We (Australians Rob and Alix Crapper) first came to Vanuatu in 1997, with our three children, Kulali, Riley and Shannen, aged 13, 11 and 9, to pursue the classic dream of living an alternative lifestyle on a tropical island.
With a huge vision and a small budget, we forged our new life out of the local environment, building our house using timbers and other locally available materials, and creating our extensive gardens, including planting a large organic vegetable garden and many tropical fruit trees, which serve to supply us now with all of the fresh fruits and vegetables we use in our meals at the Guesthouse.
Having grown up experiencing the freedom of life on the island our children have all moved on to pursue an equally adventurous life on their own, which made it an easy progression for us to welcome guests into our home to share for a few days or weeks our wonderful lifestyle on Epi.
From the moment we moved here until the present day we continue to be the only expats, much to our bewilderment, who have chosen this quiet and beautiful island as a home, and from the very beginning have forged a strong and very fond relationship with our local villages and all man Epi who come to our door.
All of our staff live in a nearby village, and many of them are members of our custom owners own family. Our custom owner himself, Chief Luwi, is our tour guide, he is a jovial character with many good stories to tell and always a big laugh for everyone.
With the support of the locals, we have kept the waters off our private white sand beach as a marine sanctuary, where the snorkeling is sensational. Relaxing in our two storey open sided beach hut, built right on the sand, is the perfect place to watch the sun sink into the ocean, or perhaps sleep the night there for the ultimate romantic escape. It is possibly one of the most secluded and peaceful spots in the country, which leaves some of our guests simply dazed. If you are looking for something a little different in your Vanuatu travels, the guesthouse is a must, and could well be the best experience you'll have as you explore this wonderful country.