The best mornings in Luganville start at the market. From Deco Stop Lodge, four different markets sit within an easy walk or short taxi of our front gate: the main produce market, its cooked food stalls, a handmade souvenir shop on Main Street, and a craft market that appears on cruise days. Here is how to work them into a good island morning.
Luganville Market: where do the Mamas sell their produce?
The heart of it all is the Luganville Market, a lively run of stalls near the Sarakata Bridge at the western end of Main Street, about a fifteen to twenty minute walk or a short taxi from our front gate. Run largely by local Mamas, it trades almost continuously from Monday morning to Saturday midday, and it is free to wander. Come early, ideally between 6am and 8am, for the freshest taro, yam, sweet potato and tropical fruit, piled high and grown in nearby village gardens. You will also find woven baskets, mats and fresh flowers among the produce. The stalls are undercover, so it runs rain or shine. Bring small notes of vatu, since it is cash only.
Eating at the market: what is the cheapest breakfast in town?
The market’s cooked food stalls, which locals call the Mamas kitchen, are the answer, and they are open from about 6:30am until 9pm. This is where you eat like a local for very little: a plate of beef stew, grilled Santo steak, fresh fish or laplap over rice costs only a few hundred vatu. It is busiest at breakfast and lunch, when town workers file through, so go early and follow the queue to the best stall. There is no menu and no fuss, just honest island cooking served hot. It is undercover alongside the produce market, casual, and one of the most genuine half hours you can spend in Luganville.
Mamas Handicraft Shop: where do you buy handmade souvenirs?
For something to take home, Mamas Handicraft and Souvenir Shop on Main Street is the place, about an eight to ten minute walk from the Lodge. Run by the Dolasa One Women’s Association, it is a cluster of colourful stalls where the Mamas sell what they have made by hand: woven baskets and mats, carvings, shell jewellery, and island style shirts and sarongs, known locally as lava lavas. It is open daily and undercover, so it works in any weather. Prices are fair and buying here puts money straight into the hands of the women who made the goods, which is a good reason to pick up your souvenirs here.
The wharf handicraft market: worth timing with a cruise day?
If a cruise ship is in port during your stay, it is. The Luganville wharf handicraft market sets up at the main wharf, about a ten to fifteen minute drive from the Lodge, and appears only on cruise ship days. It is the biggest gathering of makers you will see on Santo, with one hundred per cent locally made crafts: tam tam carvings, finely woven mats and baskets, hats, and lava lavas, including pieces brought in from the outer islands of Pentecost, Ambae and the Banks. Check with us at reception for the cruise schedule during your stay, since this market lives and dies by the shipping calendar rather than a fixed day.
FAQs
What days is the Luganville market open?
The main Luganville Market runs almost around the clock from Monday morning to about midday on Saturday, then closes for Sunday. Mornings are best, when the produce is freshest and the cooked food stalls are busiest. It is a short walk or a quick taxi from Deco Stop Lodge, and entry is free.
What is the best time to visit Luganville Market?
Early. Between about 6am and 8am the produce is at its freshest, the Mamas are setting out their stalls, and the cooked breakfast is on. It is also cooler at that hour, which makes wandering the stalls more comfortable. Come hungry, bring small notes of vatu, and plan to be back at the Lodge by mid morning.
Can you eat at the Luganville market?
Yes, and it is one of the cheapest, most authentic meals on Santo. The market’s cooked food stalls run from early morning until evening, serving beef stew, grilled steak, fresh fish, rice plates and laplap. A filling plate costs only a few hundred vatu. It is cash only, casual, and popular with local workers.
Do the markets run when it rains?
The main Luganville Market keeps going in the wet, since the produce and food stalls are undercover, so a shower is no reason to change your plans. Mamas Handicraft Shop on Main Street is indoors too. The wharf handicraft market only appears on cruise ship days, so that one depends on the shipping schedule rather than the weather.
How do we get to the market from Deco Stop Lodge?
It is an easy trip. Main Street is a five minute walk downhill from our front gate, and Mamas Handicraft Shop sits along it. The main produce market is a little further west near the Sarakata Bridge, about fifteen to twenty minutes on foot or a short, cheap taxi. Ask at reception and we will happily point you the right way or help arrange a lift.
A slow market morning is one of the simplest pleasures of a Santo stay: fresh fruit for the room, a cheap and honest breakfast, and a hand woven basket to carry it all home. It is all a short stroll or quick taxi from our front gate. When you are planning your trip, take a look at our rooms and rates and see what else fills an island day on our activities page.
Image credit: Michael Coghlan, CC BY-SA 2.0
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