Every so often, I have the pleasure of meeting and working with people who not only follow their passions, but operate businesses that fully integrate the indigenous people of the destination into their businesses. One such person is is Pascal Guillet, owner/operator of Vanuatu Ecotours.
La Colle River is in pristine condition and Pascal is careful to show it with zero footprint, especially along a section that runs through a large private property and to which Pascal has exclusive access for trekking/ kayaking. Here, Pascal has met local Nivan guys along the track making lunch from a caught wild hen.
I chatted with Pascal – no easy task as he is always on the move – to find out what keeps him going.
John: Pascal, why did you start Vanuatu Ecotours?
Pascal: I wanted to share this unique and beautiful country with everyone from all over the world, from all walks of life; to provide them a life-changing experience by taking them out of their safety zone; to awaken the human spirit, the human attachment and need to connect with something real. To me there is nothing more real than the great outdoors… nature.
People exist in such sanitised comfort. The urban lifestyle found in modern society has, over thousands of years, desensitized our natural consciousness. I like to provide the opportunity to make them touch their inner selves by providing breathtaking locations and experiences which are not on the brochures. I like to see people do things they never thought capable of doing.
Accordingly, don’t be surprised if Pascal takes you to a secret cave where the only access is through a waterfall deep in the jungle, which is, in turn, only accessible by kayak!
It’s hard not to see how passionate Pascal is, but he is also practical. After a brief conversation, I learned that he is the Vanuatu representative for RAM (Rotary Against Malaria), in Vanuatu today called R.O.M. (Rotary Operation Mosquito), which, in conjunction with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, teaches village communities malaria prevention practices and donates mosquito nets to needy people throughout the islands (1,200 nets to date).
Pascal is perched on the edge of a waterfall showing layers of volcanic ash compacted over millions of years. It's all that remains of a lake that once sat at the foot of the Mt Yasur volcano on the Vanuatu island of Tanna. The lake's banks burst in 2000 and left a river that all must cross (there are no bridges) to access the volcano.
Pascal also buys and resells indigenous carvings, the proceeds from which help local parents pay their children’s school fees. (Pascal provides this service for free.) Part of this project is to encourage visiting travellers to sponsor local children’s education. Pascal has two Australian families presently doing so.
As an active diversion from all his professional activities, Pascal’s love of sports (he has a degree in sports education) sees him playing and coaching villagers in soccer and volleyball. You guessed it: he also supplies the equipment for free.
Pascal is originally from France, where he was also educated, but, with his wife and son, he made Vanuatu his home 16 years ago. A keen walker, mountain biker, tennis player and horse rider, Pascal has travelled extensively throughout Vanuatu, acquiring fluency in Bislama (he also speaks fluent French and English) and an incredible knowledge of the islands and its unique, indigenous network. Pascal tirelessly trains NiVanuatu people in tour management, furthering the understanding and practice of ecotourism throughout the archipelago.
More Information
Visit the Vanuatu Ecotours website to learn more about how you can benefit from and support Pascal’s work.
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The author of this article, John Nicholls, owns and operates Vanuatu Hotels, the whl.travel local connection in Vanuatu. Vanuatu Hotels is the most comprehensive online accommodation booking facility for this island nation in the South Pacific.
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Tags: adventure sport, ecotourism, John Nicholls, responsible organisations, responsible tourism, responsible travel, Rotary Against Malaria, Rotary Operation Mosquito, sustainable tourism, Vanuatu, Vanuatu Ecotours, Vanuatu tours
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What an inspiring person, it’s great to see that there are people like Pascal out there. This is the kind of product I would hope we can find in every destination within the whl network, it makes me want to go there and see it with you guys as opposed to your competition!