Vanuatu was officially named the 'Happiest Country on the Planet' in 2006. This came from a study of the longevity and happiness of people as well as the ecological footprint counties are leaving on the planet. The question we like to pose to students is, 'for how long?' This unit should give more questions than answers and marries well with Science, Business and Tourism studies.

Vanuatu does indeed have stunning natural beauty and students can experience walking through lush rainforest, swimming under a pristine waterfall, river kayaking among mangroves and snorkelling over coral to witness a variety of marine life. They can visit a village where, despite obvious poverty by our standards, everyone is happy. They can be absorbed by 'island time' where the pace is slow and most people don't think much past next Wednesday. And perhaps therein lies the problem.

Port Vila is becoming quite busy. There's no 'car graveyard' in Vanuatu - people drive cars and buses until they drop so, as rich expatriate purchase shiny new four-wheel drives and new buses are purchased to cope with a growth in tourism, the old buses trundle along belching diesel fumes into the atmosphere. Developers continue to snap up oceanfront land to build resorts or subdivide for prime residential real estate. A fish processing factory looks likely to be given the go ahead along with the licence to long-line fish for tuna, swordfish and whatever else is caught in the process. No environmental impact study has been done so what of the waste that will inevitably pollute Mele Bay and attract sharks to where locals swim/bathe? On the other hand, electricity and water supplier, Unelco, has successfully developed a coco-fuel plant (coconut fuel). If a third world country can develop clean fuel, why are the first world countries so slow in adopting sugar cane/ethanol technology and continue using fossil fuel?

It is important to note that many ni-Vanuatu have little education and can be somewhat naïve. They are naturally seduced by many first world ways and innovations. They have embraced mobile telephony, junk food, Bob Marley and Billabong t-shirts. But what happens to the empty Coke cans, chocolate bar wrappers and plastic bags in villages that have no garbage collection? Is there anything wrong in capturing and selling endangered coconut crabs when tourists are willing to part with $30 for the delicacy and restaurants continue putting it on the menu? If turtles abound in the waters off a seaside village, aren't they as viable a food source as the sea bass?

Climate/climate change is also evident in Vanuatu with changing sea levels and weather patterns (for several years the 'wet' and 'dry' seasons reversed thanks to El Nino).

Email us for more information on how study of the environment can be incorporated into an itinerary or for details on an obligation-free Expression of Interest afternoon/evening.

For a comprehensive list of what to see and do, plus some history and quirky personal observations on Vanuatu, visit Vanuatu A to Z.