Pentecost Island

Pentecost Island is part of Penama Province in Vanuatu and is best known for its indigenous culture and traditional practices, including the ritual of land diving. The island is volcanic, heavily forested and dotted with coastal villages.

The island is notable for its cultural events and rural landscape rather than large built attractions. The timber land-diving towers and ceremonies draw visitors during the diving season, and there are waterfalls, river valleys and coastal scenery for walking and village visits.

Local communities have maintained customary practices and chiefly systems; European contact and integration into the Republic of Vanuatu followed the colonial period shared across the archipelago. Traditional ceremonies remain important in social life and tourism.

Geographically Pentecost lies in central Vanuatu within Penama Province, northeast of Efate and southeast of Espiritu Santo, with inter-island boat and small-plane links to other islands.

• Land diving season: Traditional land diving - known locally as nagol - is practised on timber towers during the yam harvest season, typically between April and June.
• Access: Access from other islands is by inter-island ferry services or by small aircraft to local airstrips; overland travel on the island is on unpaved rural roads and footpaths.

• Time your visit for the land‑diving season (typically April-June) if you want to see Nagol ceremonies; coordinate with local hosts and respect village customs and viewing restrictions.
• Arrange travel and village visits through a local fixer or community guide - inland tracks and village schedules change with weather, and local guides will secure access and explain cultural protocols.
• Allow extra travel time between villages and the main jump sites, and plan to stay overnight locally if you want to attend ceremonies at dawn when the main dives usually occur.