When Mum turned 70 earlier this year, we skipped the party planning and the endless group chats trying to lock in a time for dinner. Instead, we went for something better: a proper family holiday. Yep, the trip actually made it out of the group chat. And thank goodness it did. The kind of holiday where everyone’s barefoot most of the time, the sun is warm and reliable, and your biggest worry is getting your swimmers dry in time for the next morning. It was that.
And somehow, even with five kids under ten in tow, it was… relaxing. Like, genuinely restful. The kind of trip that fills your cup and lets you truly enjoy your people.
Vanuatu has a way of doing that, softening the pace, stretching the days and reminding you how good it feels to just be.
So, here it is. What we packed, what we loved, the little things that made it all the more magical… and why we’re already dreaming of round two (this time for longer).
Getting there, our White Lotus moment
Getting to Vanuatu was part of the adventure. We flew from Melbourne to Brisbane, then hopped on a 2.5-hour flight to the island of Espiritu Santo. And when I say “hop,” I mean a single flight that goes in and out once a week. So let me be very clear: do not miss this flight. This is not the kind of destination where you can just jump on the next one. It’s the remote, real-deal tropical dream.
Our day started with a 6 am airport arrival (yes, ouch), but the kids were too excited to even pretend to be grumpy. Once on board, we realised we had the entire back quarter of the plane to ourselves, a luxury when travelling with small, wriggly people.
Landing in Santo is when the island reality really hits, in the best possible way. You step off the plane straight into 28 degrees of hot, tropical air, and it’s like your body immediately goes: yep, I could get used to this. That said, the airport is tiny. Customs? Not exactly speedy. The arrivals hall is basically a hot box, and it took nearly two hours to make it out to our minivan. Apparently, that’s considered quick! So… pack snacks. Pack patience. And maybe pack a fan. Hot tip: pack shorts and t-shirts for everyone in your hand luggage. I’d prepared for the kids, but I was still in my Melbourne winter layers and genuinely cooking. Lesson learned.
From there, we were whisked away in a minivan to the dock, and that’s when the magic truly began. The boat ride to the resort is only 10 minutes, but oh wow, it sets the tone beautifully. Crystal-clear water, salty breeze, kids laughing with their cousins, and me fully leaning into my White Lotus fantasy. I half expected the theme song to start playing.
As we pulled up to the jetty, Brad and Lisa (the lovely resort owners) were waiting to greet us with fresh coconuts decorated with hibiscus flowers. It was one of those “pinch me” moments. We’d just stepped onto the jetty, and I already knew this week was going to be something special.
The water under the jetty was so clear we could spot tropical fish darting below our feet. Then we were shown to our beachfront bungalows, each with a sundeck over the water, simple and just right for island living.
Then it was a mad dash to see who could get their swimmers on first. Within minutes, everyone was in the ocean. Salty, smiling and completely soaked, and that’s pretty much how we stayed all week.
Our island home for the week
My sister stumbled across Aore Island Resort online, and from the moment we arrived, we knew she’d struck gold. It was the perfect spot for a group getaway, especially with multiple families.
The resort has only 18 bungalows, which meant it never felt crowded. Most days, it felt like we had the place entirely to ourselves, just us and a few other families. We stayed for a week, which turned out to be just the right amount of time to properly switch off and forget what day it was (though truthfully, I could’ve happily stayed another fortnight without blinking).
The weather showed up for us too, only one day of rain (and even that was kind of beautiful), with the rest a steady 28 degrees and glorious.
How we spent our days (hint: pack extra bathers)
Our days found a natural rhythm almost instantly: the kids were up by 6:30 am, into their swimmers and down at the beach. The rest of us rolled out of bed a little slower, straight into bathers and a cover-up, then wandered barefoot to breakfast. And let me tell you, breakfast wasn’t just a meal. It was a 2-course event. Think: coffee, pancakes, papaya boats, eggs and of course fresh tropical fruit, the whole works.
The rest of the day? Blissfully low-key. Swim, paddleboard, read, repeat. The kids lived in their bathers, honestly, we all did, and spent hours combing the beach for shells, chasing hermit crabs and seeing who could spot the brightest fish snorkelling. They made these sweet, wonder-filled discoveries with their cousins, which felt really special to watch unfold. We were in the water A LOT, so if you're planning your own trip, consider this your heads-up: pack extra bathers. You’ll want dry ones to slip into while the wet ones drip dry in the sun.
By 4 pm, the grown-ups claimed a little corner of calm for our unofficial happy hour. G&Ts in hand, salty hair and sun-kissed shoulders, watching the light change as the day started to wind down. Then it was showers and sunset dinners at 5:30, with the kids still happily digging in the sand while waiting for their meals to arrive. Dinner was right on the beachfront dock every night, so they could keep playing while we exhaled.
We had worried (briefly) that the kids might need more “to do.” But nope. No iPads, no TV, no whingeing about being bored. Just salt water, cousins, coconuts and coral. And somehow, they didn’t ask for a screen all week. No roaming, no streaming, just being.
Bonus packing tips
- Reef shoes are non-negotiable. The beach is gorgeous but corally, and you'll want everyone to be able to dash in and out of the water without a fuss.
- Kids’ snorkels. The resort has adult snorkels, but if you've got water babies in your family, definitely pack kids’ snorkels. Ours got used daily.
- Books, books, books. I read three (a miracle!), so bring that stack you’ve been meaning to get through. We packed pencils and rainy-day colouring too… but didn’t touch them once. The kids were too busy fish spotting and shell collecting.
- More than one pair of bathers is a must. We basically lived in them.
- Sunscreen and insect repellent are also essential.
- Our underwater camera was a surprise hit (thanks Amazon, $100 well spent). The kids loved snapping pics of all the fish, and we even brought a tropical fish poster along with us to tick off what we spotted. A total winner.
Feeding the fam, Island-style (spoiler: it was fresh and delicious)
Let me just say it upfront: the food was really, really good. Like, “I still think about that coconut caramel” good. Every single meal was fresh, flavourful and full of little island surprises. And the fact that it was all included in our stay? Total dream.
Breakfast was a daily ritual. Two courses (yes, really). The kids usually tapped out after one, leaving the rest of us to “help” with their leftovers and somehow end up polishing off three courses without even trying. Think fluffy pancakes with coconut caramel, papaya boats topped with granola and yoghurt, perfectly cooked eggs, banana bread, tropical fruit plates… the whole spread.
Lunch was lighter but still packed with flavour. Grilled baby octopus salads, coconut prawns, fresh-caught white fish and chips that disappeared in seconds.
And dinner? Always a handwritten chalkboard menu, always two courses, always something new. We never ate the same meal twice. Tempura prawns, limey salads, banana-leaf baked seafood curries, melt-in-your-mouth steak with creamy mash.
But the real star? The seafood. So fresh, so well-cooked, so “I’d like seconds, please.”
Every mealtime felt generous and relaxed, like someone had read your mind and brought out exactly what you didn’t know you were craving. No decisions, no cooking, no dishes. Just tasty food served steps from the ocean, with kids still sandy and happy playing nearby. Honestly? Heaven.
Moments I’ll never forget
So many little moments stitched themselves into my memory on this trip, the kind you know you’ll still be talking about for years to come.
The kids were in their element. The older three paddle boarded together every morning, gliding out across the reef and snorkelling side-by-side. We taught Nelly how to snorkel, and she was a total natural. Fearless and curious, just off exploring like she’d done it forever.
The resort ran some great activities too. Coconut cracking (yes, we made our own coconut cream and milk!) and basket weaving with palm fronds. Jude picked it up like he’d done it before in another life. I, however, was absolutely hopeless.
One night, a local group performed a traditional water dance, slapping the sea to mimic whales and dolphins. It was pure magic. From that night on, Nelly declared nightly “concerts” were a thing. The kids wore flower crowns and put on nightly shows, packed with songs, dance routines, dramatic bows and plenty of applause from us grown-ups.
We took a trip out to the Riri Blue Hole, and honestly, it was like stepping into a dream. A wooden canoe down a clear blue river, arriving at a 12-metre-deep lagoon where we had the place all to ourselves. Rope swings, brave jumps from the trees and a very proud Jude, who swung off solo not once, but twice.
The rest of the time? We stayed put at the resort. The kids slept like champions, the adults actually relaxed, and our only real task was hanging wet bathers to dry in time for another day of salt and sun. Sunsets by 5:30, dinner at 7, everyone asleep by 8:30. No chores, no screens, just slow, sun-soaked days and long, uninterrupted nights. Pure bliss.
The Verdict…take me back, immediately
This trip ticked every box. Easy, warm, fun, fuss-free and honestly, we’re already trying to figure out how to make it happen again next year. Jem and I both agreed: two weeks next time, minimum. The ability to properly switch off (like no-roaming, no-rushing, fully-in-the-moment switch off) is so rare. And to come home feeling fresh, rested and recharged (even with five littles, each with their own personalities and different interests in the mix)? Basically unheard of.
What made it so special wasn’t just the setting, which, by the way, does live up to the hype (thank you Insta), but the way the kids and their cousins bonded. Watching those little friendships deepen, the silly games, the shared shell collections, the way they just understood each other. It was one of the biggest highlights for me. Those memories will stay with them forever. And us too.
The ease factor? Off the charts. For an overseas trip, it couldn’t have been smoother. Just a two-hour flight from Brisbane, no visas, no chaos. The kind of trip where you don’t have to think or plan or stress. Nothing went wrong. We didn’t even have a single “what’s the Wi-Fi password?” moment.
We had high hopes going in; this was the big family trip, after all, and Vanuatu delivered. Honestly, I was ready to rebook again before we even left. And the review from our toughest little critics? “10 out of 10, best holiday ever.” And they’re already asking when we can go back. Honestly, I couldn’t agree more.