Experiences in Vanuatu
Experience what Vanuatu has to offer whether you’re travelling alone or in a group seeking an adrenaline rush, or simply pure relaxation, cultural experiences, a life-changing adventure, fun, music and art, or unwinding with the family, go on a photography expedition, and much more.
By visiting Vanuatu, you will have an incredible experience beckoning you to return for more!
Hiking
Vanuatu offers some of the world’s most diverse hiking. From soaring, steamy mountain peaks to volcanic craters, beach trails to riverside meanders, you’ll find a trail that’s perfect for. Hiking offers an excellent way to connect with the local community with multiday hikes often stopping in villages and being led by local guides. There are a great range of walks taking half a day close to Port Vila to full 5 day hikes in the Outer Islands.
Go off the beaten track
Climb mountains and ford streams. If you love to trek, then Vanuatu is the place for you with a massive diversity of hikes across the 83 islands.
Surrounded by crystal-clear waters (perfect for a post-hike dip), you can traverse jungles, lunar landscapes, volcanic ashplains and soaring peaks…
Traditional customs are still at the heart of Ni-Vanuatu way of life. We recommend always walking with a local guide or two to ensure cultural sensitivity.
Photographers
If you are a professional photographer, social media influencer, or videographer and you would like to include Vanuatu in your next project we would be delighted to have you here! Send us a message and let’s start planning.
Like something out of a storybook, Vanuatu is the island of your dreams with its beaches, rainforests and culturally rich environment. Vanuatu has always attracted professional photographers, who want to capture the pristine beauty of nature in its bare form.
Here, you can get lost in the many wonders from azure waters to lush rainforests, from beautiful beaches to mighty volcanoes, Vanuatu is a photographer’s paradise ready to complete galleries with awe-inspiring images of nature and ultimately beautiful people.
Tankiu tumas camera friends!
Vanuatu Tourism has collaborated with talented photographers and influencers, who have captured the beauty of Vanuatu. Each photo is worth a thousand words and these brilliant photographers have been writing stories with the images they’ve captured.
Diving
Vanuatu is best known to divers around the world for the wreck of the SS President Coolidge, but as a diving destination, there is much more to Vanuatu’s underwater world. Encircled by, and in common with, its Pacific Ocean neighbours Fiji, New Caledonia and the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu has rich coral reefs, a wealth of wrecks and some great snorkelling too. It is also home to the only underwater post office in the world. (Seriously.)
Huge caverns and drop offs, abundant marine life, beautiful bright corals, giant sea fans and world-famous wrecks all contribute to Vanuatu’s reputation as a diving destination. It is also one of the best places for divers to see dugongs.
The landscape beneath the water mirrors that found above: mountainous terrain with plunging cliffs, grottoes and overhangs, huge caves and intricate interconnecting underwater tunnels and chasms formed by frozen lava.
Diving Vanuatu’s Coral Reefs
Vanuatu is an island archipelago consisting of approximately 82 relatively small islands. The main islands from largest to smallest are; Espiritu Santo, Malakula, Efate (home to the capital Port Vila), Erromango, Ambrym and Tanna. The islands are volcanic in origin and as a consequence, Vanuatu’s shoreline is mostly rocky with fringing reefs and little continental shelf, dropping rapidly into the ocean depths. This gives rise to some exciting diving on reefs and walls, as well as some excellent snorkelling opportunities, particularly on Tanna.
Diving Vanuatu’s Wrecks
Vanuatu became independent as recently as 1980, being jointly administered by France and Britain, and named the New Hebrides prior to that. Being an allied territory, it supported a large American base during WWII and we have them to thank for the wrecks of the SS President Coolidge, the USS Tucker and Million Dollar Point.
Where to Dive…
There are three main regions for diving in Vanuatu; Efate, Espiritu Santo and Tanna.
Efate: Port Vila and Tranquillity Island
The island of Efate is surrounded by very pretty fringing reef, a few wrecks and a stunning cavern called the Cathedral, with stand-out dive sites including Owen’s Reef on Tranquillity Island and West Side Story near Hideaway Island Resort.
Diving Port Vila is easy, with a range of operators to choose from, each of which pick up and return divers to their hotels. Many of the best dive sites are only minutes away. Diving is well supervised and varied, with several wrecks, bommies, drop-offs and caverns in the protected waters of the bay.
Port Vila is a good place to try diving for the first time, with a Discover Scuba Diving experience, or even learn to dive and get the Open Water Certification. With operators such as Big Blue, lessons can often start in the pool of your chosen resort, before you venture into the ocean.
Introductory dives at Hideaway Island Resort and Tranquillity Island are usually done in the clear, protected shallows of the lagoon. More experienced divers can dive deeper at sites such as the Semele Federesen – the wreck of an inter-island trader which lies with its propeller at 40m, or the Cathedral, an impressive tall narrow cavern stretching down to 28m.
There is the wreck of the 1874 built sailing ship Star of Russia, a three masted sailing ship in 36 meters of water. An island trader scuttled in the harbour Konanda, and the ex-Qantas Sandringham flying boat Tasman.
Espiritu Santo
Diving Espiritu Santo is synonymous with diving the SS President Coolidge, but it’s not the only dive in town. Wreck diving options also include the infamous Million Dollar Beach and the USS Tucker, and for coral lovers, there’s plenty of fringing reefs, drop offs and coral gardens to explore.
Being home to the world’s largest, most accessible wreck in the world, Santo is popular with technical divers, using their skills to plunge the depths of the SS President Coolidge. This 33,000-tonne converted luxury liner sank during WWII after hitting a (friendly) mine, and now rests in depths of 21 to 70 metres. The impressive wreck is one of the most exciting wreck dives in the world, that is accessible to recreational divers.
If you want to see the whole wreck, you’ll need between 10 and 15 dives, and technical diving allows divers more time to explore the seemingly endless corridors, hidden alcoves and cavernous cargo holds.
Other technical dive sites around Santo include Million Dollar Point where you can explore the famously dumped WWII equipment in depths of up to 50m.
Dive Centres on Espiritu Santo, including Absolute Adventures and Pacific Dive provide technical dive training and support both open circuit and rebreather technical divers, with a range of gases and equipment available for hire.
For those seeking coral reefs, there’s Ratarata Reef and two at Tutuba Island, with good chances of seeing resident turtles, barracudas and other passing pelagics, plus Cindy’s Reef, off Aore Island, which provides easy reef diving with good visibility.
Tanna
Diving Tanna is very different from diving Port Vila or Santo, as Tanna is a more remote volcanic island – with an active volcano. Diving Tanna, you will experience crystal clear water, colourful hard coral reefs and an amazing topology of swim throughs and blue holes.
The diving on Tanna also offers shear vertical walls with pelagic action including reef sharks, turtles, schools of yellowfin tuna and barracuda as well as the wreck of a small cargo boat. One of the most unique aspects of diving in Tanna is the vast amount of easily accessible swim-throughs and caves. Some so small you question whether it’s possible to squeeze through, but the local dive guides at Volcano Island Divers know this fringing reef like the back of their hand and expertly weave through it.
When to dive…
Diving is possible year-round in Vanuatu, with water temperature varying between 24ºC – 29ºC depending on the season, with the warmest months from January to May and the coolest in August. There is also a distinct difference in water temperature from north in Santo, to south, at Tanna. Rainy season runs from December to March, however with steep drop offs this does not affect visibility.
Best Dive Sites in Vanuatu
Owen’s Reef, Tranquillity Island
Fields of staghorn coral, towering pinnacles, enormous brain corals and colourful soft corals and fans. I honestly lost count of how many different types of coral I saw on a single dive on Owen’s Reef, near Tranquillity Island, just off the coast of Vanuatu’s main island of Efate. Owen himself, the owner of Tranquillity Island Eco Resort (and the reef’s namesake) told me that a visiting marine biologist once said that he had never seen so many different species of coral on a single dive.
Turtle Reef, Tranquillity Island
Google “best place to see turtles in Vanuatu” and you’ll find Tranquillity Island Eco Resort. While you are likely to see turtles on the house reef (Turtle Reef), you’ll also see them at the resort’s Turtle Sanctuary, a largely educational institution that is funded and operated by resort staff, with help from guest donations. The turtles are kept here until they reach a size that will assure them a better chance of survival, and guests and day trippers can release turtles for a small donation.
The Cathedral, Port Vila
The Cathedral is a striking tall narrow cavern, about a 20-minute boat ride from Port Vila. The entrance to the cavern is tall and wide, about 22m deep at the sandy bottom, and it gets narrower as you approach the ‘pulpit’ at the apex. Beyond the pulpit is a narrow chimney that leads to the surface, where you can pop up, wave to the boat before swimming back down and out of the Cathedral to check out the coral on the reef wall outside.
Bonzer wreck, and the coral gardens surrounding it, Efate
The Bonzer Wreck is a cute little wreck about a one-minute’s boat ride from Hideaway Island Resort in Port Vila. The small freighter, purposely scuttled in an upright position in shallow water, is perfect for inexperienced wreck divers. The dive boat normally moors a little distance away so there’s a scenic reef to traverse along and steadily down before arriving at the wreck at 18m. Along the way, one of the largest anemone gardens you’ll ever see, teeming with reef fish and cheeky red and black anemone fish. Nearby dive sites include West Side Story which features seemingly endless fields of bright yellow staghorn coral.
Fan garden, Aore Island
A few metres off the beach on Aore Island, this drift dive has to be seen to believed. You’ll feel a bit like Alice in Wonderland as you drift with the current through a forest of seriously enormous sea fans. Sometimes called ‘Aore Wall’, in the shallows you’ll find nudibranchs, anemones, a variety of WWII artefacts and if you’re lucky you might also find a colourful mantis shrimp. It’s a great site for photographers looking to practice their macro skills or for those wanting to let the current do the work.
SS President Coolidge, Santo
At just over 200 metres long, the SS President Coolidge is one of the largest wrecks in the world. In fact some divers go to Espiritu Santo or even Vanuatu just to dive the Coolidge, and spend the best part of the week doing so: starting with an orientation dive, and working their way up (down) to the ‘Lady’ – a porcelain figure of a medieval babe riding a unicorn in the first class dining room, and on to the engine room and the stern, the wreck’s deepest point at 70 metres. A highlight for me is the marine life on this wreck, an enormous resident moray eel called Nessie and the flashlight fish in Cargo Hold #2.
Million Dollar Point, Santo
So named by the price tag U.S. troops put on the vehicles of their task force, that they tried and failed to sell to the French, the English and finally the Vanuatu locals at the close of WWII, before bulldozing the whole lot into the ocean to spite them all. A dive site of tracked and wheeled vehicles, and various other machines in about 15-25m of water just off the beach near Luganville, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu. It boggles the mind to swim through this wreckage, the wastes of war.
Tanna’s Blue Holes
The first swim-through you’ll experience in Tanna will probably be the house reef at White Grass Ocean Resort. Walk to the end of a long jetty in front of the resort which takes you over the shallowest parts of the fringing reef, and giant stride entry into a blue hole. Head across to the far-right corner to find a narrow swim-through that winds its way through to the reef wall, which drops down to about 25 metres. This is hands down my favourite dive in Vanuatu.
Fishing in Vanuatu
Vanuatu is known for offering some of the best fishing spots in the world right at its doorstep. Ideally located in the South Pacific, Vanuatu provides a vast variety of fishes. Thanks to the great Vanuatu weather, the waters here stay tepid all year round, making it ideal for fishing species like Marlins.
Whether you are looking to spend a relaxing day with family or challenge yourself, there is something for everyone here. Check out our tour operators offering fishing charters and day trips by clicking here.
Fishing Options Available
The coastal areas of Vanuatu are home to a huge assortment of fish species. Species like yellowfin tuna, dogtooth tuna, skipjack tuna, marlin, wahoo, mahi-mahi, Spanish mackerel are available in abundance around the islands.
If, during your time in Vanuatu, you are looking for a relatively more comfortable adventure where you do not have to wrestle with massive fish, reef fishing is just what you are looking for. The inshore reefs around Epi or Efate offer some of the best reef fishing spots in the world. You can look to catch fishes like queenfish, coral trout, mangrove jack and much more.
If reef fishing isn’t what you are looking for, then head out into the deep waters. A vast variety of game and sport fishing options are available for you to choose from. You will love the challenge deep water fishing, Vanuatu offers and you are sure to catch some incredibly huge fishes to show off to your friends and family.
Best Time to Fish
Fishing is excellent all year round, and you can catch marlins every month. But if you are looking for a particular fish or if you are planning a fishing trip, here is what you can expect in these months:
June to November
The temperature is lower during this time and the period is perfect for fishing the revered Indo-Pacific Blue Marlin. You can catch the black and striped marlins in limited numbers in these months.
December to February
Perfect to catch the yellowfin tuna and marlin, the climate is hot and humid, and the conditions are calm.
March to May
This period is the best time to go fishing as it is easy to catch almost all the fish species. This season is outstanding for catching the wahoo and the marlin, especially around Erromango.
Agritourism
Agritourism is catching on across the globe. It is an experience that offers travellers a different experience. It is a chance for people to know and live a life different from the one they’re living. Such a holiday is an exciting and unique adventure that you must undertake. Agritourism is all about educating people and allowing them to get involved at the grass root level. So, visit Vanuatu and live an experience that is unique, exciting and exhilarating. You are sure to walk away with a happy, content heart and a bagful of interesting stories!
Agritourism in Vanuatu
Agritourism in Vanuatu has flourished because of the many brilliant options people have when visiting this culturally rich region. When you make a trip to Vanuatu, you can visit Aelan Chocolate Makers, where chocolate is manufactured using cocoa beans sourced from the Vanuatu archipelago. It is a fantastic place for children to learn about the manufacturing process of chocolate.
Another great option is visiting the Haos Blong Handikraft & Mahitahi. Here you can purchase genuine Vanuatu products created and sold by local businesses. It is the perfect place to spend a day exploring the culture and history of Vanuatu.
Kava is native to the South Pacific Islands, and you can go an adventure of a lifetime with Kava Discovery Tour Factory. You can see firsthand how the crop is harvested in the fields and gardens, and end it with a shell of Kava surrounded by nature and the sun setting in the distance.
And if its not kava, instead a tropical fruit punch, Lapita Cafe’s delicious Coconut and Ginger cookies will have your taste buds wanting more. The proud owners can tell you all about how they produce their delicious treats. Every product tells you a story of how it ends up in the pack.
Agritourism combines rural settings with products of agricultural operations – all within a tourism experience that is distinctly different from traditional holidays. Visiting Vanuatu will allow you to interact with local farmers and producers. You can purchase products manufactured in Vanuatu from local businesses exotic interesting wares, food products, and more.
So when you come on a tour or visit one of our agritourism sites or local businesses, you not only help local businesses flourish but also get to experience something so distinct that it has flourished and sustained an entire region. The culture, food and interests of the Vanuatu people are extraordinary, and we help you experience it in all its beauty. Come experience Vanuatu, the Vanuatu way!
Cruise haven
Drifting on the sea in the comfort of your cruise ship enveloped by the fresh, clean breeze can be sensational. Cruising in Vanuatu is an experience you will never forget, and the cruise holidays are extremely popular because of the uncrowded beaches, the region’s proximity to Australia and clear waters, and every fantastic thing Vanuatu has to offer to cruise passengers – all perfect for a few days on and in the water.
Vanuatu is full of hidden gems from stunning natural beauty to colourful cultures and rich histories foretold in our custom stories, and could even be drawn on sand. Cruising on board the Carnival or any of the P&O cruise ship can be your choice of getting here, to experience more of our enchanting locales, our vibrant cultures across five stop points Port Vila, Luganville, Mystery Island, Champaign Beach, and Pangi.
Ports of call highlights
If you would like to explore nature and culture at Vanuatu, you can visit Mystery Island, Port Vila, Luganville, Champagne Beach and Pangi. Several activities are included in the cruises. You can choose the cruise that sounds exciting to you and your companions. The cruise service providers are experienced and will be happy to guide you to select the cruises or customise them according to your group’s requirements.
In Port Vila, you can choose from Port Vila city highlights and the fruits and veggies markets are always hot favourite, to Port Vila discovery tours, ekasup cultural village, round island safaris, fun rides on buggies or horse-backs whichever you choose, and more. Just speak with your tour desk to plan your activities before arriving at each port of calls.
You will love the snorkelling at Mystery island in the southern province, the world war 2 history tours, blue holes, champagne beach on Espiritu Santo, and daring land diving rituals on south Pentecost, will leave unforgettable memories of our islands very likely to tempt you for another return, so WELKAM!
Its a unique and exceptional experience than any other cruise destinations in the south Pacific, boasting our hidden gems waiting to be shared with all our cruise ship passengers.
SURFING
Vanuatu’s not typically associated with surfing but there’s a growing reputation among the global community that surfing in Vanuatu is on par, if not better, than some of the best spots in the South Pacific (such as Fiji, Tonga and Sa’moa). Surfing, as an activity, is still in its infancy but offers excellent and accessible surf spots which aren’t crowded and at a much cheaper rate.
Surfers willing to travel to the outer islands islands will be rewarded with breaks that offer perfect hollow waves and temperate waters (thanks to the stunning Vanuatu weather) for those ideal surfing conditions. With excellent conditions all year round and the perfectly shaped group of islands, there is plenty of potential for surfing in Vanuatu.
Surfing Conditions in Vanuatu
Vanuatu offers perfect surfing conditions all year round, but the best time to surf here would be between March and December when the Antarctic lows send over consistent southern swells.
Moderate rainfall during the hot and wet season between December and April bring in huge swells, but cyclones are also likely to occur during this time. The Northern coastline receives swells during this time due to the low-pressure system brewing there.
With 40 to 50-metre ride lengths and waves ranging from 5 to 6 feet, Vanuatu offers some incredible surfing locations.
Best Spots for Surfing
Vanuatu offers some of the best and untouched surf spots in the world. With surf spots scattered around Vanuatu that provides the perfect opportunity for newbies and experienced surfers alike. Black Sand Beach, British Beach, Epao, Forari Bay, Mangea Reefs, Pango Point, Soumabal Point, Port Resolution are just some of the beaches which offer a great surfing experience for everyone.
For someone looking for more of a challenge, spots like Breakas, Devils Point, Erakor Reef, Pounders and Tapi Point are just perfect. The adventurous surfers might want to travel to islands such as Tanna to enjoy some of the genuinely untouched surfing locations.
The best way to enjoy surfing in Vanuatu is to explore it island-by-island, exploring the full gamut of surf breaks available. Efate (where Port Vila is located) holds most of the best surfing spots here and plenty of accommodation options are available here. Some of the more remote locations can be accessed by seaplanes or boats.
Vanuatu Surfing Association can offer further assistance to surfers who are new to the place. Comprising of locals and expats from Australia and New Zealand, they organise local surfing events along with domestic and international competitions. So, if you are looking for new and exciting surfing challenges, Vanuatu should undoubtedly be your next destination. Check out our accommodation pages to book your surfing holiday today.
MICE in Vanuatu
Get away from the regular business conference set up, and come to Vanuatu to meet in a refreshing, creative, and relaxed conference venue where colleagues get together, network, while unwinding in the tropical ambience of the happiest place on the planet!
There’s an array of conference venues, facilities, and offers to suit all sorts of business meetings, including any of our open business events may interest you!
We look forward to meeting you.
Yachting and Sailing
Sailing to Vanuatu on a yacht is an incredible experience. Our island paradise of 83 islands is always a joy to sail through by both newcomers as well as the regulars, in part thanks to the year-round stunning Vanuatu weather. Vanuatu’s location between New Caledonia, Fiji and the Solomon Islands also makes it an ideal stop-off on longer journeys. There are several yachting service suppliers that are able to provide assistance, point you in the right direction in finding the best sailing season, to secluded bays, and answering general queries about sailing into and around Vanuatu.
These yachties are longtime residents of Vanuatu and are very experienced sailors and will be able to assist you. Contact any of the suppliers and operators in our Provision and Maintenance page.
Vanuatu Entry Formalities
Vanuatu is very welcoming of all its tourists whether arriving by air or boat! However, specific laws regarding customs, fishing, international borders, quarantine, immigration, anchorages and more need to be followed by all visitors. Click on the tiles below to access information. One amazing aspect of visiting Vanuatu is that only 400 cruising vessels visit annually, and with hundreds of safe anchorages, you won’t get bothered with crowded anchorages. You’ll simply be able take your time enjoying sailing in Vanuatu and discovering all the nature, culture and beauty across our remarkable islands.
Weddings
What’s better than an island? 83 islands!
Vanuatu is a pristine archipelago of 83 islands. When it comes to exotic wedding locations such as under the coconut palms (right image by Groovy Banana Photography), Vanuatu wins hands down. The beautiful beaches and clear water beckon the wedding party. You can be hitched on a volcano.
It definitely can’t get more amazing than that! Vanuatu is a great location to celebrate before, during and after the wedding. A wedding in Vanuatu is an extended vacation that is sure to fill up several albums with fond memories. With so many Natural Charms to make all your wedding dreams come true, you can start planning now.
Wedding Services
Wedding services for cakes, professional photographers, catering, venue, officiator, hair and makeup and more are readily available in Vanuatu. You and your guests can indulge in exceptional South Pacific cuisine with a French influence.
Wedding Venues in Vanuatu
You can get married at Éfaté, Espíritu Santo or Tanna Island. Éfaté is one of the most populous places in Vanuatu and wedding services are easily available here as well as on Espíritu Santo and Tanna Island is now catching on. If you are looking for a remote and exclusive location to get up gorgeous ceremony from white sandy beaches, luxury holiday homes, cascading waterfalls, tropical gardens, sailing yachts and jetty’s or even on top of Mt Yasur Volcano, you’ve come to the right place!
Fun Activities for the Wedding Party
There are so many exciting things to do in Vanuatu for everyone to enjoy as a group or just the two of you from soaking in and learning about the culture together, go scuba diving and exploring blue hole, a golfing and spa kind of a holiday, to exploring the rainforests, go on a kayak safari, sunset cruises and more. To get bit more romantic with your loved one, couples can have a candlelit dinner on the beach or on a deck over the water, go swimming together under Mele Cascades Waterfall, enjoy an open-air couple’s massage, horseback riding on beaches and so much more.
Legal requirements to get married in Vanuatu
You can contact a wedding organiser in Vanuatu, who can help you with the legal part as well as planning of the wedding. These are the requirements to note when preparing for your magical day here in paradise:
1. Submit your application to the Vanuatu Government 28 days before to your wedding
2. Ensure you are in Vanuatu three days before the wedding date
3. Both the bride and groom should take with them the following:
a witness each, passport and birth certificate for bride, groom, and witnesses, divorce documents or a death certificate of a former spouse, in case of a second marriage.
