Tanna is one of the 83 Islands in Vanuatu which is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire. Mount Yasur has an active volcano and it is accessible by an organized tour.
Most sailors from Fiji, New Zealand, and Australia arrive in Tanna Island to clear in Vanuatu Immigration and Customs. For us with two cats, we were not allowed to check in Tanna so we sailed more to the North and cleared in Port Vila, the capital city of Vanuatu.
After two months in Port Vila (new autopilot and engine alternator issues) we sailed South to Tanna Island to see the volcano. The night was creepy and pitch dark as there was no moon with zero illumination forecasted. For the 26 hour sail to Tanna, I had to take motion sickness pills twice due to big waves.
Port Resolution Anchorage has a yacht club for cruising visitors who arrive mostly from May to October. Cyclone season starts in November; however, sometimes they come even earlier like the Cyclone Lola (Category 5) hit the North of Vanuatu late October 2023.
We went to the yacht club in Port Resolution and arranged the volcano tour. Later, walking in the small village, we hardly saw any factory manufactured things in the village but tropical jungles with papayas and banana trees. Kids play in bare feet. Chickens and pigs are roaming free.
The road to the main street was rough with huge and muddy pot holes. Riding on the back of a truck (local taxi), I secured myself by holding the bars. I asked a woman who sat next to me holding a baby, if they go to a hospital to deliver a baby. She answered “Yes”. The hospital is about four hours away on the bumpy road. I told her I was wondering if water breaks while going to a hospital on the bumpy road.
Our tour guide drove us to the Volcano Information Center. Following the safety rules, all visitors check in and leave the Volcano Center together at 4:30 pm. The safety rules consist of if a lava bomb is coming your way and does not appear to be moving, then run. If the lava bomb is moving, stay where you are. End of safety briefing.
Each group rode on their own tour vehicle and arrived at the base parking lot. From there, we hiked about 10 minutes to the crater rim. Watching shootings of molten rock, smoke from vents, and listening to roaring and whooshing noises is unforgettable. At 6:20 pm at dark after sunset, everyone came back to the parking lot using a flashlight.
The tour cost 13,000 Vatus (about 110 USD) per person from the yacht club. It includes the volcano park entrance fee (10,000 Vatus). Reading some accidents happened previously, I recommend taking proper tour. I wasn’t really into sailing back to see the volcano but it was worth watching the shooting red magma from the vents. When red rocks drop back down, the crater looks like a little town on Christmas nights, in my imagination.
Below, Google search shows previous accidents at the crater rim of Mt Yasur.
Fatal Accident
January 1994: Two visitors were killed when they were struck by a 15 kg lava bomb ejected from the vent while on the crater rim.
Other Incidents & Hazards
August 2020: Acid rainfall from the volcano caused significant damage to food gardens in the White Sands community on Tanna Island, according to the Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation.
October 2023: A significant landslide occurred inside a crater vent.
Constant Risk: The volcano is in a state of “major unrest” and is closely monitored, with warnings in place to stay outside the danger zones to prevent future accidents, says the Vanuatu Daily Post.
Risks for Visitors
Lava Bombs: The ejection of lava bombs is a significant risk, particularly on the crater rim.
Gas & Ashfall: Volcanic gases and ashfall can affect nearby villages and agriculture.
Landslides: Unstable ground due to volcanic activity can lead to landslides and debris flows.
