Port Vila - Docking
After clearing in it is advisable to head for the protected inner harbour behind Irirki Island. Customs officials are reported to around regularly on their RIB going through the moorings and are very friendly.
Anchoring:
Anchoring is possible ahead of the quarantine area and outside of the mooring field. An anchor light must be used between sunset and sunrise.
Marina:
Contact Yachting World on VHF Channel 16 and they will action your request for a berth at the Yachting World Marina or a swing mooring in the harbour. Yachting World uses the VHF Channel 16 then asks you to switch to another designated channel of the day.
The Yachting World staff, in their yellow shirts and yellow striped dinghies, will meet you and assist you to the Marina or to an available swing mooring in the harbour.
Click here for Yachting World’s sailing directions for entering the inner harbour.
Please note that the Harbour regulations prohibit boats from rafting up on moorings, throwing trash or garbage in the water or pumping oily bilge water into the harbour. Non – compliance with these regulations may damage marine life and disrupt the various recreational activities that are enjoyed in Port Vila Harbour, so please do the right thing and keep everyone happy.
Havannah Harbour – North West of Efate
As of July 2019, all vessels are currently banned from entering Havannah Harbour due to an infestation of the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle. Click here for more detail.
This is another beautiful spot to spend some time and is well sheltered. Visiting yachts can hire a private mooring known as ‘Daves Mooring’ by contacting Jane on +678 779 2227. The buoy can be found at approx. position 17 35.35S 168 14.53E (opposite Jane’s house with orange walls). Water is available from Jane and rubbish can be left ashore.
Rubbish Disposal in Port Vila
For visiting yachts, there are Quarantine Rubbish Bins behind the Waterfront Bar and Grill, as well as an area to dispose of old oil. Rubbish in any bags can be disposed of here.
Yachting World will take their customers’ rubbish but do not want non-customers using their bins as YW obviously have to pay for the rubbish to be removed. There are no recycling facilities.
The Port Vila Boatyard will take any yachts rubbish and/or waste oil/fuel and used oil/fuel filters. Take your oil in sealed plastic containers and empty them into the waste oil drums. You can pull up your dinghy on the boatyard beach, drop by the office to say hello and put your rubbish in their bins.
Port Vila rubbish disposal in public rubbish bins is handled using pre-paid bags. If rubbish not in these bags is left, it will not be collected and there are very few public rubbish bins available.
Luganville also operates on the pre-paid bag system but has many more public rubbish bins available for use.
Last updated: July 2024
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Port Navigation
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More from Yachting World Marina:
Thank you all for your well wishes after the devastating hit we took from TC Judy and Kevin recently.
Whilst damage was sustained to a number of our buildings and roofs, as well as trees down etc., our wonderful staff have all chipped in and we were able to reopen #waterfrontbarandgrill which is very good news!
Whilst our old fuel pump should be functioning soon, we have a brand new one arriving in April.
Our sea wall is fully operational (we have a few yachts stationed comfortably on our sea wall right now) and mooring check/diving will be re-commencing in the hope of having all our moorings reinstated by the beginning of April.
We, as well as the Government authorities and resorts here, are all moving quickly to ensure Port Vila is cleaned up and repaired in time for the tourist season to begin at Easter.
Rest assured that all will be in order in time for the arrival of cruising yachts and our first rally in May. We are so looking forward to welcoming you all back in 2023.
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.
Port Vila customs are definitely NOT open on Saturday mornings, and if you arrive on Friday after 5pm expect to stay on your boat all weekend until they open the office again on Monday morning!
I found out the hard way, “check with Noonsite, before getting work done here”. A sail repair I had done here in Port Villa from a sailmaker OTHER than the one listed, turned out to be a very expensive affair. Recommendations following the job came too late. Erik has a good rep, go with him.
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.
The Beach Bar is great fun but they now do have a jet-ski operator there.