Vanuatu: Ambrym Island – Exploring the Island

The Ambrym Island is a volcanic island with a towering active volcano in the middle. Ambrym is very scarcely populated by a few very remote and isolated tribes leaving along the coast, while the rest of the island is dense jungle with an active volcanic crater in the middle. A severe tropical cyclone Lola went through Vanuatu just south of the island in late October this year, and the results were obvious everywhere – fallen and mangled coconut trees (copra is the only source of any income here), houses without roofs, damage everywhere. It was a category 5 with 215 km/h (130 mph) and came in off season, way before a usual cyclone time later in the year. Aside from devastation – lots of interesting birdlife, insect, and plants to explore, including a Vanuatu fruit bay upclose and personal.