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Vanuatu

Port Vila · Oceania

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Overview

Vanuatu (previously known as the New Hebrides Islands) is an archipelago nation in the southwest Pacific Ocean. The archipelago more than 80 islands includes deserted sand beaches, remote beauty, tribal communities and world-class deep-sea diving.

Country facts

Flag

🇻🇺

Capital

Port Vila

Region

Oceania

Subregion

Melanesia

Area

12,189 km²

Landlocked

Independent

Yes

UN member

Yes

ISO code

VU · VUT

Official name

Republic of Vanuatu

Coordinates

-16.00, 167.00

Wikivoyage guide · 46 sections

▸Introduction247 chars

▸Understand437 chars

Vanuatu is one of the smallest of five independent Melanesian countries in the southwest Pacific. The archipelago of 83 or so islands includes deserted sand beaches, remote beauty, tribal communities and world-class deep-sea diving. While a poor, developing country where the majority of the population still lives off subsistence farming, it was famously declared the world's happiest country in the Happy Planet Index in 2023 and 2024.

▸History2,635 chars

The prehistory of Vanuatu is obscure; archaeological evidence supports the commonly held theory that peoples speaking Austronesian languages first came to the islands some 4,000 years ago. Pottery fragments have been found dating back to 1300–1100 BC.

The first island in the Vanuatu group discovered by Europeans was Espiritu Santo, when in 1606 the Portuguese explorer Pedro Fernandes de Queirós working for the Spanish crown, spied what he thought was a southern continent. Europeans did not return until 1768. In 1774, Captain Cook named the islands the New Hebrides, a name that lasted until independence.

External sources

Wikivoyage

Media

Nearby in Vanuatu6

American Samoa

American Samoa is a U.S. territory in the South Pacific Ocean that lies about 100 km (60 mi) east of its neighboring country of Samoa, which is part of the same archipelago. American Samoa consists of five main islands and two coral atolls; the largest and most populous island is Tutuila, with the Manuʻa Islands, Rose Atoll and Swains Island also included in the territory. American Samoa is not

Australia

Christmas Island

Challenges to this form of government began in the early 1940s. The arrival of some 50,000 Americans during World War II, with their informal demeanor, relative wealth and at least comparatively equal African-American soldiers was instrumental in undermining the colonial regime and the rise of nationalism in the islands. The belief in a mythical messianic figure named John Frum was the basis for an indigenous cargo cult (a movement attempting to obtain industrial goods through magic) promising Melanesian deliverance. Today, John Frum is both a religion and a political party with a member of Parliament.

▸Climate1,772 chars

With such a large north-south area, Vanuatu has all the tropical variances possible. From hot and humid in the north, to mild and dry in the south. The capital Port Vila on Efate can expect 27°C in July to 30°C in January. Nights can drop to 12°C. Humidity from December to February is around 82% and 70% around July.

Rainfall from January to April is around 300 mm per month, for the rest of the year around 200 mm per month. The Banks Islands in the top North can receive above 4,000mm of rain in a year, yet the southern islands may receive less than 2,000 mm.

Cyclones are natural phenomena to understand and respect. Mainstream tourism facilities are solidly built and experienced in cyclone management. Cyclones appear (in varying degrees with plenty of warning) on an average every couple of years from December to March. By following instructions given by the local authorities, you will be in no danger.

Yachties commonly avoid cyclones from Nov through April. There are no effective cyclone holes for any size of ship in Vanuatu. Yachties typically leave to the north of the equator, New Caledonia, New Zealand or Australia. There is a small boatyard in Port Vila with haulout facilities for yachts.

Tourism peaks from July to December. January to June is quietest. Experienced travellers take advantage of these tourism troughs to travel, as airlines, accommodation providers and other tourism-related businesses discount heavily during this period.

January to June is a little more humid, but cooled by the occasional tropical downpour. The added bonus is that in this period, tourism numbers are low. You have more opportunities to mingle with locals and aimlessly do your own thing instead of being rushed by the crowd (except when cruise ships are in port).

▸Holidays261 chars

1 January: New Year's Day

21 February: Father Lini Day

5 March: Custom Chief's Day

Easter (in accordance with the Gregorian calendar)

30 July: Independence Day

5 October: Constitution Day

29 November: Unity Day

25 December: Christmas Day

26 December: Family Day

▸Other destinations791 chars

1 Epi Island

2 Espiritu Santo - Vanuatu's biggest island, and popular with divers. It boasts shipwrecks for scuba diving, delightful beaches, coconut plantations, jungle and traditional villages where young men still engage in age-old rituals to celebrate their coming of age, and where women are provided with special places to stay for the time they menstruate. Champagne Beach can compete with any other beach in the South Pacific, and is therefore one of the most popular places to visit.

Malekula - A good place to dive into the divers' cultural traditions of indigenous peoples of Vanuatu. This is a place where stories of cannibals and spirit caves come to life and a good chance to watch the ritual kastom dances of the locals, in this case, the Small Nambas and Big Nambas people.

▸Visas614 chars

A long list of countries are exempted from visas, which includes all Commonwealth and EU member countries. All visitors must have a passport valid for 6 months on arrival, an onward ticket and confirmed accommodation. On arrival, you will be allowed an initial stay of up to 30 days, extended one month at a time for up to 4 months.

If you need a visa in advance, you can apply by mail to the Vanuatu Immigration Service in Port Vila; you do not need to mail your passport, just a certified copy of key pages. Tourist visas cost 5,150 VT (around US$44), payable by bank transfer, and are valid for up to 4 months.

▸By plane600 chars

If you're flying in, odds are high you will arrive via the main international airport in Port Vila (VLI IATA). There are connections from Australia (Brisbane, Sydney), Fiji (Nadi), Solomon Islands (Honiara) and New Caledonia (Nouméa).

There is another international airport in Luganville (SON IATA) on Espiritu Santo. As of 2025, it offers a single flight per week to Honiara and Brisbane.

Flag carrier Air Vanuatu, notorious for frequent cancellations and hemorrhaging money, declared bankruptcy in 2024. While it has resumed limited domestic flights, as of 2025 it no longer flies internationally.

▸By boat515 chars

Vanuatu's main ports are Port Vila on the island of Efate and Luganville on the island of Espiritu Santo.

Cruises are a very popular way of visiting Vanuatu, and many cruise lines including Carnival and P&O Australia operate regular cruises through Vanuatu waters. 8-11 day cruises depart from Brisbane or Sydney and often stop in New Caledonia as well, with the primary destinations in Vanuatu being the uninhabited "Mystery Island" and Port Vila. Only a few cruises go beyond to Santo, Tanna or the Banks Islands.

▸By plane758 chars

The only scheduled domestic flights are operated by Air Vanuatu. However, the carrier's 2024 bankruptcy means schedules, always sparse, are now more skeletal than ever with only the "trunk routes" between Port Vila, Luganville and Tanna having regular flights. Online bookings are no longer available, you have to call, email or visit an Air Vanuatu office in person. As of 2025, fares are fixed at 19,320 VT for Port Vila to Santo (Luganville) and 17,600 VT to Tanna (Whitegrass).

Most visitors who travel between islands do so on package tours operated by charter airlines like Unity Airlines and Air Taxi Vanuatu. These are more reliable but expensive: a typical day trip from Port Vila to Tanna to see Mt Yasur costs around 80,000 VT (A$1000) per person.

▸By boat592 chars

Vanuatu's 83 islands are woven together by a web of passenger and cargo ferries. Operators include Vanuatu Ferry (tel. 26872, all major islands), Big Sista (Port Vila-Malekula-Luganville) and Tanna Ferry (Port Vila-Tanna). Services run roughly weekly but departures are irregular and prone to delays. Check the Facebook pages for updates and call directly to book. A journey from Port Vila to Santo or Tanna takes around 24 hours and costs around A$100, payable on vatu cash only. Creature comforts on board vary from minimal to non-existent, so bring your own food, water and a sleeping mat.

▸By car925 chars

Renting your own car is the most flexible option for getting around Efate, which has a 140 km paved ring road around the island. Rates start from about 10,000 vatu/day and driving is (mostly) on the right. Foreign licenses are accepted for a period of up to 3 months, after which you'll need to convert to a Vanuatu license.

However, the state of Vanuatu's roads leaves much to be desired, with plenty of potholes, pedestrians, pigs and chickens to dodge, and hiring a taxi for the day is not much more expensive than driving yourself. In addition to the usual international chain suspects, local competitor World Car Rentals is worth checking out, they have 24/7 counters at Port Vila airport.

Outside Efate, Espiritu Santo also has a rudimentary road network with about 60 km of paved road from Luganville to Port Orly. The rest of the network, and basically all roads on the other islands, are rough gravel or dirt tracks.

▸Talk1,820 chars

There are three official languages in Vanuatu: English, French and Bislama. French is spoken by 35% of the population, but proficiency is declining while English is in the ascendant, particularly in tourist hub Port Vila.

Bislama is a pidgin that fuses Melanesian grammar with largely English vocabulary (around 85%). It was created as a means of communication for speakers of various languages. In rural areas, it's a second language for most speakers, but in urban areas there is an increasing number of people who speak it as a first language, making it a creole. The name has nothing to do with Islam: it comes from the French bêche de mer or sea cucumber, formerly a major trade item.

Native English speakers will find simple Bislama signage straightforward to parse and at times amusing, but understanding the spoken language, much less speaking it, is another matter: the language's grammar is quite different to English and the pronunciation and meaning of words often diverge considerably. For example, save, from the French saver (to know), is pronounced "sah-veh" and is used much like the English verb "can", as in Mi no save tok Bislama, "I can't speak Bislama".

Bislama is the only language that can be understood and spoken by the whole population of Vanuatu, and you'll want to brush up on the basics if you intend to travel beyond Port Vila. See Bislama phrasebook for a quick primer. An excellent Bislama dictionary is available from good bookshops: A New Bislama Dictionary, by the late Terry Crowley.

In addition, 113 indigenous languages are still actively spoken in Vanuatu. The density of languages per capita is the highest of any nation in the world, with an average of only 2,000 speakers per language. All of these vernacular languages belong to the Oceanic branch of the Austronesian family.

▸See1,642 chars

Vanuatu is not on many peoples' destination wish list, except perhaps for those with a love for scuba diving, as divers have discovered the underwater treasures of this South Pacific archipelago a long time ago. However, even if you don't plan on touching this country's bright blue waters, it's a colourful mix of traditional Melanesian culture, friendly people, beautiful tropical beaches, active volcanoes and all the modern day facilities you'll need to have a great time.

The many islands rimmed with perfect sandy beaches offer lovely Pacific views. The Bank Islands boast great beaches combined with rugged terrain. On the largest of the Banks Islands, Gaua, you'll find the Siri Waterfall, which gets its water from the country's biggest crater lake: Lake Letas. Head to the island of Tanna to see Mount Yasur, the world's most accessible active volcano. A tourist favourite, Tanna is also home to waterfalls and men in penis sheaths and grass skirts. If you get the chance, stay to witness one of their ancient festivals or rituals.

Efate is the place where most visitors begin their encounter with Vanuatu and home to the country's friendly little capital, Port Vila. It strives to bring the best of the archipelago together and is the go-to place for fine wining and dining.

Other places well worth visiting include Aoba Island (known for the crater lakes on top of the large volcano that defines the islands) and Pentecost (the spiritual birthplace of bungee jumping). Last but not least, the active volcanoes, lava lakes and local villagers' artwork are a good reason to stay in one of the traditional style bungalows on Ambrym.

▸Money1,537 chars

The local currency is the Vanuatu vatu (ISO code: VUV), abbreviated VT. There are notes for 200 VT, 500 VT, 1000 VT, 2000 VT, 5000 VT, and 10,000 VT while coins are 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 VT. The current series of vatu banknotes is printed entirely on polymer. Two series of vatu coins are in circulation, the post-independence (1982) issues and the new 2015 issues.

The vatu is a small and unstable currency that's very difficult to exchange outside Vanuatu, and you'll take a hit on exchange even in the country: cash spreads are around 7% for the Australian dollar and higher for anything else. Exchange only what you need.

Credit cards and debit cards on the major networks (Cirrus, Maestro, etc.) are accepted by many businesses in Port Vila, but rarely elsewhere. Expect to pay a 3-5% processing surcharge.

The main banks are National Bank of Vanuatu (NBV), Bank of the South Pacific (BSP), BRED and ANZ. NBV has a branch at Port Vila's airport and is open for all flight arrivals. Otherwise, banking hours are from 08:30 to 15:00.

ATMs are available in Port Vila and Luganville. All banks charge a flat 700 VT fee for withdrawals with foreign cards. Wanfuteng Bank only supports Chinese networks like UnionPay.

Thanks to the prevalence of Australian tourists, some places in Port Vila accept Australian dollars, but the exchange rate is rarely in your favor. However, some hotels offer to settle the bill in Australian dollars in cash or paid to an Australian bank, which can save you a bundle if this is an option for you.

▸Souvenirs629 chars

Look for the "Vanuatu Made" logo to find goods produced in Vanuatu from local ingredients.

The most popular souvenir from Vanuatu is probably kava (see #Drink), and vacuum-packed bags of ready to use kava powder are widely sold, including at the airport. You can legally import up to 4 kg for personal use to Australia. Beware that kava is considered a drug in some jurisdictions, so do your homework before bringing it elsewhere, even in transit.

Woven grass bags and mats are widely available and very attractive.

Coffee from Tanna is well regarded. Locally made chocolate is also available, as is rum for several distilleries.

▸Tipping and gifts928 chars

Tipping is not expected in Vanuatu, nor is haggling or bargaining; it is not the custom and only encourages a "master-servant" relationship. However, gifts are very appreciated and the exchange of gifts for services rendered fits well into the local traditions. Western governments have a hard time coming to terms with this practice as it is interpreted as bribery and corruption. But in the Melanesian culture, this practice is a normal way to do business... well before the European colonisers introduced money.

A bag of rice to a village chief may be received with gratitude and dignity, but to offer triple the value in cash may be regarded as patronising, plus it will artificially inflate the price for the next visitor; set a wrong expectation, and rapidly destroy the genuine spontaneous friendship so easily given to you.

A nice gesture is to give phone cards or a T-shirt, or school pads, pens, etc. for the children.

▸Eat526 chars

There are many restaurants and eateries in Port-Vila, ranging from up-market places catering to tourists and expats, with French food particularly common, to more low-key establishments. In a sit-down restaurant, the approximate cost of lunch would be around 1500-2000 VT, depending on where and what you eat. Some examples of prices:

sandwiches, around 450-600 VT

bacon and eggs, 750 VT

burger with fries or salad, around 1500 VT

main meal, e.g. steak or seafood, 2000-3000 VT

large, fresh-squeezed fruit juice, around 500VT

▸Traditional cuisine1,247 chars

Like much of the Pacific, traditional food (kakae) in Vanuatu revolves heavily around tropical tubers like yams, manioc (cassava/tapioca), taro and sweet potato (kumala). In the islands where subsistence farming prevails, this still forms the core of the diet, supplemented with locally caught seafood, the odd can of tuna or Spam, and on feast days, pork.

Lap lap: Vanuatu's national dish is a steamed root vegetable cake called lap lap. Essentially this is shaved into the middle of a banana leaf with island cabbage and sometimes a chicken wing on top. This is all wrapped up into a flat package and then cooked in hot stones underground till it all melts together into a cake. The best place to buy some is at food markets, where they cost about 200 VT.

Tuluk is a variation of lap lap with the cake rolled into a cylinder with meat in the middle. It tastes a lot like a sausage roll. You can find these again in the market, served from foam boxes to keep them warm.

Simboro is the vegetarian version of this, flavored with coconut milk and wrapped in edible taro leaves.

Bunya is a feast dish prepared by wrapping fish or meat with vegetables and coconut milk in a bundle of banana leaves, then steaming it with hot stones for several hours.

▸What to eat1,655 chars

Steak: Vanuatu's meat is renowned in the Melanesian region. At the airports, you will see signs reminding you to pack the 25 kg of meat permitted to other nearby island nations. The reason the meat tastes so good is that the livestock are naturally reared, with no feedlots or other mass production methods used in some Western countries. This results in a steak that is very good indeed.

Seafood: As you may expect from an island nation, seafood is a common option and the quality is generally excellent. Reef fish are commonly found in restaurants, along with many varieties of prawns and lobster. Snapper, known as poulet fish (literally "chicken fish"), is particularly common.

Tropical fruits are cheap, delicious and can be picked up at roadside stands and markets. In addition to the usual bananas, pineapples and papayas, look out for local fruit like ambarella (naus), Pacific lychees (nandao), dragon plums (nakatambol) and Vanuatu raspberries (frombwas, from the French framboise). The last of these is related to but not the same as a Western raspberry, being smaller, seedless and tarter in taste.

Coconut crabs are the world's largest terrestrial crab, with a "wingspan" up to 1 meter wide, whose claws are supposedly strong enough to crush coconuts. It has been declining in numbers so rapidly that it is now a protected species in most areas, and there is a minimum legal size of 9 cm for the carapace (body).

Last and probably least, flying fox, a type of giant fruit bat, is available in some restaurants, most commonly in a French-style red wine stew called civet de roussette. It's bony and the taste can charitably described as gamey.

▸Kava2,334 chars

Kava is a local drink, made from the roots of the plant Piper methysticum, a type of pepper. Kava is intoxicating, but not like alcohol. Its effects are sedative.

Kava is consumed in private homes and in local venues called nakamal. Traditional nakamals are communal gathering places, traditionally thatched huts, where only men are allowed. Commercial nakamals in larger town, which are also known as kava bars, cater to all paying customers. Some of the resorts also offer kava on occasion for visitors to try.

Vanuatu kava is almost always prepared from the fresh root of the plant, which makes it much stronger than the dried, powdered variety found on other Pacific islands such as Fiji, where it is comparatively mild. Four or five large shells in a typical kava bar will leave the inexperienced drinker reeling (or worse) after a couple of hours, and it can take a day to recover. The cheapest variety is known as tudei (two-day), thus named for the length of the resulting hangover.

Kava is served in a coconut shell or small bowl. Drink the whole shell-ful down steadily, then spit. It's handy to have a soft drink on hand to rinse with afterwards, as the taste of kava is earthy, bitter, and not very pleasant. Nakamals often have snacks like fruit on hand. It takes about 20-30 min for the effects to kick in, starting with a numbing sensation around your mouth.

Good advice to experience kava as pleasantly as possible is to go with an experienced drinker and follow their lead, take the small shells, and stop after an hour and a half. It's quite easy to find a local kava drinking buddy, just ask around your hotel and you'll find volunteers, maybe at the cost of a shell or two.

The kava served in local nakamals can be less than hygienic. Traditionally, the roots are prepared by chewing and spitting out into a pot, although these days mechanical grinders are more common. The water kava is mixed with can be suspect, and some unscrupulous kava bars mix in yesterday's leftovers.

Nakamals/kava bars are normally quiet, dark places with very dim or no lighting at all. Conversation should be kept no louder than a whisper and cameras, especially flash photography, is banned. In Port Vila, though, you can find more touristy bars that may even serve alcohol on the side; mixing the two, though, is highly unadvisable.

▸Stay safe645 chars

Vanuatu is, on the whole, a safe and friendly environment. You are unlikely to encounter any trouble unless you do something extremely provocative, though crime rates are said to be increasing, particularly in Port Vila at night. Take the same precautions you would anywhere else.

There are no seriously venomous snakes, spiders, or insects on Vanuatu. However, there are various poisonous aquatic animals that you should beware of if you are swimming, snorkeling, or diving in the area. The most dangerous of these is the stonefish. Saltwater crocodiles may remain on the eastern coast of Vanua Lava, but the likelihood of an attack is minimal.

▸Natural disasters474 chars

Vanuatu is frequently struck by cyclones. The cyclone season runs from November to April, but out-of-season cyclones are not uncommon.

Vanuatu is on the Ring of Fire, so earthquakes are common, with the most recent one in December 2024 causing major damage to the capital Port Vila. Major hotels are built to earthquake-resistant standards, smaller ones may not be.

Many islands, notably Ambrym and Tanna, also have active volcanoes, although those on Efate are all dormant.

▸Stay healthy1,809 chars

It is advisable to be immunised against Hepatitis A and B and typhoid fever before visiting Vanuatu.

Malaria is endemic within some areas of Vanuatu, but not Port-Vila. If you are venturing outside the resort areas, check with your doctor before you travel. Malaria may not be endemic but you may come in contact with mosquito carriers and visitors from outer islands who have malaria - particularly in the wet season and at the hospital.

Dengue fever is also mosquito vectored in Port-Vila and elsewhere particularly in the wet season. Be familiar with the symptoms as there is no cure all for dengue and malaria symptoms are intermittently leading to misdiagnosis. Many local clinics in the outer islands can test you for malaria.

Malaria preventative drugs have side effects which can cause problems in the sun, scuba diving, general stability and digestion.

Tap water in Port-Vila is clean and potable, but is best avoided elsewhere. Bottled water is not available outside the main cities. Fizzy drinks but not beer may be available outside the main cities. Giardiasis after using local water is rare. Tourism, cattle raising, and the rapidly rising population are placing stress on municipal water supplies.

Doctors used to treating common travel ailments are available in Port-Vila and Luganville. Any more serious problems may require some form of medical evacuation.

Be careful of any small cuts, scratches, or other sores you receive while travelling in Vanuatu. As in most tropical areas, small sores can easily become infected if you don't practice proper hygiene. Most of these things require common sense. Protect the wound with a sterile dressing and keep it dry.

Asthmatics beware: in the dry season, it is common to burn agricultural waste and rubbish, casting a smoky pall over the islands.

▸Respect3,857 chars

Throughout Vanuatu, and especially outside of Port-Vila in the villages, life is strongly influenced by "kastom", a set of traditional customs and taboos that apply to all kinds of matters. Be aware of this, and respect locals' requests with regard to "kastom".

When visiting villages, women should dress modestly, wearing clothes that cover the shoulders and knees.

Christianity is very strong. It is common to invite and welcome visitors to attend local church services on a Sunday.

Revealing and sexy clothing (especially wearing beachwear in the capital) is not advisable, as over 100 years of missionary work has had its effect on the perception of what is considered as respectable attire in the islands. Regardless, it's considered disrespectful to the local people and can be interpreted by some indigenous inhabitants as an invitation for sex.

As Vanuatu is not a fashion conscious place no-one will notice or care if you were wearing the latest trends or not. You are best off bringing a practical tropical wardrobe such as light cotton summer clothes that are easy to hand wash, a pullover and a lightweight waterproof wind jacket. If planning to go to the outer islands, bring a good torch (flashlight) with spare batteries, lightweight, walking shoes, sandals or good thongs (flip-flops or crocs) for wet weather and old clothes.

When exploring the outer islands take all the older clothes you can carry, wear them and give them away to the islanders when you are finished wearing them. You and your children will be aptly rewarded in other ways. Instead of dumping your worn clothes in a charity collection bin at your local shopping centre, your children will interact with the very people who would be the recipients of those clothes (most Ni-Vanuatu people buy these second-hand clothes from shops in Port-Vila).

Sharing and giving is a natural course of daily life in Vanuatu. The T-shirt you give to one person will be worn by all his friends as well. Three T-shirts on top of each other will be their winter outfit. You will provide them things that are hard for them to obtain, save them the expense of buying clothes (basic wages are quite low in Vanuatu) and you will depart with priceless memories, plus have more in your luggage for purchased local arts and crafts.

Communicating with Ni-Vanuatu people:

In Vanuatu, the display of anger, displeasure or irritability at a person or situation will reduce the recipient to a stony silence with a lack of co-operation or empathy to your point of view. Please be patient as it is a waste of time complaining. It will have no bearing on the outcome. And if you are verbally abusive, you will generate one of three responses: smiling, subdued laughter, or a fist in your face.

Don't ask a question with the answer built into it. Locals will always agree in order not to contradict you. "Is this the road to X?" will generate a Yes. Try: "Where is the road to X..?", and you might get a different answer.

Direct eye contact or raised voice level contact may be interpreted as intimidation. A local person's voice level combined with body language may be directly opposite to Europeans. He or she may nod agreement with everything you say in order not to offend you but may not have understood a word you have said.

If you're in a bus and people on the footpath are turning their backs to you, don't be offended: they're simply letting the driver know that they don't require him to stop. There are few bus stops in Vanuatu, and those that exist don't get much use.

If you see men or women holding hands, it's not what you may think. Men hold hands with other men, or women with women, because there is no sexual connotation attached to it. However, you will very rarely see a man holding a woman's hand in public because this would be considered as a public exhibition of sexual relations.

▸Photography832 chars

The Vanuatu people are a delight to photograph, friendly, co-operative and photogenic especially the children who are simply gorgeous. Yes, they love to be photographed but do not offer to pay to photograph local people as this will quickly discourage spontaneity and encourage commercialisation. Always ask before taking photos of local people.

In some cases, some people may be reluctant to be photographed for reasons that you may never know. It is prudent to enquire as to the fee for photographing cultural festivities as they are sometimes very high. The reasoning behind this is they put on the show, people take photos and make money selling these photos of their show, so they want to be paid accordingly. Shooting an exploding volcano at night calls for at least 800 as a setting and a tripod is essential for good images.

▸Telephone858 chars

The international country code for Vanuatu is +678. To dial overseas from within Vanuatu dial 00 followed by the relevant country code and phone number.

Emergency phone numbers: Ambulance (22-100); Fire (22-333); and Police (22-222).

Vanuatu has GSM mobile coverage in Port-Vila and most GSM mobile phones roam seamlessly. You can buy special visitor SIM cards from TVI, which offer considerable discounts over roaming charges. Available at any post office.

International roaming from New Zealand and Australia is available. Telecom Vanuatu has a package called ‘Smile Visitor' which consists of a sim card with a pre-purchased credit. This can be purchased at the Vanuatu Telecom Office in town. Telephone: +678 081111. Email: info@smile.com.vu

Digicel is giving Telecom some overdue competition. Digicel offer a range of packages, and are widely available.

▸Radio and television655 chars

Many international radio stations such as Radio Australia, BBC World Service, Radio France International and China Radio International can be heard on FM radio in Port-Vila and in some other locations.

The national broadcaster, Radio Vanuatu is mostly broadcast in Bislama, but sometimes is in English and French. It is also available on AM and SW.

Distant AM broadcasts from Australia, New Caledonia and Fiji may also be heard.

Local and international TV broadcasts are available, but the national broadcaster 'Television Blong Vanuatu' is the only free-to air option.

Other broadcasts can be found on Telsat's Digital Pay TV service or via satellite.