Airport Tax
Departure tax at the International
Airport is VUV 2,500 per person over the age of 12
years and VUV 400 for domestic Vanair Service tax. Both these passenger
service charges are included in airfares.
A separate domestic departure fee has also
recently been launched which charges visitors and locals 200vt from any Shefa and Sanma Province domestic
airport. This is applied to every leg where a passenger departs from
the following domestic airports: Bauerfield – Port Vila, Siwo Airport – Emae, Pele
Airport – Tongoa, Valesdir Airport – Epi, Laman Bay Airport – Epi, Pekoa
Airport - Espiritu Santo. The 200vt is paid seperately as it is not
included in passenger tickets.
Banking and Currency
The currency used is the Vatu. Although Australian dollars are
accepted by many shops, restaurants and hotels in Vila, and a few in
Luganville (Santo), they are NOT readily accepted outside of town or
throughout the islands. Daily fluctuations occur, however you should
work on the following approximations; 100 vatu = AU$1.29 and
US$0.80.
The main banks are Westpac (with a branch at the international
airport), ANZ and Bank of Hawaii. They are open 8.00 am till 3.00 pm
Monday to Friday, and Wespac opens from 8.30am to 4pm Monday to
Friday. There are several ANZ ATM machines in Port Vila and
Luganville, Santo only. You can also get cash advances on Visa and
Mastercards during bank hours. "Goodies" money changer in town is
open 8 am until 5.30-6.00 pm Monday to Friday and 8.30 am to 4.00 pm
weekends and public holidays. For Australian and New Zealander's
please note only ANZ Bankcard is accepted, and Visa, Mastercard and
to a lesser extent Amex and Diner's.
Climate
The best time of year is April/May to October when temperatures
range from 18 to 28 degrees Celsius. Light weight casual clothing
plus a sweater is usually sufficient. November & December are
warm but not generally unpleasantly so. January to March is hot
(26-34 degrees Celsius), often wet and prone to cyclones, but being
low season it's also a good time of year to take advantage of travel
deals.
Duty Free Allowance
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 entitle to the above
allowances.
The Following Goods must be declared: 1. Any Phrobited
or rsstricted goods such as Arms, Ammunitions, dangerous Drugs, Animals, Plants.
2. Any goods of a commerical 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.
Electricity
240V., 3 pin (angled) plugs are required - same as Australia and
New Zealand. Two pin round plug adapters are readily available.
Embassies and Consulates
- Australia: William Long Wah. Telephone 02 9587 4046
- U.K. ph. 23100
- China (Peoples Republic of) ph. 23598
- France ph. 22353
- New Zealand ph. 22933
Entry
Visas are not required from most countries: (All commonwealth
countries, Belgium, Denmark, Eire, Fiji, France and its dominions,
Germany, Holland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Philippines, Taiwan,
South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, U.S.A.) However you must have a
valid, ongoing or return airline ticket and your Passport must be
valid for six months beyond your intended stay.
Vanuatu Public Holidays
- January 1st - New Year's Day
- February 21st - Father Lini Day
- March 5th - Custom Chief's Day
- May 1st - Labour Day
- May 24th - Ascension Day
- July 24th - Children's Day
- July 30th - Independence Day
- August 15th - Assumption Day
- October 5th - Constitution Day
- November 29th - Unity Day
- December 25th - Christmas
- December 26th - Family Day
See
calendar for more of whats happening in Vanuatu.
Public Transport
There are no public transport systems in Vanuatu. Privately owned
mini buses are common and run unspecified routes through the
municipal areas. You need only board one heading in approximately the
right direction and tell the driver where you wish to stop and you
will get there, albeit by a circuitous route! Taxis are also
plentiful and relatively inexpensive. To get to other parts of Efate,
utilities are licensed to carry passengers and can be found at the
Markets. Vanair is the only
domestic airline to offer regular services between islands, though
there are a limited number of charter aircraft
(see Tours).
Inter Island trading vessels also depart for the islands on a
semi-regular basis.
Health
Malaria is endemic and travel agents will recommend you take
preventative medication. CAUTION: Most such medication increases your
risk of sunburn profoundly! Bring a jug of 15+ sun cream, even in
Winter. Hepatitis B and tuberculosis exists throughout the islands
but should be of no concern to travellers if normal precautions are
taken.
There is one hospital in Vila, one in Luganville, both with
limited resources. There are small clinics and dispensaries
throughout the islands. There are numerous English and French MD's in
Vila: J. Bador ph. 23065, Dentist : H. Collard ph. 22306, and
Chiropractor / Physiotherapist : G. Sariani ph. 25777.
Serious injuries and medical conditions will require medical
evacuation to more modern facilities in Australia, New Zealand or New
Caledonia, so travel insurance is strongly recommended. Although we
are very fortunate that AIDs has yet to get a toehold, please ensure
safe sexual practices at all times.
Insurance
Although Vanuatu is a safe destination, many tours, especially to
outer islands, are in the adventurous category. This means that from
time to time, volcanoes are closed, domestic flights delayed, planes
cannot land due to muddy airstrips, SCUBA dives cancelled due to
cyclones etc. Therefore we strongly recommend travel insurance be
purchased prior to your departure.
Language
There are over 120 distinct languages and many more dialects. The
lingua franca and national language is Bislama
(pidgin English). The official languages are Bislama, English and
French.
Quarantine
All food, fruits, animal products and plants must be declared upon
entry into Vanuatu. Many such items are allowed though, some require
a valid quarantine certificate from the country of origin.
Most 'clean' (smooth) wooden artifacts, shells, even some grass
skirts can be taken into Australia and New Zealand (who have the most
stringent systems in the world, so for others, it gives you a good
idea). Some artifacts require a Quarantine certificate which is
readily issued in Vanuatu and accepted in most foreign countries.
When in doubt, check with the proprietor when purchasing and declare
it upon entry. It will not be confiscated, at worst you may need to
have it sprayed.
Some items such as turtle, giant clam and
trumpet shells can be purchased in the markets. They have been harvested as a
food source by individual ni-Vanuatu, but most countries who are signatories to
the CITES agreement have banned their import, so caveat emptor.
For more
details, click here
.
Tipping
Neither tipping nor bargaining is considered civilised behaviour.
If you would like to express your gratitude for service, you might
like to send a postcard or perhaps give a 't' shirt as a gift from
your country. It is neither necessary, nor expected, but such small
items are received with much appreciation.
Time
Vanuatu is one hour ahead of AST (Australian Standard Time) and 11
hours ahead of GST (Greenwich Standard Time or UT). There is no
daylight saving in summer.
Trading Hours
The National Tourism Office is open from
7.30 - 11.30am and 1.30-4.30pm 5 days each week, our Information
Office is open from 7.30 - 4.30pm and on Saturday mornings from 7.30
- 2.00pm and all cruise ship days. Tour companies and many
shops are open at 7.30 until 4.30-5 pm. Larger supermarkets are open
until 7.00 pm. Business houses are generally open 8.00 am until 11.30
am then siesta until 1.30 pm and close again at 5.00 pm. Most shops
are open on Saturday mornings and some open on Sunday mornings.
Water
With little industry or agriculture and no unusual water borne
bugs, the town water supply is very safe to drink. In the outer
islands, water is collected from streams whose catchments are
untouched jungle, or as rainwater from roofs. Bore water is less
common but safe to drink throughout. However some people react to
water in different places simply because it's different. If you fall
into that category, bottled water can be readily purchased from Vila
and Luganville. Supplies in the outer islands are very limited.
For the most advanced travel planner and tourism guide to Vanuatu, click here.
