Vanuatu - Diplomatic Missions
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Feedback from Elsie of Yachting World Marina, Port Vila, post Cyclones Judy and Kevin:
Gosh – you would never believe the devastation!! With one Cyclone followed by another – which was much more severe – most of our Staff have lost their houses! As it’s cyclone season there are no yachts around, so no damage there – I would not know the situation in the outer islands for yachts coming to Vanuatu. Here at Yachting World – in Port Vila – we hope to lift all our 37 moorings in the Harbour – and all of our moorings on the Marina – as soon as is possible – hopefully by 1st May – to accommodate yachts
arriving in Port Vila. The Yachting World Office building has lost most of its roof – but staff are
tying large tarpaulins – until we can repair it.
SY Discovery cruised Vanuatu in September 2019. Overall, an amazing country to visit.
We found the Rocket Cruising Guide to Vanuatu invaluable in our planning and navigation. Amongst other lovely anchorages, we anchored in the inner anchorage at Uliveo in the Maskelyne Islands. When going ashore, we met Philip who has very recently (in September 2019) established the Lavrisi Yacht Club where we were offered coconuts and kava. Philip gave us a tour of the island (on foot), it was really excellent and we highly recommend it. Philip also offers other assistance and is very helpful.
Simon in the Vanuatu Gov offices has confirmed the following places to clear into Vanuatu:
Espiritu Santo – Luganville; Efate – Port Vila; Tanna – Lenakel; Banks Islands – Sola. His number is +678 774 7513 for contact.
Clearance into Vanuatu – reported by SY Golden Glow October 8th, 2018:
IMPORTANT UPDATE.
We cleared immigration at Port Resolution in August with no problem, but customs had to be done in Port Vila when we got there some weeks later (the officials in Tanna told us not to worry about the delay and officials in Port Vila also had no problem with that).
Friends who tried to clear Vanuatu immigration into Tanna EITHER in Lenakel or Port Resolution a few weeks ago, however, were told it is no longer possible. There was a sign on the door in Lenakel saying go to Port Vila.
So folks, check the current status before you go. Stanley in Port Resolution May have the answer +678 68791
Loltong Bay- North Western Pentecost
We visited Loltong Bay which is a very secure sand bottom reef anchorage for any winds from the east. Note that the buffeting winds around the very tall steep mountains do cause accelerated bullets from all directions which jolt on the chain but provided you have set the anchor well is still secure (we had 40-knot gusts). It is important to note where the reef is on all sides & how close you will be if the wind comes from a different direction to how you set the anchor. While most of the western coasts of Maewo & Pentecost are affected by the south-east swell wrapping around in developed conditions, Loltong Bay & Asanvari on SW Maewo are calm & swell free.
The families that run the Vatulo Yacht Club here on the left-hand side of Loltong Bay are Matthew & Marie (Tel: +678 5344714) with their 5 adopted children. They were the kindest & most welcoming people we have met here in the friendliest country on earth! The rest of the village were equally friendly.
In Sept 2018 both Maewo & Pentecost received heavy unseasonal rain & the Yacht club collapsed. They used to offer yachties meals, a book swap, and tour bookings, but with no physical shelter for the club, they have put all services on hold.
While we were there Marie created a wonderful meal for us out of the tiny hut next door over a fire in exchange for help fixing their sailing dingy. We encouraged them to still offer meals to yachties despite not having a permanent shelter, so anyone visiting here please support them. Maybe they will have rebuilt already by next 2019 season but if not, I am sure that any help would be very much appreciated in getting them back on their feet. Also, if anyone has a sailing dingy, the kids are eager to learn & race too!
Message from Vanuatu Yacht Services:
Good evening from Efate, Vanuatu. We would like to inform all visiting yachts small and large that the island of Ambae is currently off limits to visitors. ⚠️Please do not attempt to anchor anywhere along Ambae’s coastline as you will end up facing issues with the local authorities. ⚠️There is a current state of emergency on Ambae (due to volcanic activity) and all the people have been evacuated to the surrounding islands of Maewo and Santo.
The police and army are tasked with looking after all property on the island and they do not want any visitors nosing around. ???? We hope the situation will eventually return to normal for the people who have been displaced. Anyone wishing to assist evacuees in the new settlement sites can contact us to find out how to do so.
you.
Port Dues
Port dues are now 8050 vatus for the first month.
RE Shopping & the environment: while Vanuatu has banned single-use plastic bags, drinking straws & takeaway containers, (which is fantastic) the markets & supermarkets still hand out the plastic mesh bags when you buy small sized vegetables. In the supermarket this was easy as we take our own cotton or mesh veggie bags with us anyway, at the market they are pre packaged but only tied not crimped so the vendors were more than happy to take the bags back & re-use them (as they have to pay for them)so we emptied them into our own bags.
Also when trading, think about the items you are giving. Small packets of laundry powder & milk are very useful but as the remote islands have no means to dispose of their rubbish responsibly we saw the discarded wrappers of these items in particular just strewn about the villages. We saved practically EVERY single container onboard which would be suitable for decanting cooking oil, rice, coffee, laundry powder, etc & found that people would keep these to use again for something else as water & air tight seals are hard to come by!
While in Port Villa 2018 we investigated the procedures for duty-free alcohol intake in Villa, even though we would be clearing out of Sola in several weeks’/ months time. Customs said it can be done, but they have to physically come to the boat to “seal” the goods & the inter island cruising permit would have to be amended/ re-issued (in order for Luganville to check the goods).
We would then have to get another new cruising permit in Luganville to check out of Sola. We decided not proceed.
Navigator 1 and several other yachts arrived at Erromango island in Vanuatu at Dillions Bay (or Williams Bay as the locals call it after John Williams). We all had clothes to give to Villagers, however, we did ask the Chief (Jason Mete – Cell: 7767737) for a list of items that are required in most Villages throughout Vanuatu. This is a general request to any visiting Yachts to please bring products with them as donations. We didn’t realise the extent of the gear they needed.
Clothes: Men’s, women’s, children and babies. The latter two are important as adult clothes are easy to obtain from the likes of Australia.
Cooking items: Pots, spoons, cups, kitchen knives
Bush knives or Machetes
Shoes
Student books
Reading books
Pens, Pencils
Children’s toys
Small solar lights or panels of any size
Torches
Fishing gear: lines, lures, hooks
School laptops
Milk, Milo, rice (25kg bags), sweets
Any of these items would be gratefully accepted and can help a great deal. Thankyou
Feedback from Port Vila Boatyard re Mele Bay:
Mele Bay – Hideaway Island is not a safe anchorage. While it’s fine in good weather overnight or as a day Anchorage, unless one gets very close to shore it’s actually too deep to anchor there, then if a westerly comes through a vessel will then get dangerously close to shore. Not a place to leave a vessel unattended. Beach Bar is great fun but they now do have a jet-ski operator there.
We actually rescued that large red catamaran from the beach a few years ago after it was washed ashore in the night when it was left unattended. Had it not been for the immediate assistance of Vanuatu Yacht Services and Marine Surveyors and Consultants with the help of the people of Mele village that we organised to help, the vessel would have been a total loss. I am concerned that the information presented on Noonsite regarding Mele bay being a safe anchorage will lead to another yacht being washed ashore there.
Posted on behalf of Jan Bochenski, SY Bold Spirit (UK)
Cruising the whole of Vanuatu, one can safely say there are more mechanical spare parts available in Luganville than Port Vila.
Best Marine Engineer is JT or John Turner available on: +678 7101766
Re: Visit and feedback on land diving, Southern Pentecost Island, Vanuatu
By s/y honey (Australia)
We recently witnessed the phenomenal land diving on Southern Pentecost Island with a number of other yachties. The villages are quite poor in Vanuatu, and finding recovery from Cyclone Pam is challenging. We asked if the 10,000 vatu (about $125 Aud.) per person ticket to the land diving was helping the village and beyond.
We were told by a local that the chief who collects this money does not use it to contribute to the health and education for the village, but uses it instead for personal gain.
We suggest asking the village people and the chiefs where fees are going before paying.
The Vanuatu Customs website is now working perfectly and all forms are available to download.
Regarding bringing crew into Vanuatu. This is NO PROBLEM. We read here that bonds might be payable equal to a flight home. Or that a return ticket was required.
This is simply not the case. The process is very simple. Provide a letter to immigration in Port Vila stating that “John doe” is joining your yacht, and will be arriving on flight, etc… Along with a copy of the crew’s passport.
Bring this to the immigration office in Port Vila and Vatu$6,000 ($60.00) and you’re set. Dead easy. And the immigration folks are amazingly easy to work with. Love this country!
Hi, first comments here on noonsite.
First off, I’d like to comment on just how amazing a country Vanuatu is to visit by yacht. Without exception, every encounter with the myriad of officials we all must deal with entering countries have been outstandingly friendly, accommodating, polite — and did I mention friendly??
A few comments to be helpful. On the Vanuatu Customs Website, there is a form to fill in for advance arrival. It doesn’t work. Nor do any of the phone numbers. They’re having some IT issues. Use the email address: customsborder@vanuatu.gov.vu for the required advance notification of arrival.
We stayed in touch with customs on our crossing from Fiji. We requested clearance for Port Resolution as is now required. Within 30 minutes of dropping the pick down — we were boarded and cleared into Vanuatu by two of the friendliest government officials we’ve ever encountered! Yes, it did cost some extra money to clear-in to port resolution — as opposed to Lenaki on the other side of the island — but after experiencing the experience of traversing the two ports in the back of a 4×4, it’s worth the expense!
Some other notes about Tamna. There are NO ATMs that will work with foreign cards. Full stop. None. You MAY be able to find OEM guest-house or other business on the other side of the island in Lenakel that MAY have enough cash in they’re ’till to help you out, but DON’T count on it. Of coming from Fiji, go to the airport with your passport, and, most important, your customs paperwork — and you can exchange whatever dollars you might have for Vanuatu Vatu.
Clearing in at port resolution will cost v$10,000 ($100.00). Bring lots more V$ with you as everything will cost money. Going up the volcano, visiting custom villages, etc., all require vatu$. And every penny spent is worth it!
… More coming …
I recommend Mele Bay as an anchorage. It is much better holding than Port Vila and has good protection from SE if you tuck into the corner near the big red racing cat mooring. Beach bar has good food & entertainment. Port Vila market is only 15 mins away y public bus at 150 vatus. Quiet anchorage without all the jet skis.
Warning re unleaded fuel in Vanuatu. I recently returned from Vanuatu. In September Pacific Fuel, the supplier of most fuel in the country managed to distribute unleaded fuel that contained not 10% ethanol but 30%! This has resulted in damage to outboards that used it, including my tender’s 8hp Mariner. Cruisers need to check their fuel before using any Pacific Fuel product. The company still distributed their faulty product rather than recalling it.
Posted on behalf of Anthony Swanston of s/v/Wild Fox
Port Vila Boatyard, Efate
Just a few words about this out of the way boatyard. It was taken over by Justin, a South African, about two years ago. They offer a full range of repair and caretaker services including cyclone certified moorings.
The small repair job they did for me was carried out very expertly and at a reasonable cost. All the employees are long serving. I watched them haul a catamaran and they had two divers in the water to ensure that everything was OK.
Efate is not somewhere you would automatically think of when getting work done but my experience demonstrates that it is a location that should be on your list.
Posted on behalf of Peter Wederell of Total Marine Solutions:
There’s a new boatyard being developed on Santo which should be operational early next year. It has a 60 ton travel lift and plans are to have a multihull haulout facility as well.