Pacific (Vanuatu)

South Pacific, Vanuatuactivities

Vanuatu rewards sailors who are comfortable with a bit of organised chaos. The archipelago stretches roughly 1,300 kilometres from Torres in the north to Aneityum in the south, so most charterers based out of Port Vila on Efate focus on the central islands — Havannah Harbour, Nguna, and the sheltered bays around Epi and Ambrym. The southeast trades blow reliably between May and October, typically 15–25 knots from the east-southeast, giving you close reaches and comfortable beam-reaches between islands. Swells can stack up when the trades strengthen, so timing your inter-island hops to morning departures — before the wind builds — keeps things civil. The anchorages are genuinely varied. Drop the hook off Lamen Bay on Epi and you're sharing the water with dugongs; tuck into the volcanic caldera approach near Ambrym and the black-sand shoreline glows orange at night. On Tanna, sailing into Resolution Bay puts you within hiking distance of Mount Yasur, an active volcano you can stand on the rim of after dark. The custom villages are not a performance — protocol matters, so carry kava as a gift and follow local introductions through your charter base. Charter logistics run through Port Vila, where Moorings and a handful of independent operators offer bareboat and skippered boats. Provisioning in Vila is acceptable for a week's cruise — fresh produce from the market, adequate tinned goods — but refrigeration and fuel at outer island wharves can be unreliable, so plan conservatively. Paperwork is straightforward once you're checked in, though outer island formalities occasionally require a visit to the local chief rather than an official. Novice bareboat crews should choose a skippered option; the reefs are real, the charts carry gaps, and local knowledge genuinely earns its fee.

No photos yet. Be the first — check in or post a public journal entry with photos.

No reviews yet. Be the first to write one!