photo gallery VANUATU  PHOTOS: Mystery Island

Vanuatu Photos: Mystery Island

Vanuatu lies between Fiji and Australia in the southwest Pacific. Aneityum is the country's southernmost island. Inyeug, Aneityum's tiny airport island, is better known as Mystery Island.

Cruise ships from Sydney, Australia, visit Mystery Island regularly, but you can also fly there from Tanna.

Futuna, a Polynesian island east of Aneityum and Tanna, is seldom visited by tourists.

These photos by John Nicholls, general manager of Vanuatu Hotels in Port Vila, provide a glimpse of Mystery Island on a quiet day when the hundreds of cruise ship passengers weren't around.

The small guest house on Mystery Island allows those willing to forgo electricity and running water to have the island to themselves, after the plane has gone back to Tanna and the caretaker has returned to his home on nearby Aneityum.

The images below are details. To view the complete photos, click on the thumbnails. Also be sure to have a look at John's photos of Tanna.


Welcome to Mystery Island (click to enlarge) wharf at Mystery Island (click to enlarge) map of Mystery Island (click to enlarge) aerial view of Mystery Island (click to enlarge)

Welcome to
Mystery Island

ship's passengers
arrive via this wharf

use this map to plan
your island day

first island glimpse
for arrivals by air

view from the wharf (click to enlarge) cruise ship sales stalls (click to enlarge) guest house on Mystery Island (click to enlarge) beach at Mystery Island (click to enlarge)

Mystery Island as
seen from the wharf

cruise ship sales
stalls Mystery island

rustic guest house
Mystery Island

clear ocean waters
off Mystery island

mission ruins at Aneityum (click to enlarge) Mother Hubbard dress, Aneityum (click to enlarge) preparing food, Futuna (click to enlarge) children on Aneityum (click to enlarge)

19th century mission
ruins, Aneityum

missionary-style
dress Aneityum

marinating taro
Futuna

natural blonds on
Aneityum