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Vanuatu
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Visditors Information
Visitors Permits |
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Visas are not required from most countries: (All
commonwealth countries, Belgium, Denmark, Eire, Fiji, France and its
dominions, Germany, Holland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Philippines, Taiwan,
South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, U.S.A.) However you must have a valid,
ongoing or return airline ticket and your Passport must be valid for four
months beyond your intended stay. Persons
wishing to visit Vanuatu for a holiday or to see relatives or for reasons of
business where such business is not located in Vanuatu (i.e sales
representative etc) may be issued with Visitors Permits on arrival provided
they are in possession of a confirmed onward or return ticket to a place to
which entry is authorised and they have sufficient funds to support
themselves. Apart from the exception stated above, Visitors are not
permitted to engage in any business or employment. The validity of a
Visitors Permit may be extended to a maximum period of four months but,
under the law, cannot be extended further.
Airport Tax |
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Passenger Service Charge is VUV 2,800 per person over
the age of 12 years and VUV 400 for domestic. Both these passenger service
charge(s) are included in airfares.
Banking and Currency |
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The currency used is the Vatu. Although Australian
dollars are accepted by many shops, restaurants and hotels in Vila, and a
few in Luganville (Santo), they are NOT readily accepted outside of town or
throughout the islands. Daily fluctuations occur, however you should work on
the following approximations; 100 vatu = AU$1.29 and US$0.80.
The main banks are Westpac (with a branch at the
international airport), ANZ and Bank of Hawaii. They are open 8.00 am till
3.00 pm Monday to Friday, and Wespac opens from 8.30am to 4pm Monday to
Friday. There are several ANZ ATM machines in Port Vila and Luganville,
Santo only. You can also get cash advances on Visa and Mastercards during
bank hours. "Goodies" money changer in town is open 8 am until 5.30-6.00 pm
Monday to Friday and 8.30 am to 4.00 pm weekends and public holidays. For
Australian and New Zealander's please note only ANZ Bankcard is accepted,
and Visa, Mastercard and to a lesser extent Amex and Diner's.
Climate |
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The best time of year is April/May to October when
temperatures range from 18 to 28 degrees Celsius. Light weight casual
clothing plus a sweater is usually sufficient. November & December are warm
but not generally unpleasantly so. January to March is hot (26-34 degrees
Celsius), often wet and prone to cyclones, but being low season it's also a
good time of year to take advantage of travel deals. See also
next
weeks weather forcast for Efate (Port Vila),
Tanna
and Santo
(Luganville).
Duty Free Allowance |
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One litre of spirits OR 1.5 litres wine is the
allowance, plus 100 cigarettes or 250 grams tobacco or cigars. Please note
that information given by some Australian Duty Free shops is innacurate.
Electricity |
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240V., 3 pin (angled) plugs are required - same as
Australia and New Zealand. Two pin round plug adapters are readily
available.
Public Transport |
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There are no public transport systems in Vanuatu.
Privately owned mini buses are common and run unspecified routes through the
municipal areas. You need only board one heading in approximately the right
direction and tell the driver where you wish to stop and you will get there,
albeit by a circuitous route! Taxis are also plentiful and relatively
inexpensive. To get to other parts of Efate, utilities are licensed to carry
passengers and can be found at the Markets. Vanair is the only
domestic airline to offer regular services between islands, though there are
a limited number of charter aircraft (see
Tours).
Inter Island trading vessels also depart for the islands on a semi-regular
basis. Health |
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Malaria is endemic and travel agents will recommend
you take preventative medication. CAUTION: Most such medication increases
your risk of sunburn profoundly! Bring a jug of 15+ sun cream, even in
Winter. Hepatitis B and tuberculosis exists throughout the islands but
should be of no concern to travellers if normal precautions are taken.
There is one hospital in Vila, one in Luganville,
both with limited resources. There are small clinics and dispensaries
throughout the islands. There are numerous English and French MD's in Vila:
J. Bador ph. 23065, Dentist : H. Collard ph. 22306, and Chiropractor /
Physiotherapist : G. Sariani ph. 25777.
Serious injuries and medical conditions will
require medical evacuation to more modern facilities in Australia, New
Zealand or New Caledonia, so travel insurance is strongly recommended.
Although we are very fortunate that AIDs has yet to get a toehold, please
ensure safe sexual practices at all times.
Language |
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There are over 120 distinct languages and many more
dialects. The lingua franca and national language is
Bislama
(pidgin English). The official languages are Bislama, English and French.
Quarantine |
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All food, fruits, animal products and plants must be
declared upon entry into Vanuatu. Many such items are allowed though, some
require a valid quarantine certificate from the country of origin.
Most 'clean' (smooth) wooden artifacts, shells,
even some grass skirts can be taken into Australia and New Zealand (who have
the most stringent systems in the world, so for others, it gives you a good
idea). Some artifacts require a Quarantine certificate which is readily
issued in Vanuatu and accepted in most foreign countries. When in doubt,
check with the proprietor when purchasing and declare it upon entry. It will
not be confiscated, at worst you may need to have it sprayed.
Some items such as turtle, giant clam and trumpet
shells can be purchased in the markets. They have been harvested as a food
source by individual ni-Vanuatu, but most countries who are signatories to
the CITES agreement have banned their import, so caveat emptor.
Tipping |
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Neither tipping nor bargaining is considered civilised
behaviour. If you would like to express your gratitude for service, you
might like to send a postcard or perhaps give a 't' shirt as a gift from
your country. It is neither necessary, nor expected, but such small items
are received with much appreciation.
Time |
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Vanuatu is one hour ahead of AST (Australian Standard
Time) and 11 hours ahead of GST (Greenwich Standard Time or UT). There is no
daylight saving in summer.
Trading Hours |
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The National Tourism Office is open from 7.30 -
11.30am and 1.30-4.30pm 5 days each week, our Information Office is open
from 7.30 - 4.30pm and on Saturday mornings from 7.30 - 2.00pm and all
cruise ship days. Tour companies and many shops are open at 7.30 until
4.30-5 pm. Larger supermarkets are open until 7.00 pm. Business houses are
generally open 8.00 am until 11.30 am then siesta until 1.30 pm and close
again at 5.00 pm. Most shops are open on Saturday mornings and some open on
Sunday mornings. Water |
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With little industry or agriculture and no unusual
water borne bugs, the town water supply is very safe to drink. In the outer
islands, water is collected from streams whose catchments are untouched
jungle, or as rainwater from roofs. Bore water is less common but safe to
drink throughout. However some people react to water in different places
simply because it's different. If you fall into that category, bottled water
can be readily purchased from Vila and Luganville. Supplies in the outer
islands are very limited.
Vanuatu Public Holidays |
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January 1st - New Year's Day
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February 21st - Father Lini Day
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March 5th - Custom Chief's Day
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May 1st - Labour Day
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May 24th - Ascension Day
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July 24th - Children's Day
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July 30th - Independence Day
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August 15th - Assumption Day
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October 5th - Constitution Day
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November 29th - Unity Day
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December 25th - Christmas
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December 26th - Family Day
See
calendar for
more of whats happening in Vanuatu.
For
more general information
on Vanuatu to: |
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For more regional
information on Vanuatu, go to: |
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For
more product information
on Vanuatu to: |
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