Getting around Vanuatu: buses, taxis, driving and domestic flights

The right transport mix depends on which islands you are visiting and when. Efate is the only island where you can rely on road transport for a whole trip; everywhere else, the domestic flight network sets your schedule.

Rain matters more than distance. On Tanna, heavy rain can close the road across the ash plain to Mount Yasur, and on Santo the east coast road can flood. Build a spare day into any outer-island leg, especially in the wetter months.

Minibuses are the default in Port Vila. Any van with a red 'B' plate is a shared bus: flag it down, say where you are going, and pay on exit. Fares in town sit around VT 150–300; longer runs to Mele, the airport or around the bay cost more, so agree the price before you get in.

Taxis carry 'T' plates. Meters are rare, so settle the fare first. The airport run into town takes about 10 minutes and costs VT 1,500–2,000 in the daytime; expect more at night.

Renting a car makes sense for one thing above all: the Efate ring road, roughly 120 km of coast, villages and beaches. Book through your hotel or a Port Vila agency, drive on the right, and treat potholes, dogs, pigs and children on the road as normal hazards. Every beach or village stop may carry a custom fee, so keep small notes handy.

On Espiritu Santo, a rental car works for the east coast road and the run out to Champagne Beach and the dive sites around Luganville. On Tanna, you do not rent: 4WD trucks run visitors from the airport to the volcano area, usually as part of a package, about two hours each way.

For everything further out, you fly. Air Vanuatu was restructured after its 2024 liquidation and small operators such as Unity Airlines fill gaps, so check who is flying your route before you commit to dates. Small aircraft mean 10–20 kg baggage limits and cancellations for weather or maintenance. Book your international flight with a spare day on either side of any domestic hop.

Cargo and passenger ships reach islands with no airstrip. They are cheap and slow, with no reliable schedule and basic conditions. Treat them as an adventure, not as transport for a two-week trip.

Sunday changes everything. Most shops close, village activity stops, and transport thins out. If you are moving between islands or driving a long road on a Sunday, arrange it in advance.

Cash is the other constraint. ATMs exist only in Port Vila and Luganville, so carry enough vatu for minibuses, taxis, custom fees and any island where cards are not accepted.

Outer-island bungalows can close in February and March, which also thins out flights and boats. Check before you build an itinerary around a small island in those months.

Travel insurance that covers domestic light aircraft, delays and medical evacuation is worth having here: a missed connection or a closed road can cost more than the flight itself.