| Coordinates: | 17.6737 S 168.2531 E |
| No: | 177 (list of all attractions) |
| Category: | Waterfalls |
| Values: | Geology, Visual |
| Rank: | 7 |
| Address: | Australia and Oceania, Vanuatu, Shefa, Efate Island, some 12 km northwest from Port Vila, near Mele Maat village |
| Alternate names: | Mele Maat Falls |
| Height: | Tallest upper plunge - approximately 45m, total height - some 70m |
Mele Cascades, upper part.
Charmaine Tham, Flickr / CC BY 2.0
Mele Cascades, lower part.
Hidde de Vries, Flickr / CC BY 2.0
Mele Cascades, lower part.
Hidde de Vries, Flickr / CC BY 2.0
Visit to the beautiful Mele Cascades fulfills the wish of many tourists to see the real nature of Vanuatu - especially if most part of the vacation has been spent in cosy hotels and beaches.
Mele Cascades are located in 15 minutes drive from Port Vila - capital of Vanuatu, not far from the road. This is popular tourist attraction with marked trail and wide offer of tourist business including abseil down the falls. There should be paid entrance fee to access the cascades but all visitors agree that it is worth to pay. It is advised to come very early or - also in lunchtime, because during the day falls might be quite crowded.
Tourist footpath starts below the falls. Water of the stream is blue-green, it contains lots of dissolved lime. Bed of the stream often is layered with travertine deposit. Trail often goes straight through the water. Not many notice it: the edges of travertine terraces are covered with larvae of black flies.
Travertine deposits in many locations have formed smaller cascades with pools and, as one goes ahead, the cascades become taller. Several pools with cool water are well suited to swim and tourists eagerly use this opportunity, especially in warm time. There is a cave behind one of such cascades.
Most impressive is the approximately 45 - 50m tall upper waterfall which is sliding down a steep rock face. There is beautiful lookout from the top of the falls over the lush green fields and forests of Efate island and the Pacific ocean.
After the earthquake in August 2010 the upper part became unstable.
28 December 2010 Gatis Pāvils