Compare Cheap Flights from Melbourne to Vanuatu
Vanuatu is a scenic island group located in the South Pacific. The island archipelago is made up of 83 different islands full of gorgeous beaches, jungles, and an exciting culture. Whether you prefer to relax or stay busy on holiday, Vanuatu is perfect for you. The beaches offer a quiet experience, and there are plenty of adventure activities, including snorkelling, diving, and hiking. Vanuatu has plenty of budget accommodations, and if you want to experience some luxury, you’ll be spoilt for choice with all of the beautiful island resorts. The people of Vanuatu are some of the friendliest you will meet, and they love to teach visitors about their rich and interesting culture. When you’re looking for a tropical getaway, you can never go wrong with return flights from Melbourne to Vanuatu.
With more than 400 cheap flights from Melbourne to Vanuatu each week, you have lots of opportunities to take a trip to paradise. The majority of these flights arrive into Port Vila Bauerfield Airport (VLI), and the others arrive to the two smaller Vanuatu airports. Several airlines offer cheap airfares from Melbourne to Vanuatu. Virgin Australia, Qantas, Fiji Airways, Air Vanuatu, and Aircalin all have return flights from Melbourne to Vanuatu. Travelling to one of the smaller Vanuatu airports, you can catch Qantas or Air Vanuatu to get there. There are no direct flights available from MEL to VLI, but the quickest option gets you there in less than 7 hours with a stopover in Sydney. If you’re travelling to Santo Pekoa Airport (SON), you can also arrive in about 7 hours with a stopover in Brisbane. Whitegrass Airport (TAH) is the smallest of the major Vanuatu airports. Flying from Melbourne, you will have a couple of stopovers, and flights often include a long stopover in Vanuatu’s capital city of Port Vila.
Eager to escape the city for a little slice of paradise? Webjet makes it easy for you to save time and money when booking flights. Webjet compares cheap airfares from Melbourne to Vanuatu to find the best deals for you. Book your return flights from Melbourne to Vanuatu with Webjet, and use our guide to start planning for your MEL to VLI holiday.
Things to do in Vanuatu
Millennium Cave
This spot is a favourite for visitors to Vanuatu. Located just outside Luganville, Millennium Cave is 20 metres wide and 50 metres tall. It takes a bit of work to arrive at the cave by trekking through the jungle and walking across bamboo bridges. But you will be nicely rewarded for your efforts. Once at the cave, you can climb down into it on a bamboo ladder. There is a large natural pool where you can go for a swim surrounded by the Vanuatu jungle and waterfalls. Several guided tours of this cave are available.
National Museum of Vanuatu
If you don’t know much about Vanuatu’s history and culture, definitely make this a stop during your MEL to VLI holiday. You’ll learn so much about Vanuatu and get to see lots of traditional relics, including instruments, canoes, ceremonial headdresses, pottery, and jewellery. The museum is located within the capital and largest city in Vanuatu—Port Vila.
Mount Yasur
Located on Tanna Island, this is an active volcano that you can get right up close to. You can hike up, which takes about 45 minutes. But the most popular way to visit Mount Yasur is on a guided 4x4 tour. The tour takes you within 150 metres of the volcano’s rim, giving you a great view. If you hike up to the volcano without a guide, take caution. There are no guard rails around the edges of the rim. The volcano is most active once the wet season ends, making that a great time to visit.
Mele Cascades
For a scenic trip out of Port Vila, the Mele Cascades are a beautiful set of waterfalls. Several small cascades are stacked in tiers, and at the very bottom, there is a natural pool. It’s a great scenic place to go swimming.
Hideaway Island
This small island is located just off the coast of Mele Beach near Port Vila. A free ferry transports passengers from the mainland to Hideaway Island throughout the day. The island is an amazing spot for snorkelling, diving, and various other water activities.
Lounge on the Beach
Of course you can’t visit Vanuatu without spending some time at the beach. All of Vanuatu is made up of beautiful beaches with bright turquoise water, soft white sand, and palm trees. Vanuatu is a great place to try out some water activities, including canoeing, paddle boarding, and snorkelling. While all Vanuatu beaches are gorgeous, some are especially great. Champagne Beach is a horseshoe shaped beach located on Espiritu Santo. Port Olry beach is located close by, so you could easily beach-hop between the two. The Havannah Beach and Boat Club makes for a perfect day trip from Port Vila. Louniel Beach on Tanna Island offers a unique experience. Rather than white sand, it’s a black sand beach, and it’s known for its great surfing.
Learn about Vanuatu Culture
The people of Vanuatu have interesting history and traditions. Ekasup Village outside of Port Vila offers a great experience to learn about their customs. In the village, you meet locals and hear their stories. You can also learn how to make several traditional items, such as weaved mats, natural medicine, and local food. Friday nights are an especially exciting time to visit. This is Feast Night when the village throws a festival with lots of traditional food and entertainment.
Departing from Melbourne
Melbourne Airport (also known to locals as Melbourne Tullamarine) is located north of the city and is the departure point for most international flights leaving Melbourne. Each day, there’s an average of about 60 cheap flights from Melbourne to Vanuatu on many of the top airlines, including Qantas, Virgin Australia, and Fiji Airways. Avalon Airport is Melbourne’s second airport. It’s a small airport with flights within Australia, but some international flights depart from Avalon if they are connecting through Sydney. Qantas and Air Vanuatu have some MEL to VLI flights that depart from Avalon Airport.
Getting to Melbourne Airport (MEL)
The SkyBus is the most stress-free way to get to Melbourne Airport with five different express routes. Each bus route runs every day of the week and is equipped with Wifi onboard.
The Melbourne City Express gets you from Southern Cross Station to Melbourne Airport in less than 45 minutes. Buses run every 10 minutes between 4:30AM-midnight, so you’ll be to the airport and on your way from MEL to VLI in no time. The City Express runs 24 hours, so even in the early hours of the morning, you can catch a ride to the airport every 15-30 minutes. Tickets for the City Express are $18 online or $19.50 at Southern Cross Station.
The Southbank Docklands Express has six different pick-up points around the Southbank and Docklands. This SkyBus runs between 7AM-7PM and departs regularly for the airport. Buses leave every half hour during the week and every hour during the weekend. Tickets for the Southbank Docklands Express can be purchased online for $18.
If you’re travelling from St Kilda, you can catch the St Kilda Express from four different locations. The bus runs every half hour during the week between 6:15AM-8PM and every hour during the weekend between 6AM-7PM. The St Kilda Express to the airport is $19 and will get you to Melbourne Airport in about an hour.
Coming from a bit further south of the city? The Peninsula Express has 16 pick-up points along the Mornington Peninsula and southeastern beaches, including Brighton and Frankston. Fares vary between $22-$55 based on your departure point, and there are buses scheduled throughout the day. Check the SkyBus website for your stop’s timetable.
If you’re coming from the western suburbs, you can catch the Western Express with pick-up points in Werribee and Tarneit. Tickets are $21, and buses depart each hour between 6:15AM-6:30PM.
Prefer to take a taxi or an Uber? Leaving from the CBD, a taxi will have you at Melbourne Airport in less than a half hour. From the CBD, taxi fare to the airport costs about $55-$75.
Parking at Melbourne Airport
If you plan on driving to the airport, Melbourne Airport has a couple of parking options to choose from. The best option for budget-conscious travellers parking for more than a couple days is the Long Term car park. You can park for less than $10 a day, and the sooner you reserve your spot, the lower your rate will be. A free shuttle bus is available to take you from the car park to the airport terminals in less than 5 minutes, so you can be on your way to Vanuatu Airport in no time!
Getting to Avalon Airport (AVV)
Avalon Airport is located about 50 km southwest of Melbourne’s CBD, just outside of Geelong. The Skybus has an Avalon City Express route, which picks up passengers from Southern Cross Station and on Synnot Street in Werribee. Tickets from the CBD cost $22, and tickets from Werribee are $19. The Skybus Avalon timetable changes a little bit each day, but has buses scheduled to meet all departing and arriving flights. The Skybus will get you to Avalon Airport in 50 minutes from the CBD and 30 minutes from Werribee.
Parking at Avalon Airport
Avalon Airport has a “tap and go” system for its car park. When you arrive, you can either take a ticket or tap your credit card. If you choose to get a ticket, you can pay via a pay machine at the end of your trip when you’re leaving the airport. With the tap and go system, you simply tap off with the same credit card you used when you arrived, and you will be charged the corresponding amount. The cost of parking varies and the price per day goes down for each day you are parked. If you book return flights from Melbourne to Vanuatu for 4 days, it would cost $77 to park. However, if you purchase cheap flights from Melbourne to Vanuatu for 2 weeks, it would only cost $132 to park. The car park is under 24-hour surveillance and is located just outside the airport, so you can be inside the terminal within a few minutes.
Arriving in Vanuatu
Vanuatu is made up of several different airports. The majority of airports are small and operate flights between islands of Vanuatu. The country has three main airports that international visitors can fly into. These airports are located on different islands, making it easy for visitors to get to the island where they are staying. The country’s major airports are called Port Vila Bauerfield Airport (VLI), Santo Pekoa Airport (SON), and Whitegrass Airport (TAH).
Getting to your hotel from Port Vila Bauerfield Airport (VLI)
This is Vanuatu’s main airport and where the majority of international flights arrive to. The airport is located just outside of Port Vila, which is the capital and largest city in Vanuatu. Port Vila is located on the island of Efate and is centrally located within the islands of Vanuatu. Many hotels offer airport transfers from Port Vila Bauerfield Airport (VLI) for their guests. Check with your hotel if they can arrange a transfer for you, but if not, you can still get into town quickly and easily.
Vanuatu doesn’t have any public transportation, but the closest thing are minibuses that are privately operated by locals. Minibuses have a B on their licence plate and cost about 150-200 vatu (about $1.80-$2.50). Minibuses don’t pick up from the International Terminal, but you can easily walk from there to the Domestic Terminal to catch a minibus.
A taxi is the most convenient way to get to Port Vila. The taxi ride into the centre of town takes about 15 minutes, and taxi fare costs about 1000 vatu.
Getting to your hotel from Santo Pekoa Airport (SON)
Santo Pekoa Airport (SON) is the second largest airport in Vanuatu. It is located on Vanuatu’s largest island, Espiritu Santo. This island is located in the north of Vanuatu, making Santo Pekoa Airport (SON) a great spot to fly into if you’ll be staying on one of the northern islands in Vanuatu. The airport is located just outside the town of Luganville. Many hotels across Vanuatu offer free airport transfers, so check with them if it’s a service they offer. If not, there are a couple other ways to get to your hotel.
Since Vanuatu doesn’t have any public transportation, privately-owned minibuses are the most affordable way to get around. Look for a small bus with a B on its licence plate. Minibus fare varies by exact location, but a ride from Santo Pekoa Airport (SON) into the centre of town costs about 200 vatu.
A taxi from the airport is an affordable, quick, and convenient option. The ride from Santo Pekoa Airport (SON) into Luganville only takes about 10 minutes, and fare costs between 600-800 vatu.
Getting to your hotel from Whitegrass Airport (TAH)
Whitegrass Airport (TAH) is a small airport located on Tanna Island in the south of Vanuatu. Whitegrass Airport (TAH) is located north of Lenakel, which is the largest town and major port on Tanna Island. Check with your hotel if they offer airport transfers from Whitegrass Airport (TAH). If not, you can easily get a ride into town.
There’s no public transportation in Vanuatu, and privately-owned minibuses are the closest thing. Minibuses meet all arriving flights to Whitegrass Airport (TAH) and drop passengers to hotels around the area. The cost of minibuses varies a bit by location, but tends to cost about 200 vatu.
A taxi is a quick and affordable way to arrive into town. The ride will only take 15 minutes into the centre of Lenakel, and taxi fare costs about 1000 vatu.
