Asia and Oceania

Vanuatu
Still current at: 08 November 2009 Updated: 27 October 2009

This advice has been reviewed and reissued with amendments to the Summary and to the Health Section (A (H1N1) - Swine Flu). The overall level of the advice has not changed.

(see travel advice legal disclaimer)

Travel advice for this country

Travel Summary

There is no British diplomatic mission in Vanuatu. Routine consular matters are covered by the British High Commission in Suva, but in an emergency the New Zealand High Commission in Port Vila can be contacted. See the General (Representation) section of this advice for more details.
Vanuatu lies on the Pacific 'Ring of Fire' and regularly experiences seismic and volcanic activity, with over 2,000 seismic events reported each year. On 9 September 2008 two earthquakes measuring 7.0 and 6.5 on the Richter scale were recorded off the islands of Espiritu Santo and Tanna. There have been no reports of casualties or damage. See the Natural Disasters (Earthquakes) section of this advice for more details.
We advise caution when considering visiting active volcanoes on any of the islands in the Vanuatu archipelago. You should check with the Vanuatu Tourist Office for latest reports on volcanic activity before travelling. See the Natural Disasters (Volcanoes) section of this advice for more details.
Most visits to Vanuatu are trouble-free. The main types of incidents for which British nationals require consular assistance in Vanuatu are for replacing lost or stolen passports and petty crime. However, violent crime is increasing and you should avoid visiting isolated locations alone.
There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
The tropical cyclone season in Vanuatu normally runs from November to April. See the Natural Disasters (Tropical Cyclones) section of this advice for more details.
We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake. See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and Travel Insurance for more details.

Safety and security

Terrorism

There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.

For more general information see Terrorism Abroad.

Crime

Crime rates, particularly incidences of burglary of houses occupied by members of the expatriate community, remain low but are increasing. Break-ins are often accompanied by violence. Street crime is also increasing and you should take sensible security precautions and avoid making yourself an easy target, especially at night. There have been a number of attacks on tourists at nightclubs and bars in Port Vila and you should check with the Vanuatu Tourist Office or your hotel on establishments where additional caution is required.

There have also been several serious attacks on foreigners, particularly lone women, in isolated locations. You should avoid travelling to, or visiting remote tourist sites or beaches by yourself. Where possible, travel as part of a larger group.

For more general information see Victims of Crime Abroad.

Political Situation

Vanuatu Country Profile.

Local Travel

Road Travel

You can drive in Vanuatu on your UK driving licence.

Main roads in Port Vila and Luganville are sealed. Elsewhere roads are either compacted coral or dirt tracks. Extra care should be taken when driving on them, particularly in heavy rain or after a prolonged dry period. General driving standards are below those of the UK and many vehicles, including public transport, are in a poor state of repair and may not be insured. Traffic drives on the right.

For more general information see Driving Abroad.

Air Travel

Inter-island travel by the domestic airline (Air Vanuatu) is very expensive and subject to delays.

Sea Travel

Boat services between the islands are infrequent and should not be relied on.

Inter island boats are required to have a current sea-worthiness certificate, however many do not and their sea worthiness cannot be relied upon.

For more general information see River and Sea Safety.

Swimming

You should seek advice from the Provincial Council Office and from local people before swimming in the waters off Vanuatu, particularly around the islands of Malekula and Espiritu Santo. Sharks are known to be present in these waters and deaths have occurred.

Local laws and customs

You should respect local customs, which are strictly observed, and religious sensitivities. Wear appropriate dress (i.e. not beachwear) when away from the beaches and hotels.

Homosexuality is legal in Vanuatu but open displays of affection between same-sex partners will attract adverse attention and may offend some in Vanuatu.

Drinking kava is an ancient tradition in Vanuatu. Kava is widely available at traditional ceremonies, at nakamals (kava bars) and at some hotels. You should be aware of the British Medicine Controls Agency (www.mca.gov.uk) advice on kava consumption.

Most ni-Vanuatu will allow you to take their photograph but you should always seek their permission first. Similarly, you should be aware that land ownership in Vanuatu is an important and often sensitive issue. If you are travelling off the beaten track, be aware that you may be trespassing and required to pay a "visiting fee" charged by the landowner.

For more general information for different types of travellers see Your Trip.

Entry requirements

Visas

British passport holders visiting Vanuatu do not require a visa and are normally given permission to enter and remain in the country for up to 30 days on arrival, provided that they are in possession of an onward or return ticket. Airlines will refuse to carry a passenger to Vanuatu who does not hold such a ticket.

Passport validity

Passports must be valid for six months beyond your intended stay.

Travelling with children

Single parents and other adults travelling alone with children should be aware that some countries require documentary evidence of parental responsibility before allowing lone parents to enter the country, or in some cases, before permitting the children to leave the country.

For further information on exactly what will be required at immigration please contact the Immigration Department at:

Principal Immigration Officer

Immigration Department

Private Mail Bag 092

Port Vila

Republic of Vanuatu

Tel: 00 678 22354; Fax: 00 678 25492

Health

There have been cases of A (H1N1) – Swine Flu in Vanuatu, and monitoring and control measures are in place.

Medical facilities in Vanuatu are basic but adequate for routine treatment. More serious cases will require evacuation to Australia or New Zealand.

Dengue and malaria occur in Vanuatu. An increase in the number of dengue cases has been reported in 2008. These diseases are transmitted by mosquitoes. There are no vaccinations against these diseases but there are preventative measures that you can take, as advised on the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) website. You should visit your GP to discuss malaria prevention tablets.

You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.

You should seek medical advice before travelling to Vanuatu and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date. For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the National Travel Heath Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) and NHS Scotland’s Fit for Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

For more general health information see Travel Health and Swine Flu and the UK Department of Health website at www.dh.gov.uk. You should also monitor local media reports for any developments and advice. For food/drink hygiene see Eat and Drink Safely.

Natural disasters

Vanuatu sits along a volatile seismic strip called the ‘Ring of Fire’ in the Pacific. Volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and tsunamis are possible. The ‘Ring of Fire’ is a horse-shoe-shaped zone of frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that surrounds the basin of the Pacific Ocean. It is 40,000kms long and is associated with a nearly continuous series of oceanic trenches, island arcs and volcanic mountain ranges and/or plate movements.

It is understood that 90% of the world’s earthquakes and 81% of the world’s largest earthquakes occur along the ‘Ring of Fire’, which is a direct consequence of plate tectonics and the movement of collisions of crustal plates.

Earthquakes

Vanuatu is prone to significant year round seismic and volcanic activity, with over 2,000 seismic events reported each year. Most events are small scale, although larger tremors and quakes of over 5 on the Richter scale do occur on a regular basis. The most recent earthquakes, measuring 7.0 and 6.5 on the Richter Scale were recorded 229kms north of the island of Espiritu Santo and 54kms south west of the island of Tanna on 9 September 2008. There have been no reports of casualties or damage. These events can be disorientating and disturbing. For more information on earthquakes and their effects, please visit: www.earthquake.usgs.gov.

Volcanoes

We advise caution when considering visiting active volcanoes on any of the islands in the Vanuatu archipelago. You must be aware that there is no such thing as “zero hazard” when viewing an active volcano close up. You should check with the Vanuatu Tourist Office for latest reports on volcanic activity before travelling.

Volcanic activity is closely monitored by the Vanuatu Government’s Mines and Geology Department, responsible for the issue of warnings in the event of dangerous activity. The Department issues notices to the Vanuatu Tourism Office and provincial councils using an activity alert scale with five levels from 0 – 4. Levels 3 and 4 indicate more dangerous activity.

Over the past year volcanic activity at major tourist attractions of Mount Marum (Ambrym) and Mount Yasur (Tanna) has resulted in warnings being issued as eruptions led to explosions and ash deposits.

Tropical Cyclones

The tropical cyclone season in Vanuatu normally runs from November to April. Flooding and landslides can occur.

You should monitor local and international weather updates from the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). You can also access http://www.nhc.noaa.gov for updates. Please also see Tropical cyclones for more detailed information about what to do if you are caught up in a tropical cyclone.

General

Insurance

We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake, particularly if you plan to engage in adventure sports. You should ensure that your policy includes cover for medical evacuation by air ambulance. For more details see Travel Insurance.

If things do go wrong when you are overseas then this is How We Can Help.

Consular assistance

There is no resident British diplomatic Mission in Vanuatu. The British High Commission in Suva covers routine consular matters. In an emergency you can contact the New Zealand High Commission in Port Vila. Contact details below.

Consular registration

Register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency. More information about registering with LOCATE can be found here. If you do not have access to the Internet, please contact the New Zealand High Commission in Port Vila on arrival.

Representation

Please see Travel Advice: Fiji for contact details.

Renewing your passport

If you need a new passport, application forms can be downloaded from the Internet at: http://ukinnewzealand.fco.gov.uk/en/passports/passport-forms. The British High Commission in Suva does not issue passports, but applications for a new passport should be submitted to the High Commission for processing. Where possible, you are advised to apply at least two months before your passport is due to expire. Please note that you can apply up to nine months before your current passport expires. Any remaining period of validity will be credited to your replacement passport. You will be allowed to retain your old passport while waiting for the replacement to be processed and returned.

We strongly advise you to keep a photocopy of the relevant pages of your passport, to avoid any complications.

Where necessary the New Zealand High Commission can issue an Emergency Passport. Emergency Passports are not machine readable, and are valid only for a single journey back to the UK using agreed transit points, or to Commonwealth countries, provided a prior arrangement exists with the authorities of the Commonwealth country concerned.

In the event of a lost or stolen passport the Vanuatu authorities will allow your departure on the strength of a "to whom it may concern" letter. You will also need to present a report confirming that you have informed the local police of the loss of your passport. A "to whom it may concern" letter can only be issued once enquiries have been completed to verify the passport holder's identity, a process that may take several days. Such a letter would only allow you to travel as far as New Zealand/Australia, where you will then need to apply for a replacement passport.

Once in New Zealand/Australia, the British High Commission will be able to issue a replacement passport within two to three weeks. If you need to travel more urgently, a limited validity passport can be issued to enable you to continue your journey. There will be an additional fee for any passport service performed outside normal consular office opening hours

British High Commission, 44 Hill Street, Wellington 1, New Zealand. Mailing Address: PO Box 1812, Wellington, New Zealand. Telephone: (64) (4) 924 2810 (Passports). Facsimile: (64) (4) 473 4982. E-mail: passportmail.wellington@fco.gov.uk. Website: http://ukinnewzealand.fco.gov.uk

Mobile phone services

There is a GSM mobile phone service in Vanuatu and you are advised to contact your service provider to establish whether your phone will work in Vanuatu. Alternatively, SIM cards may be purchased from the local telephone company (TVL).

Money

There are three "High Street" banks in Vanuatu – The National Bank of Vanuatu, ANZ and Westpac. Both ANZ and Westpac offer ATM facilities covering most UK bankcards. The use of credit cards is commonplace in Port Vila and Luganville but less so in the rest of Vanuatu, particularly away from tourist resorts.