Thinking of travelling to Vanuatu? Difficulty finding information on travelling around the country? That’s how I felt while planning a trip in the tropical paradise of Vanuatu. Now, I’m sharing what I have learnt along the way to help others travelling Vanuatu and what to know for beginners.
Despite only spending two weeks in the country, I quickly learnt how to get around, stay on a budget and experience the best of the country. In this Vanuatu travel guide for beginners, I’m going to share information on the currency, language, culture, transportation, accommodation and more. These tips will help prepare travellers for the first time visiting Vanuatu, and what to expect.
My best piece of advice for travelling Vanuatu: visit multiple Islands! All islands are good for snorkelling, and outdoor adventures, but Espiritu Santo is specifically known for scuba diving, and snorkelling. Tanna also has amazing snorkelling, but is better known for tours of the volcano, Mount Yasur.
I have so much respect for Vanuatu as a country and its rich culture, hopefully sharing this article can help inspire others to visit the country.
Please note opinions in this article my own personal experience, and do not represent the experience everyone may have while travelling the country. Information is provided to assist planning a trip, and is up to date as of the publication date.
Table of Contents
Currency in Vanuatu
Vanuatu’s currency is called Vatu, physically it’s a similar plastic polymer to Australias dollar. Coins go from VT 5 – VT 100 and bank notes go from VT 200 – VT 10,000. Vanuatu is one of the world’s smallest countries by population to have its own currency. I believe this is why it can be a difficult currency to acquire before arriving in the country.
After searching many currency exchange locations in Perth and Brisbane, my partner and I could only get Vatu in the Brisbane airport before departing. However, there are multiple currency exchanges in the Vanuatu international airport terminal when arriving. Aside from currency exchanges, I took out cash from ATMs in Vanuatu. Just be aware fees from ATMs can be hefty. Different ATMs we used had fees from VT 450 – VT 750. This is the highest I have experienced while travelling to different countries.
For the currency exchange rates visit xe.com as Google doesn’t have the currency rate.
Something we noticed while traveling is often locals don’t have change to break down big notes. Especially for busses and taxis, who only carry small notes or change. This can be challenging when first arriving in the country or taking out big notes from ATMs—there’s no choice of what notes can be taken out. Just keep this in mind, if taking the bus to hold get change first. Or, when a bank is open ask to exchange smaller notes.
Languages in Vanuatu
Vanuatu’s official language is Bislama, however you may notice different languages while travelling throughout the islands. Bislama is a combination of English and creole—some words might sound familiar.
The family we stayed with on Tanna Island explained there were around 40 different languages spoken through the island. They could understand people from different tribes, but cannot speak all of the languages. However, they said on other islands people may have different languages and dialects that they can’t understand. Bislama is the language that bridges the gap between these many different languages and dialects.
On Port Vila and around, I noticed the language sounds to resemble English most. Whereas the smaller islands have their own languages and dialects, and have less English words combined.
Learning to say some simple phrases will likely change if you travel to different islands—even different areas of the same island.
Culture in Vanuatu
After arriving in Port Vila, I was having a major culture shock from the heat, the language, the way people spoke, the car’s honking, the smells, the humidity… it was a lot to take in.
That being said, it turned around. I loved my trip to Vanuatu, where I had the chance to experience every part of the diverse culture. The culture in Vanuatu was different than anything I had experienced before. What I initially found difficult about the culture, ending up being what I loved, as the culture is so rich and different than. The local culture is authentic and genuine.
My best advice on understanding the culture of Vanuatu, it might feel a bit crazy, but it works. The people are friendly and willing to help, even if they don’t speak English well—which is common. Just be aware of the cost for things, always. It’s better to get in the routine of asking for a cost, instead of being surprised when it’s too late—especially for those travelling on a budget as I was.
Many people in Vanuatu still live in traditional villages, so it’s important to respect their way of living. Personally I see this as not taking photos or filming without prior communication. Consult your accommodation before going for hikes in the area to ensure property rules are respected. Tour guides may be necessary in areas, but especially when entering traditional villages.
Additionally, religion is prominent in Vanuatu, primarily Christianity and the Latter-day Saints. For this reason many businesses will be closed on weekends. Vanuatu’s tourism websites advises against wearing revealing clothing at any time, even when swimming. It’s also recommended to avoid public displays of affection.
Respecting the culture is key to enjoying your holiday in the country. For further information please check in with your accommodation about tour guides, when necessary. And, check out Vanuatu’s Tourism website for more details.
Transportation In and Around Vanuatu
Transportation is essential in Vanuatu, as there’s multiple islands for visiting, and the islands are large. This section will cover transportation within Vanuatu, in terms of getting around the islands, and to different islands. I will say I’m not familiar with the ferry system, so there’s not much coverage on this.
Similar to the culture section, note that driving in Vanuatu is different from Western cultures. While driving on multiple islands on Vanuatu, I rarely noticed speed limits on roads. Most vehicles keep to a similar speed, but some drivers will pass others, even on small roads. Also, utes or trucks often carry people in the back of vehicles. Just be careful as a pedestrian when walking on the road, though I found vehicles would often stop to let me pass.
How to Get to Vanuatu
Beginning with transportation to Vanuatu, there’s two international aiports in the country, Bauerfield International Airport (Port Vila, Efate), and Santo Pekoa International Airport (Luganville, Espiritu Santo). A few airlines that fly to Vanuatu include: Virgin Australia, Qantas, Fiji Airways, and Air Vanuatu. Flights direct to Vanuatu may depart Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. This means travelling to Vanuatu may be more time consuming and require many transfers from Europe, North America and parts of Asia.
There’s also cruise ships that dock in Vanuatu for the day. It’s good to know when cruise ships will dock in Port Vila as the town becomes busier. There’s multiple website that provide schedules of when cruise ships will dock in Port Vila and other islands, check out cruisedig.com.
Flying between Vanuatu’s Islands
The next important topic is how to get around Vanuatu once in the country. There are many modes of transportation to and from the different islands. Some of those include Air Taxi (private air charter), ferries and regular flights. The most common option is Air Vanuatu, which is the country’s government-owned airline.
Air Vanuatu I have learned, doesn’t have the best reputation among tourists. Though I had no issues with my flights while visiting, the airline did cancel all flights for nearly four days due to a cyclone warning. The cyclone warning was downgraded and missed the country, but the flights remained cancelled. This affected many people who either missed international flights as a result, or could spend less time on certain islands due to the cancellation. However, this is in line with cultural differences in Vanuatu, which on the tourism websites states tourists should have the right attitude when travelling. And, it’s important to be flexible.
Despite its mixed reviews, Air Vanuatu is one of the few affordable options to travel through islands in Vanuatu. My advice would be to give extra days around Air Vanuatu flights to prevent missing international flights, we also did this as a precaution. Though I know this isn’t always possible, also get a good travel insurance! I use SafetyWing for medical and travel insurance, which has great reviews.
Ferries
Aside from flying, there are ferries that transport people to different islands. I was originally interested in a ferry to save money on travelling, however I was not able to find any clear information of ferry times, schedules or costs.
While on Tanna, one of the locals shared his experience of taking a ferry with us. He said it’s an overnight, 12 hour ferry ride from Port Vila to Tanna Island. There’s seats to lay down, but it’s not comfortable. It’s dark overnight, so there’s nothing to see for scenery—though it would only be ocean during the day. I read about other possible delays with the ferries, and decided flying was the best option.
Traffic and vehicles in Port Vila, Efate
Transportation within Vanuatu’s Islands
Finally, in the last section of transportation in and around Vanuatu, is how to travel within the islands. It’s unlikely you won’t need a transfer or bus ride somewhere during your stay. However, if you plan on staying in a resort and only leaving for scheduled tours, this information may be less relevant.
While travelling Vanuatu, my partner and I enjoyed independence, as opposed to relying on accommodation to organize transportation. As we learnt quickly, transportation through accommodation is much more expensive as well. If you’re on a budget while travelling, check out this section. If you’re not on a budget it’s still good to check with accommodation ahead to know transport costs. These likely aren’t included in accommodation costs.
Walking through Tanna Island heading to White Beach
Walking
Vanuatu is safe for tourists and locals to walk around freely. My partner and I never had any problems walking around on our own. Locals are friendly and generally wave and say “Hello”. However, we didn’t walk at night alone really, we just never had a reason to. We even hiked five hours return to White Beach on Tanna from the volcano area.
Walking is an essential part of the culture in Vanuatu. Many locals walk for hours everyday as a means of transportation, as not everyone has a vehicle or has access to a vehicle. More importantly, it’s deeply ingrained in the culture to walk.
Public Bus
Transportation throughout Vanuatu is mainly through public busses. These busses are vans of different styles, some are newer with air conditioning, whereas others are older with ripped up seats. I was excited every time we got in a new bus to see what it would be like. I loved the different decorations vehicles had inside and out. Many have names for their vehicles printed on the top of the windscreen, or sparkly tinsel-like decorations over the dashboard.
Using public busses is the most affordable way to get around, within Port Vila’s town, per person rides are VT 150. Going out of the city the per person price may be VT 200 +. And yes, the airport is considered within this city price. Busses are privately owned vehicles with a red “B” in the license plate.
Bus stops located in Port Vila, Efate
How to get on a public bus: head to a bus stop somewhere along a main road. Bus stops normally have a pull-out from the road and a sign “Bus Stop” or a bus icon (shown above). Hail a driver, tell them where you’re heading and confirm the cost, then get in. I found it easy and useful to pull up the location on Google Maps and show it to the driver in case of language/accent barriers. Ask your accommodation for the name of the local bus stop as well.
The downside to using a public bus is that they can pick up people from other stops, so the ride may not be the most efficient. I enjoyed this to see other parts of town I might not otherwise see. However, it was rare our public bus picked up anyone else.
It can be difficult to get a bus out of town, but it’s always possible. We travelled from Port Vila town to Blue Lagoon (~45min drive one-way), and back exclusively on public busses.
Taxis
Next to public busses, are taxis, which is any vehicle with ‘T’ in the license plate. These are good for big groups as the fare is based on the vehicle ride, rather than a per person cost.
The cost should be VT 500 per ride so it can be cheaper than a public bus. This is based off of information on Vanuatu’s tourism office. Taxis can be hailed anywhere, and in some areas may be more readily available than busses. I did hear from other travellers, that this cost per ride has only been recently implemented and some drivers may not agree, so still check the cost with driver before getting in.
Private Transfers
Other transportation around town includes private transfers. Now these are the upmarket private rides throughout all of the islands. They can be arranged in the form of a tour, through accommodation, or hailing on the road. It can be useful for people that don’t want to arrange transportation themselves on busses, or during odd times of the night when public busses may not be available.
The cost however, is much higher. That drive that I mentioned above from Port Vila to Blue Lagoon, our accommodation offered transportation for two people from VT 10,000 – VT 5,000 return for this same ride. All together on our own, we paid VT 800 return using public busses.
The cost of these private transfers may vary greatly, keep in mind it’s generally a per person price. Again, always confirm the price before agreeing to the ride.
Renting/Hiring Vehicles
Another way to get around the islands is through renting/hiring a vehicle. This can be done on most islands but not all. Rentals should be available on Espiritu Santo, Tanna and Efate (Port Vila). Just know that the roads and driving conditions are pretty unique in Vanuatu, take it easy if renting a vehicle.
Costs for renting vehicles can vary depending on the size and type of vehicle. Get to know the areas you are travelling and whether a 4WD vehicle is necessary or not. Most locals drive a 4WD, with the exception of the public busses. Small vehicles start at VT 9,000 per day, and there’s a mandatory VT 1,500 insurance required.
How Long to Spend and Where to Go
How long to spend in Vanuatu is pretty subjective, some people might want to stay forever. I would say a good guideline would be two weeks. This should be spent on multiple islands ideally, and should include time to relax and explore the area.
Of course with more time, there’s more possibilities to discover the islands. Read further about guides of where to go in Vanuatu.
Most major flights into Vanuatu go into Port Vila, but in my experience, the most to do is on neighbouring Tanna and Espiritu Santo. There are other islands in Vanuatu, nearly all accessible by flights via Air Vanuatu. Other island destinations include: Ambrym, Pentecost, Malekula, Epi, Erromango, Vanua Lava, and more.
From my experience travelling to Vanuatu, most other travellers visited Tanna, Santo and Efate. As Efate is the most populous island, it may also be more accessible than other islands. And there’s more amenities such as resorts, accommodation, restaurants and tours.
Although I didn’t travel to Santo, it’s the island for diving and snorkelling, along with many blue holes. There’s hiking trails, and lots to explore in terms of activities and nature.
Snorkelling on Hideaway Island, Efate
Best time of Year to Visit Vanuatu
Vanuatu has two distinct season, the wet and dry season—similar to Australia’s north. Due to heat and humidity, the best time of year to visit Vanuatu is April to September during the dry season. This time of year, costs may be higher, and the islands may be busier so it’s essential to book ahead.
Visiting during the wet season is still possible, it’s just hot, humid and may bring hazardous weather conditions such as cyclones. It’s also means accommodation may be more affordable, but some businesses may be closed.
I visited during the wet season, and although there was some rain, it was on and off, and mostly in the evening. My experience staying inland on Tanna Island was tampered due to the weather as it was difficult to see the volcano clearly, and humidity was extreme. Our swimwear hung for days and only smelled mouldy. We didn’t have the same experience on the coast of Tanna, which was less humid and drier during the day especially.
On the side of the road on Tanna Island there’s local bakeries, which have really soft fluffy delicious bread for sale.
Local Food in Vanuatu
Seafood is a staple of those living near the coast in Vanuatu, locals also eat pork, beef and chicken among others. Many food is grown and harvested locally, whereas grocery stores seem to import and food may cost more.
Many of the local dishes I had were gluten-free and dairy-free, as locals primarily use coconut cream and potatoes. The local people I met don’t consume meat daily, and don’t use cows for milk. Cassava is also a primary staple in their diet which is grain-free and nutritious. Most local dishes were curries with rice, but normally the locals don’t eat rice themselves.
If you have allergies and dietary requirements, I would say it’s difficult to rely on restaurant food in Vanuatu. Menus don’t often specify ingredients, and there could be language barriers.
Restaurants readily provide tourists with a variety of meal options, though we found meals in touristy areas such as Port Vila were primarily Western foods, like pizza and burgers. To get local food, try resort restaurants or the local market during weekdays in Port Vila. Home stay accommodations should also have affordable options, just reach out before to confirm.
Starting left going clockwise: 1. Bananas and cassava in coconut milk, vegetables, with soy chicken. 2. Local chicken curry with rice and cucumber 3. Chilis to go with any meal 4. Fresh coconut meat after drinking the juice 5. Local fish in coconut curry served with cassava and rice at the local market, and lemonade in Port Vila 6. Laplap, sweet potato, steak, and local greens.
Or, meet with the locals and ask if anyone may cook meals for tourists. This is another great way to support the local villages while experiencing local foods. If travelling on Tanna Island near Whitegrass, the local village nearby has an experienced Chef named Peter, we enjoyed cooked meals by him during our stay in the area.
I found the vegetables grown and available around Vanuatu are incredibly nutritious. Some of these include ginger, yams, sweet potatoes, beans, radish, corn, bok choy, water spinach, cucumber and more. For fruit there’s watermelon, pineapple, bananas, plantains and of course coconut.
Just note that when eating in restaurants, my partner and I found there to be long waits for food even if a restaurant wasn’t busy. Try to plan to eat before you’re starving to avoid getting hangry. Vanuatu also has a siesta period, whereby restaurants will generally close in the afternoon and re-open for the evening service.
Budget a Trip to Vanuatu
Similar to accommodation styles, budgets can vary greatly when travelling to Vanuatu. Budgets can depend on style of travelling, luxury to basic, and the time of year visiting. High season may also be more expensive.
What’s important to consider is the cost of food, flights, transportation, accommodation and other activities.
For our food budget, we didn’t realize how expensive food would be in restaurants. It’s more expensive in most cases than Australia. However, you can save by cooking your own food and buying from markets and grocery stores. Consider checking out local markets for affordable meals, cooked by local chefs, our portion sizes were huge. Make sure to check accommodation meal costs, and if grocery stores are available where you’re staying.
Please note these are rough estimates only and cannot be guaranteed, these were only found through research. Costs are quoted in both Vatu and Australian dollar, when necessary.
- Food budgets
- Restaurant meals per person: VT 1,000 – 10,000+ (AUD $13 – $125)
- Restaurant drinks: VT 150+ (AUD $1.57)
- Grocery stores meals (cook at accommodation) per person: VT 500+ (AUD$ 6.30)
- Flights
- AUD$1,300+ return flights from Sydney, Australia during off season
- Accommodation
- Budget (hostels, motels, and budget hotels): AUD$20+
- Mid-range (hotels, bungalows): $80+
- Luxury (Luxury bungalows, private rentals, entire homes, etc): $120+
An example of our budget accommodation on Tanna Island, though after my experience I wouldn’t recommend staying in a treehouse.
About Accommodation in Vanuatu
Accommodation in Vanuatu ranges from ultra-luxury privately-owned and managed, to bare bones budget. There’s an option for everyone depending on your budget and level of adventure.
And by adventure, our budget treehouse accommodation we stayed on Tanna Island was a big adventure. The best advice I can share for rural accommodation, read reviews both on booking websites and Google. Also reach out to hosts ahead and query any extra costs not outlines (such as transportation).
When researching accommodation options, my partner and I found reviews vary greatly. However, and overwhelming theme among reviews, and our experience staying in Vanuatu is maintenance, which is not kept up, even on some luxury properties.
What we experienced was insect infestations, broken furniture, unsafe electrics among others. I don’t believe these things are done on purpose. It seems more like the country struggles to keep up with maintenance amid difficult and destructive cyclone seasons. As the country is remote, and doesn’t produce many building supplies, the cost to repair would be high.
Additionally, problems with the accommodation are not the responsibility or fault of the people working as cleaners or in reception, and they’re really doing the best they can. Another overwhelming theme of our experience and reviews, is that the hospitality in Vanuatu is incredibly helpful and kind.
Types of accommodation and what to expect:
- Luxury accommodation can be booked on just about any website, or for big groups there’s privately-owned villas up for rent as well. These can be all-inclusive or, just provide the basics. There’s also over-the-sea bungalows connected to resorts.
- Mid-range options may or may not include air conditioning, have a restaurant on-site, and modern facilities.
- Budget options get a bit tricky. Some options may include basic shared facilities, and a simple mattress. As with other accommodation options, check out reviews on booking websites along with Google to figure out if it’s a good option. Also check out booking websites cancellation policy for accommodation that doesn’t match up to photos or certain standards.
Starting left going clockwise: 1. Snorkelling at White Beach Tanna island 2. Diving with White Grass resort, Tanna island. 3. Hideaway Island for snorkelling and beach time, although there is an entrance fee 4. Visiting Blue Lagoon on Efate outside of Port Vila.
Tourism and Activities
There’s loads of activities on offer for the islands of Vanuatu. Whether it’s the Volcano hike on Tanna Island, or snorkelling around Santo Island. There’s also other extreme activities like canyoning, abseiling, caving and zip lining. Diving is available on most islands, including equipment rentals and guides.
Most tour options are available to book through your accommodation. Advanced booking may be necessary during the high season, or may be seasonal.
There’s also tours available on Port Vila for distilleries, coffee, chocolate factories and more. However, from my experience I would recommend to contact the place for tour information, including cost and transportation, as not all factories are open year round for tours. That is, instead of just showing up to experience a tour.
In the photos above shows some activities my partner and I did, including snorkelling, diving, and visiting a lagoon. These are some of the most popular activities to do, and it’s good to relax in between.
Other important activities include cultural tours. Contact local accommodation in Vanuatu to organize these tours as they require permission from local villages, and chiefs. Cultural experiences in Vanuatu are a must-do activity while travelling to the country. These allow tourists to see a glimpse of what village life is like while providing villages with a revenue stream.
Just a note on activities and sightseeing in Vanuatu. Many of the areas around Efate we found are private property, even beaches, so locals will charge an entrance fee. We didn’t find any beach near Port Vila that doesn’t have an entrance fee, so make sure to be ready for this and carry cash.
These are only a few of the activities and cultural tours. Check out Vanuatu’s Tourism website for more details or accommodation for pricing and bookings.
For more travelling guides, check out the complete guide on travelling to Australia on a working holiday visa.
