VISITOR INFORMATION
Firstly, to get rid of a few myths. Vila water is perfectly safe to drink. It does, however, have a high calcium content so those little white specks floating in your tea doesn’t mean the milk is ‘off’ (it will be long-life milk anyway!).
Despite what your doctor or travel agent says, malaria tablets aren’t necessary or recommended unless you are going to the outer islands. You don’t need vaccinations against exotic tropical diseases but you should have an up-to-date tetanus shot in case of coral cuts and take medical insurance.
While there are good doctors and regular flights out, you shouldn’t travel anywhere without insurance. And you can take wood carvings home with you, as long as you present them at Customs for inspection.
The currency is the vatu and the exchange rate is stable. All major credit cards are accepted and there are ATM's at supermarkets, the airport and outside the ANZ and Westpac banks. The best exchange rate is at Goodies souvenir shop.
Getting around Port Vila and the island of Efate is easy.
There are buses everywhere (they are Hi-Ace type vans with a ‘B’ in front of the number plate). It costs 100 vatu to anywhere in town and 200 vatu to places like Hideaway Island and Mele Cascades.
You can hail 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 (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.
A - Z of Vanuatu - http://www.vanuatuatoz.com/
Travel Information
Vanuatu means 'the land that always existed'. It is made up of 83 tropical islands north-east of New Caledonia and 2000 kilometres north of Auckland, New Zealand. Vanuatu has tropical rainforests, coral reefs, waterfalls, hot springs and crystal clear waters. The hotel is located on an island that is 30 x 30 kilometres.
Time difference - GMT plus 11 hours
Currency - Vanuatu Vatu (VUV)
Climate - Generally pleasant all year
Travel Tips - http://www.vanuatutourism.com/vanuatu/cms/en/resources/travel_info.html
