For ages, people have travelled far and wide in search of a good bath. Journeying to natural pools and hot springs with healing properties has been ‘medical tourism’ in its simplest form. Nowadays, though, a healthy soak in the mineral-rich waters of thermal springs is more than just doctor’s orders; finding the natural hot spots for a relaxing steep is a way to appreciate the unique geographical qualities of a place while simultaneously indulging in some healing.

Silvana Nicholls and her husband, John Nicholls, were some of the earliest local partners to join the whl.travel family. They launched their Vanuatu destination portal in November of 2005 and have been strong collaborators ever since. She arrived on the island of Vanuatu in the South Pacific in 2001 and spent the first three years on the volcanic island of Tanna before moving to the capital city of Port Vila on Efate Island, where she and John still live.