Vanuatu Or Bust
 

Hi Guys,

I'm new to the forum but hopeful for some help. My husband and I are traveling hearts. We have lived in several places in the world including Australia and USA and have gained dual nationality British/Australian.

Now onto our next adventure.

We have decided we want a slower pace of life. Island life. Relaxed life. Upon the search for such a life the beautiful islands of Vanuatu and more specifically Efate has captured our hearts.

I have looked into visa's, cost of living and financial requirements and it's something we both feel would afford us the very different lifestyle that we speak compared to our current Westchester NY.

Has anyone visited / lived here? I would love some honest feedback! We're looking to go on an extended visit in the next few months with an idea to move in the Summer if all goes to plan.

Many Thanks in advance :)

Re: Vanuatu Or Bust
 

We lived there for three very enjoyable years; but it was a long time ago (1972-75) - before independence, when the Islands were called The New Hebrides. The place has probably changed too much now for any of my advice or comments to be relevant. The only thing you should perhaps bear in mind is the current rule about foreigners buying land there.

We bought a half-acre suburban lot in Vila for our possible retirement, but on independence it was confiscated without compensation by the government. My guess is that the title was transferred into the name of some politician or crony. So you might want to check the provenance of any land you buy, in case the former owners decide to challenge the confiscation one day in some human-rights court!

Re: Vanuatu Or Bust
 

Never been, but I think these islands do not have freehold land and obviously a lot of corruption which made the news a couple of weeks ago. You probably have plenty of experience travelling, but I would be very careful and there seem to be safer/more secure & even cheaper options out there.

Re: Vanuatu Or Bust
 

Moses. To get an idea of what the place was like, back before independence, read the book "The Love Beach" by Leslie Thomas - he of "The Virgin Soldiers". Bizarre and funny. Hard to imagine the French and British governments cooperating in anything successfully - but managing a joint colony?! Cripes.

Re: Vanuatu Or Bust
 

Thanks for the tip. Always interested in these things :thumbsup:

Re: Vanuatu Or Bust
 

But I want to go to jail – Stories from the New Hebrides This short essay ("But I want to go to jail") was written by an Australian lawyer who used to work in the New Hebs as it then was. Wild! I remember a lawyer (not this one) grumbling to me when we lived there (in the 1970s) how difficult it was to get the natives to understand the principle of "presumed innocent". If a man was accused to doing something that he had in fact done, then he admitted it in court without argument. That was only fair and honest, right? How could he logically plead "not guilty" if he was guilty? In time, they learned to lie, but it was always a battle, back then!

Re: Vanuatu Or Bust
 

You might do well to ask this on the Oz /NZ forums. It's somewhere many go for their jollies.

Re: Vanuatu Or Bust
 

The OP was eight months ago, now. I wonder if she ever got there - or is still intending to, if she didn't. Mo - are you still around?