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Voykit pocket guide · Vanuatu
Port Vila
Port Vila is a morning city with a night market: do the Market House and the museum before the heat, take Mele Cascades early, rest at midday, take a taxi after dark — and carry small vatu notes.
Port Vila is a compact, hilly harbour town on Efate with a market, a good national museum and seafood on the waterfront. Minibuses run set routes, taxis are plentiful and cheap, and cruise ships fill the centre on some days. Four clusters cover a first visit; Mele Cascades is a short drive, and Tanna and Espiritu Santo are a flight away.
- Country
- Vanuatu
- Best months
- May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct
- Time zone
- Pacific/Efate
- Stay
- 2 days: Market House and waterfront, museum
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- VUV
- Money
- Cards work at hotels, larger restaurants, dive shops and supermarkets; carry vatu cash for the market, minibuses, kava and village fees. US and Australian dollars are taken in some places at a poor rate: pay in vatu.
- Daily spend
- Budget VT 6,000–10,000 excl. bed · Mid VT 10,000–20,000 excl. bed · High VT 20,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Buy a prepaid SIM at a Digicel or Vodafone-branded shop in town (passport needed) or install an eSIM before you fly; coverage is good in Port Vila and thin on the coast road.
- Emergency
- Police, ambulance, fire Ask your hotel and save the numbers (check)
- Plugs
- 220–240 V, 50 Hz; Australian-style three-pin sockets (type I). Bring an adapter.
- Tipping
- Tipping is not customary and not expected; a smile and a thank you (tank yu tumas) are enough, though a small tip for a guide is welcome.
- Water
- Check with your hotel: many visitors drink bottled or filtered water, especially after heavy rain; tap water in the centre is treated but supply can be interrupted.
- Toilets
- Hotels, cafés, the market and the museum; carry tissues and hand gel.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Lap lap plate | VT 500–1,000 |
| Coffee | VT 400–700 |
| Local beer, bar | VT 400–800 |
| Minibus ride in town | VT 150–200 |
| Taxi across town | VT 500–1,200 |
| Prepaid SIM with data, about a week | VT 1,500–4,000 |
| Museum or waterfall entry | VT 1,000–2,500 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- Bauerfield International Airport (VLI)
- VLI to the waterfront: one pre-booked hotel pickup or airport taxi, 10–25 minutes — the risk is a late flight with no ride arranged, not the distance.
By rail and road
| Station | Serves | To the centre |
|---|---|---|
| Bauerfield International Airport (VLI) | International and domestic flights | Taxi 10–25 min, VT 1,500–2,500 (check) |
| Star Wharf and the harbour (Star Wharf) | Cruise ships and some ferries | Walk 5 min |
| Minibus stops | Set routes in town and along the coast | Already there |
Typical fares
- Airport to the waterfront, taxi
- VT 1,500–2,500 (check), 10–25 min
- Minibus in town
- VT 150–200 (check)
- Taxi across town
- VT 500–1,200 (agree first)
Show 8 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Eat, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk inside a cluster by day; minibus or taxi between clusters and after dark. Fares are cheap; agree the price.
| How | Fare | Use for |
|---|---|---|
| Walking | Free | Inside the waterfront and the park by day |
| Minibus (shared, fixed fare) | VT 150–200 (check) | Along the harbour road and out to Nambatu |
| Taxi (agree the fare) | VT 500–1,200 across town | Between clusters, bags and night |
| Hired car with driver | VT 8,000–15,000 a day (check) | Mele Cascades and the island circle road |
| Rented car | VT 6,000–10,000 a day (check) | Independent island trips |
| Scooter | VT 4,000–6,000 a day (check) | Only for experienced riders |
| Ferry or boat | Varies | Hideaway Island and Erakor Island |
Fares are estimates; check before you ride.
- Passes
- No pass. Minibuses have set fares; agree the taxi fare or check that the meter is running before you set off.
- Late at night
- No rail. Minibuses stop early in the evening; taxis run later: ask the hotel to book the ride back before you go out.
See and do
01Market House at 07:00
Produce, fish, kava and crafts under one roof; the heart of the city.
Hours: best 06:30–08:30 · Price: Free; VT 500–1,000 for lap lap · Time: 1 hHours: best 6:30 AM–8:30 AM · Price: Free; VT 500–1,000 for lap lap · Time: 1 h · -17.7340, 168.3140
02Mele Cascades
A waterfall walk with swimming pools; cooler and quieter early.
Hours: best At opening, not cruise days · Price: About VT 1,500–2,500 (check) · Time: 2–3 h · -17.6855, 168.2745
03Vanuatu National Museum and Cultural CentreVanuatu National Museum
Slit gongs, carvings and the story of custom and independence.
Hours: best Weekday morning · Price: About VT 1,000–1,500 (check) · Time: 1–1.5 h · -17.7425, 168.3205
04Grilled fish at NambatuNambatu
Fresh fish on the harbour at dusk.
Hours: best 17:30–20:00 · Price: VT 1,500–3,500 · Time: 1.5–2 hHours: best 5:30 PM–8:00 PM · Price: VT 1,500–3,500 · Time: 1.5–2 h · -17.7495, 168.3160
05Kava at a nakamalNakamal
The traditional evening drink and a window on custom.
Hours: best After dusk · Price: VT 100–300 a shell (check) · Time: 1 h · -17.7495, 168.3160
06Bougainville Park and the harbour frontBougainville Park
A shaded park on the harbour to pause between the market and the shops.
Hours: best Morning · Price: Free · Time: 30 min · -17.7365, 168.3145
07Hideaway Island snorkelling
Calm reef and an underwater post office.
Hours: best Morning · Price: VT 1,500–3,000 (check) · Time: Half day
08Efate island circle road
Beaches, villages and Blue Lagoon in a day.
Hours: best Dry season · Price: VT 8,000–15,000 for a car (check) · Time: Full day
09Erakor Island lunch
A short boat and a lagoon beach.
Hours: best Morning · Price: Shuttle and lunch (check) · Time: Half day
10Tanna and Yasur volcano
The active volcano is a highlight of the country; two nights.
Hours: best Dry season · Price: Flights and guide (check) · Time: 2+ nights
Hours and prices are desk estimates (checked 2026-09); anything marked (check) is not confirmed. Coordinates open in any map app.
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Efate island circle road | Hired car or driver, about 130–140 km (81–87 mi)Hired car or driver, about 81–87 mi (130–140 km) | Full day |
| Hideaway Island (marine sanctuary) | Car to Mele Beach, then a short boat | Half day |
| Erakor Island | Short shuttle boat from Erakor | Half day |
| Blue Lagoon (Eton) | Car, about 45–60 min | Half day |
| Tanna (Yasur volcano) | Flight about 1 h | Two nights minimum |
| Espiritu Santo (Champagne Beach, President Coolidge wreck) | Flight about 1 h | Two to three nights |
Eat
| Where | What · area | Price | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market House food stalls | Lap lap or a plate lunch · Market House | VT 500–1,000 | Budget |
| Bakery and roadside snacks | Pastries, bread and fruit · Town centre | VT 100–500 | Budget |
| Waterfront grill | Fish and beef grill · Waterfront | VT 2,000–3,500 | Mid-range |
| Nambatu seafood and grill stalls | Grilled fish and seafood · Nambatu | VT 1,500–3,500 | Mid-range |
| Nambawan Café | Coffee, breakfast and lunch · Centre | VT 800–2,000 | Mid-range |
| Resort and French-style restaurants | Seafood, beef and French-style dishes · Nambatu, Erakor and Pango | VT 4,000–8,000 | Splurge |
Per person, one dish or one meal, 2026 estimate in vatu. Addresses change: check the day before.
Sleep
| Band | Price a night | Where | What |
|---|---|---|---|
| budget | VT 6,000–10,000 double | Waterfront and Blacksands | Guesthouses and backpackers |
| mid | VT 12,000–25,000 | Waterfront and Nambatu | Hotels and apartments |
| splurge | VT 30,000–60,000+ | Erakor, Pango and Nambatu | Resorts |
Per room per night in vatu, 2026 estimate; Independence Day and school holidays add 20–50%.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Haloha-lo |
| Thank you (very much) | Tank yu (tumas)tank you (too-mas) |
| How much is this? | Hemia i hamas?heh-mee-a ee ha-mas |
| How are you? / I am fine | Olsem wanem? / Mi gudol-sem wa-nem / mee good |
| Please / Sorry | Plis / Soreplease / sor-ry |
| I do not want it | Mi no wantemmee no wan-tem |
| Delicious | I gud tumasee good too-mas |
| See you | Tata / Yumi tokbaot bakegenta-ta |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Kastom and land: Land belongs to families and clans: ask before entering villages, beaches or waterfalls, and pay any fee.
- Greetings: Greet people first with 'halo'; a smile goes a long way.
- Dress: Modest away from resorts: cover shoulders and knees in villages and churches; swimwear stays at the beach.
- Photos: Ask before photographing people, ceremonies and sacred sites.
- Kava: Speak quietly at the nakamal; drink in one go; spit out the first mouthful only if the host does; women may be asked to sit apart.
- Tipping: Not expected; a smile and thanks are enough.
- Sunday: Sunday is a day for church and family: most shops close and activity is quiet.
Red lines
- Do not photograph people or ceremonial objects without asking.
- Pay any custom fee asked by landowners.
- Do not swim in closed pools or ignore warning signs at waterfalls.
Scams and watch-outs
- Unlicensed drivers who quote a high fare: minibuses and taxis have posted or agreed fares; agree the price before you get in and check the plate.
- Custom fees that are not posted: legitimate landowner fees are posted and come with a receipt or a guide; if unsure, ask your hotel.
- Overcharging at the market for tourists: ask 'hemia i hamas?' first and compare prices at two stalls.
- Bags and phones left in unlocked rooms, cars or beaches: keep valuables out of sight and locked.
One and two days
1 day
A stopover or a cruise day. Skip: Mele Cascades: needs a morning.
- 07:007:00 AMMarket House
- 08:308:30 AMBougainville Park and the harbour
- 10:0010:00 AMNational Museum
- 12:0012:00 PMLunch at the market food stalls
- 13:301:30 PMHotel rest or the beach
- 17:305:30 PMSeafood at Nambatu by taxi
2 days
The usual stay for the city. Skip: Island circle road: it needs a full day.
Day 1 — market and museum
- 07:007:00 AMMarket House
- 09:009:00 AMNational Museum
- 12:0012:00 PMLunch at the market
- 18:006:00 PMKava at a nakamal
Day 2 — Mele Cascades
- 07:307:30 AMMele Cascades at opening
- 11:0011:00 AMHideaway Island snorkelling
- 17:305:30 PMDinner at Nambatu
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Vanuatu Tourism Office (official): vanuatu.travel/
- Wikivoyage — Port Vila: en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Port_Vila
- Wikivoyage — Vanuatu: en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Vanuatu
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Port Vila
Yu save tekem mi i go long ples ia?
Please take me to this place
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Take me to
- Vanuatu National MuseumVanuatu National Museum and Cultural Centre
- NambatuNambatu seafood and grill stalls
- NakamalNakamal (kava bar)
- Bougainville ParkBougainville Park and the harbour front
- Police, ambulance, fireAsk your hotel and save the numbers (check)
Many embassies are served from Australia, New Zealand or Fiji: write your own embassy's 24-hour line below.
Give the driver a landmark; street names are not always used.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/port-vila). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.