Yakel Village can be found on Tanna Island, Vanuatu. It is a small village that provides visitors with the opportunity to experience traditional Ni-Vanuatu culture untainted by Western influence.
On arrival to the village you are greeted by a village leader who is the only one that speaks English (as he was chosen by the chief to attend school for visitor reasons). You are also given a warm welcome by the villagers themselves. The homes are all leaf huts, and pigs and chickens roam about freely. People walk around half naked, women wearing skirts made of coconut fibre and men dressed only in Nambas, traditional penis sheath. The Yakel tribe performs dances for visitors. They gather out in the open area, singing and dancing and the women also join in. Everyone will participate – young, old, male, and female. They also sells handmade carvings to raise cash for basic tools such as machetes, axes, pots, pans and medical equipment, and to maintain the one old truck that services the tribe.
The place looks like the time stopped there a very long time ago. There is no electricity in the village and they have to fetch water from the nearby river. Everything they eat is produced by them. They own next to nothing. They can’t read or write, yet they have extraordinary talent when it comes to communication and survival. Their houses are small and very basic. Children don’t have fancy toys. Their lives are extremely simple. Yet, they seem very happy. Yakel Village is a fantastic place to visit for some genuine Vanuatu culture!
For any questions about Yakel Village or to make a booking at the best possible rate, contact us on the form below, we are open 24 hours 7 days
We are an ATAS Accredited. This means that we are in the very highest category of professionalism, credibility and realibilty. Only the very best in the travel industry are able to achieve this level of accreditation.