Diving Epi Island

About Epi Island (Central Vanuatu)

Epi Island sits in central Vanuatu and pairs easy, sheltered diving with a genuine chance of seeing dugong. Lamen Bay Reef is a calm garden great for training and macro, and one of the country's most reliable spots to see dugong grazing the seagrass at dawn. The Epi Wall is a sea-fan and black-coral drop-off with grey reef sharks, eagle rays and occasional mantas, while the Epi Wrecks are small scuttled traders now artificial reefs full of fish life and frogfish. The Pinnacles are isolated seamounts where barracuda, tuna and reef sharks school, with whale sharks possible in season. Epi is a relaxed, family-friendly island with a strong frontier feel.

Highlights

• ✓Lamen Bay Reef: a calm garden and one of Vanuatu's best dugong spots
• ✓Epi Wall: a sea-fan and black-coral wall with sharks and mantas
• ✓Epi Wrecks: small scuttled traders now macro-rich artificial reefs
• ✓The Pinnacles (Epi): seamounts with schooling fish and seasonal whale sharks
• ✓Easy, sheltered diving ideal for training and families

Getting There

Fly into Lamen Bay (LLB) on Epi from Port Vila or Santo, then transfer to a coastal lodge. Most sites are a short boat ride from Lamen Bay, and the sheltered bays make for easy entries. Some divers combine Epi with a liveaboard through the central islands.