Interisland Boat Transport

yorickf04:09 UTC26 Sep 2008

Hi there,
My girlfriend and I are planning to travel to Vanuatu for 2-3 weeks in January. We're trying to work out a bit of a budget, and as we're on a shoestring are trying to minimise transport costs. Are boat services around Santo (to outlying islands, and to Efete) any good or should we factor domestic airfares into our budget?
Thanks, Yorick.

yehyeh06:07 UTC26 Sep 2008

I have not used the boat services on Vanuatu, but over the years there have been many posts about the boat services and the consensus seems to be 'Don't do it'. They are slow, unreliable, overcrowded and primitive. Some have said that you end up spending more money in accommodation, food etc waiting for the boat than you would on a plane fare.

With 2-3 weeks, you don't want to waste any time waiting for a boat that doesn't arrive or is a week late.

Interisland planes provide a good service. Although I have been on flights that have been overbooked with too many people boarding and then having to fight it out amongst themselves as to who would be travelling and who would be getting off. It was most unpleasant.

yorickf07:43 UTC26 Sep 2008

Thanks, great summary. That was the general gist I'd picked up from various tourism sites but thought first-hand info would be best.

eddyv06:10 UTC28 Sep 2008

Just spent 6 weeks in Vanuatu. Small cargo boats are pretty unreliable but the big passenger boats went pretty much on time for me. The one that is currently going Efate - Santo and back is pretty reliable. It stops at Epi and Malekula on the way there and Pentecost, Ambrym and Epi on the way back. However, bear in mind that Efate to Santo is almost 24 hours so if you take the boat both ways its seriously eating into your 2 week holiday. Add to this the fact that the boat is filthy, jam packed with cargo and passengers and has no place to sleep, you're probably going to lose another day afterwards just recovering.

anotherlostsoul16:37 UTC29 Sep 2008

Several years ago I travelled around the islands by cargo / passenger boat. Fantastic experience ... but very unreliable and time consuming. I had two months in the islands ... with 2-3 weeks i'd stick to flying.

Interisland Boat Transport? Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Vanuatu
yorickf04:09 UTC26 Sep 2008	Hi there, My girlfriend and I are planning to travel to Vanuatu for 2-3 weeks in January. We're trying to work out a bit of a budget, and as we're on a shoestring are trying to minimise transport costs. Are boat services around Santo (to outlying islands, and to Efete) any good or should we factor domestic airfares into our budget? Thanks, Yorick.
yehyeh06:07 UTC26 Sep 2008	I have not used the boat services on Vanuatu, but over the years there have been many posts about the boat services and the consensus seems to be 'Don't do it'. They are slow, unreliable, overcrowded and primitive. Some have said that you end up spending more money in accommodation, food etc waiting for the boat than you would on a plane fare. With 2-3 weeks, you don't want to waste any time waiting for a boat that doesn't arrive or is a week late. Interisland planes provide a good service. Although I have been on flights that have been overbooked with too many people boarding and then having to fight it out amongst themselves as to who would be travelling and who would be getting off. It was most unpleasant.	1
yorickf07:43 UTC26 Sep 2008	Thanks, great summary. That was the general gist I'd picked up from various tourism sites but thought first-hand info would be best.	2
eddyv06:10 UTC28 Sep 2008	Just spent 6 weeks in Vanuatu. Small cargo boats are pretty unreliable but the big passenger boats went pretty much on time for me. The one that is currently going Efate - Santo and back is pretty reliable. It stops at Epi and Malekula on the way there and Pentecost, Ambrym and Epi on the way back. However, bear in mind that Efate to Santo is almost 24 hours so if you take the boat both ways its seriously eating into your 2 week holiday. Add to this the fact that the boat is filthy, jam packed with cargo and passengers and has no place to sleep, you're probably going to lose another day afterwards just recovering.	3
anotherlostsoul16:37 UTC29 Sep 2008	Several years ago I travelled around the islands by cargo / passenger boat. Fantastic experience ... but very unreliable and time consuming. I had two months in the islands ... with 2-3 weeks i'd stick to flying.	4

Interisland Boat Transport?