Merelava Island

Address: Merelava, Torba Province, Vanuatu

Hours: Open 24 hours (island)

Admission: Free (island access)

Merelava is a volcanic island in northern Vanuatu, administered as part of Torba Province and forming one of the Banks Islands. It is a small, sparsely populated island with steep slopes and traditional village settlements.

The island’s landscape is volcanic and vegetated, with local communities practising subsistence agriculture and fishing. Tourism is limited and typically involves village visits, short hikes and boat travel between nearby islands.

Merelava has long-standing local habitation by Melanesian peoples and has been part of regional island networks for transport and trade. It has not been developed with large-scale tourist infrastructure.

The island sits in the northern Vanuatu archipelago, north-east of the larger Vanuatuan islands; the nearest administrative centres and passenger connections are found on neighbouring islands such as Vanua Lava.

• Island group and province: Part of Torba Province in northern Vanuatu, it is one of the Banks Islands group and lies near larger islands such as Vanua Lava.
• Access: Access is generally by small local boat services from nearby islands rather than by regular commercial air services.

Access is typically by small inter-island plane or by boat from larger islands in the Banks group; schedules are irregular and transfers must be arranged locally.

• Charter a local boat from the nearest inhabited island-schedules are informal and subject to weather.
• Respect local customs and always ask permission before photographing villages or people.
• Bring basic medical supplies; inter-island healthcare is limited.