Vanuatu Accommodation Nawori Sea View Bungalow, Malekula Island Sustainability
Nawori Sea View Bungalow, Malekula Island
Address: Wala Mainland, Malekula Island view mapNawori Sea View Bungalow is perched 5 metres above the azure waters of Malekula, with fire-orange bouganvillea at your feet, local children frolicking in the water nearby, you realise it just doesn't get any better, until the tropical fruits and fresh coconuts arrive.....
Note to all our valued travellers, this Nawori Sea View Bungalow caters to an adventure traveller who accepts that they are trading some of the "little luxuries and comforts" found in other accommodation providers in this website for the location, convenience or budgetary reasons.
Meet the Tiasinmal family - Etienne, Florette, Marie Justine, and Herbert. Etienne is the energetic French educated spokesperson of his family and will co-ordinate your local tours. Florette is the cook and with her mother in-law Marie Justine, will be looking after your housekeeping needs. Marie is also a keen gardener. Grandfather Herbert looks after the small shop that the family operates.
As Herbert recounts, "this house was originally built by Bryan Smith who was the New Zealand High Commissioner to Vanuatu. Bryan fell in love and married our daughter, Etienne's sister. Bryan loved to get away from the bustle of Port Vila and wanted a hideaway; we provided the land and he built this house. Now we look after it for when they want to come back but in the meantime we want to share this lovely place with travellers from all over the world who want to see our island."
Main area of focus in Caring for the Destination:
This accommodation is owned and operated by a NiVanuatu family. The grounds were cleared by hand and although the facilities are basic, they are by consequence, very ecologically sustainable.
Detailed description of the Caring for the Destination Initiative:
These bungalows are built by the owners and their extended families with basic hand tools (sometimes with just a bushknife, a shovel, and a wheel barrow). Materials used in the construction are primarily found in their local surroundings such as coral bamboo for making walls by splitting, flattening and weaving. Natangora Palm fronds layered on top of each other; Coconut Palm leaves are also used for matting and roofing material. Pandanus leaves are used extensively in floor matting and bags, or other areas requiring tight weaving.
Cement is used, mixed by hand using aggregate and sand from the beach and water from the local well or creek. Even the cement bricks are made from moulds by the villagers. Wood beams are cut from local wood with bush knives or purchased from other locals possessing portable mills.
Food
The menu centres around what can be grown in the owner's garden or is available from local producers at the local markets, all of it grown 100% organically. Beef is grazed on 100% organic food and fish are fresh from the local waters, but as there is no electricity apart from what is produced at night for a few hours from a small generator, food cannot be refrigerated long enough, so it is literally "the catch of the day".
As is common in the islands, local people try to imitate what they think "western" people eat and consequently add a lot of "western" additives to their food such as Maggie stock meat, Soya, or whatever concentrates can be found.
As food flavour, presentation and nutritional value to most NiVanuatu is of little importance (...you eat what you're given, whatever it is, and be happy that you have something to eat, approach...), the pursuit of a gastronomic experience is not high on their list.
Ask for your food to be cooked without all the "western extras" if you want to taste the real flavours of your lobster, fish, steak or vegetables.
People
All Bungalows are built, owned and operated by local people hence all income generated by these businesses go directly back into the local economy.
- France
on 23 Jun 2010
Etienne and his family took great care of us.
They will go out of their way to please you and are genuinly nice people, always happy to help or have a chat.
They will do everything they can to make you feel comfortable and make sure that you experience the NiVanuatu way of life.
- France
on 28 May 2010
- Australia
on 03 Nov 2009
- United Kingdom
on 01 Sep 2009
Works hard with local community and trying to develop tourism as a controlled sustainable integrated local industry
