General information about Vanuatu

Vanuatu is an island country in the South Pacific, inhabited by over 200,000 people. Named the New Hebrides by Captain James Cook, it was colonized by the French and British before gaining independence in 1980. The main towns are Port Vila and Luganville, with major international airports.

​

Vanuatu boasts some of the best sandy beaches and marine life, which makes scuba diving extremely intriguing. However, the island offers a relatively small variety of plant and animal species. It is also the home of the popular bungy jumping known as the 'Nangol or 'Land Diving'. Vanuatu is also well known for some of its volcanoes that are regularly active.

​

Vanuatu consists of 83 islands divided into 6 provinces beginning from North to South; Torba Province, Sanma Province, Penama Province, Malampa Province, Shefa Province, and Tafea Province. Visiting Vanuatu apart from Port Vila on Efate and Lungaville in Santo there is more to see and discover, especially in the outer islands.

 

Culture

Vanuatu's culture is diverse, and divided into three major regions: north, center, and south. Wealth is established through grade-taking, pigs, traditional Melanesian systems, and grants of title, with rounded tusks as a symbol.​ Vanuatuan cuisine consists of fruit, fish, and root vegetables. Since most families cultivate food in their gardens, food shortages are uncommon. Boiling or hot stones are still used to cook food. Not much food is fried.​ Young men undergo various rituals and ceremonies, including circumcision, to initiate them into manhood.​ The majority of communities have a nakamal (Nasara), or village clubhouse, where men congregate and sip kava. There are also areas in villages reserved for men and women. Melanesian people make up more than 90% of the entire population; the remaining people come from Australia, New Zealand, China, Europe, and other Asian nations.

​

Language

Vanuatu's main languages are French and English, with 'Bislama' being a pidgin language combining French, English, and half Spanish. Vanuatu, with around 134 indigenous languages, is known for its high density of languages per capita globally. Other foreign languages such as Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, and others are also being introduced to some educational institutions lately.

​

Economy

More than 65 percent of the population makes their living from agriculture, while tourism generates much-needed foreign exchange. The main drivers of the local economy are agriculture, which accounts for around 65% of income, fishing, and tourism, which is growing quickly at the moment, livestock, and offshore financial services. The primary exports include timber, kava, cattle, cocoa, and copra.

 

Religion

Vanuatu's population predominantly follows Christianity, with the Presbyterian Church being the most prevalent denomination, followed by Roman Catholic, Seven Day Adventist, and Anglican.

​

Climate

Vanuatu experiences warm, humid weather with moderate winter temperatures due to southeasterly trade winds. Southern islands are cooler and drier. Cyclone season from December to March brings hot, rainy conditions. Note that Vanuatu's seasons are just the opposite of those in the Northern Hemisphere, as spring is (Sept-Nov), summer is (Dec-Feb), fall is (Mar-May) and winter is (Jun-Aug).

​

Important Dates

The following is a list of holidays observed in Vanuatu:

1 Jan – New Year's Day

21 Feb – Father Lini Day 

5 Mar – Custom Chief's Day 

29 Mar – Good Friday 

1 Apr – Easter Monday 

1 May – Labour Day 

24 Jul – Children's Day 

30 Jul – Independence Day 

15 Aug – Assumption 

5 Oct – Constitution Day 

29 Nov – Unity Day 

25 Dec – Christmas

26 Dec – Family Day

 

Getting to Vanuatu

Air Vanuatu, Aircalin, Fiji Airways, Virgin Australia and Solomon Airlines have regular flights to Vanuatu. Most airlines offer direct flights to Port Vila from Brisbane and Sydney; there are also direct flights from and Auckland. Flights via Nadi, Honiara and Noumea are also available. Air Vanuatu offers domestic flights throughout Vanuatu Islands.

​

Time Differences

In Vanuatu, the time is 11 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT +11). There is no daylight saving in Vanuatu.

 

Shopping/Business

Shops are open Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 11:30 am, 1:30 pm to 5:30 pm, and 8:00 am to 12:00 pm on Saturdays, with some supermarkets opening on Sunday mornings.​ Most restaurants, cafes, banks, supermarkets, and the post office are open through lunch hour. Banks commonly used in Vanuatu are, ANZ Bank, Bank of the South Pacific, Bread Bank, Wanfuteng Bank, and the National Bank of Vanuatu.​ Local markets offer a variety of products including flowers, fruits, vegetables, and handicrafts such as paintings, beaded necklaces, pottery, and souvenirs.​ Vanuatu offers a vibrant shopping experience with a blend of French, English, and Melanesian cultures. Explore the marketplace and Chinatown for bargains and discover unexpected side attractions. Port Vila offers duty-free shopping for fragrances, spirits, jewelry, watches, and sunglasses, with savings of 20-30% compared to Australian and New Zealand retail prices.

 

Flag

The color black stands for the Ni-Vanuatu people, the color red for blood, which binds all people together, and the color green for the wealth of the islands. The yellow Y-shape symbolizes both the way the islands of Vanuatu are arranged on a map and the gospel's light shining through them (around 83% of Vanuatu's population identifies as Christian).

The boar's tusk, the emblem in black, represents prosperity as well as traditions and customs. In the islands, it is worn as a pendant combined with two leaves from the native name tree. ​

​

​

​

​

​

Communication

The two telecommunication companies here in Vanuatu are, Vodafone Vanuatu and Digicel Vanuatu.

​

Adapted from:Pacific Tourism Travel (Online)

​

​