Aore Island Resort

For me it just feels great to visit this nice and friendly resort. This Aore Island Resorts is excellent, the food is very tasty and all the staff are excellent and make you very welcome. In addition to diving and snorkeling, they also offer numerous recreational options. Also thanks to the wonderful and friendly resort manager who makes my stay unforgettable even after a tropical infection. So… don't hesitate and just book, you won't regret it, and… maybe you will come back to Aore Island Resort again.

Stayed here for 4 nights with my family in a garden bungalow and had a lovely stay. Rooms are comfortable without being luxurious, weather was quite warm and humid making sleeping a challenge at times so would have been nice to have a/c but that's only a minor complaint. We all loved the snorkelling out the front and did a great tour organised by the hotel to Port Olry, Champagne Beach and the Blue hole with a guide named Francis. Worked out better priced to book as a private driver than per person as a tour. Downside of the location is mainly the irregularity of the ferry so you can feel a little isolated but the food at the restaurant was great apart from kids meals being tiny and not enough to feed my 9 or 11 year old. By the 4th night we started to feel the menu was getting a bit samey and wanted some more variety but all in all a fantastic stay and would highly recommend

We had the most wonderful time at Aore Island Resort. It would have to be the most relaxing holiday I have ever had. We were greeted by Lisa upon arrival with a very warm welcome. The staff at Aore are absolutely lovely, helpful and welcoming. The water is crystal clear and you only need to be knee deep to be surrounded by fish and feed them. Snorkelling around the pier and beyond was amazing. You can also go out in Canoes and paddle boards. The menu in the restaurant changes daily for Lunch and Dinner and we were always excited to see what would be on the menu. The chocolate mousse I could have had all day!! :) We stayed in a beachfront bungalow. We were 2 adults and 2 children. Very comfortable and clean. The bungalows are cleaned every day and you get fresh towels daily. Falling asleep to the sound of the ocean every night was so lovely. We went for a few bike rides also around the island. For extra activities you can head over to Santo. its a quick boat ride over, very easy. There are 3 Blue Holes we visited, Jackie's Blue hole was my favourite. Take your snorkelling gear. It is the purest and most clear water you will swim in. RiRi was also beautiful. I suggest taking the canoe down the river. Champagne and port orly are also lovely. We cant wait to get back one day. -Take tropical Aerogard -There is no wifi in the bungalows, which is actually a lovely break from technology. you do get wifi in the restaurant though. -Take reef shoes. You will absolutely need them. -Take AUD and exchange at port villa airport or withdrawal from the ATM's at the airport. For 44,000 Vatu (which was the limit for withdrawal) at ANZ ATM I was charged 800Vatu in fees. BSP ATM for 40,000Vatu charged me 490Vatu. Always have cash handy to avoid fees.

Perfect location, well equipped and comfortable bungalows and friendly staff. The snorkelling was excellent and a good supply of kayaks, SUPs, bikes and snorkels and masks. The fish feeding off the pier for the kids was delightful as well. The lunch and dinner menu was great - fresh, seasonal and varied. Although the same proteins feature, they’re done in different ways with flavoursome sauces and sides (and reasonably priced). The kids’ menu is more limited and would be an area that could be improved upon by providing greater variety - or even a lunch menu of 3 options which is different to the dinner menu of 3 options. Also, the evening entertainment was enjoyable and the atmosphere relaxed. Plenty to keep children of all ages and adults entertained during their stay.

Aore Island Resort was our best stay in Vanuatu. Things we loved: - Our beachfront villa (#23) was perfect for a family of four - gorgeous tropical decor, spacious with sliding doors between bathroom and two bedrooms, good storage, big attached deck with access from both bedrooms and a second deck in front on the water. Great view out across the water, and sleeping to the sound of the lapping shore. - Lovely organic coconut based shampoo/conditioner/body wash; fluffy white bath towels plus separate set of beach towels. - Nighttime entertainment (eg. bamboo band; water music performance); morning classes (coconut milk making; sand drawing). - The quality of food was spectacular: lots of local flavours and executed so well, different options each day. Lovely included breakfast of fruits and bakery goods. The nakamal area is very island stylish - we loved sitting on the deck watching the water, surrounded by the beauty. Hibiscus flowers on every plate! (LOVE) - Great cocktails (frozen margaritas were the highlight). - The gardens are so lush, so many flowers and beautiful palms. It’s so calming just walking between the villa and nakamal. - Lots of kayaks and paddle boards; snorkelling equipment in each villa. Fat tire bikes for adventuring outside the resort. Pool on site. - The snorkelling was fabulous. We saw multiple lion fish in addition to so many colourful fish (dories, nemos, *****ies, parrot fish, massive schools of silver fish of various kinds) and lots of coloured soft and hard corals. This is all just metres from the beach right in front of the nakamal. You can see and feed many kinds of fish straight off the jetty. - This place is very family friendly but the villas are well spaced apart so you don’t hear anyone else. - Affordable massages on site. - Great management, happy highly competent and friendly local staff and very switched-on expat owners on-site. The attention to detail at this resort is frankly flawless. Our only suggestion for improvement would be to expand the range of food options on the kids’ menu, with an eye to healthy eating. Eg. Pasta options, kids salad or simple veggies. That being said, the available kids’ options were done very nicely. We’ll be back!

Loved it here. We stayed for 5 nights, including Christmas, and were very sad to leave. The resort is simple, very comfortable, and right on the beach. The staff are warm and friendly and make you feel so welcome. The service is great. Christmas dinner on the beach with your toes in the sand was a huge feast and a highlight of the stay. We loved the snorkelling off the beach. there is a healthy scattering of reef that is regenerating nicely after the cyclone of 2020. Fish diversity ++. Snorkelling gear is complementary and provided in the rooms. We had an ocean view villa that was perfect. Food is good with varying menu. Local produce used and the bar is well stocked. You can easily book tours from the resort to visit blue holes (outstanding) and other spots. It was a perfect place to really relax, slip into Vanuatu time, and watch the waves. Highly recommend. Tips: bring reef shoes as it is a coral beach.

We took advantage of the first direct flight from Brisbane to Santo (just a little over two hours) and we could tell from the welcome at the airport the local people were as excited as us. We loved our short stay at the resort and the trip across the water to get to the island really made it feel like we were escaping for a while. We received a very warm and friendly welcome from the owners and staff and it continued for our entire stay. We were there for some R & R and this was the perfect spot to do as little or as much as you wanted. All the guests seemed happy and relaxed in the ambience of the resort. There is something special about South Pacific island stays that we don’t find in other parts of the world. My husband said he would revisit here again, he has never said that about anywhere else in the world.

We visited Aore Island Resort with family (6 adults and one toddler in 3 rooms) and really enjoyed our stay. The rooms are comfortable and private, the grounds and gardens immaculate, the staff are wonderful and food super tasty. Lots of lovely tropical touches. The water is insanely clear with incredible sea life and snorkelling only metres from the beach, lots to explore. There are beautiful big trees hanging over the beach so we were able to lay in the shade in the cool water for hours, which was really relaxing. We visited the Riri Blue Hole back on the mainland which was just gorgeous and would highly recommend. We would have loved to have done a few more off-island day trips but the cost per person for these were quite expensive and off-putting - appreciate though that these prices are set by the local operators and the resort takes no cut.

Went to resort for dinner after a full day touring, it has an amazing relaxed vibe in the resort. We saw the Water music ladies performing in the ocean as the sun was setting. It was a magical and spectacular experience, must for all whilst in Santo. Ensure water taxi is pre-booked for return to main land if required prior to setting off.