Vanuatu

Resort bungalows on Iririki Island, Vanuatu
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Iririki,_Vanuatu.jpg
Author: Phillip Capper


Vanuatu is an island nation located on the southwestern part of the Pacific Ocean. It has a land area totaling 12,190 sq km (4,710 sq mi) and a population of 245,000 (2011 estimate). The country is 1,750 km (1,090 mi) to the northeast of Australia. Its capital and largest city is Port Vila.

Vanuatu is eleven hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC+11). Its official currency is called the Vanuatu vatu (VUV). Traffic here is driven on the right. The phone IDD code is +678.

Champagne Beach, North Santo, Vanuatu
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Champagne_Beach.jpg
Author: Jae Lee


Vanuatu comprises 82 small islands. Most of these were created by undersea volcanoes. The largest islands of Vanuatu include Espiritu Santo, Malakula, Efate and Erromango. The capital, Port Vila, is located on Efate while the tallest peak in Vanuatu, the 1,879 m (6,165 ft) Mount Tabwemasana, is on Espiritu Santo.

Vanuatu experiences a subtropical climate. Temperature here is fairly constant, between 20°C (68°F) and 32°C (90°F). The wet season in Vanuatu is from December through April, which is also the warmest months. The islands are occasionally hit by cyclones during this period.

Landdiving ritual by Pentecost Islanders, Vanuatu
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Landdiving3.jpg
Author: Paul Stein


Vanuatu has been inhabited by people of Micronesia for thousands of years when it was discovered by Europeans. The Spanish under Fernandes de Queirós were the first to arrive in the area, in 1605.

By the 19th century, both Britain and France were laying claims to different islands in the Vanuatu group, resulting in a unique joint government called the British-French Condominium. This unusual form of government began to fall apart with the rise of nationalism in the 1940's. However it was only in the 1970's that a political party was formed in Vanuatu. On 30 July, 1980, Vanuatu gained its independence from Britain and France.

Cave drawings, Fels Cave, Lelepa Island, Vanuatu
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fels_Cave_Drawings_1.jpg
Author: Phillip Capper

Planning your visit to Vanuatu

Visitors from most countries, including most EU countries and Commonwealth countries, do not need a visa for entering Vanuatu for up to four months. The national carrier Air Vanuatu flies to Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland, Nadi and Nouméa from Port-Vila.

Major Cities in Vanuatu

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Dear visitor, thank you so much for reading this page. My name is Timothy Tye and my hobby is to find out about places, write about them and share the information with you on this website. I have been writing this site since 5 January 2003. Originally (from 2003 until 2009, the site was called AsiaExplorers. I changed the name to Penang Travel Tips in 2009, even though I describe more than just Penang but everywhere I go (I often need to tell people that "Penang Travel Tips" is not just information about Penang, but information written in Penang), especially places in Malaysia and Singapore, and in all the years since 2003, I have described over 20,000 places.

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