How to vacay in Vila

If you’re considering a trip to Vanuatu, look no further! lastminute lovely Erin shows us how it’s done with her how-to-guide for Port Vila.

When to go

Vanuatu basically has two seasons. The cold (dry) season is from May to October and the hot (wet/cyclone) season is from November to April. It’s less humid in the winter months (July through to September) so if you can’t handle the heat, consider visiting during those times. Rain can sometimes spoil the fun in the hot season but from what Mr LML and I experienced, showers normally only last an hour or so. You need to keep an eye out for cyclones though, particularly in January and February.

A scene like this definitely deserves the LML seal of approval.

Getting there

Holiday planning 101: once you’ve figured out where you want to go, you need to sort out how to get there. We flew on the wings of Vanuatu’s own carrier—Air Vanuatu—but it’s also worth hunting for a good deal to Port Vila with Qantas or Virgin Australia (check out fares from your nearest city here). The on-board meal and complimentary beverages are pretty standard for an international flight. But it gives you (or in my case, Mr LML) the chance to start drinking like a local by sampling Vanuatu’s own drop—Tusker.

Where to lay your head

Being a coastal city, I recommend staying somewhere close to the water to take full advantage of Vila’s amazing location.
If relaxation is the prime reason for your holiday, The Havannah—an exclusive, 15 villa waterfront retreat located 30 minutes from Port Vila—could be the place for you.
Closer to Vila’s hub is Chantilly’s on the Bay. It’s a gorgeous boutique property that’s a little friendlier on the budget and just a stroll away from the shops, restaurants and bars of downtown Port Vila.
Our accommodation of choice was Iririki Island Resort. Novelty factor? Check! Pools, restaurants and activities? Check! Easy access to downtown Port Vila? Double check—Iririki has a 24 hour ferry service to take you across to the mainland whenever you want!

Our Island Faré was comfortable and super cute, with simple furnishings and a balcony to take in the views of Vila’s turquoise waters.

Take the stairs or just jump on in!

I loved the combo garden and water views from our faré.

Pool with a view.

Know the Bs and Ts of getting around

The main stretch of central Port Vila is less than two kilometres long, so you really can just stroll the distance to check out the shops, markets, restaurants and bars on offer.
If you’re feeling lazy or the temps are turning the sweat factor to “embarrassing”, look out for a mini-van with a ‘B’ on its number plate. These are the local public buses and you literally flag them down as you need them. The going rate when we were in Vila was VT150 (about A$1.50) for a ride within the main tourist area or VT200 (about A$2.00) if you want to go somewhere outside of town.

We heard some bus drivers took “pimping” their ride seriously. This guy definitely achieves the impossible 11 out of 10 for his efforts.

Taxis are also available to get around and—you guessed it—they have a ‘T’ on their number plates. Most drivers are happy to negotiate full day hire so you can see the sights without having to worry about organising a tour or transport back to your hotel. A word of advice though: settle the fare at the beginning of the journey.

What to do

I’d never been snorkelling before going to Vanuatu but let me tell you, I would totes trade my lastminute lovely status in for a Disney life as Ariel if I could live under the sea in Port Vila.
If you stay at Iririki you can check out ze leetle feeshies at the Resort’s very own Snorkeler’s Cove. But don’t stop there. We also went out with Kayaking Vanuatu who operate with an all-girl crew of locals as their guides. Our tour included a paddle to a coral island in a glass bottom kayak, snorkelling in Mele Bay and a trip through Vanuatu’s largest village where we learnt that pigs are hot property (even if they do spend most of their lives passed out in a pool of mud).

I would say that kayaking was oarsome… but you use a paddle to kayak. *Sigh*.

I thought colours like this only existed in Photoshop!

Mr LML exploring the waters.

Heading out of the water and into the dirt mightn’t sound like your glass of bubbly, but you should definitely consider a tour with Off Road Adventures. It’s not what us LMLs would normally go for but it really is super fun and the experience of high fiving local kids as you drive through the villages totally negates the “yuck” factor. I took command of Ronny, our buggy, and had an absolutely fab (and filthy) time on our Bush & Beach Tour. The roads and relaxed road rules you’ll encounter in Vila are a little scary at first. But the guides do an amazing job of making sure everyone keeps up and even stop traffic for the convoy of buggies.

Helmet + Oroton sunglasses = safety chic.

Just a little taste of what to expect on the tour (keep your mouth closed when going through the puddles).

Other top sights you should try to fit into your packed schedule are Mele Cascades Waterfall, the Blue Lagoon and the Turtle Conservatory on Tranquility (Moso) Island.

Fresh is soooooo the best

I’ve got to mention this first up—my tastebuds were tickled pink by the beef we ate at Chill in Port Vila. The restaurant serves up familiar dishes made with fresh, local produce. Coconut crab is one of their standout specialties but carefully consider how hungry you are before ordering because it is a HA-UGE meal. We opted instead for a Medley of Meat and Meatfest pizza to share. The pizza was good, but the beef was O.M.G. tasty. That petite portion of steak is now at the top of Mr LML’s meat-of-meats list.

View from Chill at dusk

Our Medley of Meats: beef with diane sauce, lamb with fresh mint butter and pork with apple sage sauce served with mash.

If you’re keen to try some local food then you best stop in at the Mama’s Markets near the jetty. They’re open 24/7 from Monday to Saturday afternoons. You’ll be blown away by the tiny prices of the fresh fruit and veggies (a lovely bunch of coconuts will only set you back A$1.50!). The ladies at the back of the market cook up curries, meat skewers and other hot dishes or you can sample locally grown nuts, kumala (sweet potato) chips or fruit.

The bustling Mama’s Markets.

Top five travel tips for Port Vila

1. The local currency of Vanuatu is the Vatu (VT). VT100 = A$1.00 (approximately).
2. Haggling is not an accepted custom in Vanuatu and tipping is not expected.
3. Make sure you know when cruise ships are coming to town. Book your activities in advance (or check with a knowledgeable local about which ones to avoid altogether) and be prepared for the extra attention from stall owners at the markets.
4. Be clever, not cray cray. Take out travel insurance and know you’re covered in the event of any unexpected holiday horrors.
5. Get ready to operate on “island time”. Your drink might take a little longer to arrive at your table and the tour bus will probably be 10 minutes late but hey—you’re on holiday. My advice is to make the most of those few minutes and have a chat with a local or two.