The 10 Most Famous Places in Vanuatu

Famous in that if there is only one attraction that you have heard about on the main island of Efate (the same island as Port Vila), Blue Lagoon is a natural attraction that everyone knows about.

This well-developed natural swimming spot offers excellent facilities for a memorable adventure, complete with picnic tables, changing rooms and toilets nestled in beautiful gardens. The lagoon itself is a unique mix of fresh and salt water, fed by a natural spring located one kilometre back in the bush.

What many don't realise is that three local businesses share access to this beautiful location - Blue Lagoon, Eton Natural Pool and Waikatom - all operating daily from 7 am to 4:30 pm. The first two are the most developed, with decking areas and rope swings to maximise the fun. While there's no lifeguard on duty, security staff are present to ensure visitor safety and help with the rope swing.

The atmosphere remains consistently welcoming throughout the week, with locals and visitors alike enjoying the refreshing waters. An entrance fee applies, with children under five entering free.

Rather than limited food options, visitors can enjoy an extensive selection at the on-site snack shop and restaurant, offering everything from light snacks and sandwiches to full meals, plus cold drinks and beverages.

As one of the main highlights for Efate, this destination is usually included in the tours provided by Island Breeze Tours & Transfers, Tobowon Tours & Transfers, Peter Ora's Luxury Shore Tours & Transfers, Friendly Tours and Transfers, Isles of Discovery Vanuatu Tours & Transfers and Lolo Tours.

As the capital of Vanuatu, Port Vila is pretty darn famous by default, but it earns its place on this list for more than just being the administrative centre. Set around a sheltered harbour on Efate, it’s the country’s main gateway, busiest town and the place where many travellers get their first taste of Vanuatu life.

Port Vila is where you’ll find waterfront markets, restaurants, tour departures, handicraft stalls, island resorts, museums and easy day trips to blue lagoons, waterfalls, snorkelling spots and cultural experiences. In other words, it’s the kind of capital where you can sort out your SIM card in the morning and be swimming in turquoise water by lunchtime.

Fun fact: Port Vila has had a few different names over the years, including “Franceville” during a brief 19th-century settlement period. Another fun fact? Vanuatu was once jointly administered by Britain and France, which helps explain why you’ll still notice French and English influences around town, from language to bakeries (a very welcome colonial hangover when croissants are involved).

Port Vila is also one of the best places in the country to experience modern Vanuatu alongside traditional island life. You can visit bustling produce markets, watch cruise ships roll into the harbour, sip kava at a local nakamal and use the town as a base for exploring the rest of Efate.

For more ideas on what to do while you’re there, check out The Complete Travel Guide to Port Vila.

Often described as the world's most accessible active volcano, Mt Yasur on Tanna Island has been erupting continuously since at least 1774, when Captain Cook observed ash clouds rising from the sea. Today, Entani Company Ltd, the authorised tour operator, takes visitors right to the crater rim to witness lava bombs, billowing sulphur and the deep, chest-rattling rumble of one of the Pacific's most extraordinary natural forces.

Tours depart at sunrise, during the day or around 6 pm for the popular sunset and night visit, when exploding magma lights up the sky against the dark. From the car park, it's just a five-minute walk to two lookout points, where you'll stand behind a wooden railing watching three active vents cycle through strombolian and vulcanian eruptions, sending magma reaching up to 1,000°C into the air.

Your guide leads the safety briefing before you head up, and a face mask, jacket and enclosed shoes are strongly recommended. Walk-ins are welcome, though many accommodations will arrange the booking on your behalf.

The island of Pentecost has been made famous by countless culture documentaries, especially for the Naghol land diving ceremonies!

This ancient ritual is the original inspiration for modern bungy jumping, and honestly, it makes our modern version look tame by comparison!

Local men perform this breathtaking ceremony as a rite of passage and blessing for the yam harvest. They plunge from towering wooden structures with nothing but vines tied to their ankles; talk about trusting in tradition.

The spectacle is only available during the April to June season, and according to locals, you'll need to book well in advance as spots fill up incredibly quickly. These heart-stopping shows typically begin around 10 am and last one to two hours.

It's possible to take tours that depart on Saturdays and include return flights from Port Vila or Luganville to Lonorore Airport, transfers to the ceremony site and often cultural village visits.

Alterntively, you can visit Pentecost independently by taking flights or ferries and staying in one of the island's basic but charming guesthouses or bungalows. Note that transport schedules are limited to Pentecost, so this requires some planning.

Famous for being a beach that's almost too perfect, Champagne Beach is on the bucket list of many road tripping around Santo.

The beach features everything you could hope for: a stunning horseshoe-shaped bay with powdery white sand and crystal-clear blue waters.

While it was once busy with cruise ship passengers that used to anchor nearby, this is no longer the case, making it a more peaceful destination where you can consistently appreciate its natural beauty without the crowds.

The beach is open seven days a week from 7 am until 6 pm, offering excellent facilities including changing rooms, showers, toilets and shade areas. Joylitas Restaurant serves up everything from fish and chips to pizza, while there's also a bar on-site, though it typically only opens during public holidays and special occasions.

For those looking to explore the waters, snorkel gear is available for hire, and the swimming areas are safe throughout the bay.

The usual entry fees apply, with different rates for various vehicle types. Camping is also permitted - simply inquire at the entrance for details.

Certainly famous among scuba divers, the SS President Coolidge stands as the largest and most accessible shipwreck in the world.

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.

The Santo blue holes are among Vanuatu’s most famous natural attractions, and once you’ve seen that impossible shade of electric blue water, you’ll understand why. These freshwater swimming spots are scattered around Espiritu Santo, each offering its own mix of jungle setting, cool spring-fed water and “yes, it really is that blue” photo moments.

The most visited blue holes are Matevulu Blue Hole and Riri Blue Hole. Meanwhile, Nanda Blue Hole, also known as Jackie’s Blue Hole and Santo’s Blue Hole, is fast becoming a favourite thanks to its vivid water, decks, jumping platforms and lush surroundings.

But Santo’s blue-hole fame doesn’t stop with the big names. There are also quieter gems in the wider area, including Malo Blue Hole on Malo Island, which is only accessible by boat.

Whether you visit one blue hole or make a day of hopping between them, this is one of those classic Santo experiences that deserves the hype. Pack swimwear, bring cash for entry fees and prepare to say, “Wow, it’s so blue,” at least five times.

For more swimming spots, check out 15 Best Blue Holes, Hot Springs & Swimming Spots in Vanuatu.

Admittedly not the most famous UNESCO World Heritage site but an UNESCO World Heritage site nonetheless (just for context, it's a status also held with the Pyramids of Giza), Chief Roi Mata's Domain definitely earns a spot on this list!

The spot is revered for its historical and cultural significance, best experienced on the Chief Roi Mata's Domain Tour available through the custodian community.

This immersive experience takes you across three sacred 17th-century locations that tell the remarkable story of the chief who brought lasting peace to Efate and its surrounding islands. Your adventure begins at Roi Mata's mainland village, where you'll explore ancient stone remains once used for mystical rituals and witness a magnificent banyan tree that has stood sentinel for centuries.

From there, board a local boat to explore the mysterious cave on Lelepa Island before reaching the final destination: the mass burial site on Artok Island where Chief Roi Mata and his followers were laid to rest.

The full-day tour includes a delicious lunch featuring authentic Vanuatu dishes like laplap and simboro, while preserving oral traditions that have kept this sacred story alive for over 400 years.

Vanuatu is famous for having many villages and communities living in kastom and practising ancient cultural rituals. On Malekula, a community that stands out is the Small Nambas.

The Small Nambas Cultural Tour in the village of Rano is one of the most genuine and immersive cultural experiences on Malekula, where traditional dances, ancient customs and hands-on village life come together in a single unforgettable day.

You'll be guided through the entire experience, from the moment the drums signal your entry to the grounds, to ceremonial dances performed by the men and women of the community around the nakamal.

The men's dance retells a powerful story of conflict with a neighbouring island, while the women perform the Reibi, or flower dance, in honour of a new chief.

Beyond the dancing, you'll visit a cave kitchen, try your hand at traditional fire-making and taste freshly cooked laplap served on a woven plate. Sand drawing, palm leaf weaving using the niro technique and a closing dance where guests are invited to join in round out the day beautifully.

The tour runs daily, including Sundays after lunch, though we recommend confirming arrangements in advance.

And for the most famous community on Tanna, Lamakara is known for being the home of the John Frum Cargo Cult, one of the unique stories of the South Pacific.

On Friday nights, the village of Lamakara on Tanna Island come alive with one of Vanuatu's most extraordinary living cultural traditions: the John Frum singing experience.

The John Frum movement has roots going back to the late 1930s and became strongly tied to the arrival of American servicemen during World War Two. Followers regard John Frum as a spiritual figure connected with renewal, prosperity and the preservation of kastom, and American imagery such as the US flag and military-style dress still features in ceremonies today.

On Friday evenings, the community gathers with guitars for an evening of singing that blends kastom, spiritual belief and Christian influences in a way that most visitors to Tanna never get to witness.

Ask Isaac about joining the community for the night as part of the Sulfur Bay Hot Springs and Cultural Tour.