Eratap Beach Resort

Set on its own peninsula on Vanuatu's Efate Island, Eratap Beach Resort holds three separate white-sand beaches within twelve acres of coastal forest and garden. The land runs to a point at Ewormet, where the resort's largest villa wraps the shoreline with views across the wider Eratap region. Every villa faces the water. There are fourteen in total, from one-bedroom hideaways to a three-bedroom villa for up to six guests, and six come with their own plunge pool set metres from the sea. Étlau Lagoon lies calm on one side of the peninsula, good for swimming straight from a villa deck, while the open coast catches a fringing reef and a reliable break for surfing. You can snorkel off the beach in front of most villas without a boat. Buildings are timber and thatch, kept low among the trees, with outdoor showers, private decks and, in some rooms, a separate lounge pavilion built to the water's edge. The spa sits directly on the lagoon, close enough to hear the waves from the treatment room. Port Vila and its airport are a 30-minute drive away, and the resort runs a daily shuttle into town. A short boat trip reaches Castaway Island, included for guests to visit on their own. The resort caps its numbers by design, keeping the beaches and reef quiet.