Vanuatu

Understand

Vanuatu is one of the smallest of five independent Melanesian countries in the southwest Pacific. The archipelago of 83 or so islands includes deserted sand beaches, remote beauty, tribal communities and world-class deep-sea diving. While a poor, developing country where the majority of the population still lives off subsistence farming, it was famously declared the world's happiest country in the Happy Planet Index in 2023 and 2024.

History The prehistory of Vanuatu is obscure; archaeological evidence supports the commonly held theory that peoples speaking Austronesian languages first came to the islands some 4,000 years ago. Pottery fragments have been found dating back to 1300–1100 BC. The first island in the Vanuatu group discovered by Europeans was Espiritu Santo, when in 1606 the Portuguese explorer Pedro Fernandes de Queirós working for the Spanish crown, spied what he thought was a southern continent. Europeans did not return until 1768. In 1774, Captain Cook named the islands the New Hebrides, a name that lasted until independence. During the 1860s, planters in Australia, Fiji, New Caledonia, and the Samoa Islands, in need of labourers, instigated a long-term indentured labor trade called "blackbirding": essentially slavery. At the height of the labor trade, more than one-half the adult male population of several of the islands worked abroad. Fragmentary evidence indicates that the current population of Vanuatu is much lower than that of pre-contact times.

The British and French agreed in 1906 to an Anglo-French Condominium, popularly known as the "Pandemonium" because of absurd duplication and confusion this entailed: there were two police forces with their own laws, including road laws, two health services, two education systems, two currencies, and two prison systems. Challenges to this form of government began in the early 1940s. The arrival of some 50,000 Americans during World War II, with their informal demeanor, relative wealth and at least comp

Getting there

Vanuatu is a long way from everywhere except the east coast of Australia, with Brisbane a 2½ hour flight away. In an average year less than 300,000 visitors make their way to the archipelago, the vast majority of them Australians, and two-thirds of that figure are day-tripping cruisers. The rest mostly stay in resorts around Port Vila, with only a tiny fraction exploring the other islands.

Visas A long list of countries are exempted from visas, which includes all Commonwealth and EU member countries. All visitors must have a passport valid for 6 months on arrival, an onward ticket and confirmed accommodation. On arrival, you will be allowed an initial stay of up to 30 days, extended one month at a time for up to 4 months. If you need a visa in advance, you can apply by mail to the Vanuatu Immigration Service in Port Vila; you do not need to mail your passport, just a certified copy of key pages. Tourist visas cost 5,150 VT (around US$44), payable by bank transfer, and are valid for up to 4 months.

By plane If you're flying in, odds are high you will arrive via the main international airport in Port Vila (VLI IATA). There are connections from Australia (Brisbane, Sydney), Fiji (Nadi), Solomon Islands (Honiara) and New Caledonia (Nouméa). There is another international airport in Luganville (SON IATA) on Espiritu Santo. As of 2025, it offers a single flight per week to Honiara and Brisbane. Flag carrier Air Vanuatu, notorious for frequent cancellations and hemorrhaging money, declared bankruptcy in 2024. While it has resumed limited domestic flights, as of 2025 it no longer flies internationally.

By boat Vanuatu's main ports are Port Vila on the island of Efate and Luganville on the island of Espiritu Santo. Cruises are a very popular way of visiting Vanuatu, and many cruise lines including Carnival and P&O Australia operate regular cruises through Vanuatu waters. 8-11 day cruises depart from Brisbane or Sydney and often stop in New Caledonia as well, with

Getting around

Getting around Vanuatu is always an adventure. Leave plenty of room in your plans.

By plane The only scheduled domestic flights are operated by Air Vanuatu. However, the carrier's 2024 bankruptcy means schedules, always sparse, are now more skeletal than ever with only the "trunk routes" between Port Vila, Luganville and Tanna having regular flights. Online bookings are no longer available, you have to call, email or visit an Air Vanuatu office in person. As of 2025, fares are fixed at 19,320 VT for Port Vila to Santo (Luganville) and 17,600 VT to Tanna (Whitegrass). Most visitors who travel between islands do so on package tours operated by charter airlines like Unity Airlines and Air Taxi Vanuatu. These are more reliable but expensive: a typical day trip from Port Vila to Tanna to see Mt Yasur costs around 80,000 VT (A$1000) per person.

By boat Vanuatu's 83 islands are woven together by a web of passenger and cargo ferries. Operators include Vanuatu Ferry (tel. 26872, all major islands), Big Sista (Port Vila-Malekula-Luganville) and Tanna Ferry (Port Vila-Tanna). Services run roughly weekly but departures are irregular and prone to delays. Check the Facebook pages for updates and call directly to book. A journey from Port Vila to Santo or Tanna takes around 24 hours and costs around A$100, payable on vatu cash only. Creature comforts on board vary from minimal to non-existent, so bring your own food, water and a sleeping mat.

By bus Public buses, really shared taxis that take passengers point to point, operate within and around Port Vila and Luganville only. There are no long-distance buses.

By car

Renting your own car is the most flexible option for getting around Efate, which has a 140 km paved ring road around the island. Rates start from about 10,000 vatu/day and driving is (mostly) on the right. Foreign licenses are accepted for a period of up to 3 months, after which you'll need to convert to a Vanuatu license. However, the state of Vanuatu's ro

See

Vanuatu is not on many peoples' destination wish list, except perhaps for those with a love for scuba diving, as divers have discovered the underwater treasures of this South Pacific archipelago a long time ago. However, even if you don't plan on touching this country's bright blue waters, it's a colourful mix of traditional Melanesian culture, friendly people, beautiful tropical beaches, active volcanoes and all the modern day facilities you'll need to have a great time. The many islands rimmed with perfect sandy beaches offer lovely Pacific views. The Bank Islands boast great beaches combined with rugged terrain. On the largest of the Banks Islands, Gaua, you'll find the Siri Waterfall, which gets its water from the country's biggest crater lake: Lake Letas. Head to the island of Tanna to see Mount Yasur, the world's most accessible active volcano. A tourist favourite, Tanna is also home to waterfalls and men in penis sheaths and grass skirts. If you get the chance, stay to witness o