10 April 29, 2007 escape THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH www.sundaytelegraph.com.au + + + + PUB: ED: 1 2 3 4 Drop 2/12/95 2 5 6 7 8 15 25 50 75 98 dmin dmax PROOF OK CORRECTION SIGNATURE: ED AD PROD 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 45678 C MY K STL 29-APR-2007 SE 10 STL 29-APR-2007 SE 10 CMYK Xyxyx special Sea dog: Swashbuckling Captain Harry keeps a weather eye out Shiver me timbers, is this cove for real Roderick Eime braves pirates and cyclones for a glimpse of the romantic South Seas life on Vanuatu Idyllic: The Iririki Island resort and, top, taking in the view from the new apartments SUITE TALK ‘‘PULL that halyard! Put yer back into it, lad!’’ hollers Captain Harry, as I heave and sweat on the fat rope that hoists the main- sail. ‘‘Now, sweat it off like this,’’ he curses, pulling heavily on the rope and fixing it to the cleat. I’ve made the mistake of voic- ing a passing interest in sailing, and Harry, eager to immerse me in the experience, soon has my flabby arms aching and sore from the exertion. We’re aboard his classic, gaff- rigged schooner, Cassiopeia, full rig flying and heading out of Port Vila harbour for a sunset cruise. Rum-laden punch is poured generously in true seagoing style, and tall tales are soon flowing. Harry is what you’d call a corporate refugee. A US-born architect, he was about to sign the biggest deal of his life, but backed out at the last minute, choosing instead to sail off to the South Seas. His flowing locks of dark hair, mischievous grin and neatly trimmed goatee make him an instant ‘‘Jack Sparrow’’ with a dangerous charm. I wonder if Harry, based in Port Vila and still dreaming of the odd swashbuckling adventure, may be pushing the pirate fantasy a bit too far. But our short excursion on the thankfully tranquil harbour is a fun and relaxing frolic, complete with eye patches, cutlasses and muzzle-loading pistols. To the port bow is Iririki Island, ‘‘safe haven’’ in the local lang- uage and home to one of Port Vila’s very few luxury resorts. It was once the site of the British high commissioner’s residence, now occupied by the resort’s manager, Jean-Francois Debon. Opened 21 years ago, the resort and spa complex has wooed both newlyweds and the newly retired in their quest for the perfect tropical-island getaway. During that time, Vanuatu has had more than its share of rough weather, including airline collapses, reschedules, consular warnings and cyclones. Coincidentally, dur- ing my stay tropical storm Becky was on her way. The resort has, astonishingly, continued throughout this turbu- lence and is now entering a new phase of its life. I’m here to inspect the latest 61 luxury accommodation units opened at Snorkelers Cove on the island, where developers have unveiled plush apartments and penthouses for those wishing to invest in their tropical vision. Now, instead of just staying for a few nights in paradise, guests can purchase their own apart- ments or penthouses for private use or investment. Most prefer to holiday in tradit- ional style, with Internet room rates beginning at $380 a night for the single room fares (free- standing bungalows) and deluxe apartments from $560, though this rate can be reduced and bonuses attached when buying a package. As I stare out across the ex- panse of Port Vila’s harbour from one of the balconies, admiring what is arguably a million-dollar- plus view, I can see the many attractions of this location. There’s access to a few good restaurants, berthing for your luxury yacht, a spacious leisure precinct with huge infinity pool, water sports, gym and conference facilities all secreted into the careful landscaping of the island. Some aspects, however, border on the archetypal Gold Coast development, like the stark tiling and plastering in the new rooms, and the slightly unimaginative architecture of the apartment block, especially from the rear. That said, the location, facilit- ies and dining are hard to match in this remote Pacific republic. For those wishing to stay as guests, there’s still a lot of attract- ion in the traditional fares with their rough wooden floors, slatted windows and old colonial feel. Dinner at Watermark Restaur- ant is a polished affair, with French wine, delicate seafood and the trademark Santo Island beef eye fillet. The beasts on Santo live a stress-free life, up to their rumps in long, lush grass, and produce some of the tenderest, most flav- oursome steak you’ll find any- where. Iririki’s other premium restaur- ant, Michener’s — named after American author James A. Mich- ener, of Tales Of The South Pacific fame — is perched imperi- ously above the harbour, com- plete with its own horizon pool. As guests tuck into their multi- star cuisine and sip champagne and cocktails, I glance across the table to Captain Harry, still resplendent in his full Jolly Roger regalia. He has captivated two of the female guests with rapturous conversation, and it’s this inno- cent seduction that encapsulates the whole Iririki experience: an escape to the alluring, colourful and romantic life of a South Seas scallywag. I wonder if he’s hiring. ■ The writer was a guest of Iririki Island Resorts and Spa. Port Vila VANUATU Efate South Pacific Ocean Port Vila, Vanuatu Getting there: Air Vanuatu flies six times a week from Sydney to Port Vila; Iririki Island Resorts & Spa is just three minutes by free, round- the-clock ferry from Port Vila town centre. Package: Coral Seas Travel has 7 nights for price of 5 at Iririki Island Resorts & Spa in a private Garden Bungalow from $1569; includes flights and taxes, breakfasts, transfers and Port Vila and Environs tour. For travel between October 16 and December 14 and January 17 and February 29, 2008. Details: 1800 641 803, (02) 8236 9900 or www.coralseas.com.au More: www.iririki.com
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10 April 29, 2007 escape THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH www.sundaytelegraph.com.au
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Sea dog: Swashbuckling Captain Harry keeps a weather eye out
Shiver me timbers,is this cove for realRoderick Eime bravespirates and cyclonesfor a glimpse of theromantic South Seaslife on Vanuatu
Idyllic: The Iririki Island resort and, top, taking in the view from the new apartments
SUITE TALK
‘‘PULL that halyard! Put yerback into it, lad!’’ hollers CaptainHarry, as I heave and sweat onthe fat rope that hoists themain-sail. ‘‘Now, sweat it off like this,’’he curses, pulling heavily on therope and fixing it to the cleat.
I’ve made the mistake of voic-ing a passing interest in sailing,and Harry, eager to immerse mein the experience, soon has myflabbyarmsachingandsore fromthe exertion.We’re aboard his classic, gaff-
rigged schooner, Cassiopeia, fullrig flying andheading out of PortVila harbour for a sunset cruise.Rum-laden punch is poured
generously in true seagoing style,and tall tales are soon flowing.Harry is what you’d call a
corporate refugee. A US-bornarchitect, he was about to signthe biggest deal of his life, butbacked out at the last minute,choosing instead to sail off to theSouth Seas.His flowing locks of dark hair,
mischievous grin and neatlytrimmed goatee make him aninstant ‘‘Jack Sparrow’’ with adangerous charm.Iwonder ifHarry, based inPort
Vila and still dreaming of the oddswashbuckling adventure, maybe pushing the pirate fantasy abit too far.But our short excursion on the
thankfully tranquil harbour is afun and relaxing frolic, completewith eye patches, cutlasses andmuzzle-loading pistols.To the port bow is Iririki Island,
‘‘safe haven’’ in the local lang-uage and home to one of PortVila’s very few luxury resorts. Itwas once the site of the Britishhigh commissioner’s residence,now occupied by the resort’smanager, Jean-Francois Debon.
Opened 21 years ago, the resortand spa complex has wooed bothnewlyweds and the newly retiredin their quest for the perfecttropical-island getaway. During
that time, Vanuatu has hadmorethan its share of rough weather,including airline collapses,reschedules, consular warningsand cyclones. Coincidentally,dur-ing my stay tropical storm Beckywas on her way.The resort has, astonishingly,
continued throughout this turbu-lence and is now entering a newphase of its life.I’m here to inspect the latest 61
luxury accommodation unitsopenedatSnorkelersCove on theisland, where developers haveunveiled plush apartments andpenthouses for those wishing toinvest in their tropical vision.Now, instead of just staying for
a few nights in paradise, guestscan purchase their own apart-ments or penthouses for privateuse or investment.
Most prefer to holiday in tradit-ional style, with Internet roomrates beginning at $380 a night forthe single room fares (free-standing bungalows) and deluxe
apartments from$560, though thisrate can be reduced and bonusesattached when buying a package.
As I stare out across the ex-panse ofPortVila’sharbour fromone of the balconies, admiringwhat is arguably a million-dollar-plus view, I can see the manyattractions of this location.There’s access to a few good
restaurants, berthing for yourluxury yacht, a spacious leisureprecinct with huge infinity pool,water sports,gymandconferencefacilities all secreted into thecareful landscaping of the island.Some aspects, however, border
on the archetypal Gold Coastdevelopment, like the stark tilingand plastering in the new rooms,and the slightly unimaginativearchitecture of the apartmentblock, especially from the rear.That said, the location, facilit-
ies and dining are hard to matchin this remote Pacific republic.
For those wishing to stay asguests, there’s still a lot of attract-ion in the traditional fares withtheir rough wooden floors, slattedwindows and old colonial feel.Dinner atWatermarkRestaur-
ant is a polished affair, with
French wine, delicate seafoodand the trademark Santo Islandbeef eye fillet.
The beasts on Santo live astress-free life, up to their rumpsin long, lush grass, and producesome of the tenderest, most flav-oursome steak you’ll find any-where.
Iririki’s other premiumrestaur-ant, Michener’s — named afterAmerican author James A. Mich-ener, of Tales Of The SouthPacific fame — is perched imperi-ously above the harbour, com-plete with its own horizon pool.
As guests tuck into their multi-star cuisine and sip champagneand cocktails, I glance across thetable to Captain Harry, stillresplendent inhis full JollyRogerregalia.
He has captivated two of thefemale guests with rapturousconversation, and it’s this inno-cent seduction that encapsulatesthe whole Iririki experience: anescape to the alluring, colourfuland romantic life of a South Seasscallywag. I wonder if he’s hiring.
■ The writer was a guest of Iririki IslandResorts and Spa.
Port Vila
VA N U AT U
Efate
SouthPaci ficOcean
Port Vila, VanuatuGetting there: Air Vanuatuflies six times a week fromSydney to Port Vila; IririkiIsland Resorts & Spa is justthree minutes by free, round-the-clock ferry from Port Vilatown centre.
Package: Coral Seas Travelhas 7 nights for price of 5 atIririki Island Resorts & Spa ina private Garden Bungalowfrom $1569; includes flightsand taxes, breakfasts,transfers and Port Vila andEnvirons tour. For travelbetween October 16 andDecember 14 and January 17and February 29, 2008.
Details: 1800 641 803,(02) 8236 9900 orwww.coralseas.com.au
More: www.iririki.com
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