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# VANUATU...INFO, TIPS &amp; TRICKS: Read this Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea
hiske 09:55 UTC 18 Jul 2005 | VANUATU....INFO, TIPS AND TRICKS Hello, I am Hilda from the Netherlands. I have been in Vanuatu for 7 weeks now and I am liking it! What amazes me is that not many backpackers find their way out here. Too bad! It is so cheap nowadays, for example, a flight with Virgin Blue (Pacific Blue) from Brisbane to Port Vila is around $ 500, - (including all airport taxes and departure tax). Air Vanuatu also offers flights that can be booked through their website. Someone told me Flightcentre New Zealand offers good deals on packages to Vanuatu. Daily expenses in Vanuatu can be as high or low as you want, depending on what you do. There are some hotels that also cater for backpackers and who offer cheap rooms or dorm style accommodation. Being on a pacific island, meeting island-people, staying in a village, experiencing “island-time”, enjoying local food, let’s say…get a taste of the South Pacific…that’s what you can do too! All of this is so different from travelling in Australia or New Zealand. I would say…if you want to experience something really special…book a flight now that you are already in the area and have a look around Vanuatu. You can book a ticket online (www.virginblue.com.au or www.airvanuatu.com)or book through a travel agent or flight centre (like Statravel or Flight centre). There are many islands (I think in total 84) and every island has its own charm. For example: Efate (with capital Port Vila and the waterfalls), Epi (known for its dugong-sea cow, rainforest and mountains), Tanna (working volcano, you can actually walk straight up to the rim/mouth of Volcano Yasur and see the lava inside), Ambrym (2 lava lakes), Santo (diving on the largest intact shipwreck of the world, the SS President Coolidge) and Pentecost (witness a land diving ceremony during certain months of the year, the way of bungy jumping before it became famous, this is not done with elastics, but with vines around their feet and from towers built out of vines and timber). I visited Nguna Island, just North of Efate, for a couple of days. A beautiful place to stay and the people are so friendly. They have a Marine Protected Area, which is teeming with fish life and has beautiful coral. The MPA also does turtle tagging and you (as a tourist) can come along to spot turtles and you can even sponsor one. If you do so, your money (5000 Vatu) will go to the MPA and will be used to keep the Marine Protected Area in order, to do surveys on the reef (like Reef check) and they will be able to use the money for one of their other projects. You in return can name the tagged turtle and you can experience a turtle from very close by. You also get a certificate with all the information of your turtle (length, head width, species, sex, etc) and you can check the website to see if your turtle is spotted again. If this is the case you can read how much it has grown since you saw it and of course…where it has been seen. I was staying in a bungalow and I had to pay only 2000 Vatu per night and it was including 3 meals of local food! You can take a truck from Port Vila and then take the ferry across to Nguna Island. This will cost you around 1000 Vatu one-way. So…all and all I would definitely advise you to go there. The website of the MPA is: www.marineprotectedarea.com.vu. For people on sailboats who want to visit Nguna Island: there is also a mooring, which can be used in return for a small donation. Visas to enter Vanuatu are not necessary if you are from: Commonwealth countries, EU countries, Fiji, Japan, Norway, Philippines, South Korea, Switzerland or USA. Other nationalities can apply for a visa at the Immigr. Department in Port Vila. Your visa can be extended up to 4 months. Check for information on (bravei@vanuatu.gov.vu or vanuatuimmigration@vanuatu.com.vu or www.vanuatutourism.com/visa-info.htm)<BR><BR>Languages spoken in Vanuatu are: English, French and Bislama. Bislama is a sort of Pidgin English. Very interesting to listen to and to learn of course. Once you know a few words (like: Thank you= Tank yu tumas, How are you?=Olsem wanem?) and you try to speak with the locals, they will reward you with smiles. You show them that you are interested in their language, their culture and therefore....them as people. Oh yeah…no worries about being eaten! Cannibalism doesn’t exist here any more (as far as we know). Vaccinations / immunizations are not required for Vanuatu. If you are planning to visit the outer islands, malaria medications are advised for those areas. Cyclone season is from December to May. Rainy season is from January to March. Best time to visit would be from May to October. Busiest months are June, July and September. For the divers amongst us: best time for diving is probably September, October and November. Nice clear seas and not too busy. Vanuatu’s waters are teeming with fish life and has a lot of different corals. There are many shipwrecks to dive on, most famous being the President Coolidge in Santo. Local dive masters, who have dived these waters for many years can show you the most obscure and interesting sea creatures. If you are very lucky you might even see a dugong. This rare creature is also called sea cow. They are very friendly and quite curious. Some tips: Exchange rates for 1000 Vatu are: AUS$ 11,47 US$ 8,57 EURO 7,25 and NZ$ 12,58. Check current rates at www.oanda.com. You can take a local bus for 100 Vatu within Port Vila Centre and 200 Vatu for areas close to Port Vila. Bring your own snorkelling gear (or buy it here-better than hiring). Internet is quite expensive and pretty slow. Ask around to get to know the happy hours for cheaper internet. International phone calls are half the price if you call after 8 o’clock at night or on Sundays. Vanuatu is not a place to bargain, so if you go to the market or stores…the price you see is what you have to pay. Water from the tap is safe to drink in Port Vila town. Other places: just ask local people. Before swimming or snorkelling, ask the locals if there’s anything you should be aware of and if it is safe to swim or snorkel in that area. Maybe you have to watch for rips, animals or sharp rocks. ATM’s are available in Port Vila and there are also possibilities to change money. Tickets to outer islands can be a lot cheaper if you show them your international ticket (up to 15 or 20 % cheaper!). If you want to visit the outer islands, ask an inbound tour operator (like Adventure Centre) to help you sort out the tickets. Some flights only go once a week, some twice, depending on the destination. So you really have to get things organized, especially if you have limited time in Vanuatu. Souvenirs like mini-sailing canoes, necklaces, carvings, island dresses, island shirts, grass skirts, etc. can be bought at the market for a good price. Food tips: The market is a good place to buy fruits and food. A big bag of passionfruit is only 100 Vatu, big papaya 100 Vatu, grapefruit for 30 Vatu, pineapple for 300 Vatu, green beans for 150 Vatu, bunch of bananas for 100 Vatu and a fresh coconut for 30 Vatu. For fresh fish go to the supermarket (like the big Au Bon Marche in area Number Two) or go to the “ Fish market”, which is a store (also called LTP) opposite the bakery called La Parisienne (ask your bus driver). At the fish market they will even cut it to sashimi if you ask for it. Wahoo is about 1200 Vatu a kilo and also very nice for sashimi. At the supermarket you can buy French bread for 50 Vatu and if available, a kilo of fresh tuna for 700 Vatu. If you want to go out for dinner and don’t want to spend a fortune: You can go to one of the food stalls at the market and eat a stir-fry (for example) for 250 Vatu or lap-lap (local food) for 150 Vatu. The big supermarket Au Bon Marche (area number Two) has take away food and is cheap. There are some fast-food places (for example Island Chicken, El Gecko’s Take away). Seaview (near the market) has very cheap food, either downstairs or upstairs. The Waterfront (the place to be!) has good food for a reasonable price and is a good place to meet people. Jill’s cafe (next to ANZ-bank) is a nice place to grab breakfast, burger, fruit punch or a sandwich. Flaming Bull Restaurant is also a good place to have dinner (Fish&chips 750 Vatu and steak 1200 Vatu). Some places have live music. Waterfront has a band every night and there are more places like that (again, ask around). La Pizzeria (opposite Au Bon Marche-area Number Two) has the best food in town according to some friends of mine and is very cheap (Steak 750 Vatu for example and a large pizza for 1400 Vatu). Rossi’s Restaurant is a nice place to get a cup of coffee and read the latest news (they usually have Australian and New Zealand- papers). A fairly new restaurant is Kanpai. This is a Japanese sushi-restaurant and the place has a great view over the inner harbour. The food is excellent and for a good price ( sushi-set 1200 Vatu, sashimi 1500 Vatu, Udon 700 Vatu). Things to do in Vanuatu: swimming, snorkelling, scuba diving (also dive courses), sailing, shopping, horse riding, playing tennis, visiting the market, hiking, (game) fishing, budget bottom-fishing, seeing/learning how to dance, learning how to weave a basket, kayaking, parasailing, golfing, mountain bike cycling, volcano tours, visiting the waterfalls, visiting a village or archaeological sites, looking for carvings, sand drawings, tam tams or other souvenirs, posting a postcard from the one and only underwater post-box at Hideaway Island or posting a card in the post-box on top of Yasur Volcano in Tanna, renting a car/scooter and drive around the island. And there’s a lot more to do. Cheap “do it yourself’ trips around Port Vila are: Visit the Cascade Waterfalls (bus 200 Vatu one-way, entrance fee 1000 Vatu), take the ferry to Erakor Island and hang out/swim at the beach for free (bus 200 Vatu one-way), take the ferry to Iririki Island (free), walk to the lookout and sit on the beach. Or take the ferry to Hideaway Island (bus 200 Vatu one-way, ferry 500 Vatu return) and spend the day snorkelling around the island or at the beach. Places to stay for backpackers in and around Port Vila would be for example: Erakor Island (Starfish Lodge), Hideaway Island, Room with a view, Vila Hibiscus, Treetops Lodge, Wild Pig Hotel, Hotel Formule Holiday or La Maison Blue. Some of them have cooking facilities in the rooms, some have a share-kitchen. Enquire before booking I would say. Having access to a kitchen is a good way to save lots of money that you could use for much better things! A new place named “City Lodge” just opened in the middle of town (opposite the markets). Double room with ensuite bathroom costs 4700 Vatu. Shower is very good, the only downside is that the beds are a bit too hard. Vanuatu is a home to a lot of visiting sail yachts or motor yachts. Good places to meet boaties or yachties are The Waterfront, Café du Village or Anchor Inn. You might be able to get a berth on a boat, to become temporary crew (or just someone who comes along) and see some islands sailing around. You can also put a notice up on one of the noticeboards at these places. Who knows….you might even be able to sail to Fiji, New Caledonia, the Solomons, Australia, New Zealand or even Papua New Guinea. If you feel like an adventure….get some information on the captain, the boat and safety gear, how long the trip will take, what the expected conditions are (weather, currents, pressure and winds) and what they will expect you to do. Don’t get me wrong…sailing is not just fun and relaxing…it can be pretty hard too. Depending on the other people on board and the weather conditions. Here’s some good advice I got from a sailing friend (which turned out to be great advice): if you are going on a passage, take some food-items you really like (maybe chocolate, Coca cola, Pringles, candy or pretzels) and hide them away from yourself and the others until you really need them, as a present to yourself. I sailed from Palau (Micronesia) to Australia, my first passage ever and it was quite an experience. Good and bad memories. Three weeks of sailing and the weather was bad. We didn’t see land the first 10 days we were sailing. Only water, water, water, water and some whales and flying fishies. I tell you…I was seasick for the first 3 days! And covered with bruises! Not getting enough sleep, because of the movements of the boat (bumping into everything) and of course the watches everyone had to do. So…realise it is not just a pleasure cruise and prepare yourself for the worst. One thing is for sure….you will learn a lot and have more knowledge! Some more advice: don’t have a hangover the day you are supposed to leave on a sailboat, remember that the first sign of seasickness is that you yawn. Enough wise words for now. Enjoy yourself whatever you do and wherever you are. I hope someone can use this information. All the best to all you travellers! Take care! Sincerely, Hilda Kuipers Last but not least…here are a few links: www.adventurevanuatu.com.vu<BR>www.vanuatu.net.vu<BR>www.vanuatutourism.com<BR>www.divevanuatu.net<BR>www.sailawayvanuatu.com<BR>www.virginblue.com.au (for cheap flights) www.oanda.com (for current rates) www.spto.org (South Pacific Tourism Organization) www.pi-travel.co.nz (Jasons South Pacific) www.airvanuatu.com<BR>www.marineprotecetedarea.com.vu<BR> |
silvanocat 10:47 UTC 18 Jul 2005 | What a great report! Thank you for taking the time. I am going to copy it for reference. Are you traveling by yourself? I had read this very disturbing report http://members.shaw.ca/scombs/trv_food.html</a><BR><BR>Among the things it said were "Ni-Vanuatu women avoid going anywhere alone, and I advise female travelers to do the same. This includes going out at night to the toilet, something ni-Vanuatu women never do." What do you say? Do you feel safe? Comfortable? | 1
twisti 11:10 UTC 18 Jul 2005 | WOW! Thanks heaps for so much info! I'm heading there in a couple of months and will definitely be referring to your guide for some tips. I was wondering whether you've got any inside information on getting French lessons while in Vanuatu? Is there a central reference point where they advertise things like this or will it just be a matter of asking around? Thanks so much again! | 2
astroboyvanuatu 12:48 UTC 18 Jul 2005 | twisti: Alliance Francais offers French lessons +678 22947 | 3
mandja 19:20 UTC 18 Jul 2005 | Hi Hiske this was a great report - so good, that Ive taken the liberty in placing it in the PI FAQ - hope thats ok | 4
hiske 11:11 UTC 19 Jul 2005 | Hi guys! Thanks for the compliments! I do feel safe here during the day. I don't spend my nights walking around alone. If I go out I take a bus or taxi straight home and that's fine! I also post stories about my every day life on my website : www.lionfish.zoomshare.com<BR><BR>Keep me posted and if you want to know more....please ask and I will try to respond as soon as possible! Love Hilda | 5
mandja 11:37 UTC 19 Jul 2005 | Hi Hiske I have just read some of your blogs. They were most interesting but really hard to read. I suggest that you use some para breaks to make reading easier. | 6
hiske 08:36 UTC 20 Jul 2005 | Hi Mandja, Thanks for the advise, but that site doesn't allow me to use breaks. As far as I know at least. Love Hilda | 7
shazlou 09:31 UTC 03 Aug 2005 | Hi there! thanks for all that info, all very helpful. I am currently working and travelling in Australia and I was originally planning a trip to Vanuatu but then decided against it because I got the general impression that everything was so expensive and that there was absolutely no backpacker scene. I have now been invited to a wedding there for 1 week late September and now the big decision, do I or don't I? can you give me rough prices for accommodation in Port Vila? the other wedding guests are staying at the Melanesian but this is probably quite expensive!? any info or advice would be very much appreciated! thanks x | 8
stuartpaw 12:23 UTC 22 Sep 2005 | Hi Hiske Do you know if there is any good snorkeling on Tanna Island. I want to go there for the volcano, and would like to spend more time there snorkeling. If there is, where is it? | 9
mikeybtraven 09:10 UTC 31 Dec 2005 | Hi Hilda, Just downloading your Vanuatu clip. Hopefully, I'll be able to see it. Went here to get it: www.lionfish.zoomshare.com<BR><BR>Thanks for your expansive report on Vanuatu. I'm interested in staying in that place you were in on that island just north of Port Vila. Questions though: did you need malaria tablets there? And the all important question...can one find any of that excellent Tusker beer there? Cheers, Mike | 10
helga 00:30 UTC 02 Mar 2006 | Hello Mikey, Well, I didn't take malaria-tablets and a lot of tourist I knew didn't take any. But later I heard that some people did get malaria. So...just take some! Doxycicline is one I hear good stories about. Take one every day. Not a lot of side-effects, besides that your skin gets burned more easily (and your nose). It's not only against malaria, but also an antibiotic, so might help you out in more than 1 way (think about cuts and infections- especially when you go in the water) Tusker beer is available on Nguna Island, but you can also take some with you. I would recommend not to share alcohol with local people. Good luck! | 11
storytellingchick 15:09 UTC 18 Mar 2006 | Tusker Beer is great. The head brewer is an old guy who still hasn't got the brew mix right after many many years. One bottle might be 4% alcohol (normal), the next might be 2% and then you might accidentally end up with one around 8%... you just never know what you're going to get. Locals are more likely to drink kava - foul stuff... never touch it again (even though the expat I was staying with encouraged me and said it was 'clean' kava, not made with dodgy ingredients, etc... was the sickest 48hrs of my life!!! Even thinking about it brings the taste/smell back into my nostrils! Blah. | 12
anthonyasael 15:15 UTC 08 Aug 2006 | any advice on cheap accomodation or home stay in Port Vila... I am going there for a child art project (www.artinallofus.org) for 4 days working in a school and looking for cheap accomodation | 13