The first diver is ready. He stands with his toes over the edge of the diving tower, about 30 metres above the ground, waves his arms together and leaps forward. The vines tied around his ankles are soft and white so as not to dig into his flesh, while the other end is securely knotted to the main vines that hang down in front of the tower like black snakes.

For a moment his body soars through the blue sky, straight, taut and neat, with his arms in front. An instant later he is on the ground, pulling himself up and turning to the crowd of onlookers from the nearby villages who have come to be part of this ritual, known as nangol, on the island of South Pentecost in Vanuatu.

The dives only occur on particular days in April and May, the wet season, and the tower, a massive structure of logs skilfully lashed together, usually takes at least two weeks to complete. Everything that supports and binds it together comes from the surrounding jungle. This spectacle, a primitive form of bungy jumping, is to ensure the community has a bounteous yam harvest. It is also a totem to the strength and potency of man, and the continuing power of ancient legends and traditions.

The women are not allowed to build the tower, or touch it when it is complete, but they are allowed to watch the dives, admire their man, and they are a vital part of the group dancing and singing at the base of the tower. Pentecost Island is in the central group of islands which make up Vanuatu.

It includes the two largest islands, Espiritu Santo and Malakula. The other groups are Torres and Banks Islands in the north, and the Tafea Islands in the south.

Vanuatu lies in the heart of Melanesia, between New Caledonia and Fiji. A chain of 82 islands of varying sizes, Vanuatu extends in a north­south direction for 1300 kilometres. Lying astride the Pacific Ocean‘s "rim of fire¡±, where the Indo­Australian tectonic plate slips beneath the Pacific plate, Vanuatu‘s islands were all forged in volcanic fire. There are several active volcanoes, most notably Yasur, on Tanna Island in the south, as well as an undersea volcano near Tongoa.

The capital is Port Vila (population 25,000), on the island of Efate, a short drive from the international airport. Port Vila is a cosmopolitan town with a noticeably French ambience. For example lunch breaks are long, in the French manner, coffee and croissants are breakfast staples, and the town is noted for its many stylish, ethnic eateries. Close to Port Vila is a variety of accommodation, from self­catering cottages to de luxe resorts, one of which, Iririki Island Resort, is located on its own island in Port Vila harbour.

The principal benefit of Vanuatu‘s unusual political history can be summed up in its French­style cuisine. Fresh fruit and vegetables, fish and shellfish, beef, chicken and pork are all readily available, along with locally grown herbs. But these ingredients are also found on many other islands of the South Pacific. The difference in Vanuatu lies in its French heritage.

And Vive la Difference! French­trained chefs often prepare meals in Port Vila‘s hotels and restaurants with all the care and attention that the laudable Gallic love of food entails, but with the additional flavour that comes from its South Pacific location. The food has been described as "a fusion of France, Asia and Melanesia¡±. For example, at one of Vanuatu‘s bestknown restaurants, Michener‘s (named after the author James Michener), which is part of the Iririki Island resort, a traditional Melanesian buffet dinner is held once a week.

A banquet of local dishes is cooked in a laulau, or open­ground wood oven. The meal includes a variety of root vegetables served with beef and chicken, laplap ­ grated banana wrapped in cabbage ­ roast pork, fish, beef curry, coconut pie and pumpkin. Banana and bread pudding are served for dessert. Calamari, mussels and baby octopus also appear on most menus, and right on the Port Vila waterfront, along with the usual souvenir stalls, French­style restaurants serve lobster, prawns, coconut crab and fish ravioli. Crepes, flavoured with banana or chocolate, are another French­derived favourite in Port Vila.

For those who prefer to cook for themselves, the Port Vila market provides a cornucopia of locally grown ingredients: island cabbage, coconuts, live crabs, several varieties of banana, vanilla pods, mangoes, peppers, chillies, nuts, passionfruit, grapefruit, and kava in its various forms.

Other attractions in Port Vila are the Vila Cultural Centre and Museum, which has displays of traditional Ni­Vanuatuan artefacts, and the French War Memorial, from which there are panoramic views of Port Vila and its bay. Port Vila also has no fewer than four golf courses.

Beyond Port Vila most of Vanuatu is still in its natural state. Land can only be owned by the Ni­Vanuatu, and three­quarters of the total population of 182,000 lives in village communities and grow crops such as yams, taro, manioc and sweet potatoes. Visitor accommodation is well developed on Espiritu Santo, but on the other outer islands is usually confined to guesthouses operated by churches or village chiefs.

Beyond Efate and Port Vila are three outstanding attractions for visitors to Vanuatu. Just off Luganville town, on the big island of Espiritu Santo, lies the wreck of the SS President Coolidge, a 22,000 tonne former luxury liner, which was converted to a troopship during the Second World War.

She sank in 1942 after hitting two mines in an attempt to get into port without a pilot. Mercifully only two men out of the more than 5000 on board died, one of whom was the captain. Today the 200 metre­long sunken ship comprises the largest diveable wreck in the world. Yasur volcano, which rises 361 metres above sea level, is 30 kilometres from Tanna Island‘s airstrip in the eastern part of the island. It is one of the world‘s most accessible live volcanoes. A road reaches almost to the summit on the southern side, or it can be climbed from the northern side.

Surrounded by a barren, ash­covered plain, Yasur is an awe­inspiring cauldron of volcanic activity. The crater belches balls of molten lava, some of them as big as cars, accompanied by hisses and roars, sulphurous fumes, ash and cinders. The eruption is comparable with Vesuvius in Italy for its intensity. Yasur is a must, even for those who otherwise have little interest in volcanoes. A guided climb, especially in the evening, makes a great climax to a visit to Vanuatu.