Eratap Beach Resort

This is a highly recommended small resort about 30 minutes drive from town. Our accommodation was a spacious two bedroom villa with a grass area larger than my own backyard. We hardly used the air conditioning as fans were usually sufficient to keep the rooms cool. On arrival, we were warmly welcomed by the manager, who accompanies guests to their villa after a friendly chat about the resort. All staff were friendly and happy to help with any matters. A great feature of this resort is the ease of using the facilities. Compared to larger resorts, you don’t need to sign for pool towels or water sports equipment. Just take something, use it for as long as you need and bring it back – so easy. We attempted paddle boarding for fun. They also have kayaks, surfboards, body boards, snorkelling equipment and mountain bikes (with helmets). We often enjoyed a petanque game on the way back to our villa after finishing a pool swim. They also have a good system for checking your daily resort expenses for food so there’s no bill shock or accidental additions on checkout. The food is top quality and fresh with a wide menu selection. The chef and his crew do a very good job for the remote location. There’s a daily bus to take you into town and the two hours before pickup is surprisingly sufficient for shopping and sight seeing. We recommend making the most of the daily resort activities. They have a weekly visit to Eratap village, where a lot of staff live. Other weekly activities include a plantation ‘bush’ walk, a hands on cooking demonstration and a night time fire show.

This is the most beautiful resort we have been trying to get in here for quite a while and been lucky to be able to get one of the waterfront villas. The villas were absolutely spacious with us in one side and the kids on other side with a small entrance separating both sides. The beds were comfortable which makes you stay even better. We loved the pool as it was the same depth all the way through so you could stand up anywhere and what was amazing as you were overlooking the ocean whilst in the pool. There is a cold water fountain at the pool and also a phone if you’re wanting snacks delivered whilst you’re relaxing around the pool area, what more could you want? What impressed me was the way they have incorporated a gift to you of a branded water bottle so there’s no plastic bottles left around the resort. What a fantastic idea that you can go and refill your water bottle anywhere within the resort at no cost. The grounds are kept immaculately by the ground staff around the resort who also make sure you stay is private and quiet. There is a lovely tennis court and a small shop where you can buy some gifts, ice blocks, cold drinks and the ladies are always welcoming here at the shop. You can also grab a bike or a surfboard at any time. We grabbed a few bikes and rode around to the other side of the island through some tracks. The staff are always friendly and obliging which also makes your stay a positive stay. Pascal is a breath of fresh air and so very helpful with anything you need. Breakfast is included in your stay to go and choose a seat of your liking and look over the beautiful ocean BUT we quick for the fresh muffins baked daily they are delicious and go fast! At dinner time and lunchtime you could choose your meals and again choose where you sit. No need to book because there is always a seat available for the amount of guests staying at this beautiful resort. We hired a car for four days and did a bit of sightseeing ourselves which was great. It is not hard to get around Vanuatu. It was unfortunate though that the earthquake had happened not long before we arrived at Vanuatu so there was a lot of devastation with buildings down and building damage. Lucky the resort was not damaged. The city was closed unfortunately and some of the roads were damaged but this did not dull the people in Vanuatu with making you feel welcome. We did feel numerous earth tremors during our stay which were scary for us never experiencing such a thing. If you have been thinking whether to go to Era Tap please do it. It is the most amazing resort and you’ll have a lovely relaxing time. If you are after something like extreme water sports etc you can find these outside of the resort this resort is made for relaxation and quiet times for family and friends and we loved it. There is only one other resort that I would put on par with Era Tap and that is Nanuku Resort in Fiji if you were looking for somewhere different to go of the same quality

If you are looking for a relaxing, friendly place to stay which offers a five star service. Then the Eratap Beach Resort is the place to stay. We had the one bedroom beachfront villa with everything you would expect for a luxury holiday and wonderful ocean views from the bed or from one of the two outside lounges. Food at the restaurant was excellent and being gluten free, nothing was too hard. As it is a smaller resort compared to other countries (like Fiji) the small number of staff get to know you and become good friends during your stay. Many thanks to the Chef and staff at the restaurant. Lots of activities to do or just do nothing, the choice is yours. If having trouble to decide what to do a wealth of experience is available at the front desk. Spa was great experience, having never had a massage before, very relaxing and professional. Pool and grounds well maintained without the overcrowding you have at larger resorts. We even had the pool to ourselves most of the time. With the restaurant staff delivering food and cocktails when ordered by pool telephone. Day trips and tours by boat or bus were available and recommend the picnic on castaway island. Beautiful beach and great snorkelling. Overall the best resort we have ever stayed and didn’t want to leave after 10 days of Vanuatu hospitality. Already missing everyone and looking forward to our next trip back.