Vanuatu

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Vanuatu strings 83 islands across more than 1,000 km of the South Pacific, between New Caledonia and Fiji. Visitors come for Mount Yasur on Tanna, one of the few active craters you can approach on foot, for the wreck of the SS President Coolidge off Santo, for Efate’s lagoons and for a customary culture, kastom, that remains very much alive. A former Anglo-French condominium, the country speaks Bislama, English and French.

83 islands between Efate, Santo and Tanna

The archipelago stretches from north to south in a Y shape: around 65 islands are inhabited by some 300,000 people (2020 census). The capital, Port Vila, is on Efate, in the centre; Espiritu Santo, the largest island, and its town of Luganville are in the north; Tanna and its volcano lie in the south.

In between are Malekula, Pentecost, Ambrym and its volcanoes, Epi and Ambae, often reached by small plane or cargo boat. The country is volcanic and seismically active: this terrain gives it its forests, waterfalls and beaches of both black and white sand.

From the New Hebrides to independence

Settled around 3,000 years ago by Lapita seafarers, the islands were named the New Hebrides by James Cook in 1774. In 1906, France and the United Kingdom agreed to govern them jointly: this was the condominium, with two administrations, two police forces and two school systems.

During the Second World War, Santo became a major American base, with around 100,000 troops passing through. The country gained independence on 30 July 1980 as the Republic of Vanuatu. Two sites were inscribed by UNESCO in 2008: Chief Roi Mata’s Domain and the sand drawings.

Port Vila, Mele and the drive around Efate

Port Vila has most of the hotels and restaurants, around the bay, Erakor Lagoon and the central market, which reopened in 2025 after the December 2024 earthquake. Fifteen minutes away, Mele Bay leads to Hideaway Island and its marine reserve, with an underwater post office.

A sealed road circles the island (about 120 km): Havannah Harbour in the north-west, the Eratap peninsula in the south-east, the islets of Nguna and Moso for snorkelling and turtles, and Ekasup cultural village for an insight into customary life.

Santo: the Coolidge wreck, Blue Holes and Champagne Beach

Off Luganville lies the SS President Coolidge, a liner turned troopship that sank in 1942 and rests at 21 to 70 m: one of the world’s most famous wrecks, for certified divers only. Nearby, Million Dollar Point holds the equipment dumped into the sea by the US military in 1945.

The east coast is lined with Blue Holes, intensely blue freshwater pools in the middle of the forest, and Champagne Beach, a white-sand beach where the water seems to fizz at low tide. Luganville’s Second World War museum tells the story of that period.

Mount Yasur, the Gol land dive and Ambrym

On Tanna, Mount Yasur rumbles constantly: visitors climb to the crater rim at dusk to watch the explosions. The national geohazards department (VMGD) keeps it at alert level 2, with a 600 m danger zone around the vents: visits are guided and may be suspended. The island also has kastom villages and the John Frum festival on 15 February.

On Pentecost, the Gol land dive (Naghol) takes place on Saturdays from April to June: men jump from wooden towers 20 to 30 m high with a vine tied to their ankles. The volcanoes of Ambrym, Benbow and Marum, are at alert level 3: any hike to the craters must be cleared locally.

Planes, ferries and cargo boats between the islands

There are two international airports: Port Vila (VLI) and Luganville-Pekoa (SON). From Europe, the usual route is via Nouméa: Aircalin flies from Paris to Nouméa via Bangkok, then on to Port Vila in just over an hour, a route resumed on 25 October 2026. Brisbane, Sydney, Auckland and Nadi also have flights to Port Vila.

Air Vanuatu now operates domestic flights only, to Tanna, Santo, Malekula, Pentecost and the Banks Islands; delays and cancellations are frequent. The MV Blue Wota fast ferry links Port Vila and Luganville in about 10 hours 30 minutes twice a week, and cargo boats serve the other islands.

Season, vatu, health and safety

The cool dry season, from May to October, is the most pleasant; from November to April it is hot and humid and cyclones are possible. The currency is the vatu (about 130 VT to €1 in early November 2026): cards are accepted in Port Vila and Luganville, but there are no cash machines on the other islands, including Tanna.

Malaria is present on some islands, tap water is only safe to drink in Port Vila and Luganville, and medical care is limited: repatriation insurance is essential. Volcanoes, earthquakes and cyclones mean you should follow local instructions. Before you travel, always check your government's official travel advice (foreign ministry website).

Essentials

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Nearby islands: New Caledonia · Isle of Pines · Lifou · Fiji

Photo : KhufuOsiris, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons