Vanuatu travel guide
Vanuatu is a Y-shaped chain of more than 80 islands in the South Pacific, with an active volcano you can walk to the rim of, a famous wartime wreck dive, blue freshwater pools and strong living traditions in its villages. Outside Port Vila and Luganville, infrastructure is simple, which suits travellers who are happy with basic bungalows and island time.
Places worth the trip
Mount Yasur, Tanna
One of the world's most accessible active volcanoes. Visitors are driven close to the crater and walk up to the rim at dusk to watch eruptions of lava and ash. Activity levels vary, and access depends on the official alert level.
SS President Coolidge
A former luxury liner turned troopship that sank off Espiritu Santo in 1942, now one of the world's best-known wreck dives. Divers see its cargo, fittings and a porcelain figure known as 'the Lady'.
Espiritu Santo's blue holes and Champagne Beach
Santo, the largest island, has clear freshwater springs such as Matevulu and Riri for swimming, and Champagne Beach, a curve of white sand and calm water on the east coast.
Millennium Cave
A full-day guided adventure on Santo through rainforest, down into a large cave with a river and bats, then floating down a gorge.
Pentecost land diving
From around April to June, men on southern Pentecost jump from tall wooden towers with only vines tied to their ankles, in a ritual known as naghol linked to the yam harvest. Visits are arranged with local communities.
Port Vila and Efate
The capital has a busy produce market and harbour. Around Efate, visit the terraced Mele Cascades, snorkel at Hideaway Island, which has an underwater post office, and drive the round-island road.
Ambrym
A volcanic island known for sand drawings, carved tam-tam slit drums and ceremonies with masked rom dancers. Its volcanic craters, Marum and Benbow, are reached on challenging guided treks when conditions allow.
Interesting facts about Vanuatu
- Vanuatu was jointly governed by Britain and France as the New Hebrides Condominium until independence in 1980.
- Well over 100 languages are spoken in Vanuatu, one of the highest densities of languages per person in the world.
- The Pentecost land-diving ritual is often cited as an inspiration for modern bungee jumping.
- Hideaway Island, off Efate, has an underwater post office where divers and snorkellers can post waterproof postcards.
- Bislama, the national language, is a creole largely based on English vocabulary, and most ni-Vanuatu speak it alongside their island language.
Best time to visit Vanuatu
The cooler, drier season from roughly May to October is the most comfortable time to visit, with lower humidity and calmer seas. The land-diving season on Pentecost runs from about April to June. November to April is hot, humid and wetter, and is cyclone season, when storms can disrupt flights and ferries. Water temperatures are warm all year, so diving is good in any season.
Getting around
International flights arrive mainly at Port Vila, with some services to Luganville on Santo. Domestic flights link Efate with Tanna, Santo, Pentecost, Ambrym and other islands, but schedules can change at short notice. Cargo ships and ferries also connect the islands, slowly. On Efate and Santo, minibuses marked with a B on the number plate run informal routes and can be flagged down. Elsewhere, transport is usually by truck arranged through your bungalow.
Practical details
- Capital
- Port Vila
- Currency
- Vanuatu vatu (VUV)
- Languages
- Bislama, English, French
- Plug types
- I
- Voltage
- 230 V, 50 Hz
- Emergency
- 111 police, 112 ambulance (Vila Central Hospital), 113 fire; confirm with your accommodation on arrival, especially outside Port Vila
- Driving side
- right
- Tipping
- Not customary and not expected, in keeping with local culture.
Staying online in Vanuatu
Mobile coverage is reasonable in Port Vila, Luganville and around Efate, with 4G in the main towns. On Tanna, Pentecost, Ambrym and other outer islands, coverage is limited to certain villages or absent, and speeds are often slow. Many island bungalows have no Wi-Fi, or only satellite connections. Power can be limited to generators or solar in rural areas. Download offline maps before leaving Port Vila. Install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land.
Useful apps
- Google Maps: Getting around Efate and Santo; download offline maps for the outer islands.
- WhatsApp: The common way to contact bungalows, tour guides and drivers.
- XE Currency: Converting vatu; cash is needed in most places outside the main towns.
Vanuatu travel FAQs
In Port Vila and Luganville, yes, with 4G in places. On outer islands coverage is limited, and some areas have no signal. A travel eSIM is useful in the main towns; plan to be offline on remote islands.
Visits run when the volcano's alert level allows, always with local guides. Follow their instructions closely, stay behind the marked areas and check the current alert level before you go.
Mostly by domestic flights from Port Vila, which can be delayed or rescheduled. Allow flexibility in your plans, especially for connections to international flights.
A drink made from the root of the kava plant, traditionally drunk in the evening at nakamals or kava bars. It has a numbing, relaxing effect and is a central part of social life.