The Guide to Vanuatu I Never Had

Home to some of the simplest and happiest people on earth, Vanuatu is such a special place. A good number of the highlights from my 2018 ‘trip of a lifetime’ were in Vanuatu. The most challenging aspect of planning my trip to Vanuatu in May 2018 for me was the dearth of information available. I found one or two good blog posts (at the most), and used the official website a bit. So, I’m doing something about it by sharing a two-part series to help the next person plan a trip to this incredible south pacific island nation.

Fun Facts About Vanuatu

• Population: 250,000 – 270,000
• Neighbors: Fiji (more popular), New Caledonia, Solomon Islands
• Languages: French, English, Bislama (learn a few words, its an easy way to connect with locals)
• Islands: 83 islands make up Vanuatu
• The people are Melanesian and are called ni-Vanuatu or ni-Vans
• Vanuatu is the only country in the world with an underwater post office.
• AJ Hackett invented commercial bungee jumping based on the land diving ritual that still occurs on Pentecost Island annually. Thanks to Vanuatu, the world bungee jumps!
• Vanuatu is home to the world’s most accessible active volcano and diving wrecks.
• Best Time to visit: Go between April & October during the dry season

Getting There

Let’s be honest, Vanuatu is remote but if I made it there, so can you! For visitors from other continents (not Oceania), a visit to Vanuatu is best combined with a trip to Australia, New Zealand, or another south pacific island like Fiji or Solomon Islands. I flew into Vanuatu after spending two weeks in New Zealand.

Flights

There are direct flights to Vanuatu from the following countries; you’ll have to connect at one of these locations to get to Vanuatu. I flew from Auckland to Port Vila.

• Australia (Sydney & Brisbane) to Port Vila  – Air Vanuatu, Qantas, & Virgin Australia
• Australia (Brisbane) to Espiritu Santo – Air Vanuatu/Qantas
• New Zealand (Auckland) – Air Vanuatu & Air New Zealand
• Fiji (Nadi & Suda) to Port Vila – Air Vanuatu
• Fiji (Nadi & Noumea) to Port Vila – Aircalin, & Fiji Airways
• Solomon Islands to Port Vila – Air Vanuatu
• New Caledonia to Port Vila – Air Vanuatu and Aircalin

Flying Within Vanuatu on Air Vanuatu

• Getting from one island to another can get expensive
• I found out about this deal on a 4 coupon domestic pass where International visitors can discover more of Vanuatu with a 4 coupon domestic air pass for USD445.00. It can only be purchased outside of Vanuatu, not available online. I’d suggest reaching out to Air Vanuatu regarding this deal

Tip: These aren’t daily routes (especially to smaller islands outside Santo and Port Vila) so check early to plan travel days that work best for you.

Cruising To Vanuatu

Vanuatu is a popular cruise ship destination in the south pacific. Ships stop in Port Vila (Efate), Santo, Wala, and Pentecost – during land-diving season. Pacific Sun, Pacific Dawn, Pacific Jewel, and Pacific Pearl operated by P&O are the most frequent visitors. I’ve personally never been on a cruise, but cruising this region is an idea I’m now curious about. The downside it that cruise stops are much shorter so plan to only spend a day in town.

Visas & Entry

Visitors from the US, UK, and EU  do not require visas for 90 days. Visitors from exempt countries can receive a free  30-day tourist visa on arrival with proof of flight and accommodation. Nigeria is an exempt country (worth a celebration as this is not a frequent occurrence!). See the link here for the complete list. Non-exempt countries are require to apply prior to entry using Vanuatu Immigration Services prescribed application form 1-0 and this application form is available at this link.

Money

The Vatu is the currency here, but I found Australian and New Zealand Dollars to be accepted. I found banks/ATMs in Port Vila and Santo easily but they may be harder to find on other islands. Goodies moneychangers is said to be best! Outside Port Vila and Espiritu Santo, please have cash and smaller denominations handy. Larger hotel, car rentals and shops may accept credit cards but this comes with a small surcharge.

Where To Go: Explore The Islands

Vanuatu is an archipelago of 83 islands. The 14 largest ones are (In order of size), they are: Espiritu Santo, Malekula, Efate, Erromango, Ambrym, Tanna, Pentecost, Epi, Ambae, Vanua Lava, Santa Maria, Maewo, Malo, and Aneityum.

Most travellers visit the island of Efate (where Port Vila is), but there’s so much more to Vanuatu. Vanuatu is not a ‘flop and drop’ destination, so I say get out and explore this beautiful country to make the most of your visit. Choosing which islands to visit was my first dilemma especially knowing that I only had one week to explore.

The more I read, the more I know I absolutely wanted to visit Espiritu Santo. However, with the flight schedules for my time there, I could not accommodate visits to Tanna or Pentecost. Here’s a bit about four islands for starters:

Efate –

The main island and home of the capital Port Vila, Efate is the main island of Vanuatu. Efate Island is the location of Vanuatu’s capital Port Vila and is the primary location for the majority of commerce and tourism activities. Port Vila is located around a magnificent natural harbor offering stunning views of Iririki island, and a look out all the way to Malapoa Point.

Port Vila’s waterfront area is a favourite among locals and tourists, with its ample supply of live corals and tropical fish. Vila is becoming known as the gourmet capital of the South Pacific, with an amazing array of beautiful native Vanuatu cuisine and culinary treats. Port Vila is also home to several Nakamals (Kava bars), and home to the world’s only underwater post office!

Espiritu Santo –

Espiritu Santo is a short 50-minute flight from Port Vila.  It is the largest island in Vanuatu. It is home to Champagne beach, famous for its pristine white sands and clear waters. Santo is a divers’ paradise – home to the wreck of the SS President Coolidge, the largest most accessible wreck dive in the world. Blue water holes, famously delicious organic beef, and the most coconut trees I’ve ever seen were here!

Pentecost Island –

A 55-minute flight from Port Vila, Penecost is said to be pristine, untouched. Most intriguing for me it is the home of Nagol (land diving) which inspired bungee jumping. Thanks to the traditions of this island, the world bungee jumps! Land diving occurs every Saturday between April and June every year. Beyond land diving, Pentecost boasts virgin rain forests, cascading waterfalls, and oceans. During land diving season, there are day trips from Port Vila to Pentecost just for this but prices are STEEP!

Tanna –

The world’s most accessible active volcano  (Mount Yasur) is here! Tanna draws visitors fascinated by the opportunity to see a volcano. Beyond the volcano, Tanna also offers cultural activities for visitors. Tanna is one island I really wanted to visit but didn’t get the chance, as I was short on time.

Accommodation & Costs in General

Vanuatu is certainly more affordable than its neighbor, Fiji, as it is less popular. Even the luxurious resorts there are less expensive than the Maldives or Fiji. Vanuatu is developing, and China is investing here (much to the chagrin of Australia and New Zealand but that’s a story for another day).

You can score a three-star hotel in Port Vila (on Efate) for $75 a night. There are also many luxurious resorts as well, great boutique hotels, some Airbnb choices in Port Vila, and few backpacker/hostel options popping up. I had one fancy meal at a large resort, had some moderately priced meals at hotels and had much cheaper meals outside like the one I had at the market in Port Vila that cost me $5 or less.

My recommendation is this: avoid the huge resorts and stay at a lovely boutique hotel if you can. Great service, great food, better prices! Plus, there are better chances that you’re supporting the local economy.

Helpful links I found while planning my trip:

The single most helpful blog post I found also includes a cost breakdown to give an idea of what to expect, click here to read.

Another mildly helpful post by Nomadic Matt – it is very high level but there are a few good tips in there. Click here to read.

There’s a lot in this post but I hope someone finds this helpful. I’ll share my own itinerary, accommodation options, tours, and what I would do if I had more time in a separate post. If there’s anything else you’d like to know, please ask in the comment section below.

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Till Next Week,

Ms. Heels