Port VilaCapital
Vanuatu · Country profile
Port Vila is the charming harbour capital of Vanuatu, the easygoing port town of the south-west Pacific that curves around its beautiful natural harbour on the south coast of the island of the Efate, the friendly gateway of the whole archipelago. The capital of the country, the former administrative centre of the Anglo-French condominium of the New Hebrides, is a small, pretty town of the waterfront markets, the wooden cafes and the colonial-era buildings that mix the French and the English flavours of the islands, set against the wooded hills and the turquoise bays of the coast. The markets, the cultural centre, the islands of the harbour and the beaches, together with the easy friendliness of the town, give Port Vila its relaxed, welcoming character, and the day trips reach the volcanoes and the villages of the outer islands beyond. Bright, gentle and endlessly pleasant, Port Vila is the comfortable drawing room of the Melanesian country.
About Port Vila
Port Vila is the capital of Vanuatu. The city's documented population is around 45,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Vanuatu Vatu (VUV) and Bislama, English and French are spoken; the dialling code is +678.
The Market of the Town and the Fruits of the Islands
Port Vila is a small, easily explored capital where the essential circuit moves between the waterfront markets, the cultural centre and the lively cafes of the town, with the islands and the reefs of the harbour lying just beyond the bay. The daily cruises of the port reach the islets, the sandbars and the snorkelling grounds of the lagoon, the five-star select of the beaches line the coast, and the museums and the craft centre carry the story of the nation. The day trips of the region land the famous blue holes of the forest and climb the viewpoint of the hills above the town, and the whole capital runs the relaxed, sunny rhythm of the tropical Pacific.
The Centre of the Culture and the Harbour of the Bay
The climate of the capital is the tropical marine, with the warm, wet summer months and the risk of the tropical cyclones, and the drier, milder cooler season of the southern winter the classic pleasant time of the year. The vatu is the currency, with the Bislama, the English and the French the languages of the town. The market, the centre and the harbour make the core circuit, and the outer islands of the country lie a short flight or a longer boat ride away. Light clothing, sun protection and a swimsuit for the lagoon complete the easy, comfortable preparation for the little capital of the archipelago.
The Blue Holes and the Beaches of the Island
The markets of the capital, spread along the waterfront and the central streets of the town, gather the fruit, the woven baskets and the kava of the islands, and the market of the morning, with its garlands and its produce of the stalls, is the social heart of the everyday Port Vila. The cultural centre of the country, which preserves the recordings, the photographs and the objects of the traditional world of the archipelago, gives the essential introduction to the culture of the ni-Vanuatu people, while the parliament house and the visitor centre of the town anchor the small civic district. The islands and the islets of the bay, with their restaurants, their snorkelling and their sunset tours, close the perfect, gentle circuit of one of the friendliest capitals of the whole of the Pacific.
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- Country
- Vanuatu
- Population
- 45,000
- Capital
- Port Vila
- Region
- Oceania
- Currency
- Vanuatu Vatu (VUV)
- Languages
- Bislama, English, French
- Calling code
- +678
- Country code
- VU
Entry requirements for Vanuatu
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting Vanuatu for tourism.
Frequently asked questions
Is Port Vila the capital of Vanuatu?
Yes — Port Vila is the capital of Vanuatu.
What currency do I need in Port Vila?
The local currency is the Vanuatu Vatu (VUV). Languages spoken in Vanuatu include Bislama, English and French.
What is the dialling code for Vanuatu?
The international dialling code for Vanuatu is +678.
Do I need a visa to visit Vanuatu?
It depends on your passport. Among the origins we track, travellers from Morocco currently enter Vanuatu visa-free for tourism. Use the entry requirements tool to check your own nationality and purpose of travel.
Flying out of Port Vila? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.