Vanuatu is an archipelago of 83 islands, stretching some 1,300 kilometres north to south, between Fiji and New Caledonia. Each island has its own unique culture and, like the weather, the welcome is always warm.
Peak season
Peak season is during the cooler winter months (April to September) and when most visitors arrive on cheap flights to Vanuatu. But don’t worry the weather will still be warm, with temps averaging 23C, and you’re able to swim all year round. Vanuatu is a popular getaway destination for Australian families, especially for school holidays, so expect flight tickets to be more expensive during April, July and September and the beginning of October.
The three most popular regions when searching for cheap flights to Vanuatu are: Port Vila, Espiritu Santo and smaller Tanna Island, which can be accessed by inter-island flight or boat cruise. Vanuatu really does offer something for everyone, whether you’re into active sports such as scuba diving or bungy jumping, or simply appreciating beautiful beaches, waterfalls and island culture.
Off Season
There are less tourists in the wet summer season (November to March) which means accommodation deals and cheap flights to Vanuatu. Average temps are around 28C in November / December and rise to 34C from January to March. High humidity and rain can make travelling unpleasant at this time, cyclones are also a possibility.
Consider which islands you want to visit and what you want to do when booking your cheap flights to Vanuatu. For hiking, June to August are the best months, while late October is a great time to book flights to Vanuatu as it is outside of school holidays and pre-wet season. Pentecost Island is best visited between April and June if you wish to see the locals practise Naghol (land diving). On Tanna, the Toka (the clan dance) is held between August and November.
Flights from Sydney to Vanuatu – 3 hrs 20 mins
Flights from Brisbane to Vanuatu – 2 hrs 30 mins
Flights from Melbourne to Vanuatu – 3 hrs 20 mins
Flights from Adelaide to Vanuatu – 4 hrs 20 mins
Flights from Perth to Vanuatu – 6 hrs 45 mins
The main airlines that operate flights to Vanuatu from Australia are: Air Vanuatu, Virgin Australia and Qantas. Air Vanuatu operates direct international flights to Port Vila from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane - from Brisbane you can also fly directly to Espiritu Santo. Virgin Australia has cheap flights to Vanuatu and flies a few times a week to Port Vila. Upon reaching Port Vila there are many domestic flights to reach other islands.
Vanuatu has three international airports: Bauerfield Airport on Port Vila; Pekoa Airport on Espiritu Santo and Whitegrass Airport on Tanna Island. When you’ve landed at Port Vila you can catch a minibus into town, the journey will take around 10 minutes, or get picked up by hotel transfer. It is a similar set up in Santo and Tanna Island, with buses and taxis on hand, or hotel pick up service.