Port Vila

This morning we sailed into Port Vila harbour, our first destination in Vanuatu. The day dawned clear and sunny with barely a cloud in the sky. The harbour itself is an intimate affair. Its vivid blue waters are enclosed on three sides by lush green, bush-clad hills and are sheltered from the open sea by a series of low-lying peninsulas and islands.

Garry and I had pre-booked a local minivan tour of Port Vila weeks ago. This proved an excellent decision, as minivans are clearly the de facto mode of transport. If the sight greeting us on shore is any guide, it appears that every tour operator in town has one. Shortly after docking, we were stunned to see a minivan traffic jam forming along the port’s access road. I counted at least 50 vehicles, with more arriving continuously. 

Our tour guide collected us shortly after 11:15am and drove us into town. As we drove along, she pointed out important local facilities, including schools, hospitals, municipal buildings and the like. It was fascinating to learn how much infrastructure had been built with assistance from the Chinese government.

A few hundred metres from the wharf, we also passed a parking lot filled with even more minivans patiently waiting their turn to collect cruise guests. There were literally dozens and dozens of them. I must admit, as we drove through town, it became abundantly clear that minivans are the vehicle of choice for many local families.

Our first stop, opposite the national Parliament, was the National Museum. Here we watched a fascinating demonstration of Melanesian sand drawing, an increasingly rare form of tribal communication. Each drawing is traced in the sand in one continuous flowing motion and depicts common island objects like squid, or universal concepts such as love, peace and kinship.

Our tour guide then left us wander through the museum’s rather dusty and ramshackle exhibits. Once again, it was the colourful totem poles that caught our attention while elsewhere, forlorn glass cases displayed vibrant masks from some of Vanuatu’s 83 inhabited islands. We also learned that the diverging white band on the national flag reflects the archipelago’s “Y-shaped” island chains.

Our next stop was the national war memorial perched on the crest of a ridge overlooking the township. Here we took in a picturesque harbour view, and caught glimpses of the National Reserve Bank and the Prime Minister’s office nearby. Interestingly, Vanuatu also celebrates ANZAC Day every April. Our guide explained that this practice is common across several Pacific Island nations, including Tuvalu and parts of Papua New Guinea. You learn something new every day.

Our final stop of the day took us down to the waterfront. We spent an hour wandering through the markets and soaking in some of the local vibe. Aside from the classic tourist traps, the waterfront is also home to a massive food hall, set up in a style akin to that of Singapore’s popular hawker markets. It seemed to be a popular gathering place for many of the locals and the smells drifting from many kitchen cubicles were mouth watering to say the least.

Follow this link as we explore Luganville, the next stop on our cruise in Vanuatu.

UPDATE: 13 June 2026

Garry and I returned to Port Vila for 11 days of beachside bliss in June 2026. Here’s a post about our day trip to Pentecost Island, home of the spectacular Land Divers.