Hotels near Bauerfield International - VLI, Port Vila

There was not a lot to do in Port Vila. We did love the new french cafe right on the water called Lalala where the food is excellent and you can get a Tanna Coffee as well. Overall it was very expensive and the food was not consistent. At a couple of places we had to send back chicken as it was still raw in the middle. We enjoyed the traditional thai massage opposite Lalala and the food at the thai restaurant was nice. We stayed for 10 days but five would have been sufficient. The only two activities we did was the Major Tom which was fabulous and well worth every penny and The Eden River which was also quite special (4500 VUV per person including the little tour). We had planned on doing the other couple of activities but when we met other tourists we couldn't find anyone that though the Cascades was worth it and the ziplining got mixed messages. I was not inclined to go to Hideaway Island as 2500 VUV per person to enter the island seemed excessive. We only stayed on Efate as we wanted a relaxing holiday. The cost of travelling to other islands seemed to put some other tourists off. Overall, surprisingly expensive. The local buses thought are easy to get on and off and can take you anywhere for a fraction of the cost of a driver. We had a quad bike which was fun but the potholes made it uncomfortable at times. We went to the Banana Beach Club which had really love food and a beautiful little lagoon full of fish that lapped at the bottom step and a lovely vibe. Just a few minutes up the road from there was a beautifl beach that was free to park/enter and was probably the most beautiful beach we saw.

We stayed a total of 10 days and I think 1 week would have been enough. We hired a car and I would recommend not doing this - use the local buses and hire a car and driver when going further out of town. Some sites we went to weren't worth it. Others were great. Highlights - Horse ride with The riders Club (don't go with Club Hippique (their horses appeared neglected (were skinny, cracked hooves and misbehaved). Hideaway island snorkelling, Turtle sanctuary at Avi Bay (fun to walk into the water and hand feed the turtles). Fire show at the Beach Bar on Saturday night (great food reasonably priced) Cultural Village tour (very educational and entertaining). Eden on the river was pretty but the "Bridges" tour wasn't really worth it. I would give Blue Lagoon a miss unless you have kids/young adults who want to swing off the ropes. Major Tom sailing ship trip was nice but given the cost I would only recommend if you have a larger budget - snorkelling at Hideaway island was just as good. If you want more info check out my daughter's videos - "Wet Days in Vanuatu with Cat & Lil' Sloth" on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VmznL-0pVg There is one video for each of our 10 days. Cat and Lil Sloth

We visited turtle sanctuary, very little and disappointing, distillery fabulous experience and staff fantastic. Pele island was awesome aswell as hideaway island. Port Vila itself is nice but it will be an island stay next time.

An interesting place to visit with very friendly people but still recovering from the recent earthquake. Several resorts are still to reopen. Not a lot to do except relax, swim and snorkel but that was what we wanted. Felt safe and can drink the water. It is expensive with food, drink and transport costs similar to Australia. Air Vanuatu is still very unreliable with flight cancellations so leave a few days to get back to Port Vila for international connections if you plan to visit other islands. No one seems surprised when this happens, so you need to relax as well!

Despite beng only 8 months since the devastating earthquake, Port Vila is doing just fine. A number of places haven't rebuilt but the ones that have rebuilt or repaired are great. Awesome restaurants and bars are a plenty so you won't be disappointed. The roads are terrible so be very careful if driving. All in all a great place to visit and will definately go back

Port Vila is still recovering from the 2024 Earthquake but the locals are so friendly and drivers are so reliable, they have the best knowledge of the best places to visit uncovering hidden gems. We had a great time exploring both Port Vila and Efate and only wish we had more time. It is a great place to both relax and go on lots of adventures.