VU
Pentecost Island
Birthplace of land diving, the original bungee
Birthplace of land diving, the original bungee
The island’s legendary ritual sees men dive headfirst from towers up to 30 metres high with vines tied to their ankles, brushing the earth to bless the yam harvest, an awe-inspiring spectacle.
💡 It runs only on set Saturdays April to June; arrange access through a tour.
Pentecost’s villages hold tightly to kastom, with traditional dress, dance and social structures, welcoming respectful visitors around the land diving season.
💡 Go with a guide and follow all local customs and fees.
The island’s green, rugged interior hides waterfalls and freshwater pools reached on jungle walks, a refreshing counterpoint to the ceremonies and coast.
💡 Local guides lead the walks to the best pools.
Quiet black- and golden-sand beaches line Pentecost’s coast, backed by coconut palms and villages, ideal for a swim and a slow island afternoon.
💡 The west coast has the calmest swimming beaches.
Kastom dance and string-band music accompany the land diving and village life, with rhythmic stamping, chants and elaborate dress rooted in ancestral tradition.
💡 Performances often accompany land diving days.
Food on Pentecost is subsistence island fare: yam, taro, banana, island cabbage and fresh fish, often cooked in an earth oven and eaten communally. Yam is central to the island’s culture and the land diving harvest rite. Accommodation is in basic village bungalows with meals included; there are no restaurants, so expect simple, home-grown cooking and, in the evening, locally grown kava.
Fly in for a land diving Saturday, witness the Nagol ritual and the accompanying kastom dance and village life.
Walk to a jungle waterfall, relax on a palm-fringed beach, and share a communal meal before flying out.
Land diving happens only on set Saturdays from April to June; plan your visit and access well ahead.
Pentecost is reached by small plane from Port Vila; the land diving fee and logistics are best booked via a tour.
Photography and behaviour rules are strict at ceremonies; always follow your guide and pay agreed fees.
There are no ATMs; carry vatu for bungalows, fees and guides.
Harbour-town Port Vila, the volcano of Tanna, the blue holes of Espiritu Santo, land-diving Pentecost and the lava lakes of Ambrym — Vanuatu end to end.