Vanuatu Holidays

Things to Do in Vanuatu

So here you are, lost in the South Pacific on a Vanuatu holiday and clueless about how to pass the time. Well, one thing you can do is go shipwreck diving off Espiritu Santo Island. The coral reefs surrounding the island are dotted with the skeletal remains of ships whose captains had no depth perception. Go down on the SS President Coolidge, a luxury liner that hit a mine during World War II. Her machinery is scattered about the sea floor, and you can swim through her interiors. Just watch out for the eels that frequently pop out of the portholes—they love to nibble on some neoprene.

Have you ever heard of zorbing? No, it has nothing to do with the famous Greek guy from the movie. It’s when you jump inside a big inflatable hamster ball and roll down a hill—yes, that last sentence is accurate. Head over to the Wet ‘n’ Wild Adventure Park and take part in this wild activity that those crazy Kiwis from New Zealand developed. If you go off-track, worry not; your zorb will stop eventually.

Shopping, Dining & Nightlife

This may be a small island nation, but you’ll be able to do plenty of shopping. Pick up one of lastminute.com.au’s fantastic Vanuatu car hire options and head to the provincial capital of Luganville, where local vendors sell a variety of colourful dresses, sarongs and cloth bags. Keep your eyes peeled for handmade wooden slit drums that would look perfect on a shelf back home. After you’ve gathered all the gifts you can grab, leave them at the hotel you got with your Vanuatu holiday package before taking care of that rumbling belly.

If you’re looking to eat a meal without an ocean view, you’ll be up a creek without a paddle, because most of the main restaurants in Port Vila are on the water. They range from fine Italian joints pulled straight from The Sopranos to New Zealand BBQ serving up delicious plates of hangy and of course traditional Vanuatu dishes. If you’re feeling adventurous, order up a bowl of flying fox stew and wash it down with a glass of kava. Kava is a local drink that looks like rainwater and makes your teeth numb, but the locals drink it and it’ll get you drunk.

When you want to dance and drink the night away, Port Vila contains plenty of adults-only spots. Any of the hotels included with Vanuatu holiday packages have great lobby bars with beautiful views of the ocean. Get weird and go for a kava tasting or keep it mellow and put down one, two, three or however many Vanuatu Tusker beers you feel like. But your trip isn’t complete without a trip to the gambling tables at one of the two casinos in town. See if Lady Luck followed you to the middle of the ocean!

What’s Next

Captain James Cook had it rough traveling the South Pacific in his sailboat, but you, you get to fly and stay in hotels. Even if you’re booking a trip at the last minute, Vanuatu holiday deals are within reach. You just have to go out on a limb.