Roi Mata is undoubtedly the biggest chief in Vanuatu's history. The "domain" inscribed is a triangle including his old tribe village, his burial grounds, as well as the cave where he supposedly died. Before you take the tour, and a tour is required, you should head to Vanuatu's national museum to not only learn about the chief and the domain, still listed as "attempting to inscribe" in the panels, other Vanuatu history, but also about Vanuatu's intangible heritage of sand drawing (better to wait for a tour of this to start but I think they only do this if enough people or if you come with a tour guide).

I was leaving in the afternoon and the typhoon was coming in anyway so I asked the tourist information to book a shorter tour without the village lunch. I don't know what they show you around the village but from having to drive there to get on the small boat I don't think there is much to see and a lunch just for myself would have been overkill. In the end I think this was a great choice.

Taking off to the appropriately hat island, the guide will tell you about the history of the place. They maintain the burial grounds here although it is only a small square. Unfortunately there was still plenty of trash washed ashore. Next stop is the fels/feles/fele's cave on Lelepa Island. The entrance is rather interesting to see the eroded walls. Inside you can see some cave art and the guide tells you about it. Interesting to see some of them but nothing too unique. The cave is small and was never used to live inside because as can be seen from a recent cave-in is would be too dangerous.

I spent the rest of the morning snorkeling at the shore.

One can see that this was not recommend to be inscribed due to the lack of management. The tour I booked was directly through the village but others, including the very expensive one from the tour agency I shall not name, is not actually giving any benefit to the village or at least not very much. The only thing stopping them is a sign to say that one should enter with a guide but then again they should have been specific because I'm sure the person taking you from another tour agency is also a guide. What I found best about booking directly is that they are flexible with the tour timing, customization, and didn't overcharge me for a single person tour.

In terms of being culturally important I think that might only be true for Vanuatu or Melanesian people. I also don't believe that the three sites on the list have any way of showing you that importance, nor does it really link to the chief outside of legend and a grave (which we assume is his). I also find this sets a precedence to other countries wanting to inscribe their leaders, heroes etc, based on their burial, site of death and place of living. North Korea would be an example in where the tours always like to show off Kim Il-sung's farm huts (replicas?), and even they haven't considered that as WORLD heritage, or the log cabin of Abraham Lincoln, both national historic sites.

Would I recommend the tour/visit? Is it worthy to be a WHS? Would I visit again? Yes, worth to go if you are on Vanuatu especially if you need a dry day before flying out, but it can be arranged in half a day as I did and even if you are not into world heritage sites or the cultural aspect the trip is neat. No, I don't think this should be a WHS, sorry. No, I would not visit it again; Vanuatu has more to offer than that.