Voyage Number	V317
Voyage price	£1675 for 10 nights
Voyage Dates	13/09/2010 - 10:00 - 23/09/2010 - 10:00
Depart from	Vanuatu (Pt Vila)
Finishing Port	New Caledonia (Noumea)
Voyage area	Pacific , South Pacific
Voyage type	Adventure Voyage , Ocean Passages , Tall Ships
Vessel	Soren Larsen
Availability	Available
	BOOKING FORM >>>

Voyage Description

Soren Larsen - South Pacific 2012

Tall Ship Adventures in the South Seas

From April 2012 tall ship Soren Larsen will undertaken a series of voyages to the very best of the tropical South Seas. There are ten voyages to chose from - varying in length from 10 to 32 days. Some are pure ocean passages, others have island hopping as a main theme, and a few have a combination of a long ocean passage and some exploring amongst island groups.

A true ocean passage takes us from Auckland to the Kingdom of Tonga via the volcanic Kermadec islands. In the islands of Haapa'i and the whale breeding grounds of Vava'u we find South Pacific cruising t its best.

From there we sail Westwards with the trade winds on a series of voyagesaccross the best of Polynesia and Melanesia from Tonga to the outer islands of colourful Fiji.

We explore the wild untouched beauty and undisturbed culture of the islands of Vanuatu; sailing as far North as the rarely visited islands of the Banks and Torres Group and we see the classical South Sea beauty of New Caledonia.

The last leg is an authentic square rig passage from New Caledonia to Sydney harbour in Australia.

Classic Sailing Office: 0044 (0) 1872 580022

Soren Larsen Booking Agent UK & Tall Ship Holiday Specialists

Classic Sailing office is run by working skippers. We all have extensive experience of sailing all types of tall ship in many parts of the world, so you can ask us just about anything. Adam in the office has sailed in New Zealand and on Soren Larsen and our new Cornwall skipper James MacKenzie has just returned from sailing in the Caribbean so we are very excited about helping you book this amazing series of blue water voyages.

Leg 9  - South Pacific Island Hopping

This voyage offers the chance to experience the contrasting island cultures of Vanatua and New Zealand and a blue water sailing passage at sea.

Pt Vila is the capital of the Vanatua Islands and in complete contrast to the rest of the islands, is a large modern town with every tourist facility, a good range of shops and restaurants and well organised luxury resorts.
 

Sailing from Pt Vila we will sail past the south islands of the Vanatua chain. If the prevailing tradewinds are not too strong we hope to call at Eromango and then Tanna Island 110 miles to the SE, about total of 30 hours motor sail in normal weather. A visit to Tanna relies on Customs officials being available there and is quite weather dependent and the decision on whether we go there will be made by the Master in Port Vila.
 

Live Volcano

At Tanna we will anchor at Pt Resolution bay. The village has a small ‘resort and yacht club’ built in traditional thatched hut style and the community there is very welcoming of visitors. We can organise for a local feast to be prepared by the village and eaten under the palm trees by the light of the huts hurricane lamps if sufficient people onboard are keen. Live Volcano Tanna itself is steeped in ritual and custom and is the centre of the John Frum cargo cult. It is Yassur, the highly active volcano on Tanna that will leave the most profound impression, seeing red lava being thrown hundreds of feet in the sky is an awesome display of nature’s power. It is impossible to exaggerate the scale of the spectacle. If we are required to pay a surcharge for Customs Clearance at Tanna this cost will be split between us.
 

The prevailing tradewinds blow from the south east from Tanna so we should have ideal square rig sailing conditions with the winds aft of the beam for the sea passage to New Caledonia. At a conservative estimate we shall make 100 miles a day on the sail down to the Loyalty Islands which we will reach within 2 or 3 days but we shall sail onwards to the capital Noumea to clear customs before exploring the nearby islands. Transiting passage between the mainland and the Isles des Pines we may spot humpback whales which are known to frequent here on their migration to the Australian coast

Incredible Islands

We aim to have 3 nights cruising the waters off Noumea. Here the outlying atolls have beautiful white sand beaches and low lying palm groves quite unlike the volcanic, jungle covered islands of Vanatua. In the shelter of the mainland we will enjoy quiet anchorages where the sunsets are often quite spectacular. Anchoring off the uninhabited atolls within the main lagoon that protects the southern coats of New Caledonia will allow us time to roam the deserted beaches or snorkel from the ships inflatable boat. Favourite places include the lighthouse islands of Amedee and Ilot Maitre.
 

On arriving onboard you will be shown your berths, introduced to the crew and signed on Ships Articles as Voyage Crew members. Much of the first morning will be spent introducing you to the ship and explaining various routines, safety procedures and equipment and how the watch system works. During the short sea passage from Vanatua to New Caledonia the ship is sailing 24 hours a day and as voyage crew you will stand deck watches and work within a normal 4 hours on/ 8 hours off watch system. Everyone is involved in the duty watch system as Voyage Crew which will operate while we are under way and you may have your turn at the helm, on bow lookout or helping trim sail or help tack ship. Going aloft is a unique experience but is not compulsory and everyone can decide when or if they’d like to. People of all ages join us and many have never sailed before – previous experience is certainly not necessary. There are 13 permanent crew who maintain and sail the ship and are there to assist and help you enjoy your time aboard. Once we drop anchor the deck watch is undertaken by the permanent crew and you the Voyage Crew are free to explore ashore.
Vanatua is a Malaria Risk Area so insect repellent is vital and it is recommended that malarial pills be taken before/after your visit – but check with your own doctor for the requirements for this area. Pt Vila is relatively mosquito free but this is relevant if you are spending time in Vanatua before you join the ship.

See Voyage Description for Typical Itinerary

The Voyage Description section (see tab above)  includes typical destinations and highlights for each Pacific Adventure leg on brigantine Soren Larsen as she follows the trade winds around the South Seas. Some voyages are adventurous island hopping and a few are pure Ocean passages. The most popular are those that involve a mix of Pacific blue water passages and shorter sails between island groups with lots of anchoring and meeting the locals. 

Wind Powered Travel

If you want to travel around the Pacific for several months powered only by the wind and your own efforts as crew, then spending a few pacific ocean legs living on Soren Larsen is one of the most environmentally friendly ways to travel.

Vessel Details

See the tab above for a full description of this historic wooden ship

Vanuatu - The Smiling Islands

 As this name suggests Vanuatu is full of happy ni-van people who are eager for tourists to enjoy their country and all its pleasures. Explore volcanoes, waterfalls and beaches then consider eating some fantastic local food. Culture is abundant in these exotic Islands so why not experience one of the local ceremonies like bungee jumping or supping kava.

The crystal clear waters provide an excellent cruising ground and encourage snorkeling and scuba diving. Each Island is captivating. Be sure to take a little gift for the outer Islanders, they are gratefully received and you will feel a sense of pride to have contributed to the community in some way.

Getting there….
 

From the UK:
Flights from London Heathrow through Quantas Airlines are currently your best option. Quantas offer return flights to Sydney for approximately £1,000 sterling in August/ September 2010.

Air Vanuatu fly from Sydney to both Santo and Port Vila. The approximate cost of a flight from Sydney to Santo one way is currently $370 AUD. (£214 sterling)
Book flights online if you can to save fees from agents and airline telesales reps.
After disembarking from Soren Larsen in Port Vila, you can fly from the Island Airport back to Sydney at a cost of approx $290 AUD.(£167 sterling)
 

The South Pacific Islands are one of the more remote parts of the planet which is what makes them so special. The flights can get quite expensive when you start to island hop. Realistically for this voyage you need to allow £1,500 sterling in addition to the voyage cost for travel.

TYPICAL FLIGHT QUOTES

V316 Vanuatu - Vanuatu

Total cost of long haul  flight return and getting to and from seperate islands for this voyage was £1438.81 (quote on 21-7-10)

V317 Vanuatu - New Caledonia 2010

From the UK:
Flights from London Heathrow through Quantas Airlines are currently your best option. Quantas offer return flights to Sydney for approximately £1,000 sterling in September 2010.
Air Vanuatu will fly you from Sydney to Port Vila to join Soren Larsen for  £175 sterling ($303 AUD)
Your voyage end port is Noumea in New Caledonia. From here you can fly back to Sydney with Quantas for around £260 sterling.

TYPICAL FLIGHT QUOTE (21-0710)

Vanuatu - New Caledonia Voyage - with decent safety gap / stop overs - Overall Cost Quote £1360.21

This quote was obtained by Classic Sailing on line. By booking flights direct online you may save fees from agents and airline telesales reps.

Transport on Vanuatu

Pekoa Airport on Santo is the main airport for the Islands. It is served well by Island minibuses and Taxi’s. The buses run from 7am to 5:30pm but the taxis are more flexible and plentiful! Care Hire is also available at the airport.
Bauerfield Airport on Efate (Port Vila) offers the same transport services.

Ferries:
Ferries run between the Islands. Contact the Vanuatu Tourist Info site for more details.

Vanuatu Tourist Board website

Time Zone: Local time is GMT plus 11 hours.

Typical costs:

VATU is the currency of the Islands: One pound sterling= 152 Vatu
Local Newspaper: 100vt
Bus from Airport to Boat: 400vt
Taxi to/from airport: 600-1000vt
Litre of Petrol: 170 vt
Bottle of Beer: 350-450 vt

Banks:
ANZ
WESTPAC
NBV
There are ATM’S IN Port Vila and Luganville and one at each airport.
Duty Free shops generally accept Credit Cards, cash or Travellers Cheques in US/ AU dollars.

Internet:
There are Internet Cafes in Port Vila and in Luganville.

Attire:
There are strict rules in all villages regarding dress. Islanders never wear scant or revealing clothing and women’s thighs are always covered.

Language:
A form of Pigeon English is spoken by many of the locals. It is called ‘Bislama’ but both English and French are also widely used for communication.

Accommodation:
If you need to stay in Luganville or Port Vila:
Budget: 7,000vt
Mid-range:7-20,000vt
Top end: 20,000vt+
The Lonely Planet travel guide on the South Pacific has a wide range of suggestions and also see Lonely Planet Website.

Food:

Locally produced food from the delightful markets is cheap, fresh, delicious and the experience of meeting the locals in this atmosphere is second to none. There is an abundance of fruit and Veg. to fill up on but the local women will be eager for you to sit at their stall and be served fresh Island dishes on a banana leaf.
Supermarket shopping is expensive and dull. You are advised to stock up on any packaged foods in Australian Supermarkets before flying to the Islands.

Useful sites:
www.vanuatutourism.com
 

New Caledonia, South Pacific - Travel Tips

Noumea is the capital of New Caledonia, where Paris meets the South Pacific. New Caledonia is 1500 km from Australia, 1700 km from New Zealand, and 20000 km away from France. Tourism and mining are the backbone of New Caledonia's economy. The first European to discover New Caledonia was Captain Cook.

Time Zone: GMT plus 11 hours.

Airports:
You will fly to Tontouta International Airport which is 45km North West of Noumea. From there Public buses run into Noumea. They are operated by ‘Carsud’ and they are, by far the cheaper option. Taxis are expensive.

Currency:
Cour de Franc Pacifique (CFP) 1.OO GBP=140.00 CFP
Typical costs:
Filled Baguette: 450 CFP
Cup of Coffee: 300 CFP
Short Taxi Ride: 1100 CFP
Number One beer: 350 CFP
Bus from Airport to Noumea town: 400 CFP
Noumea town buses 200 CFP per trip

Banks:
There are three major banks in Noumea, all of which have ATM services.

Internet:
Extensive wi-fi access in hotels but Internet Cafes are few and far between.

Food:
Always excellent but it comes at a price! Specialising in French and International Cuisine as well as seafood. Many places are closed on Sunday/ Monday. The ‘snacks’ (eateries) and cafes are the gems for finding good food; the flair and flavour is wonderful. Buffetts cost a bomb.

Accommodation:
Hotels in Noumea are best booked in advance on the web where they often have special deals including a free transfer service to/from the airport. For a mid- range hotel you are looking at 10,000 CFP per night.
 

The Lonely Planet Guide to the South Pacific offers a wide range of accommodation options.

www.office-tourisme.nc

Getting there….

V318 New Caledonia - Sydney in 2010

This voyage is great and a lot simpler as you can fly to Sydney and onto Noumea, then use wind power by sailing a square rigger accross the ocean back to your international airport.

Flight prices similar to above i.e. London - Sydney return £1030 plus one single to Noumea at approx £152

FLIGHT QUOTE 21-7-10 on line

 New Caledonia is right out there in French Polynesia 1500km from Austraila so flights from UK to join the ship and back are at least £1500.

For Travel tips on Sydney see next voyage details

National Geographic Adventure Magazine nominated Soren Larsen as on of the ‘25 Greatest Trips in the World’

 1996 Tourism Auckland - Hauraki Gulf Development and Protection Award at the inaugural tourism awards  

 1999  Tourism Auckland Annual Awards – the ship won the 'Adventure and Experience' Category 

Star of The Onedin Line 

History

Round Cape Horn & Transatlantic Tall Ship Race Winner

Extensive Refit 1992 - 1993

Around The World Again

Creating a Unique Tall Ship Experience in NZ and Polynesia

Vessel Specification

Rig: Brigantine.

Two masts. 12 sails in total and 7000 sq ft (650 sq metres)

Accommodation below:

What to Bring

Luggage: One main piece of luggage, which should be a soft kit bag or rucksack. A hard suitcase will not be suitable due to limited storage space.