Survivor: Vanuatu · Season 9
In the Arena
Every challenge Survivor: Vanuatu staged — who took immunity, who won reward, week by week.
26 challenges ran this season — 15 with immunity on the line and 13 for reward.
- Episode1
- Immunity + Reward
Fire Starter
This challenge consists of a commando crawl through a mud pit, three players moving a ball through a table maze, grabbing the ball, climbing a ladder to a balance beam, net slide back to the ground, three other players then using provided materials and matches inside the ball to build a fire in a cauldron to burn through a rope, lowering a torch, lighting the torch, and crossing the finish.
Reward: Flint
Yasur wins
- Episode2
- Reward
By the Numbers
One at a time, each tribe member must maneuver past the other players standing on a balance beam and get to the finishing platform. If one of them falls or touches more than one other player at once, they must start over. First tribe to get all eight members on the platform wins.
Reward: Hammocks, blankets, and pillows
Yasur wins
- Immunity
Four on the Floor
One caller from each tribe must guide three groups of blindfolded tribemates (each tied together, in two pairs and one group of three) to retrieve twelve pairs of puzzle pieces on land and in the water, then work to assemble three puzzles on a set of scaffolding. The first to assemble the puzzles and climb the scaffolding wins.
Lopevi wins
- Episode3
- Immunity + Reward
Great Escape Run
The challenge is divided into two parts: one for tribal reward, the other for individual immunity. For the reward half, the tribes must work together to make their way through three locked cages by untying planks, using grappling hooks to retrieve keys, and mastering a series of interlocking slide rails. The first tribe to crawl through the three cages to safety would win reward and the right to compete for individual immunity. For the immunity half, each person must dig ladder rungs out of the sand. The players would then use these rungs to assemble a ladder and climb the top of a tower. The first person to reach the top wins individual immunity.
Reward: Fishing and snorkeling gear, and the chance to vie for individual immunity.
Won by John K.
- Episode4
- Reward
Remembrance
The format: Memory
This is a generic match the covered pairs game. First tribe to find five out of fifteen possible pairs win.
Reward: 24 hours of assistance from a local survival expert named Dah.
Yasur wins
- Immunity
Tribal Tiles
The guide sits overlooking a grid of sixteen squares, each with a tile; the others must move the tiles (in four colors and with four designs) so that no design appears in the same row or column. The first to finish wins.
Yasur wins
- Episode5
- Reward
Dive Masters
The castaways must pull themselves along an underwater rope, retrieving markers along the way. The tribe that collects the most markers at the end of ten minutes wins reward.
Reward: A trip to the waterfalls of Vanuatu, plus beer and Pringles chips
Lopevi wins
- Immunity
Outwit, Outplay, Outrig
The format: Jungle Relay
The castaways must race into the jungle to gather outrigger canoe parts and paddles. Once all the pieces are gathered, each tribe must assemble their canoe, then paddle out to retrieve their flag. The first tribe to bring their flag back to the beach wins.
Lopevi wins
- Episode6
- Reward
Pig Pen
The format: Get Your Goat
Teams must race through a muddy pigpen in order to chase down their tribe-colored pigs. The first team to get ten of their pigs back to their tribe pen would win reward.
Reward: Steak and eggs
Lopevi wins
- Immunity
Strung Out
From a platform in the water, each tribe member must transport a tiki segment to the shore, navigating the segments over and under a series of above- and below-water obstacles. Once on shore, the first tribe to reassemble their tiki correctly wins immunity.
Lopevi wins
- Episode7
- Reward
Jo-Coconut
The format: Coconut Juice
One tribe member at a time must hurry to open coconuts, then race with the juice through a wood crawl, seesaws, wood hurdles, and a grid box to deposit the juice into the receiving jar. Once the jar is filled, the last member must carefully carry it to the finish line. The first tribe to cross the finish line with a full jar wins.
Reward: A trip to a café to enjoy coffee, juice, treats, and letters from home.
Yasur wins
- Immunity
Shoot Your Way Home
The format: Blue Plate Special
Each tribe would be equipped with a pouch of marbles and a slingshot. In turn, each tribe member must take a shot at a ceramic tile grid. On the ground lies twenty wooden squares on a 4-by-5 gameboard, each of which will be turned over when its corresponding ceramic tile is broken. Once all four squares in a column are turned over, the tribe member assigned that column will move to a finish mat and exit the challenge. The first tribe to break all twenty tiles wins immunity.
Yasur wins
- Episode8
- Reward
Fire Fighter
One tribe member must race into the ocean to fill a bucket with water. Then they must bring it back and toss it to a tribemate. The bucket must be tossed twice more, and the final tribe member must catch the water itself in another bucket, and use it to fill a jar. The tribes must repeat this until they have enough weight in their jar to lower it to the ground, sending a lit flame up to a fire tower. First tribe to light their fire wins reward.
Reward: A large chocolate cake, milk, and cookies
- Immunity
Jumper
The castaways were divided into two groups. The castaways must race to a series of tall wooden towers in the water and climb to the top. Then they must navigate across a balance beam, retrieve a flag, and jump off the tower and race to the beach. The first two castaways from each group to bring three flags to the beach moves on to the final round. The final round would work the same way with the first person to collect all three of their flags winning immunity.
Won by Lea
- Episode9
- Reward
Head Hunter
The format: Survivor Quiz Show
Each player is assigned three skulls on posts. When a player answers a question correctly, they will ignite the skull of another player. The contestant with the last skull left unburned wins.
Reward: A picnic of chicken wings and champagne
Won by Leann
- Immunity
Memory Mosaic
The players must stand behind a podium containing a mosaic puzzle. Each piece had two sides, each bearing a different color. The players would be shown a picture of a mosaic with a specific color scheme. The players will then have one minute to replicate what they saw on their mosaic, with those making a mistake eliminated. The longer the challenge goes, the more difficult the mosaics become and the less amount of time there is to replicate them. The last contestant remaining wins.
Won by Ami
- Episode10
- Reward
Sacrificial Lamb
The castaways will be split into two teams of four. One player from each team will be deemed the sacrificial lamb. The sacrificial lamb must wear a harness with their hands tied. The other three team members must guide the sacrificial lamb through an obstacle course. First team to get their sacrificial lamb to the finish line wins reward.
Reward: A trip to another island, where a Vanuatu village will host a night of ritual, spiritual union, and food.
- Immunity
The castaways must hang onto a pole as long as they can. The last person left hanging without touching the ground wins immunity.
Won by Twila
- Episode11
- Reward
Played Out
The format: Total Recall
The challenge was a memory test about what has played out in the previous challenges of this season. The castaways were asked a series of questions, and the player who answered the most questions correctly won the reward.
Reward: The winner's loved one will have an overnight stay at the Alinta camp.
Won by Eliza
- Immunity
Love Is Blind
Both the castaways and their loved ones will participate in the challenge. The castaways must sit on towers and verbally guide their blindfolded loved ones through a series of obstacles in order to retrieve three bags of puzzle pieces. Once all the bags are retrieved, the castaways and their loved ones must work together to assemble the puzzle. The first castaway to complete the puzzle wins immunity.
Won by Ami
- Episode12
- Reward
Troubled Water
The castaways must race across a floating obstacle course in order to retrieve flags. First person to bring three flags back to shore wins reward.
Reward: The winner will receive a new Pontiac G6. The second and third placed castaways would join the winner on a road trip to a resort, where they will enjoy a night with food and a hot shower.Winners (in order of finish): Eliza Orlins, Ami Cusack and Chris Daugherty (car)
Won by Eliza
- Immunity
Island Hopping
The format: Shoot 'N' Shuffle
The challenge was a Survivor version of Shuffleboard. Each castaway will be given six metal discs. On the board there will be a map of the Vanuatu islands. The castaways must try to get their discs on the islands. The castaway with the most discs on the islands wins immunity.
Won by Chris
- Episode13
- Reward
Redemption
The format: Survivor Pentathlon
This challenge incorporated elements from previous challenges this season. First the castaways must navigate through a mud crawl, with the last to complete the crawl being eliminated from the challenge. Then the four remaining castaways must catch a pig to bring it into their pen, with the last one to do so being eliminated from the challenge. Then the three remaining castaways must solve a tiki puzzle, with two moving on. The final two castaways must race across a balance beam, then use a slingshot to break three tiles. First castaway to break three tiles wins reward.
Reward: A trip to Mount Yasur where the winner will enjoy a picnic of hot dogs, hot chocolate, and beer
Won by Julie
- Immunity
Warrior
The format: Witch Hunt
Jeff Probst will start by telling the story of Roy Mata. After he finishes the story, the castaways must race to different stations to answer questions about the story. Each time a castaway answers correctly, they would receive a white pig tusk, which they must attach to a necklace. Each time a castaway answers incorrectly, they would receive a black pig tusk, which they must throw into a fire urn. First player to attach all five of their tusks wins immunity.
Won by Eliza
- Episode14
- Immunity
Snakes and Ladders
The format: The Maze
The castaways must race through an eight-level vertical maze in order to retrieve ten colored tiles. Once they have all their tiles, they must untie the tiles to reveal letters for a word scramble. First castaway to form the correct two-word phrase Final Three wins immunity.
Won by Chris
- Immunity
Ready, Aim, Don't Fire
The castaways must stand on platform holding a bow and arrow in a warrior pose. Any castaway who falls off the platform or releases their arrow will be eliminated from the challenge. Last castaway standing wins immunity.
Won by Chris