Vanuatu Location

Where is Vanuatu country?

Unless you live in Australia, New Zealand or nearby island countries in the South Pacific, it's possible you might not even know about country called Vanuatu. Those who watched Survivor TV series in the early 2000s might vaguely remember it, as Lopevi and Yasur tribes, named after volcanic island (Lopevi) and a volcanoe on Tanna island (Mt Yasur).

Vanuatu – South Pacific

Vanuatu is a group of 83 islands in the South West Pacific, situated North East of New Caledonia and North West of Fiji. This region is more commonly known as the South Pacific. Vanuatu islands belong to Melanesia region in the Pacific Ocean. Hence the warm and welcoming Melanesian hospitality and South Pacific charm of this island country.

Vanuatu is a travel destination that is rarely considered simply because people do not know that much about it. Most are not even aware about its geographical location. We even see tourists that think they need a USA Esta for traveling to Vanuatu. This is incorrect. The truth is there are different reasons why you want to visit this remote Paradise.

Most Vanuatu resorts are located on Efate Island, which is the main administrative island of the Vanuatu archipelago. This island is also home to Vanuatu's capital, Port Vila. However, many of the other Vanuatu islands also have holiday accommodation (usually bungalow type), especially the largest, Santo island.

This Vanuatu islands location map in the South Pacific Ocean also shows the 6 Vanuatu Provinces of Torba, Sanma, Penama, Malampa, Shefa and Tafea.

The above Vanuatu map was provided courtesy of the University of Texas Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin.

Efate Island

The largest island in Vanuatu archipelago is Espiritu Santo island. But the main island and gateway to Vanuatu is Efate island, home to Port Vila, Vanuatu's capital and largest city in the islands.

Vanuatu has two airports, domestic and international, both located just outside of Port Vila. The domestic airport provides local flights to islands, including island hopping and scenic flights.

Bauerfield International Airport welcomes visitors from other countries to Port Vila and Vanuatu, being the gateway to this country.

Port Vila Town

Port Vila city is the capital of Vanuatu and an important commercial and business centre for Vanuatu and the South Pacific. The majority of 50,000 people living on Efate Island are residents of Port Vila, which offers a lively and colourful mix of services, offices, banks, restaurants, gift and souvenir shops, duty free stores, supermarkets, boutiques, cafes, galleries and local green and handcrafts market. There are also many expats living in Port Vila, who have relocated to Vanuatu and / or have Vanuatu citizenship.

Panoramic view of Port Vila town centre buildings from a hillside, looking towards harbour with Irririki Island and its resort in the centre of this picture.

Temperatures in Vanuatu

Remembering that Vanuatu is in the Southern Hemisphere (it’s Winter here when it’s Summer in the Northern Hemisphere), the climate of Vanuatu is generally tropical temperate with rainfall averaging about 235 centimetres (90 inches) annually. Ideal destination for those who'd like to experience a tropical Christmas, for a change.

Typical temperature ranges are:

Summer:
December – March: temperature range 21°C - 33°C
Autumn:
April – June: temperature range 19°C - 29°C
Winter:
July – September: temperature range 15°C - 26°C
Spring:
October – November: temperature range 18°C - 30°C

Use an online temperature converter for precise temperature conversions, from Celsius to Fahrenheit.

Holiday Information and Guides to Vanuatu
Vanuatu Facts	Vanuatu Holiday	Vanuatu Location	Vanuatu Story
Vanuatu Activities	Vanuatu Attractions	Vanuatu Christmas	Vanuatu Flights
Holiday on Efate Island	Kid Friendly Vanuatu Fun	Pet Friendly Vanuatu Holiday	Perfect Family Getaway
Plan a Trip to Vanuatu	Reasons to Visit Vanuatu	Short History of Vanuatu	South Pacific Region
Things to Do in Vanuatu	Things to Know About Vanuatu	Winter Holidays in Vanuatu