The Best Scuba Diving in Vanuatu: Top 20 Places to Scuba Dive

Let's get the obvious out of the way, shall we? If you know anything about scuba diving in Vanuatu, you probably know about the SS President Coolidge. But, just in case you don't...

This 200 m (656 ft)-long luxury liner turned warship offers an extraordinary underwater adventure with depths ranging from 18 to 45 m (59-148 ft), making different areas accessible to divers from Open Water to Deep certification levels.

The shipwreck houses remarkable wartime artefacts across its various compartments, including military jeeps, 30-foot cannons, medical supplies like morphine and codeine vials, the famous Lady Statue, and unique finds such as a barber's chair, doctor's equipment, and the ship's post office with original pigeonholes still intact. Advanced divers can explore penetration sites like the engine room with its massive machinery, gauges and levers, or navigate the A-B-C deck swim-through spanning multiple levels.

Marine life thrives throughout the artificial reef, with schools of flashlight fish creating magical displays during night dives as they flash like stars in the darkness. The wreck also hosts reef fish, barracuda, sea turtles, and during night missions, bioluminescent plankton illuminate the water around divers when torches are switched off.

A scuba diving site that tells an incredible story, Million Dollar Point is another Santo dive site worth investigating.

In 1945, when French colonial authorities refused to buy surplus American military equipment at six cents on the dollar (thinking they'd get it for free), the Americans responded with remarkable pettiness. For two solid days, they dumped "millions" of dollars' worth of trucks, bulldozers, tractors, jeeps and even Coca-Cola bottles into the sea near Luganville.

Today, Million Dollar Point offers visitors the extraordinary sight of this underwater military graveyard just metres from shore. You can explore through snorkelling from the remains of the concrete wharf (which was blown up with dynamite after offloading the equipment), discovering everything from bulldozers to old wheels scattered across the ocean floor. Scuba diving with local operators reveals even more of the equipment pile beneath the surface.

Located just a five-minute drive from Luganville, the site also offers a pleasant sandy beach with typically calm and clear waters.

A 30-40-minute boat ride from Luganville, Tutuba Island is one of Santo’s most popular dive sites for good reason.

The island’s reef system is all plate coral fields, soft and hard corals, gloomy trenches and caves, so there’s plenty to keep your eyes busy from start to safety stop.

Look into the swim-throughs for lobsters guarding their homes, then look up for schools of tropical fish, cruising barracudas and, if luck is on your side, eagle rays and reef sharks. It’s a brilliant reminder that Santo’s diving is not just about wrecks (even if the wrecks are pretty hard to ignore).

The Bonzer Wreck offers one of Vanuatu's most accessible and beginner-friendly wreck diving experiences.

This small freighter was purposely scuttled upright in shallow water, making it perfect for inexperienced wreck divers looking to explore their first underwater shipwreck.

The adventure begins with a scenic traverse along a vibrant reef before descending to the wreck at 18 m (59 ft). Along the way, you'll encounter one of the largest anemone gardens in the Pacific, teeming with reef fish and cheeky red and black anemone fish darting between the coral formations.

The wreck itself is a photographer's dream, completely covered in colourful encrusting coral and soft corals, with schools of juvenile fish creating a living kaleidoscope around the vessel. You can actually enter the bridge and pose for photos at the ship's wheel, then peek through various holes along the hull to discover clouds of glass fish and busy cleaner shrimps going about their daily routines.

Big Blue is the main operator that can get you to this site, approximately a 15-minute boat ride from their base in Port Vila.

One of the most famous dive sites off Moso Island, Owen’s Reef is where colourful coral meets a bit of big-fish action.

The reef rises to just 5 m (5.5 yards) from the surface before dropping to around 18 m (19.7 yards), giving you plenty to admire on the way down, from bright coral formations to passing reef life.

Expect an excellent wall structure with different viewing opportunities at multiple depths, plus the chance to spot sharks, leopard sharks and larger fish cruising by. In short, it’s a solid all-rounder for divers who want reef scenery with a little extra “what was that shadow?” excitement.

Just a four-minute boat ride from Tranquillity Island Resort & Dive, Coral Gardens is a shallow and easy-going dive site that’s all about colour, movement and taking your time.

Sitting at the entrance of the channel between the islands, the site acts like a natural highway for marine life, so there’s always the chance of something cruising through.

At around 10 m to 15 m (33 ft to 49 ft), this is a great spot for underwater photography, with colourful coral formations, schools of rainbow fish, rays and sharks all adding to the scene. It’s also a handy option for a relaxed second dive or when you want maximum reef time without a long boat ride.

A relatively simple dive that’s great for beginners, Cindy’s Reef proves that Santo doesn’t need to go deep to put on a show.

Sitting off Aore Island, this pinnacle-style dive is usually enjoyed around the 15 m (49 ft) mark, where you’ll find a huge variety of corals, including the native “potato head” coral.

It’s not all small and pretty, either. The pinnacle rises from much deeper water, with the outside dropping dramatically to 120 m-plus, while the reef itself is home to tropical fish, turtles and sharks. In short, it’s a taste of Santo’s wild underwater topography without necessarily needing to follow it all the way down.

For wreck fans looking beyond the headline Santo dives, MV Henry Bonneaud off Bokissa Island is a beauty.

This former island trader was intentionally sunk for divers around 15 to 20 years ago and now rests in 40 m to 45 m (131 ft to 148 ft) of water, with the top of the bridge sitting at around 20 m (66 ft).

The wreck is the star, of course, but the setting does plenty of showing off too. Expect crystal-clear Santo water, with visibility often reaching 50 m (164 ft) or more, plus surrounding reefs that bring plenty of colour to the dive.

For divers who like their reef dives with a little extra drama, Blue Hole 1 and 2 is Tanna’s underwater playground of blue-water caves, swim-throughs and reef walls.

Tanna's blue holes are the kind of underwater secret that rewards those willing to time their visit right. Just a five-minute walk from White Grass Ocean Resort, Blue Hole 1 sits in a sheltered cove where local villagers welcome swimmers warmly before you wade roughly 50 m across the reef to reach four large reef openings, interconnected by tunnels and swim-throughs at depths of around 8 m inside the hole and up to 15 m on the outer reef.

The route you take depends entirely on your sense of adventure and skill level, with several cave and swim-through options giving access to the outer reef. Plan your visit at low tide so the deep holes are clearly visible.

Wildlife here is seriously impressive: coral formations, dugongs, turtles, moray eels, reef sharks, blue-spotted rays and the occasional dolphin are all on the cards, with whale songs drifting through July to September.

Blue Hole 2 is a short 800 m walk from the resort's front entrance along the road towards the next village; follow the signs, walk 50 m across the reef and enter from the north-eastern tip.

Note that a Marine Park fee applies, so check the current rate at reception of White Grass before you head out.

Guests of Rocky Ridge Bungalows enjoy free access to both blue holes; non-guests approaching from that side pay 1,500 VT. Bring your own reef shoes and snorkel gear.

Perhaps Vanuatu's most impressive underwater cavern, The Cathedral offers an extraordinary limestone cave dive that will leave you mesmerised by nature's architectural masterpiece.

This spectacular dive starts around 17 m (56 ft) depth and descends to approximately 23 m (75 ft), where you'll enter a wide cavern that can accommodate multiple divers at the bottom. The cavern is illuminated by magnificent beams of light filtering through openings at the top, creating a truly cathedral-like atmosphere that justifies its sacred name.

As you explore this mystical underwater cathedral, the cavern gradually narrows as you move upward toward the top section, where the light beams create an almost spiritual ambience. The limestone formations and natural architecture provide a breathtaking backdrop for your underwater journey through this geological wonder.

This dive provides a comfortable experience when seas are calm, though swells and currents can make conditions more challenging, making it weather-dependent.

The Cathedral is a speciality of Big Blue, so be sure to hit them up when staying in Port Vila.

For something altogether more whimsical, head to Fan Garden off Aore Island. Just a few metres from the beach, this drift dive carries you through a forest of enormous sea fans swaying in the current.

The shallows offer plenty to inspect too, with colourful nudibranchs, anemones, military artefacts and the occasional mantis shrimp.

Location: Off Aore Island, Espiritu Santo.

Two coral formations, one steep wall and an impressive variety of reef fish make Twin Bommies an easy addition to a Port Vila diving itinerary.

Around 15 minutes from downtown Port Vila, the site centres on two large coral bommies alongside a wall dotted with colourful coral formations. Butterflyfish, lionfish and leaf scorpionfish are among the marine life to look out for as you work your way around the reef.

It’s a good choice when you want classic tropical reef diving without travelling far from town, particularly if you’re fitting several dives into a stay on Efate.

Location: Approximately 15 minutes by boat from downtown Port Vila, Efate. Accessible on local dive trips, including those operated by Big Blue.

If you want a dive where the underwater landscape itself steals the show, Blue Cave Aquarium certainly delivers.

Divers enter a natural ocean cave before surfacing inside an enclosed chamber, where sunlight streams through an approximately 5 m (16 ft) opening in the ceiling and illuminates the intensely blue water below. Back underwater, the route exits at around 5 m (16 ft) before continuing through coral formations outside the cave.

The main attraction here is very much the cave and its light-filled chamber rather than particularly spectacular coral. Marine life can include turtles, dugongs, moray eels, reef sharks, blue-spotted rays and giant trevally.

The site reaches a maximum depth of around 18 m (59 ft) and is typically visited by boat. It may also be combined with dives at Kosabas Reef or Kamitua Reef during a morning outing.

Location: Offshore from the west coast of Tanna, reached by boat from Whitegrass Ocean Resort & Spa.

For beginner-friendly reef diving with the possibility of adding a wreck into the mix, take a look at Mele Reef.

The large reef supports a variety of corals and marine life, with its upper sections rising to around 6 m (20 ft) below the surface. Its relatively shallow profile makes it particularly approachable for less experienced divers.

Then there are the wrecks. MV Konanda provides another option for newer divers, while the Star of Russia offers a deeper-water attraction for more experienced divers. The latter was built by the same shipbuilders responsible for the Titanic.

Location: Mele Bay, Efate, northwest of Port Vila.

For coral scenery with a chance of some seriously impressive marine life, Circus Reef is one of Tanna’s more exciting options.

The reef is made up of bommies, swim-throughs and old-growth coral, with a large clownfish colony living among the anemones. Christmas tree coral adds even more colour, while giant manta rays have also been recorded at the site.

With a maximum depth of around 14 m (46 ft), the site is suitable for beginner divers when conditions allow. It’s also within relatively easy reach of the west coast, sitting around 10 minutes by boat from Whitegrass Ocean Resort & Spa.

Location: Off the west coast of Tanna, around 10 minutes by boat from Whitegrass Ocean Resort & Spa. It can also be reached from Little Black Beach.

If you like your coral gardens on a grand scale, West Side Story is a good one to add to the dive log. Just a short boat ride from Hideaway Island, the site is dominated by an enormous field of staghorn coral that rises to within around 6 m (20 ft) of the surface.

At the centre is a towering hard coral formation surrounded by seemingly endless staghorn coral, while anemonefish add even more colour to the scene. There’s something almost fairytale-like about swimming through it all, with coral formations replacing the enchanted forest.

Pair it with some time above the water too with The 50 Best Things to Do in Port Vila &Efate.

Location: Approximately five minutes by boat from Hideaway Island, Efate.

One of the newer additions to Tanna’s diving scene, Crystal Lagoon offers a very different experience from the island’s cavern and blue-hole dives.

The protected natural pool is home to vibrant coral, schools of Moorish idols and damselfish, while green turtles have been seen resting on the reef. Divers follow a return route through the lagoon, entering and exiting from the same point.

With a maximum depth of around 18 m (59 ft), it’s another option for beginner divers looking for colourful reef life without heading far offshore.

The site involves a short drive followed by a walk, so it feels a little more like an expedition before you even put your mask on.

Location: Around 10 minutes by road from Whitegrass Ocean Resort & Spa, followed by a short walk.

Wreck diving doesn’t always mean ships. Tasman takes experienced divers down to the remains of a Qantas S26 Sandringham Flying Boat, resting at around 40 m (131 ft).

The aircraft remains largely intact and divers can explore around the wreckage, including the cockpit. At this depth and with reduced visibility possible, however, this is one for suitably experienced divers rather than a casual first dip beneath the surface.

Location: Offshore from Efate. Access is by boat with local dive operators.

For classic coral reef diving around Tanna, make room for Kosabas Reef.

Large bommies rise to within a few metres of the surface, while giant clams and healthy coral formations give divers plenty to inspect along the way. Barracuda may also appear when stronger currents bring larger fish through the area.

The site reaches around 18 m (59 ft) and is generally better suited to intermediate divers. Turtles, dugongs, moray eels, reef sharks and blue-spotted rays have all been recorded around Tanna’s western reefs.

Kosabas Reef is often combined with nearby sites such as Blue Cave Aquarium or Kamitua Reef, making it a useful addition to a two-dive morning.

Location: Offshore from the west coast of Tanna, reached by boat from Whitegrass Ocean Resort & Spa.

Ready to step things up? Kamitua Reef is one of Tanna’s more advanced dive sites, with stronger currents, dramatic walls and the possibility of larger pelagic species passing through.

The reef features steep drop-offs and depths of around 30 m (98 ft), with visibility reported at up to 50 m (164 ft) in suitable conditions. Giant yellowfin tuna, barracuda and grey reef sharks are among the larger species recorded here, while fan corals, moray eels and nudibranchs provide plenty to look for closer to the reef.

Because of the currents and depth, advanced diving skills are recommended. Conditions dictate whether the site is suitable on any given day, so the final call is made according to diver experience and what the ocean is doing.

Location: Approximately 20 minutes by boat from Whitegrass Ocean Resort & Spa, Tanna. Marine park fees apply.