Travel to Vanuatu — everything you need to know

When to go to Vanuatu?

Weather in Vanuatu

Check the weather city by city, starting with Port Vila.

What to do in Vanuatu?

Vanuatu is an archipelago of 80 Melanesian islands offering one of the most authentic and adventurous Pacific experiences around. Tanna Island is home to Mount Yasur, one of the most accessible and active volcanoes in the world, where you can watch eruptions from the crater's edge at sunset. The country preserves a living kastom culture, with traditional ceremonies, land diving (naghol, the ancestor of bungee jumping) and a UNESCO World Heritage status for the Chief Roi Mata's Domain.

Mount Yasur — Tanna Island

Mount Yasur is one of the most accessible and active volcanoes on the planet, in near-continuous eruption for at least 800 years. You can walk up to the crater's rim to witness impressive lava explosions, especially at sunset. Tanna Island is also the stronghold of the John Frum movement, a fascinating Melanesian cargo cult, and is home to kastom villages where residents maintain a traditional way of life.

Highlights : Yasur crater — the active volcano's rim at sunset (a unique experience), Yakel kastom village — community living by ancestral traditions, Ash Plain — mineral volcanic landscape around Yasur, John Frum movement — cargo cult and ceremonies at Sulphur Bay.

Land Diving (Naghol) — Pentecost Island

Land diving (naghol in Bislama) is an ancestral ceremony held every year between April and June on Pentecost Island. Men jump from 30-metre-high wooden towers, their feet tied with flexible vines, to celebrate the yam harvest. This practice, the documented ancestor of bungee jumping, is a moment of bravery and spiritual connection to the land, which should only be photographed with respect.

Highlights : Pentecost land diving — vine-jump ceremony (April–June only), Lonorore village — local crafts and homestay welcome, Pentecost black beaches — secluded volcanic sand beaches, Hiking in Pentecost's forests — endemic flora and fauna.

Chief Roi Mata's Domain (UNESCO)

Chief Roi Mata's Domain is the first Melanesian site inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, in 2008. It comprises three sites linked to the great chief Roi Mata, who unified the peoples of Efate in the early 17th century: his residence on the main island, the site of his death at Fels Cave, and his burial site on Retoka Island. This collective burial of 50 people, buried alive to accompany their chief, is an exceptional testament to Melanesian culture.

Highlights : Retoka Island — Roi Mata's collective burial site (UNESCO site), Fels Cave — cave where Chief Roi Mata took his last breath.

Blue Holes & Wrecks of Port Vila

Vanuatu's blue holes are freshwater pools with otherworldly blue hues, formed in karst limestone beneath the tropical jungle. The Riri and Nanda blue holes are accessible from Port Vila and offer diving or swimming in remarkably pure, cool water. Offshore, the SS Coolidge is one of the largest and most accessible wartime wrecks in the world.

Highlights : SS President Coolidge wreck — luxury liner converted into a troopship, sunk in 1942, Nanda Blue Hole — crystal-clear freshwater pool in Malekula's forest, Mele Cascades — waterfalls and natural pools near Port Vila.

Travel budget for Vanuatu

Vanuatu is an accessible destination, though costs vary greatly between islands. Port Vila offers a range of accommodation and restaurants from budget to luxury. The outer islands (Tanna, Pentecost, Malekula) are cheaper but require costly domestic flights. The vatu (VUV) is the local currency, and bank cards are accepted in Port Vila.

Practical tips for travelling to Vanuatu

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