Anatom

Remote southern Vanuatu island of forested mountains, clear rivers, reefs, and Mystery Island's white sand.

Anatom (also spelled Aneityum) is the southernmost island in Vanuatu, remote even by the standards of the archipelago. It is a small, mountainous island with dense forest, clear rivers, and fringing reefs that offer good snorkelling and diving. The population is tiny — the island was devastated by disease after European contact in the 19th century and has never fully recovered.

The main settlement is at Anelgauhat Bay, where the airstrip is located. Mystery Island, a small uninhabited coral cay just offshore, is a regular stop for cruise ships and is ringed with a superb white sand beach. Independent travellers are rare — most visitors either arrive on day trips from cruise ships or are divers heading for the reef.

Guide

Getting There

Anatom Airport (IATA: AUY) has a short grass airstrip near Anelgauhat Bay. Air Vanuatu operates intermittent services from Port Vila, but schedules change frequently and reliability is limited. Confirm your booking carefully and have a contingency — flights can be cancelled due to weather or demand.

There is no regular ferry service to Anatom. Some travellers arrive on liveaboard dive vessels that include Anatom in their southern Vanuatu itineraries. This is often the most reliable option for divers.

The island has no accommodation in the conventional sense — visitors stay with local families or in very basic guesthouses. Bring all necessary supplies with you, especially any medications, as resupply on the island is extremely limited.

Guide

Things to Do

Anatom is a destination for divers, snorkellers, and travellers who want to be well off the beaten track. The island has no tourist infrastructure to speak of — no hotels, no restaurants in the conventional sense. You come here because you want to be somewhere genuinely remote, and the reef and forest deliver.