A 'kastom' offers a unique glimpse into traditional ways of life.

Photo: David Kirkland

What makes Vanuatu special is its people. They are beautiful with white flashing smiles and dark burnished skin, and they know how to relax.

Most of them are subsistence farmers who live off the land, leaving them plenty of time to play and be social.

Life in Vanuatu is a ceaseless string of festivals and rituals - any excuse to get together with loved ones and enjoy life.

Many villages are now offering a unique glimpse into their traditional way of life to take advantage of the tourist dollar and support themselves.

Ekasup Cultural Village is located in the forest about 20 minutes drive out of Vanuatu's capital, Port Vila.

A man blowing a conch shell and dressed in a woven grass skirt and feather headpiece leads visitors into a clearing in the forest surrounded by bamboo huts.

Visitors are shown traditional farming and building techniques, food preparation, weaponry and initiated into 'kastom,' a form of sorcery the village's holy man uses to cure illness, protect his people and curse their enemies.

At the end of the tour the villagers sing traditional songs and dance in grass skirt costumes. Visitors are then encouraged to buy their handicrafts, including intricately woven bags and baskets.

Visiting one of these cultural villages is a way of giving back to the ni-Vanuatu, and receiving a deeper insight into their culture and history.