We spent 5 amazing days on the island of Espiritu Santo, or just Santo, in Vanuatu. Our stay at the Barrier Beach Resort was the main factor why we loved here so much.
Vanuatu has many islands and where as the capital Port Vila is more developed and touristic, Santo is still very untouched and so calm. There is only a handful of hotels and for us it was really important to stay at a place where we can just enjoy the beautiful beaches and rest between day trips.
Barrier Beach Resort exceeded all our expectations. To be honest, we did not knew a lot about Santo and we weren't sure if we would like it or not. I can tell you upfront WE LOVED IT!! It is a boutique resort with 18 villas of different sizes located on the east coast of the island, right on the beach. This is a adult-only resort, so perfect for couples.
We were picked up by the resort from the airport (the hotel offers free airport transfer) and a 20 minute drive later we arrived at the resort. The hotel manager Calvin was awaiting us in the driveway and greeted us. He knew all guests names and made sure we felt welcome from the first second. He quickly showed us around and we got some welcome drinks at the bar.
Shortly we could checkin into our villa, Fare 5. A beachfront bungalow with private patio and ocean view. It was just stunning. The decor was modern and cozy. The best part about the villa was, there are no windows. Just some mosquito nets and wooden blinds. At night it felt like sleeping on the beach with the ocean sound, it was just incredible.
Breakfast is included in the room rate and you have a choice of breakfast buffet and a a la carte menu to chose from. I especially loved the home made pastries freshly prepared every morning.
Lunch and dinner are served in the main restaurant or you can also have them delivered to your villa, no extra charge. I have to say I was really surprised by the quality of food. The ingredients were super fresh and tasty. Of course the fish and seafood was very good but so was the organic Santo beef. We had enough different choices during our stay and there where also daily specials every evening. So food never got boring and there was plenty of variety.
The rest of the day we had many options to spend your day. When not out on excursions we spent time on the beach on our stretch of private beach. The water is just stunning and very safe to swim. It is also perfect to do some snorkeling (equipment available at the resort free of charge). We also took advantage of the free paddle boards and kayaks that were available to all guests. If you want to get out you can grab one of the free bikes and explore the area.
Before dinner we enjoyed some cocktails at the main fare, where you have a bar, board games and books to lend.
So it never got boring and we had 5 super relaxing days. Frankly when it was time for our airport pickup I was super sad and did not want to leave at all :(
I also want to give a big shoutout to the hotel managers Calvin and Julie and all the staff. Every single one of them was so friendly and they always had a big smile on their face. In general I found the people on the island super friendly and they just seemed happy.
I can definitely recommend Barrier Beach Resort. I you are looking for a place to stay in Santo, this is it!
To check out rates click here.
