Vanuatu’s tourism slogan is genuinely creative. Among the 14 island nations of the South Pacific, Vanuatu is a rising star in tourism, the writer says. — Photos: LEESAN
My first impression of Vanuatu can be summed up in three words: “Surprisingly not bad.”
Firstly, the level of civility here is impressive. Drivers will spontaneously stop to give way to street-crossing pedestrians, and nobody ever honks.
Secondly, prices of anything and everything sold are clearly marked, even the vegetables and meat at a wet market. You don’t need to ask the sellers, and you don’t need to bargain either.
The country is also bilingual. Road and street signs, supermarket labels and menus are in English and French. Most locals speak both language too.
Vanuatu is an island nation in the South Pacific. It gained independence from both Britain and France in 1980, and English and French are still used today as official languages of instruction.
Schools are categorised into either English or French streams, while local residents use their native language in day-to-day conversations.
It is usually not easy for a small country to remain bilingual and still be so orderly.
The Chinese community in Vanuatu has long been involved in large-scale retail businesses like hardware stores, and real estate.
Having travelled around the world all these years, I have slowly come to observe a certain pattern: The development trend of a country post-colonisation to a large extent depends on its adoption of the colonial system. Some countries are fiercely “anti-colonisation” and tend to mow down everything colonial and start afresh, in the end causing much turmoil and instability.
Other countries, meanwhile, adopt some of the colonial systems while coming up with their own, but often find themselves stuck between the two.
As for Vanuatu, the country has opted to retain much of the colonial system and is in no hurry for pan-localisation. Although development here moves slowly, stability and global connectivity are assured.
This probably explains why a small country with a tiny population of 330,000, not-too modern infrastructure and limited resources has been able to lure so many foreigners to reside and settle here.
Indeed, Vanuatu has no oil deposits or gold mines, nor large swaths of forested land, but it has become the “back garden” of many in Australia and New Zealand.
For so many years both countries have been providing technology, environment, healthcare, education and military support to Vanuatu. Israel and Italy are now joining hands to construct a deepwater harbour there that will allow the berthing of large cargo ships and international cruise liners.
Countries like China, Japan and South Korea are also participating in the island nation’s burgeoning infrastructure and power generation projects.
As you can tell, those with good resources will not want to give this opportunity a miss. As a matter of fact, many foreign capitalists have cashed in on Vanuatu after the pandemic, snatching local properties and investment projects.
As a consequence, the cost of living for local residents has gone through the roof.
Diving, crystal clear waters, summer camps, and honeymoon travel are among the reasons why tourists come to Vanuatu.
Local Chinese residents whose ancestors migrated here almost a century ago told me that the people on the island are very simple, and are not too calculative. They hardly compare prices, and a few have dreams of travelling overseas. They are content with the island life.
Unfortunately, inflation is a growing problem.
Vanuatu’s capital, Port Vila, is located on Efate, one of the 83 islands that make up the country, and has a population of slightly over 50,000. Despite its size, the city has some supermarkets, commercial precincts, and even the University of the South Pacific law school, the only one of its kind in the entire region.
Mary, a primary school teacher, has to work as a ride-share driver on her free time to make ends meet. “Teachers nationwide have gone on strike for almost 10 months now. They make only RM1,800 a month, hardly enough for a decent living.
“A used Toyota costs about RM60,000 here, and the loan interest is as high as 20%,” she shared.
My 4km ride in her car cost RM38, so I understood her frustration.
Vanuatu has among the highest utility rates in the world too, and the Internet is slow and costly. Hotel rates are extremely high, even though not all hotels are 5-star properties. But, lobsters are relatively affordable, and golf balls are incredibly cheap, too.
Although the country is endowed with rich tourism resources, local infrastructure and day-to-day amenities are sorely lacking.
Nevertheless, aviation companies have set their eyes on the boundless business opportunities here, increasing their daily flights from Australia, New Zealand and the rest of the South Pacific. Demand for these flights is going up, too.
Parts of the capital, Port Vila, are gradually being restored after last year’s earthquake.
There is much to expect from Vanuatu’s future, but there’s no way to tell whether such expectations are positive or stormy.
A powerful earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale rocked Port Vila at 12.47pm on Dec 17, 2024, triggering a 25m-high tsunami that brought down more than 20 houses. The incident also killed 17 people and injured more than 250 others.
To a small country like Vanuatu, the tremor further aggravated the local economy, dealing a severe blow on investment sentiment and confidence.
Just like the first impression this island nation gives to its visitors, there is always something surprisingly good coming up when time is bad.
Precariously situated in the volcano and tsunami belt of the South Pacific, Vanuatu is still moving ahead albeit sluggishly. The pace is slow, but is never once halted.
The views expressed here are entirely the writer’s own.
Leesan, the globe-trotting traveller who has visited seven continents and 157 countries, enjoys sharing his travel stories and insights. He has also authored six books.
