Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020 |

# many tourists? culture? Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Vanuatu
maybtravel 09:30 UTC 30 Sep 2008 | Hi. I've searched to find some information about Vanuatu, and I got a bit confused about the culture aspect of the country.. On the one hand the tourist sites tells you about old culture and rituals, but on the other hand they tell you about big hotells and citylife. What is the islands really like today, and what can you expect to see when you are visiting the country? Are there any areas that have becomed very touristy? |
eflatjan 10:04 UTC 01 Oct 2008 | <Are there any areas that have becomed very touristy?> No, not really. Even the capital Port Vila doesn't feel overly "touristy". It seems to me like most of the tourist crowds stays in their resorts most of the time. And when you get away from Efate, Tanna and some areas of Espiritu Santo, it is a good chance that you will not see any tourists at all. (actually there were not many around on Tanna or ES either when I visited in march april this year....) And yes, the "old culture and rituals" (not neccesarily the "tourist thing") are alive and well in many areas, like inland Pentecost and Malekula, some villages on Tanna etc.... Regards eflatjan http://www.pbase.com/bolla49 Edited by: eflatjan | 1
eflatjan 10:11 UTC 01 Oct 2008 | <Are there any areas that have becomed very touristy?> No, not really. Even the capital Port Vila doesn't feel overly "touristy". It seems to me like most of the tourist crowds stays in their resorts most of the time. And when you get away from Efate, Tanna and some areas of Espiritu Santo, it is a good chance that you will not see any tourists at all. (actually there were not many around on Tanna or ES either when I visited in march april this year....) And yes, the "old culture and rituals" (not neccesarily the "tourist thing") are alive and well in many areas, like inland Pentecost and Malekula, some villages on Tanna etc.... God Tur til fantastiskeVanuatu! eflatjan http://www.pbase.com/bolla49 | 2
Laszlo 11:05 UTC 01 Oct 2008 | I really think Vila is the only really "developed" and somewhat touristy place. The next most visited islands, Tanna and Santo, are very low-key, with a few dozen tourists scattered in a few small resorts on them - at most. Everywhere else, you may not see a single other tourists. And the old culture is certainly alive and well (most of all in Tanna, but also on other islands). In fact I'd rate Vanuatu as the most traditional country in the Pacific, even more so than PNG! | 3
maybtravel 21:32 UTC 01 Oct 2008 | Thank you so much:) I can't wait to get there! Any tips on the road? Something I definitly should see, people and places to meet? I got 6 weeks, how long time did you spent there? I looked at your pictures eflatjan they where great, and gave me a great look on what to expect to see there. Can I ask you; how do you feel its like travelling with a big camera, is it safe or have you ever got it stolen? Do you lay the pictures out on the internet while you are travelling or do you do it when you get home? I'm wondering if I'll take with me my canon 350D.. Tusen takk:) | 4
eflatjan 14:47 UTC 02 Oct 2008 | Hei mabytravel! I will PM you as soon as possible. Have patience:-) Hilsen Jan Erik (eflatjan) http://www.pbase.com/bolla49 | 5
yehyeh 20:48 UTC 02 Oct 2008 | Enjoy your trip. Vanuatu is magic! | 6
maybtravel 16:19 UTC 06 Oct 2008 | Thanks! Which countries are connected with Vanutatu with airplane? I know it goes from Australia and New Zealand, and I've heard there was one from Tokyo, but I can't find it anywhere. Are there any in South East Asia, and does the connection from Tokyo exist? Any webpages recommended to check out the prices on tickets? | 7
eflatjan 17:26 UTC 06 Oct 2008 | As far as I know, the only direct flights is from NZ, Australia and some pacific islands. (like Fiji, New Caledonia, Solmon Islands...) Cheapest flights from NZ or Australia is with Pacific Blue. http://www.flypacificblue.com/ (Seems like their website is down at the moment?) If you are doing a lot (and I mean a LOT) of island hopping in Vanuatu, it may be cheaper to fly Air Vanuatu, as this will entitle you to a discount on domestic flights. regards eflatjan http://www.pbase.com/bolla49 | 8
Laszlo 09:00 UTC 07 Oct 2008 | The only 3 Pacific island countries with direct flights to Vanuatu are those listed above. Nothing from Asia, you must go via Australia, Fiji or New Caledonia. | 9
maybtravel 21:19 UTC 14 Oct 2008 | I've heard that I can get at least 30 days entery without visa in Vanuatu, but when I'm staying for 6 weeks do I have to apply before I get there or can I wait to fix this until I get to Vanuatu? Do I need visa at all? | 10
Laszlo 15:57 UTC 15 Oct 2008 | You can extend the 30 day visa by another 30 even the day after you arrive. | 11