Vanuatu Travel Tips

The beaches of Vanuatu
The archipelago of Vanuatu is made up of 83 islands and they all offer fantastic island views, landscapes, rainforests, great diving, lots of fish, and unforgettable Pacific hospitality. Prices here are a lot lower here than the other more well-known Pacific Islands as it’s not yet a “hotspot” to visit. But just because people don’t come here, doesn’t mean it isn’t paradise. In fact, it’s probably even more of a paradise because of the fewer people. The best time to visit between April and October.

Typical Costs

  • Accommodation: Vanuatu doesn’t have many hostels but there are lots of budget hotels.  A night in one of these will cost from $16-35 USD.
  • Food: Lunch and casual meals cost around $20 USD and $40 USD for dinner.
  • Transportation: Bus tickets cost around $1 USD each way.  A few islands offer free ferry rides, such as the ferry to Hideaway Island.  There are plenty of taxis in Port Vila, costing just slightly more than a bus ride.
  • Activities: Entrance to the Cascades waterfalls costs $16 USD, while snorkel hire will cost around $28 USD per day.

Money Saving Tips

  • See the Cascades with the bus – Get the bus to the Cascades for $4.50 USD and pay the $17 USD entry price. This will save you huge amounts on a tour cost.
  • Exchanging Money - Try to exchange your money in Port Vila as it offers a better return rate than everywhere else in Vanuatu.
  • Avoid the resorts - The big resorts over charge for everything. You can get pampered at a local hotel for a fraction of the cost and your money moves around the local economy more. It’s win-win.

Top Things to See and Do

  • Scuba Diving – There is amazing diving here in Vanuatu with underwater tunnels, caves, grottoes as well as a great diversity Try to check out the SS “President Coolidge” – the troop ship which sank during world war two and is the largest wreck dive in the world.
  • Nagol - You might have thought that the bungee jump is a relatively new pursuit. However, it is in fact thousands of years old. On Vanuatu’s Pentecost Island you can watch the performance of early bungee-jumping techniques in traditional land-diving ceremonies. Vines are used to tie the legs together as jumpers leap from trees.
  • Village Tours – The tours the tribal villages are pretty informative and shed light on the people who live here- from farm life, economy, architecture, and more controversially, cannibalism. On some tours you will be greeted by the chief of the tribe. I think it’s important to learn about the places you visit so try to consider one of these cultural tours.
  • Port Vila – In the capital of Vanuatu, you will notice the shared colonial influence of France and Britain. The food seems to be French influenced while the language is a Pidgin English called Bislama. Along the main street you will find duty-free shops and shops selling crafts. It is very small for a capital city and is not very crowded and not too touristy.
  • Mele Cascades - These waterfalls are some of the most famous in the whole country. They are easy to get to and the surrounding area is filled with jungles to take a hike in. Many people come here to picnic as well as cool off in the water.
  • Chief Roi Mata’s Domain – This World Heritage site is half an hour drive north from Port Vila: the area of northwest Efate and the islands of Lelepa and Artok represent the Chief’s immediate area of influence. You can go on the ‘Roi Mata Cultural Tour’ which is a good way to support the local people. On the tour you will visit the National Museum and Cultural Center and then it is off to the Northwest of Efate to check out the domain.
  • Mystery Island - Just off the coast of the island of Tanna lies Mystery Island.  This island is largely uninhabited, save for travelers who take the twice weekly plane here to walk on its golden beaches, hike the jungles, and go snorkeling. It’s a nice and secluded place to visit.