On an island adrift in the crystalline waters of Vanuatu’s Havannah Harbour, The Moso feels like the South Pacific before the world found it. Reached via a 10-minute boat ride from Efate, this off-grid boutique resort owned by Australian expats Joel Slattery and Antoun Jabbour is an easy-going island hideaway — think pristine white villas framed by palms, polished concrete floors, and heavenly sea breezes. It’s the kind of barefoot luxury that feels quietly sophisticated rather than showy, where every element is made for easy rhythm of island life.
The rooms
Villas are scattered along the island’s palm-fringed shore and rising hillside, each with a bright and breezy design. Beachfront villas sit just metres from the tide; those higher up claim private pools for late-afternoon dips and sweeping views across Port Havannah.
Whitewashed walls, polished concrete floors, and pivot doors with louvred windows that blur the line between indoor and outdoor spaces and allow the trade winds to roll through linen-draped bedrooms. Bathrooms are open and sunlit, finished in raw textures and tropical greenery. Nothing here feels over-styled or over-engineered — just calm, clean lines and water views that refuse to quit.
Food & drink
All meals take place at the resort’s open-air restaurant and bar, where breakfast looks like veg-packed omelettes or tropical fruit platters and lunch is an international smattering of light dishes and snacky bits, from fresh seafood to pizza to Asian-style salads. The dinner menu changes daily, utilising fresh local ingredients. Additionally, the resort invites guests to enjoy a weekly long table dinner featuring a buffet offering of curries, char-grilled meats, rice dishes, and salads. Order another Piña Colada (served in a coconut, no less) and enjoy dining at the water’s edge.
Want a change of scenery? For a spectacular seafood lunch, arrange a boat transfer across the harbour to dine at nearby Hacienda at Trees and Fishes Private Retreat. Fusing traditional island flavours with global influences, each dish champions the freshest seafood and local produce.Â
The service
Sunny-faced staff are warm, genuine and guided by that easy Ni-Vanuatu hospitality that makes holidaying in the archipelago oh so pleasant. Staff know your name by the first sunset of your stay, your morning coffee appears before you think to ask, and a boat ride or romantic private beach dinner can be arranged with little more than a passing mention at the front desk.
Things to do
A 30-minute walk leads to Embas Beach, the resort’s own private cove. Guests can also take leisurely walks to the island’s two local villages — Tassirki and Sunae — or to the superyacht wreckage right on the reef by Sunae. Of course, snorkelling is on offer, which can be done right off Embas or the beach in front of The Moso’s bistro, where you may even spy a dugong grazing in the seagrass. Guests can also arrange boat tours around the island or neighbouring islands to discover untouched beaches, hidden grottoes and giant clam gardens. For a romantic dinner, ask the team to organise a sunset cruise over to Embas for a private beach dinner cooked over fire by one of the resort’s chefs.
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
