City: Vanuatu
Top Things to do in Vanuatu
Countries
Top 10 Things to do in Vanuatu
Vanuatu (English: /ˌvɑːnuˈɑːtuː/ ( listen) VAH-noo-AH-too or /vænˈwɑːtuː/ van-WAH-too; Bislama, French IPA: [vanuatu]), officially the Republic of Vanuatu (French: République de Vanuatu, Bislama: Ripablik blong Vanuatu), is a Pacific island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is 1,750 kilometres (1,090 mi) east of northern Australia, 540 kilometres (340 mi) northeast of New Caledonia, east of New Guinea, southeast of the Solomon Islands, and west of Fiji.
Restaurants in Vanuatu
1. Millenium Cave
Overall Ratings
5 based on 586 reviews
Reviewed By AusChick101
Everyone will tell you how hard this trek is and they are right! It is challenging and you need a good level of fitness. I did not get told much about the tour except this but the experience blew me away! The scenery while stumbling over moss covered boulders and climbing down bamboo ladders was incredible. You also spend at least half an hour walking through water in the pitch black cave while trying to stumble over rocks. You are given a torch but it is quite hard to hold the torch and stop yourself from falling over.
Please take a waterproof camera! I did not have mine and the guides offer to take your phone in a waterproof box, but I did not want to risk it. Also, lunch is not provided so you need to take your own.
I found the guides very professional and really looked out for the group. At one time I was about to slip through the cave and my life jacket was grabbed from behind to stop me from falling.
I would highly recommend this tour for the adventurous/active type!
2. Mount Yasur
Overall Ratings
5 based on 784 reviews
This relatively short volcano (360 meters above sea level) is regularly active.
Reviewed By TCC43 - Juneau, Alaska
There is no experience like this...or rather this accessible...in the world!!! The evening hike is ideal. The tour guides/ entire operation is absolutely excellent!!!! Wear long pants and a light jacket (hood too if possible)...it gets windy with ash and also cool as the sun goes down. Bring water if you need more than the small bottle they give out. Arrive with curiosity and zero expectations...this is “natures fire”...you give up all control when you are standing on the RIM of an active volcano! You will FEEL it emotionally and physically!!! Enough said. Just go...and be grateful such an opportunity still exists!!
3. Port Olry Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 231 reviews
Reviewed By AusChick101
This is one of the most beautiful Beaches I have ever seen! And I think the water may be as blue as the water in the Bahamas!
Highly recommend visiting this beach over Champagne Beach it is free and more beautiful. There is also some good snorkelling spots not too far off.
We also had a lovely lunch on the beachfront.
It is about 62km from Luganville. We hired a car for the day to visit the Beaches along the east coast.
4. Wet N Wild Adventure Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 198 reviews
Wet 'n'Wild has now added some more exciting new attractions to the Adventure Park with a new longer, steeper more exhilarating zorb track and a 90m Slippery Water Slide, Human Slingshot Swing, Go Karting, Bubble Soccer and Segways. The Adventure Cafe is now also open for snacks and hot and cold drinks.
Reviewed By Louche - Sydney
We took our 8 & 10 yr olds to Wet and Wild for the morning. Both did the zorbing and slides and loved the zorb especially. The view from the top of the hill is spectacular!
The staff are all fantastic - originally my daughter was scared to try the zorb but the operators were very patient and encouraging.
Sandy the manager went out of her way to help us when our return bus didn't show and drove us down to the rd where the Cascades is and there are more buses.
5. Mystery Island
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 396 reviews
Reviewed By blackeldo - Kiama, Australia
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON COULD HAVE MODELLED HIS “TREASURE ISLAND” ON THIS PLACE.
Well not quite, MYSTERY ISLAND (real name INYEUG) is smaller and flatter, but is typical of South Sea desert island coral cays** and will fit most ideas of a tropical island. Low flat, with circumferential Beaches backed by palms and casuarinas – a surprising extensive coral reef protecting all further out.
**A coral cay is a former atoll whose lagoon had been fully or partially [in this case] filled with reef detritus eroded by wave attack.
Desert Islands don’t feature dune fields – “desert” refers to no permanent streams; too flat and porous. Enough rain from passing trades to support palms, casuarinas and scrub.
“Mystery” maybe refers to no permanent inhabitants – island rumoured to be haunted. I put this down to CRUISE SHIP PR romancing: it’s more due to lack of water compared to the big mountainous nearby island of ANEITYUM dissuading settlement. Certainly ‘ghosts’ don’t keep locals from jumping across to use the short grass air-strip (not enough flat land on ANEITYUM) or on cruise days to sell to the tourists.
MYSTERY /ANEITUM are some of the southern-most Islands of Vanuatu. The sea border with NEW Caledonia is only a short distance further south.
TIPS:
MOST POPULAR BEACH – head the very short distance across the island from the landing pier to the eastern beach, no lack of sand, or shade back of beach. Could be a bit blustery or blowy days but some people welcome this when hot.
MOST SHELTERED BEACH – the western beach on the landing pier side of the island. If it is particularly blowy, head north (right facing inland) past the small sand spit. Almost as popular as the other side.
WANT SECLUDED BEACH? - the far ends of either above will do the trick. Note the far north and south of the island feature rock shelves.
BEST SNORKELING – off the central and southern parts of most popular beach. Some okay stuff for novices right off the sand but 250m out you may see the commercial snorkel trip boats and customer heads in the water. Some okay coral bommies and fish out there, but hard core snorkelers will not rate it with world’s best.
I have seen snorkellers in many other regions.
WALK AROUND THE ISLAND – in under 40 minutes by a track behind the beach except in the far north where you walk the rock platform a few hundred meters. Bare feet not a good idea (rocks/roots) – latest trip I found my elcheapo K-Mart REEF BOOTIES the go, both there and on more gritty sections of beach.
ISLAND SERVICES – locals have set up virtually everything in the interior. Snacks, meals, drinks, hair braiding, rental snorkel gear, massages etc. and latest visit a huge new MARKET AREA with more stalls than the PORT VILA ship-side extravaganza. Lotsa EXCURSIONS at maybe half the price of ships’ shore-excursions offerings. Some pretty sophisticated stuff: latest trip a local had a bunch of new rental glass-bottomed kayaks. Aussie dollars widely accepted.
Also a newish rest room area.
6. Pele Island
Overall Ratings
5 based on 89 reviews
Reviewed By tiarnaeg - Brisbane, Australia
Spending the day at Pele Island was absolutely INCREDIBLE! The water was crystal clear blue and absolutely beautiful. We went in a little boat out in the very deep water around 70m deep. There were stingrays at the very bottom and the coral and fish were stunning. There were so many different colours and species.
We also walked around the village and got a feel for the culture. Was an incredible day.
7. Freshwater Plantation
Overall Ratings
5 based on 32 reviews
The only cave and plantation experience in northern Vanuatu. Short boat trip from Santo Island to Aore Island. Explore the bat cave and easy walking trails, as well as goats, ducks, chickens everywhere. Stay 2 hours or all day. Budget priced and family friendly, suitable for all ages and fitness levels. On site plantation cafe.
Reviewed By virginiarawlinson - Adelaide, Australia
A short ferry ride from Luganville takes you to The Freshwater Plantation on Aore Island, where you can take a guided tour through the plantation grounds, the large cave (don't mind the pongy piles of bat poo and the attendant zillions of cockroaches) and up...MoreWow! Great detailed review, which will be so helpful to future fellow travelers. Thank you for the time and effort for the review. We appreciate it :-)
8. The Secret Garden
Overall Ratings
4 based on 145 reviews
Reviewed By Pikinini Playti... T - Port Vila, Vanuatu
A comfortable bed in a lovely quaint bungalow nestled among the Gardens with no dogs, no sirens, no raucous music.......Just the gentle background sounds of the surf breaking on distant Blacksand Beach. Where can you find that in and around Port Vila? A delightful dinner in the laid back atmosphere of Jenny's Jungle Joint, a hearty breakfast at anytime you want to get up. What's not to enjoy? Thanks Mark, Jenny and staff, we had a great time and are sure to do it again when we need a quiet break.
9. SS President Coolidge
Overall Ratings
5 based on 316 reviews
Reviewed By Salty - Sydney NSW
First dived Pres.Coolidge in 1982 on air. The Lady sculpture was just discovered previous week and I had a great snap of it published in Neville Coleman's "Underwater" magazine, beating established photographers to be the "first" published.
The wreck is a walk-in dive that caters for elementary to experienced divers. Great fish and coral photo opportunities for photographers. Plenty of sharks too. Eerie looking down off the poop deck into the very deep channel that seems to have no bottom. Visibility is mostly astounding.
Alan Power has been conducting tours on the Coolidge since early 1980's, longer than any other operator and it was Alan who first showed me over the vessel in 1982. For experience and professional guidance you cannot go past Alan.
This is a "must do" in the world of diving. No matter how deep you are comfortable with, you will gain a great sense of achievement. Not only is it a great dive opportunity but you get to experience the local culture and great local hospitality.
10. Ekasup Village
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 357 reviews
Reviewed By 673jaya - Montrose, Colorado
The best part of traveling is learning. Ekasup Cultural village draws you into an unexpectedly vivid and rich experience with the native people of Vanuatu.
Enter the village as if you were an early European visitor, being dramatically tested and then warmly welcomed. Discover how they secured food, treated with jungle medicines, and carefully used the resources at hand to provide a lifestyle that was comfortable and intertwined with ancient traditions.
See how they ate, sheltered themselves, fought with unwelcome neighbors, treated medical conditions, celebrated, made music, chose spouses and much more. The musical performance is especially fun!
Learn a lot and have tremendous fun diong it. If you only have time to do one thing in Port Vila, make sure this is it. I guarantee a great time for the entire family.
