4 Days in Vanuatu (2024)

Have you heard of a tiny island country called Vanuatu? It lies in the South Pacific Ocean and is among the most beautiful countries I have visited. During one of my Easter holidays, I decided to head to Vanuatu, and I had four days to spend on this fantastic island. In this post, you will find the itinerary and information for four days in Vanuatu.

The other islands you can visit in the South Pacific are Samoa, New Caledonia and Fiji. Both are spectacular, just like Vanuatu.

This article may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to purchase via my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. For complete information, please see our affiliate disclaimer here.

About Vanuatu

Officially known as the Republic of Vanuatu, Vanuatu is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean. Melanesian people first inhabited the island until the first Europeans arrived in 1606. Vanuatu’s name is derived from the word vanua, meaning land or home, and tu, meaning to stand. Together, the two words convey the status of independence.

Vanuatu is famous for its breathtaking landscapes, clear waters, rich history and culture, WWII shipwrecks, active volcanoes and the world’s only underwater working post office. One needs at least 4 to 5 days to explore Vanuatu. Vanuatu has excellent weather throughout the year, but the best time to visit is between April and October.

Best Time to Visit Vanuatu

Vanuatu is perfect all year round and can be visited at any time throughout the year. But the ideal time is between April and October for pleasant weather.

How Many Days Do You Need for Vanuatu?

You need at least a week to explore Vanuatu. There are so many things to do on the islands. But I was in the country for only four days.

Vanuatu Tourist Visa Requirements

Travellers from exempted countries like India and Australia are not required to have a prior visitor visa for entering Vanuatu when their stay is up to 4 months. However, you must show your return tickets, hotel stay and sufficient funds at the immigration.

Note: Ensure that you research the visa requirements as they change very often. Check on the Embassy website for up-to-date information on visas.

Things to See in Vanuatu

Port Vila Market

Located in the capital city of Vanuatu, Port Vila, the market is a perfect place to see and experience the local culture and cuisine. The market is along the waterfront and has many shops and restaurants.

Active Volcano on Tanna Island

This is a must-visit in Vanuatu as it is unique to the country. You can visit Mount Yasur Volcano, an active volcano located on Tanna Island. The volcano still has eruptions that you can see up-close.

By the way, did you know that you can hike a dormant volcano Mount Batur in Bali and you can also go inside a volcano chamber in Iceland?

Underwater Working Post Office

Visiting the underwater working post office was why I visited Vanuatu. Located on Hideaway Island and Marine Sanctuary, you can snorkel or scuba dive to post a postcard (bought from the souvenir shop) to yourself or friends/families from this post office. This post office is the world’s only underwater working post office.

Blue Lagoon

Known for its crystal clear azure blue waters, the Blue Lagoon in located in Efate Island and is a natural attraction. The blue colour is a result of the lagoon’s limestone bottom. It is a fantastic place to spend an afternoon swimming and snorkelling. Rope swings hang from the trees where you can leap into the lagoon.

Vanuatu Jungle Zipline

Located in Mele Cascades area near the village of Mele, the Vanuatu Jungle Zipline is an exciting adventurous activity. It is a series of ziplines of different heights and lengths passing through the rainforest canopy.

Booking the zipline in advance is better, especially during the peak season.

Aore Island

Known for its beautiful sandy beaches, Aore Island is in the northern part of Vanuatu. It is a perfect place to unwind and relax. You will need to take a boat ride from the town of Luganville to Espiritu Santo. The island offers many activities like kayaking, snorkelling, scuba diving and paddle boarding.

Where to Stay in Vanuatu?

During my visit to Vanuatu, I stayed at Hideaway Island Resort, a private island, and the double room for three nights cost me around AUD 300. It is better to arrange a pick up from the airport with the resort. Unfortunately, I paid extra bucks as I had not booked my pick-up from the airport.

A small boat shuffles between the mainland at Port Vila and Hideaway island resort. I spent most of the day at the resort, sipping cocktails and chilling by the beach.

Review of Hideaway Island Resort in Mele Island

First, I would like to say that Vanuatu is a beautiful place. Mele Island is a small island, a short boat ride from the mainland. The Hideaway Island Resort is owned by the local villagers and is leased to the resort owners. 

Booking and Cost

There is only one resort on the island: Hideaway Island Resort and Marine Sanctuary. The cost of 1 room accommodation was around AUD 300 for three nights. I booked the stay using the Booking.com website.

My Review

I enjoyed my stay at this lovely resort. The staff is amiable, and the sunsets are so pretty with the views from the resort. This island is home to the only underwater working post office in the world. So, it’s pretty cool to go scuba diving and post a postcard to all your friends.

4 Days in Vanuatu

Day 1 – Sydney to Port Vila

One day 1, I took a flight from Sydney to Port Vila. The flight journey is around 3 hours 30 minutes. I travelled with Qantas Airlines, and it cost me about AUD 800 for a return journey. The views of Port Vila from the flight are stunning. Ensure to take a window seat on your flight.

Day 2 – Scuba Diving at Hideaway Island, Blue Lagoon

On my day 2, I had planned to do a day tour for the volcano located on Tanna island. Also known as the Island of Fire, the volcano is active and the only active volcano accessible. The Tanna volcano twilight tour, operated by Unity Airlines, costs around VUV 40,000 (approximately AUD 500) per person.

Unfortunately, the tour was cancelled due to the bad weather, so I decided to scuba dive to see the underwater working post office. Located inside the resort, the dive centre had various diving options. Since I was not a certified scuba diver, I decided to do the Discover Scuba Dive (DSD) with them. The dive cost me around AUD 60, which was one of my best dives. It was refreshing and unique, and I managed to send postcards to myself and my friends from the post office.

After the dive, I hired a mini bus from the mainland at Port Vila and headed to Turtle beach. The Turtle beach has many activities to do and one of them is to swim with turtles costing VUV 500 per person. It was snorkeling with the turtles kept in a natural swimming pool by the ocean. Honestly speaking, I wouldn’t say I liked swimming with turtles as the turtles are kept in filthy waters and it is not in the wild.

From Turtle Beach, I headed straight to the Blue Lagoon. The Blue Lagoon is about half an hour’s drive from the centre of Port Vila. It is a must-see and one of the most beautiful lagoons I have ever witnessed. The colour of water was turquoise blue and was very clear. There is an entrance fee of VUV 350 per person.

Day 3 – Vanuatu Jungle Zipline

I started the day with a lazy breakfast and some Easter eggs at the Hideaway Island Resort. The breakfast and the food served at the resort are authentic Vanuatu cuisine.

In the afternoon, I booked a zip-lining tour with Vanuatu Jungle Zipline. The zip lining tour consisted of 6 zip lines and the longest one was between a canyon. Among the six zip lines, the highest was about 90 metres. It cost me around VUV 9500 per person, including the zip lining and safety harness. The transportation was extra, which was arranged by the resort.

After the zip lining, the last evening at the island was pretty relaxed and I decided to spend the evening by the beach with a book.

Day 4 – Port Vila to Sydney

On the last day, I decided to take an early morning flight from Port Vila to Sydney. The flight journey was again 3 hours 30 minutes.

Closing Notes

Vanuatu will always be close to my heart. The hospitality, the beautiful locations and the friendly people made the trip memorable and enjoyable. Have you been to Vanuatu? What did you like about it? Let me know by writing to me at Solopassport@gmail.com.

Also read:

• Vanuatu Travel Diaries