Vanuatu

Travel guide of Vanuatu

Vanuatu is a beautiful country in the South Pacific with the happiest people on the planet. The 83 islands of Vanuatu's mountainous archipelago are inhabited by a mix of different cultures and tribes with more than 100 languages, inviting for an amazing cultural experience. The highlights attracting visitors from around the globe include still active volcanoes like Yasur which is easily accessible. Divers enjoy the underwater volcanic tunnels and walls besides coral reefs and a must - the exploration of a giant ocean liner wreck full of military equipment. Vanuatu is a wonderful tourist destination with a great choice of fine accommodations in all categories and a range of activities and experiences available for visitors.

Useful information

Land, geography

• Vanuatu is located in the South Pacific, approx. 1.000 miles east of Australia, 310 miles east of New Caledonia, west of Fiji and south of the Solomon Islands
• Vanuatu is an archipelago of 83 islands in a shape of 'Y'
• the islands are decorated with both stunning sandy beaches and active volcanoes

Climate & Weather

• wonderful subtropical climate with almost endless sunshine all year round
• mild temperatures and clear blue skies for most time of the year
• summer in Vanuatu is from November to March with average temperature 28°C / 82°F and can be hot, wet and humid
• the wettest months are from December to April with good rain every month and the yearly average rainfall ranges from 2 meters / 6,5 feet to 4 meters / 13 feet in the northern islands
• winter in Vanuatu is from April to September with average temperature of 23°C / 73°F
• sea temperature varies from 22 to 28°C / 71 to 82°F throughout the year so swimming is possible year-round

Travel season

• Vanuatu is a year-round destination with its winter months April through September being more popular for travelling thanks to a drier weather
• the summer months are part of the tropical cyclone season, anyway the majority of tourist resorts and hotels are located in the southern part of Vanuatu (like Port Vila) and these are less humid, get less rain and there is little chance of extreme climate conditions

Government

• the capital of Vanuatu is Port Vila on Efate island
• the 83 islands are divided into 6 provinces (with their main islands): Shefa (Epi and Efate island), Sanma (Espiritu Santo), Torba (Banks and Torres), Penama (Maewo and Pentecost), Malampa (Malekula, Ambrym) and Tafea (Erromango, Tanna and Aneityum)

Time zone

• UTC/GMT +11 = 11 hours ahead of Greenwich time
• no daylight saving time

Currency, payments

• Vatu (VUV / VT) is the currency of Vanuatu
• 1 EUR = approx 134 VUV / 1 USD = approx 114 USD (2020)
• Australian dollars are widely accepted inside towns of Port-Vila and Luganville (Espiritu Santo) by many shops, restaurants and hotels
• the main banks are ANZ, Bread Bank and National Bank of Vanuatu
• several ATM machines are available in Port Vila, Lenakel, Lakatoro and Luganville, Santo

Fly to Vanuatu, airlines

• Air Vanuatu is the national carrier with flights to Port Vila and direct flights to Espiritu Santo as well
• regular return flights are scheduled via Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, New Caledonia and Solomon Islands (2019)
• Virgin Australia Airlines connect Port Vila with Sydney and Brisbane; Air Calin operates flights to Port Vila from Noumea; NF / Air New Zealand offers flights from Auckland that can be connected to Los Angeles and San Francisco and Fiji Airways / Air Pacific connects Vanuatu through Fiji (2019)
• flying time from the US to Vanuatu is approx 12 hours
• Bauerfield International Airport (VLI) is the main airport in Port Vila on Efate Island
• Santo-Pekoa International Airport (SON) is the airport in Luganville on Espiritu Santo island

Transport

• there is no public transport system in Vanuatu
• privately-owned mini buses are common and operate unspecified routes through the municipal areas
• taxis run over Efate island
• Air Vanuatu ATR and Twin Otters are the domestic airlines offering regular services between the islands
• Air Charters operating in Vanuatu are Air Taxi, Unity Airline and Belair Airline
• Inter Island trading vessels connect the islands on a semi-regular basis

Entry requirements

• visa is often required and have to be obtained from the Principal Immigration Officer with a cost of approx 3.600 VT (27 EUR / 31 USD)
• we will inform you about updated entry requirements for visitors from your country together with our offer
• entering and residing in Vanuatu is strictly controled if it is above the standard tourist stay and normally longer residence would only be allowed to a person with significant potential for Vanuatu's economy
• domestic departure fee is 200 VT (1,5 EUR / 1,7 USD) and is paid separately at provincial domestic airports

Travelling since 2020

• Travel world changed in 2020 with the worldwide lockdown. Travel conditions are still being updated, airlines releasing new schedules, hotels and destinations applying new arrangements where necessary. As it is hardly possible to keep all relevant information on our websites up to date, we will inform you about current situation at the time of your request and of your journey.
• If the destination you choose is not yet accessible for travellers from your country, we will recommend a similar available option.

Duty Free

• standard duty free allowance includes 250 cigarettes, 3L of spirits / liqueur and 4.5 wines for passengers from New Zealand, 2.5L spirits / liqueur and 1.5L of wines for passengers from Australia, Noumea, Solomon Islands and Fiji
• 1 carton of beer can also be brought along

Electricity

• Vanuatu has the same plugs as Australia and New Zealand - 240V and three angled pin plugs
• adapters for US / EU appliances are necessary

Internet, signal coverage

• several places like hotels, resorts, cafes and restaurants provide free WiFi
• Vanuatu is on GSM digital and therefore roaming agreements with a few international mobile phone companies exist. Almost all of Vanuatu is covered, sometimes the connection can be weaker and one operator can have better connection in the area than the other.
• there are 2 main telecommunication companies in Vanuatu - Telecom Vanuatu Limited (TVL) and Digicel. Both have stores in Port Vila open Monday - Friday from 8am to 4.30pm and on Saturday between 8am to 11am and offer interesting packages for visitors to avoid high roaming fees. TVL offers 'Smile SIM card' package (3.000 VT including 2.500 credit which is approx € 22 for € 18,50 / $ 26 for $ 22 credit) and Digicel offers 'Digicel Tourist SIM' package (1.000 VT including 1.000 VT credit which is approx € 7 / $ 9). Topping up credit is easy, most stores and also street umbrellas sell top-up cards around Vanuatu.
• international dialing code of Vanuatu is +678

Population

• according to a recent British study by the 'New Economics Foundation and Friends of the Earth' environmentalist group, Vanuatu is the happiest place on the planet. Out of 178 countries Vanuatu finished as the first on the happiest index. Its people are satisfied with their lives, live to nearly 70 years of age and do little damage to the planet.
• the nation's population is a unique blend of tribal communities, friendly and hospitable, open to tourist to share their culture which changed only little for centuries
• Vanuatu has a population of approx. 272.000 with some 113 distinct languages and even more dialects
• the rich diversity in population thanks to 4.000 years of sporadic immigration from many Pacific countries
• most of the population have Melanesian ancestory - those largely built, but also many lighter skinned Polynesians settled the islands

Language

• Vanuatu has over 120 distinct languages and many more dialects
• the official languages are Bislama, English and French
• almost all of the native languages have no written form

Religion

• there are numerous Christian churches around the islands, but tribal culture has been well preserved in Vanuatu

Health

• strenghtening once immune system before travelling is always a good idea, packing anti-malarics is recommended (or taking preventive Malaria medication)
• several hospitals are in Port-Vila, Luganville and other small clinics and dispensaries are located throughout the islands
• travel insurance is strongly recommended as serious injuries and medical conditions require medical evacuation to better equipped facilities in Australia, New Zealand or New Caledonia

Tipping

• no tipping or bargaining in Vanuatu, it would be against their tradition

Dress

• light and casual attire is usual for Vanuatu, but not too brief in public areas

Nature

• Vanuatu islands are of volcanic origin and are mostly mountainous and covered with rainforests
• Vanuatu rain forests are recognized as a distinct terrestrial ecoregion and are part of the Australasia ecozone which includes also its neighbors New Caledonia, Solomon Islands, Australia, New Guinea and New Zealand
• both the rainforests and the coastal areas are rich in bird life, about 121 bird species have been recorded in Vanuatu, out of that 32 seabirds, 15 shorebirds, 74 land and freshwater birds
• huge Kauri trees can be observed in the southwest mountain forest of Espiritu Santo
• the first National Park of Vanuatu is the Big Bay Conservation Area in the north of Espiritu Santo; this island also has the tallest mountain of the islands, Mount Tabwemasana with 1.879 meters / 6.164 feet
• being located in the Pacific Ring of Fire and between two sides of a fault in the earth's crust that rub against each other creates the youngest and most active volcanoes on Vanuatu

Ecology

• Vanuatu is a great destination for eco-tourism fans - even the most demanding ones looking for a 5* eco resort
• crops in Vanuatu are grown organically

Culture & Traditions

• Vanuatu also calls itself "The land that time forgot but you will never forget"
• as it is pretty difficult to access many of Vanuatu's islands for visitors they have been able to preserve their strong cultural roots and maintained a particularly high level of tribal cultural practices that did not change for generations
• joining some of the ceremonies or rituals and meeting local people who keep traditions alive is an unforgettable experience that we definitely recommend
• Nagol or Naghol also known as land diving is a fascinating ritual, an ancient tradition which inspired modern bungee jumping. Every year around the time of yam harvest (April / May / June) tall wooden towers are constructed on Pentecost Island. The towers hold together by local vines and not a single nail is used to build these up to 21 metres / 70 feet tall towers. Men gather dressed in traditional mats wrapped around their waists and young ones jump from a platform on the top of the tower, secured only by vines tied around their ankles. According to a legend, the first jumper was a woman who was trying to escape from her abusive husband, climbed a tree and jumped. The husband followed her, leaped and died, unaware, that she had secured liana vines to her ankles. For some time only women participated in the dive until male elders decided that they should dive to redress their shame and prove their courage.
• story telling, songs and dances have great importance in the tribal culture as most of the languages have no written form
• traditional arts include body decorations, tatoos, masks, hats and carvings
• ni-Vanuatu culture has mythic legends similar to the ones of the dreamtime by Australian Aborigeni and to Maori legends

History

• the oldest found archaelogical evidence of inhabitants in Vauatu dates to 2.000 BC
• approx 4.000 years of sporadic immigration from many Pacific countries resulted in a rich variety of tribes and people in Vanuatu - most have Melanesian ancestory, but also many Polynesians settled the islands
• the first European to reach Vanuatu was Portuguese explorer Pedro Fernandez de Quiros in 1605 and believed the islands were part of Terra Australis
• Europeans began settling the islands only in the late 18th century after British Captain James Cook visited Vanuatu on his second voyage. He named the islands New Hebrides.
• in 1887 the islands began to be administered by a French-British naval commission
• in 1906 the French and British administrators agreed to an Anglo-French Condominium on the New Hebrides
• during World War II Allied forces used the islands of Efate and Espiritu Santo as military bases
• in 1960s the ni-Vanuatu people started to ask for self-governance and independence
• full sovereignity was finally granted by both British and French on July 30 1980
• Vanuatu joined the UN in 1981 and Non-Aligned Movement in 1983

Excursions / must see

• Vanuatu Cultural Centre in Port Vila with ancient pieces of masks and carvings, historical photos and rare artifacts is a must see in Vanuatu to learn a bit about the culture and history of the islands
• sailing or kayaking to nearby islands like Hat, Pele, Moso, Nguna, Lelepa and Kakula

Volcanoes and hikes

• Vanuatu boosts with some of the most exciting volcanoes on the planet
• thanks to its easy accessibility Yasur volcano on Tanna Island (only some 200 km / 125 mi from Port Villa) is one of the most famoust worldwide. It was spotted already by Captain James Cook in 1774 glowing at night like a beacon. Yasur is active year-round but the eruption activities mainly affect the crater by throwing large blocks and glowing pieces of lava up in the air within the crater - but not too high, so it is not dangerous for the visitors. Almost anyone can join a guided walk to Yasur.
• other active volcano is Ambrym, which smokes a lot and gives out some ashes and rocks from time to time; in the recent years also a slow flow of lava from within the caldera. Walking over the land covered in ashes, carved into surrealistic shapes by the tropical rains, is an must-do experience.
• specifically looking is Lopevi, another active stratovolcano with layers built upon from successive eruptions, which is rising directly out of the ocean into 440 m / 1.447 feet, looking out like a black monolit
• an extinct volcano is on Nguna Island just above Efate island
• rainforest with giant trees, rare birds and butterflies on Emae Island are worth a hike

Sports, activities

• Vanuatu offers a wide range of activities and attractions to visitors: energy treks, zip line in jungle tops, hydro-zorbing downhill, horseback riding, scuba diving or deep sea fishing
• the less adventurous visitors will neither be bored in Vanuatu as beach picnics, cultural village visits or easy walks through peaceful botanical gardens are possible

Diving

• scuba diving is a popular activity in Vanuatu, the water is warm, visibility great and diving sites well accessible
• abundant sea life boosts with soft corals, plate corals, sponges, sea fans, acropora gardens and a variety of coral fish
• especially interesting underwater terrain features plunging cliffs, grottoes, overhangs and intricate interconnected tunnels formed by frozen lava
• Espiritu Santo can be called the scuba divers' Mecca of the South Pacific with amazing wrecks. A 22.000 ton luxury ocean liner 'SS President Coolidge', a steam ship which was turned into a troopship during WWII sank fully laden in 1942 just a few meters off the beach, becoming the mightiest shipwrect in the world. The 'USS Tucker' destroyer also sank thanks to US mines.
• a Million Dollar Point at Espiritu is the most expensive trash pile in the world where millitary equipment was dumped at the end of WWII
• shark feeding dives are also offered departing from Espiritu Santo
• further wrecks around the islands include planes and an old-square-rigger sailing ship
• cave diving is becoming more popular as Espiritu Santo offers a maze of connected caverns and sinkholes
• several well equipped dive operators are available in Port Vila and also certified diving schools - diving for all levels of experience
• a full day diving trip may be joined departing from Port Vila and heading to the north shores with famous diving sites around Tukutuku, Hat Island's Turtle Reef, Paul's Reef and Moso Island, suitable also for beginners who want to enjoy the coral reefs and clear water drop-offs; snorklers can join as well to relax and sunbath along deserted coves
• the more experienced divers can join longer cruises and explore world famous Tongoa wall, the edge of a live volcano or beautiful Maskelyne Islands

Shopping, souvenirs

• the best places to shop and purchase local souvenirs are in Port Vila
• Vanuatu is famous for handicrafts, paintings, fabrics and clothes
• great gifts to bring home are wood carvings, beads, baskets
• there are several stores and a daily colorful market in the town centre of Port Vila, open Monday to Saturday
• the artifacts market is at the seafront of Port Vila behind Nambawan Café
• several 'Duty Free' stores in Port Vila offer great value for money jewelry, handbags, clothes and shoes
• remember that the prices are fixed and bargaining about them is not the custom in Vanuatu

Food, cuisine

• Vanuatu is becoming more famous for its cuisine and Port Vila is also called the gourmet capital of the South Pacific; local foods combined with French and Asian influences are remarkable
• the most famous dish of Vanuatu is a coconut crab infused with a natural coconut flavor
• Vanuatu's kitchen uses locally organic grown produce, fresh seafood and also farmed beef raised on Espiritu Santo
• more than 40 restaurants, cafes and supermarkets can be found on the islands
• the different migrant waves that inhabited the islands all brought with them their culture and also crops, seeds and tools needed to grow them. Pig is the most important animal to Vanuatu and represents wealth and power, it is an essential part of the ritual life.
• Kava is a typical drink for Vanuatu and a shell of Kava usually starts the nightlife. Kava is a soporific drink made up from the root of a plant related to pepper tree, for generations it has been used as a relaxant. Vanuatu kava has 32 active components that makes it the strongest in the world. Although traditionally kava was a Chief's drink used in ceremonies, now there are numerous kava bars around Port Vila and Luganville and most hotels offer kava tasting on theme nights.
• hotels and resorts organize Melanesian-style festive nights once or twice a week with traditional dancing, kava tasting, local string bands and traditional food - a must see on Vanuatu

Special tourism

Accessible Tourism

• for visitors facing any challenges or disabilities we are ready to provide the best available options of transport, accommodation and services following their individual requirements
• let us know your special needs, we are happy to assist in creating a great holiday package fit for you

Top destinations

• the three most visited islands are Efate, Tanna and Espiritu Santo
• Efate with Port Vila, the capital and commercial centre of Vanuatu, is the most visited island. The city is located on the southwest coast in a sheltered natural harbor with corals, schools of tropical fish and nice waterfront. Efate's rugged coastline gives the intimate feeling to resorts located on the seafront while they are still within easy reach of the centre. Isolated sandy bays and lagoons invite for an exotic holiday. The inland of the island is tropical rainforest with only few walking paths, Efate has also fast flowing rivers and cascading waterfalls.
• Espiritu Santo in the north part of Vanuatu is its biggest island and it is more peaceful. White powder sandy beaches are fringed with coconut palms, the most accommodations including a 5* boutique resort and good 3* and 4* beachfront properties are located mostly on the eastern coast, not far from the town of Luganville where the airport is located as well. Espiritu Santo disposes of amazing natural beauties, breathtaking gullets in tropical rainforests full of jungle birds and wild orchids, a mountain stretch across the island, photogenic swimming holes... The waters near the island are a great place for scuba divers with fascinating wrecks and diving is also possible in the caves on the island.
• Tanna Island is famous for Yasur Volcano which is one of the most active volcanoes on the planet now and it is easily accessible for tourists. The island has variety of beachfront accommodations and also some bungalows directly in the jungle with views of the volcano.
• Pentecost island became popular thanks to the land diving rituals. The island is mostly wild but there are already a few seaside accommodations of more basic type
• Ambrym island is well known for its wood carvings, mysterious Rom dance and easy access to the volcanoes Mt. Marum and Mt. Benbow

Accommodation

• Vanuatu offers a wide range of accommodations including 5* resorts, over-water bungalows, small boutique properties, some larger family-friendly hotels and also apartments, family-run guest houses and Robinson Crusoe-style budget accommodations and island bungalows