Shopping in Port Vila

Port Vila is Vanuatu's only duty-free port and a shopper's delight with its colourful blend of French, English and Melanesian cultures. French perfume, champagne and patisseries can be found alongside souvenir outlets, jewellery and gift shops, and fashion wear including brightly coloured sarongs, and-printed t-shirts, board shorts and beachwear. Chinatown in Rue Carnot is a good place to look for bargains, with everything from Japanese stereos to straw hats and camping gear. To navigate your way around, pick up a free city map from the Information Centre on the main street at Pilioko House.

Traditional crafts & Souvenir can be purchased at Luganville Town with numerous small restaurants, coffee shops, a sports club, several dive shops, grocery and Chinese shops that sell everything from food products to Santo Souvenirs and Art. Souvenirs can also be purchased at the island resorts, bungalows and guesthouses. Luganville also has a crafts & souvenir shop at the Airport.

On the main street, there are several duty-free shops selling electrical goods, gifts, French perfume, CDs, cosmetics, liquor, wines, spirits and French crystal. For visitors you will need your passport and onward ticket to make a purchase, and the shop will deliver the goods to the airport or main wharf for cruise ship passengers.

Duty-Free Allowances

Standard Allowances

Shall mean the following goods:

[a] 250 Cigarettes, or 100 Cigarillors or 50 Cigars or 250 Grammes of Tabbaco.

[b] 1.50 Litres of Spirits/ Liqueurs; and

[c] 2.250 Litres of Wine; and

[d] 25 Centerlitres of Toilet Water; and

[e] 10 Cenerliters of Perfume Spirit; and

[f] Any other new new or unused items includind gifts [ but excluding prohibited or restricted goods] up to a value of 50,000 Vatu per person.

[g] 1 Carton Beer

Children less than 15 years of age are not entitled to the above allowances.

The Following Goods must be declared:

1. Any Prohibited or restricted goods such as Arms, Ammunitions, dangerous Drugs, Animals, Plants.

2. Any goods of a commercial value.

3. Any goods in excess of the allowance which have been obtained Duty Free in Vanuatu, or during the voyage or abroad [whether Duty and Tax Free or not] including gifts, or goods carried on behalf of other persons.

There are some fine examples of traditional and contemporary crafts available in Port Vila, Santo and the outer islands, including baskets and mats, carvings, shell and bead necklaces, headdresses, ankle rattles, carved bowls, masks and tree fern figures. Traditional handcrafts sold to visitors are usually small copies of those created for traditional ceremonies such as gade-taking.

Northern Ambrym is especially renowned for the artistry of its carvers. The most common subjects fro carvings are representations of ancestral figures. Wood is the main material used, but carvings are sometimes made from tree fern, stone, coral or even on the volcanic islands ash or volcanic sand. They can be painted in several different colours, depending on the grade being taken. Other carved items include miniature canoes, animals, bows, and bowls in which yams and kava are pounded. The patters from the Shepherd Islands are especially beautiful, often carved in the shape of birds or fish.

Elaborate masks, sometimes decorated with paint, feathers and pig tusks, are still worn in traditional ceremonies on the islands of Ambrym, Ambae, Maewo and Malakula. Most famous are those worn by the Rom dancers of Ambrym. Masks represent the faces of demons and ancestral spirits and are usually made of tree fern or clay moulded to a wickerwork frame. These are several of Malakula Island clay masks that can be found at the Vanuatu Cultural Centre.

Vanuatu is also renowned for its fine weaving, which is mostly produced by the women. Baskets and mats are commonly made using pandanus leaves and burao (wild hibiscus) stalks. Larger items are sometimes made from wicker, coconut leave and rattan.

Pottery is rare today, although it was once a widespread craft. The only remaining traditional potters now live in Wusi and Linduri, in south-western Santo.

Jewellery

Boutiques

Gift shops

Duty free