Vanuatu 🇻🇺

According to a 2015 United Nations study, Vanuatu is the most prone country in the world to natural disasters. The island nation, which struggles with a wide range of natural disasters from earthquakes and typhoons to floods and droughts, sea level rise and scorching temperatures, is the 186th country in the world. Located in Melanesia, the group of islands shares cultural similarities with neighboring countries Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and New Caledonia (a French territory), but also bears traces of the British and French cultures of which it was a colony. The capital city of Port Vila, which we visited, has a remarkably cosmopolitan character for the Pacific island nation. Another key driver of this dynamic is the sale of citizenship, which provides a significant portion of the country's income. In fact, the sale of Vanuatu passports, which offer visa-free entry to many countries, including the Schengen Area, has increased so much that the EU has even suspended its visa-free agreement with Vanuatu for the time being. But Vanuatu passports, renowned worldwide for their convenience and power, are still perhaps the most well-known aspect of the country. Additionally, the consumption of human flesh until 1969 and the Nanggol ritual (a coming-of-age ritual involving jumping from wooden towers by tying vines)—the ancestor of bungee jumping—are among the most common pieces of information about Vanuatu. Let's explore Port Vila, the capital of this mysterious island nation. -- Our 186th country is the most dangerous in the world in terms of natural disasters, according to a 2015 UN study. It regularly battles natural disasters ranging from earthquakes to typhoons, floods to droughts, rising sea levels/eroding coastlines to scorching temperatures. Located in the Pacific region of Melanesia, our 186th country is... Vanuatu! Culturally similar to the neighboring countries of the region Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and New Caledonia (French Overseas Territory), the daily life in the country bears traces of the British and French cultures, who have in the past colonized the island group jointly. For this reason, the capital city of Port Vila struck us with a more cosmopolitan fabric than other Pacific islands. A major contributing factor for the abundance of foreign cultures in the country is its lucrative citizenship deals, which account for a large part of the country's income. In fact, the sale of Vanuatu passports, attractive due to their visa-free status in many countries including the Schengen area, has gone up so much that the EU has recently suspended its visa agreement with Vanuatu until further notice. But Vanuatu passports are still perhaps the most recognisable thing about the country, which is renowned around the world for their convenience. In addition to the passports, the presence of cannibalism until 1969 and the Nanggol ritual, the spiritual ancestor to bungee jumping (a rite of passage that involves jumping from wooden towers while tied to vines) are some of the most common facts known about Vanuatu. Come join us as we discover Port Vila, the capital of this mysterious island country. #vanuatu #travel #traveller