Vanuatu Tours & Activities

One of the fantastic things about a Vanuatu holiday or honeymoon is that everything is so accessible. From Port Vila you can experience a whole range of excellent tours and activities.
Many of the larger travel agencies encourage you to pre-book your tours with them prior to leaving home. We do things a little differently. Because we have lived and worked in Vanuatu, we have a very realistic understanding of how things work there. As an underdeveloped country things don’t always go according to plan – it’s all part of the ‘island charm’ but it can be disconcerting if you’re not used to the casual way things may unfold. Sometimes things are just better handled “on the ground” and that’s why we leave the finer details of the actual booking of your smaller tours up to you or your resort. Overnight tours are a completely different kettle of coconuts and require a bit of local knowledge and pre-planning. We would love to help you here – just email us and with no stress at all, you’ll be just like those kids – having a ball!

Here’s an overview of a few things we recommend and get great feedback on.

VANUATU ECOTOURS

Everyone raves about this little company – excellent value, great experiences and run by a terrific operator/guide, Pascal Guillet. We first met Pascal a couple of weeks before he set up the company in 2004 and he is just as enthusiastic as he was then.  He has more than 40 bush walks as well as mountain biking and lagoon/river kayaking safaris. One we love is the Lololima Cascades – a gentle bush walk to your own rainforest, waterfall and swimming hole.  We suggest you take this early in your stay because you may want to book another tour with Pascal once you have met him and his ni-Vanuatu guides. The tours are so good we’ve given Pascal his own page here.

ADVENTURE QUAD TOURS

Adventure Quad Tours came on the scene in 2016. Guests can ride their own quad bike on a guided tour – have a jungle experience with their Jungle Fever tour that takes you off road through mud track (when raining) and past unspoilt scenic coastline to exclusive secluded beaches. You start by going through a traditional village and follow your guide past the always smiling pikininis (local kids), then ride through a maze of jungle tracks to discover the beautiful Erakor Cove Beach for a quick swim and brunch. Alternatively, be a crusader and discover the amazing natural beauty of a cascade wonderland where you can swim, wade and relax to the sound of this lost cascading rainforest. It’s a fun, rewarding experience! Email: info@adventurequadtours.com or phone: 774 2442.

ZEGO

Zego Sports Craft Adventures Vanuatu is the sister company to Adventure Quad Bikes and it is a terrific way to see beautiful Port Vila from another perspective. Take-off on one of their exciting sea safari water tour adventures and command your own Zego Sports Craft. Guides will take you through the pristine waters of the Port Vila Bay area and, along with the scenery, you get the fun of high speed water U-Power! To drive on your own you have to be over 18 – over 16 can drive if accompanied by a paying adult and children aged 5 to 15 have to be passengers. Head to the harbour and you can’t miss the pontoon behind the markets. Email: enquiries@upowerzegovanuatu.com – phone: 774 2442 or 776 0495.

COONGOOLA CRUISE
This is a great day out! She’s an old timber ketch that seems to fit perfectly within the laid-back pace of Vanuatu. It’s a full day out – you will be picked up from your resort and transferred to Havannah Harbour to board the boat. Included in the cruise is a visit to the turtle sanctuary on Moso (Tranquillity Island), a Beach BBQ lunch, snorkelling, morning and afternoon tea. If the wind is right you will return under sail and chances are you will have dolphins playing off the bow at least one way (they’ve been there the last three times we’ve been out).

EKASUP CULTURAL VILLAGE

This is a very professional little set up only about 10 minutes from Port Vila (you will be collected from your resort). While obviously set up for tourists it is a great way to have fun while learning about traditional Melanesian culture and village life – the local food, medicines, dancing and hunting methods (like how to catch a fish with a spider’s web). Local men, women and children participate and apart from a great experience for you it means that the fascinating traditional culture is being passed down the generations.

ERAKOR ISLAND MELANESIAN FEAST AND FIRE SHOW
The Ekasap Village Tribal Group will blow the conch shell and your guests will be summoned to gather and listen in wonder to the Custom Stories of the past and then be invited to partake in the Kava Tasting Ceremony. Tribal dancing display will follow and then your beautiful Melanesian Celebration Buffet awaits with traditional foods that have been slowly baked and prepared in the traditional way. The night and the fun goes on with the happy sounds and island beats of the string band players.

MERIDIEN CHARTERS SUNSET CRUISE

What a delightful way to end the day or begin an evening. The two-hour cruise on Port Vila Harbour lets guests enjoy the view of Port Vila from the water and the sunset, which can be spectacular. Included in the cruise price are nibbles and three drinks (additional drinks are at bar prices). Meridien Charters also runs a terrific half-day snorkel cruise from Port Vila Harbour.

HIDEAWAY ISLAND MARINE SANCTUARY
Hideaway Island is 15 minutes from Port Vila (then five minutes on the ferry). The snorkelling from the beach is terrific (take your own gear or hire when you pay the entry fee). You can also buy a bag of fish food if you want the fish to come to you. There’s a bar and good little restaurant for snacks or lunch and the sanctuary is home to the world’s only underwater post office (snorkel down and send a waterproof postcard). There are organised tours but it’s an easy one to do independently.

MELE CASCADES WATERFALL

Allow around 90 minutes to a couple of hours to enjoy this famous attraction. It’s an easy walk up to the falls and there are a number of swimming holes on the way back down. There are organised tours with Evergreen Tours that include transfers and refreshments in the Riverside Garden or you can do this independently by hopping a bus from town and paying the entry fee on arrival. Mele is about 15 minutes from Port Vila.

VANUATU HELICOPTERS

The helicopter operates from a platform in the harbour with the office next to the Nambawan Cafe. This is also a great way to see the scenic beauty of Vanuatu. Apart from the fun of ‘flight-seeing’ you can be dropped to a secluded island for a champagne picnic, have a VIP transfer from the airport to your resort or have a dramatic arrival to some of Vanuatu’s restaurants (e.g. The Havannah or Tamanu on the Beach). The chopper is also available for aerial photography and real estate inspections.

OFF-ROAD ADVENTURE GUIDED BUGGY TOURS
Enjoy some off-road thrills to beaches and parts of the island others don’t get to see. The buggies are suitable for two people (can swap the driving along the way) and there are a number of options including their most popular drive yourself tour to Turtle Bay . Tours can be tailored to be relaxing and scenic or wild and muddy. If you like the second option, hope for a bit of rain!

DIVE

In Vila, the wonderful folk at Big Blue (next to Nambawan Cafe on the harbour front) will look after you with all your diving needs, and will even give you a free introductory scuba dive lesson. Mike, the owner really knows his stuff as do the great staff and they can help you with great reef and wreck dives for in and around Port Vila. There are bommies, lots of fish and spectacular locations like The Cathedral (right). Serious divers should put a side trip to Santo on the ‘must do’ list for dives like Million Dollar Point and the SS Coolidge. On Santo we recommend Allan Power Dive or Santo Island Dive & Fishing (Mal and Tony).

FISHING 

Head on down to the Waterside Bar and Grill and you will see all the big beautiful fishing boats moored along the sea wall. Sit back and have a beer and watch them pull in their haul at the end of a long day. If you want to tick one of your bucket list, cruise on out with the professionals and they will show you how its done.

OVERNIGHT TANNA ISLAND

Tanna island is home to Mt Yasur, the world’s most accessible active volcano and we recommend at least one night to experience its awesome display (there are day tours but it is more spectacular at night.) There are also great village and cultural experiences. White Grass Ocean Resort has excellent two-night, three-night and five-night experience packages that include the volcano safari as well as tour options like the Blue Cave, Blue Holes, Kustom Village, Black Magic & Kava, Surf Beach & Waterfall and the Giant Banyan Tree. These tours are best booked through us as part of a flight/accommodation package..

PENTECOST LAND DIVE (NAGHOL)
The Pentecost Land Dive is not a tourist attraction but part of the annual yam harvest festival on the island of Pentecost. Day trips can be taken on Saturdays in April, May and June can be arranged to witness this death defying and intriguing ritual. Email us if you wish to book as part of your Vanuatu experience as places can be limited.

JUST GETTING OUT AND ABOUT!
To get out and explore the island you can hire a car, take an organised tour around the island or hire your own bus and driver.

While there are organised tours to Hideaway Island Marine Sanctuary, The Secret Garden and Mele Cascades, you can do these independently by flagging down a local bus driver.

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For info on accommodation/flight packages, email us.

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