevulu Blue Holes offer a unique freshwater swimming experience — vivid blue freshwater springs in a jungle setting, cool and extraordinarily clear. The SS President Coolidge, a luxury liner sunk in 1942 just offshore of Luganville, is one of the world's most accessible big-ship wreck dives — dive operators run day trips from town. Port Olry Beach on the northwest coast is another stunning option for those exploring by hire vehicle. Vanuatu water is warm year-round (around 27°C). Luganville rewards those who go beyond the port area.

Luganville is the main town on Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu's largest island. The wharf at Luganville sits at the heart of the town on the south coast. The main street (Rue Higginson) is the town's commercial spine — a wide flat road with a mix of paved and compacted gravel surfaces running through the modest town centre. The immediate waterfront area and the Luganville market are at street level and navigable. **Champagne Beach** on Santo's north coast (approximately 45 km from town, 1 hour by vehicle) is one of Vanuatu's most spectacular beaches and is reached by vehicle on a sealed and unsealed road — the beach itself has firm-packed white sand with easy access from the vehicle drop-off point. **Blue Holes** — Santo's famous freshwater swimming holes — have natural vegetation paths of varying quality; some have short flat sections while others involve uneven ground, roots, and steps. The **SS President Coolidge** wreck, the island's famous dive site, is for divers only. Luganville has limited accessibility infrastructure; the flat terrain of the town centre is the most manageable area. Accessible shore excursion options are limited — vehicle-based tours to Champagne Beach are the most practical choice for visitors with mobility considerations.

The islands now called Vanuatu were settled by Melanesian peoples approximately 3,000 years ago. Europeans arrived in the seventeenth century, and by 1906 Britain and France established the New Hebrides Condominium — a peculiar joint colonial administration with two parallel legal, educational, and judicial systems that residents often called "the Pandemonium." The archipelago's role in modern history surged during World War II, when Espiritu Santo became the largest Allied military base in the Pacific. At its peak, over 100,000 American and Allied troops were stationed here. Rather than ship surplus equipment home, the US Army bulldozed vehicles, machinery, and supplies into the sea at what is now called Million Dollar Point — a legendary dive site today. The islands gained independence as Vanuatu in 1980, one of the last Pacific nations to achieve it. Luganville developed as the commercial center of Espiritu Santo, its broad streets still following the wartime military grid laid out by American engineers.

Shopping in Luganville is modest in scale but authentic in character — this is not a duty-free port, and that's a feature. The **main street market** near Unity Park offers fresh tropical produce alongside locally crafted goods: pandanus woven baskets and fans, shell and seed necklaces, tapa cloth printed with traditional geometric patterns, and tamtam drums (slit-gong instruments) in various sizes. Smaller carved tamtam pieces make manageable souvenirs.

**What to buy.** Vanuatu kava is the standout purchase — either whole dried root or kava powder, which is legal to export and makes a genuinely local gift. A kilo of quality kava costs around 1,000–2,500 vatu ($8–22 USD). Handwoven pandanus mats and baskets are beautifully made and priced from 500–2,500 vatu. Local artisans near the waterfront sell carved wooden figurines and ceremonial masks.

**Tip.** Cash is strongly preferred — Vanuatu vatu (VUV) or Australian dollars are both accepted. Prices are generally fair; a friendly approach goes further than hard bargaining here.