Vanuatu SKETCH SCORE: 77/100Vanuatu moved -3 this weekNo major changes since yesterday.Vanuatu SKETCH SCORE: 77/100Vanuatu moved -3 this weekNo major changes since yesterday.
Vanuatu

Go, but pay attention.

No major changes since yesterday.

Verified Sep 9, 2026Confidence high▼ -3 this week
77Sketch Score
90-day trend

Governments, one trip

What they're telling their own citizens about Vanuatu

The real score

The breakdown

100advisoryConsensus
69Political Stability
58Police Trust
72Health
67Road Safety
49Natural Disaster
90LGBTQ+

See it from your perspective

77

Go, but pay attention.

The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.

Staying healthy

What to watch out for, health-wise

Active notices

  • • Global Dengue
  • • Global Measles

Vaccines

Required: Yellow Fever

Recommended: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Malaria, Measles, Rabies, Typhoid

Source: CDC Travelers' Health →

Getting in

What you'll need at the border

Visitors to Vanuatu must obtain an e-Visa unless they are citizens of one of the visa-exempt countries.

Source: Wikipedia →

Real, not invented

Terrorism

Although there’s no recent history of terrorism in Vanuatu, attacks cannot be ruled out.

Source: UK FCDO →

Real, not invented

Cultural & legal notes

Dress code

Do not wear beachwear away from beaches and hotels.

Source: UK FCDO →

LGBT+ travellers

Same-sex relationships are legal in Vanuatu. However, showing affection in public may attract unwanted and negative attention and is likely to offend some people. Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers .

Source: UK FCDO →

Right now

In the news the last few days

Real talk

What travelers actually say

Travelers discuss safety in Vanuatu primarily through the lens of cultural tourism and environmental events. There is no consensus or specific data provided regarding violent crime, street safety, or typical tourist scams. The primary safety concern mentioned is the occurrence of earthquakes. Regarding cultural activities like land diving on Pentecost Island, participants note that the practice involves significant physical risk to the performers, with reports of fatalities occurring even within the designated season. Tourists are advised that these events are often driven by the presence of paying visitors, creating a high-stakes environment for the participants involved.

Even within season, we were told that at least one or two people die every year.

— r/travel

Failing that, I was going to head to Vanuatu instead, but now it appears that they have unfortunately had an earthquake.

— r/travel

Sometimes you might be just sitting on a log after paying for a ticket and thinking you’ll be witness to an event that you think is purely cultural. But the event is actually purely for you and their safety may pay the price.

— r/travel

Pack this, know this

The little things that trip people up

🔌

Plug & voltage

I · 230V

🚗

Driving side

right

🚨

Emergency

police: 111 / ambulance: 112 / fire: 113

Cash vs. Card

The local currency is the Vanuatu vatu (ISO code: VUV), abbreviated VT. There are notes for 200 VT, 500 VT, 1000 VT, 2000 VT, 5000 VT, and 10,000 VT while coins are 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 VT. The current series of vatu banknotes is printed entirely on polymer. Two series of vatu coins are in circulation, the post-independence (1982) issues and the new 2015 issues.

Source: Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA) →
Show the receipts (8 sources)
Printable pre-trip checklist for Vanuatu →