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Guest Reviews
Ratua Private Island
BP 396
Luganville, Vanuatu
Style: Traditional Elegance
Atmosphere: Secluded
15 Rooms
Once we’ve said that Ratua Private Island is, in fact, a private island — and in Vanuatu, no less — then we’ve said about ninety per cent of what needs to be said. But we’ll continue on, for the benefit of those who haven’t already skipped ahead to “book now.” Somehow, it gets better.
Ratua’s fifteen villas aren’t merely traditionally styled, they’re authentic 200-year-old Indonesian homes, transported to Vanuatu and rebuilt for the benefit of Ratua’s guests, with electricity added, bathrooms modernized and everything else left mercifully as-is. None is more than a few yards from the beach, and for parties up to ten there’s a “village” of five villas clustered together. Space is plentiful, and however rustic they may look, these are luxury villas, make no mistake.
Suffice it to say the design never distracts from the natural setting. Here the landscape and wildlife are given the right of way, and divers will find the sea life is unparalleled. Horseback tours and fishing expeditions can be arranged, as can guided nature walks and even a shipwreck dive.
The hotel’s main lodge building is named the Yacht Club, but thankfully it’s not quite what it sounds like. The restaurant, bar and lounge radiate around a central deck, which forms the social center of the resort. Meanwhile the beach barbecue is an alternative dining venue, and the spa must be seen to be believed — its twin treatment rooms stand on stilts, overwater style, for the most immersive experience you can have without actually being immersed.
