Getting Around

Car Hire

Car hire companies in Vila include Avis, Budget, Discount Rentals and Hertz.

Hiring a car can be a cost-efficient way to get about and gives you a certain amount of freedom, whether it’s to nip out to Hideaway Island and Mele Cascades, lunch at The Havannah, Tamanu on the Beach or Benjor Beach Club or a picnic, swim and snorkel at Eton Beach or explore around the island. With the ringroad around the island now sealed it makes for easy driving.

All you need to hire is your driver’s licence from home, a credit card and not to forget that that you drive on the right side of the road.

Flights

Air Vanuatu flies from Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland.

Virgin Australia flies from Brisbane Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. From the airport, air-conditioned buses meet most visitors for transfers to their resorts but taxis are also on hand.

There are scenic flights (and some transfers) with Vanuatu Seaplanes and Vanuatu Helicopters.

To get to Tanna, Santo and the outer islands you will need to take an Air Vanuatu domestic flight. You can visit Tanna on a day flight/tour with Unity Airlines.

Getting around Port Vila and the island of Efate is easy.

Local Buses

There are buses everywhere (they are Hi-Ace type vans with a ‘B’ in front of the number plate). It costs 150 vatu to anywhere in town and 300 vatu to places like Hideaway Island and Mele Cascades.

You can hail a bus from anywhere with the raise of a hand or an eyebrow and you may get the scenic route, depending on the other travellers’ destinations.

Taxis

Taxis (small cars with a ‘T’ before the number plate) are also plentiful and reasonably inexpensive. Ask for a price first as some of the meters may be dodgy.

You can also negotiate your own driver to take you around the island, there are organised tours that include lunch and cultural activities or you can hire you own car.