A guide for visitors and supporters
Nguna Island
Nguna is an island off the north coast of Efate, in Vanuatu's Shefa Province. It has two extinct volcanic craters, thirteen villages and marine reserves that local communities look after.
Nguna at a glance
- 24.5 km²Area of the island, about
- 593 mMount Taputoara, the highest point
- 13Villages, on the north, east and south
- 16Communities in the Nguna-Pele reserve network, across Nguna and Pele
The reserves
The Nguna-Pele Marine and Land Protected Area Network was set up in 2003. Sixteen communities on Nguna and Pele belong to it. Together they look after more than 3,000 hectares of reef, seagrass, lagoon, mangrove and land. More than sixty partner organisations have worked with the network.
Individual villages have their own reserves too. The community of Utanlangi declared a new reserve on 26 July 2012. Unakap's reserve has three zones: a permanent reserve, a periodic reserve and a general use zone. A World Parks Congress page notes more species of fish in Unakap's community reserves than in unmanaged areas.
Our 2020 guide notes that the water in front of Mangamus Bungalow and Uduna Cove Beach Bungalows is a marine reserve. As a guest, ask your host where you may swim and snorkel.
Things to do
This list comes from our older guide to the island. Ask your guesthouse or host what is on offer, because it changes. We give no prices and name no tour operators here.
- Walk up the extinct volcano
- Snorkelling in the marine reserve
- Village tours
- Turtle tagging
- Food garden tours
- Mat weaving
- Kastom dancing and local bands
- Boat trips
- Bush walks
- Swimming