Comprised of two high volcanic islands, Vanikoro is bordered by a fringing reef and a pristine lagoon. The southernmost of the Santa Cruz Island group, Vanikoro is a remote island paradise seldom visited by tourists. There are approximately 1,300 people living on the islands in several different villages. The population here is quite unique, however, because it is made up of two distinctly different cultural groups: both Melanesian and Polynesian people. The friendly locals are happy to share their different cultures through traditional dances and musical celebrations.
The islands are incredibly important for several endemic bird species and even a species of flying fox, which make their home here due to the lush vegetation on the islands. The Vanikoro flycatcher and the Vanikoro monarch are two of the numerous endemic bird species found here.