Seeing a spectacular sight for yourself is one thing, but watching your kids’ reaction to a natural wonder is something else entirely. Vanuatu is packed full of family-friendly adventures that will have you talking about your holiday for years to come.
If you have ever travelled with kids, you will have heard "I’m bored" more times than you care to remember. Not in Vanuatu! As well as the facilities in your resort or hotel, such as man-made swimming pools and kids’ clubs run by enthusiastic locals, the tours and natural excursions in Vanuatu are a chance to experience new things with your kids. Family holidays here will have them on the edge of their seats with excitement and exhausted by the end of each day. Check out these top nine family-friendly adventures in Vanuatu.
Vanuatu’s Zipline
Vanuatu Jungle Zipline in Port Vila on the island of Efate is suitable for kids aged four and above, and offers a three-hour tour packed full of thrill-seeking fun. Take in the views over the tops of the trees out over Mele Bay as you speed along the wires. You’ll feel like you are flying as you take on the different ziplines and suspension bridges between the tree-top platforms. This family-friendly activity in Port Vila is available on its own or as part of a package with a helicopter ride.
Helicopter Over Efate
In Vanuatu, helicopters aren’t reserved for action-packed movie scenes. With several flight options departing from a floating pontoon in Port Vila harbour, you and your family can take off in style for an unforgettable adventure. Whether you want to meet the local marine life at the turtle sanctuary or touch down on an extinct volcano, Vanuatu Helicopters in Port Vila has family-friendly flights to suit everyone.
Blue Holes and Rope swings
These are not your average rope swings. Even the most seasoned rope-swing makers will be in awe of these creations, which are scattered at waterfalls and blue holes throughout Vanuatu. Just like something out of Tarzan, these huge swings will have the kids (and kids-at-heart) jumping for joy and queueing up for a few more goes. The crystal clear swimming holes in Vanuatu are vibrant shades of blue and have a great island vibe about them as villagers and visitors alike relax on the banks or take a refreshing dip, while the local kids (pikinini) welcome newcomers into their games as they splash about in the water. If you want to try something more challenging during your family holiday in Vanuatu, clamber to the top of the Mele Cascades waterfalls on Efate island and enjoy swimming in the pools and taking in the awesome views.
Mt Yasur Volcano Day Trip
The active volcano on the island of Tanna is a truly awe-inspiring natural wonder. It’s one of the world’s most accessible volcanoes, as four-wheel drive vehicles can drop you off just 150 metres from the edge of the crater. If you’ve got a spring in your step, you can always walk from the bottom. Stare into the belly of the earth as red-hot lava spits and dances, and steam rises from the centre of the 400-metre-wide crater. The desolate, blackened landscape of the 361-metre-high Mt Yasur Volcano is in stark contrast to the lush rainforest that makes up most of Vanuatu’s islands. This is due to the semi-regular eruptions that deposit volcanic rock and lava onto the ash plain. Travelling as a family is always a great way to teach your kids something new, and this is one experience they will not forget in a hurry. Book a Tanna volcano tour or arrange four-wheel-drive transport and a guide via your accommodation. Top tip: don’t forget to take a postcard to post in the letterbox on the volcano for the folks back home.
Kayaking in Santo
Snaking their way around the islands are kilometres of rivers and streams which connect up to Vanuatu’s famous blue holes. The island of Espiritu Santo has more blue holes than any of the other islands, and kayaking up the picturesque waterways is a great way to discover them while on your family holiday in Vanuatu. Keep the kids entertained with bird watching and spotting the fish that dart around under the boat as you paddle your way along.
Vanuatu Ecotours
If your family loves the great outdoors, an ecotour is a great way to experience Vanuatu’s magnificent natural beauty, while supporting conservation efforts. Whether you have teenagers or little ones, or kids with lots of different interests, there is a Vanuatu Ecotour that the whole family can enjoy; from mountain biking to turtle tagging, kayaking to bird watching.
Port Vila Buggy Adventures
Explore the island of Efate by buggy or quad bike on a Vanuatu tour that is perfect for thrill-seekers. Book ahead with Off Road Adventures and depart on your Port Vila tour to explore the beaches, jungles and remote rural areas of the island. Suitable for kids over five years of age, this experience is as exhilarating as it is muddy, so dress appropriately.
Snorkelling in Vanuatu
A Vanuatu snorkelling trip is the perfect family-friendly activity in Vanuatu. As you depart from the Back to Eden restaurant on Efate, your guide will show you huge anemones packed full of real-life Nemos (clownfish), giant clams and, if you're lucky, a sea turtle, too. After the tour, enjoy a drink at the restaurant as you watch the sun go down over the water. Other snorkelling and scuba diving in Vanuatu can be accessed via boat trips or straight off the beach. Some of the best snorkelling spots are the Second World War wrecks — especially the SS President Coolidge at Million Dollar Point (off the coast of Espiritu Santo) — and snorkelling tours to smaller islands from Efate such as Hideaway Island and Lelepa Island. Top tip: it is worth packing a snorkel set to explore the blue holes and beach reefs you’ll discover all over Vanuatu.
Vanuatu’s Best Beaches
Some of Vanuatu’s best beaches are on the island of Espiritu Santo. After exploring inland, an afternoon on the beach can be just what the doctor ordered. Port Olry on the north-east of Santo is a picturesque bay with islands and coral reefs just off the beach which you can kayak to, as well as beachside huts serving tasty local seafood dishes. Just south of Port Olry is Champagne Beach, where the calm, clear water makes it perfect for younger kids to swim. There are also market stalls and walking trails here if you want to stretch your legs. Travelling on Efate? Head to the family-friendly Eton Beach for an afternoon paddle.
