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The Glossary

Kumala - "Sweet potatoes."

From Vanuatu Glossary

As Vanuatu's capital and chief tourist destination, Port Vila in the island of Efate is a one-stop shop for extreme adventure, palate feasts, and Melanesian culture excursion.

Under 19th century French colonists, Port Vila became the world's first self-governing nation to practice universal suffrage without distinction of race or sex. The airbase the US and Australia left behind from World War II now serves as the world's main connection to the city via airplane. A port and a number of terminals for taxis and vans are also there, but the best method to navigate the city is by buses that allow one to jump on or off anywhere one pleases.

As the center of trade, Port Vila showcases grass-roofed markets that sell sarongs, woven grass bags and mats. Even though it is a financial hub, the city's people are friendly and not dollar-hungry. No one runs after tourists compelling them to buy, and travelers can even haggle for prices to their heart's content.

Scores of tours, accommodations, feasts and museums abound in Port Vila. Healthy eating is assured with the city's selection of organic meat, vegetables, fruits and coffee. The city invites you with the flavor of lap lap (root vegetable cake) and aelan kakae cuisine that mixes fish with vegetables, fruits and root crops such as taro and yams. Coco milk and cream are used to flavor the dishes, which are mostly cooked using hot stones or by boiling and steaming since fry pans are only rarely used in Vanuatu.

Parasailing, jet-skiing and kayaking keep people busy on the beaches. Under the water there is a world of wonders, with coral-encrusted wrecks and baby dolphins. Further north are waterfalls with cascades giving another facet to the island.

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