Pacific Islands · Vanuatu
Port Vila & Efate
A tall, narrow cavern and several wrecks a short boat ride from the capital
Efate, the island around Vanuatu's capital Port Vila, is ringed by fringing reef, with bommies, drop-offs, caverns and several wrecks in the protected waters of the bay. The dives include the Cathedral, a tall narrow cavern at Pango Point, and the wrecks of the Konanda, the Semele Federesen and the Star of Russia. Most dives run from about 5 m to 25 m, and visibility is rarely below 20 m.
About diving in Port Vila & Efate
Port Vila operators collect divers from their hotels and bring them back afterwards, and many of the best sites are only minutes away in the protected waters of the bay; the Cathedral is about a 20-minute boat ride from town. On Moso Island the resort centre runs shore dives straight from the beach in front of it as well as boat dives. Port Vila holds Vanuatu's only hyperbaric chamber. On the Semele Federesen the depth and occasional current mean a disciplined dive plan is followed.
Gotham City is a large reef rising to within 6 m of the surface, named for its batfish and visited by whitetip reef sharks, barracuda and dogtooth tuna. Pink Panther drops from an 8 m mooring to 90 m and more, its namesake anemones deep red in summer and fluorescent pink in winter. Bougainvillea Reef is a flat reef 12 to 14 m deep, full of corals and anemones, that falls to 30 m in cascades of yellow staghorn. The hard and soft corals are in excellent condition.
Port Vila suits newcomers well: it is a good place for a first try dive or an Open Water course, lessons can often start in a resort pool, and a sloping training reef runs from a 5 m mooring out to 12 m. The Konanda makes a first wreck, with safe penetration into the holds, cabin and bridge. Experienced divers get more from the deeper end: after the Semele Federesen the dive moves onto the nearby reef for a multi-level profile, and the Cathedral ends in a narrow chimney that leads up to the surface.
Best time to dive Port Vila & Efate
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair |
Diving runs all year round on Efate. November to April is the cyclone season and the low season, and the rain falls from December to March, though the steep drop-offs keep it from spoiling the visibility; some resorts and tourist businesses shut entirely between mid-January and mid-March. The water is warmest from January to May. July to September is the dry season and the peak, pleasantly warm rather than hot, and busiest in the Australian school holidays of mid-July and late September. August has the coolest water of the year, about 24 °C.
Dive types & marine life
Turtles and eagle and cowtail rays are seen regularly. Schools of humphead Maori wrasse have been seen off Pango Point. Nautilus, Spanish dancers and turtles are regular at Twin Bommies, especially at night. Manta rays, dolphins and dugongs are occasional rather than expected.
- Reef
- Wreck
- Cave & cavern
- Wall
- Night
- Sea turtles
- Eagle rays
- Stingrays
- Reef sharks
- Barracuda
- Tuna
- Napoleon wrasse
- Nudibranchs
- Pristine corals
Best dive sites in Port Vila & Efate
Wreck
An intact island trader sitting upright on sand
A cavern passage that ends in a chamber open to the surface
Reef
Two coral heads full of grottos, with nautilus seen at night
Reef
Long fingers of blue, yellow and green staghorn on the western side
Semele Federesen Wreck
Inter-island cargo vessel sunk for divers in 1985, its propeller at 40 m.
Star of Russia
Three-masted sailing ship built in 1874, lying in 36 m.
Owen's Reef
Staghorn fields, towering pinnacles, enormous brain corals, soft corals and fans.
Bonzer Wreck
Small freighter scuttled upright in shallow water, suited to inexperienced wreck divers.
How to get to Port Vila & Efate
Port Vila's small airport is Vanuatu's main gateway, with flights from Sydney, Brisbane, Noumea, Nadi and Honiara. One dive centre sits on the Port Vila seawall, another works from a resort on Moso Island, and a third from a beach resort outside town inside a marine protected area.
Dive videos
Diving, Port Vila, Efate Island, Vanuatu · darkman74 on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Is Port Vila a good place to learn to dive?+
Yes. Port Vila is a good place for a first Discover Scuba Diving session or a full Open Water course; lessons can often start in a resort pool, and a gently sloping training reef runs from a 5 m mooring out to 12 m.
When is the best time to dive Port Vila and Efate?+
Diving runs all year. July to September is the dry season and the peak. November to April is the cyclone season, with rain from December to March; the steep drop-offs keep the visibility, but some resorts and businesses close between mid-January and mid-March.
Can divers on Efate dive from shore?+
Yes, on Moso Island, where shore dives start from the beach in front of the resort over coral gardens. Sites such as the Cathedral, about 20 minutes from Port Vila, are reached by boat.
Which Efate wreck suits a first wreck dive?+
The Bonzer, a small freighter scuttled upright in shallow water, suits inexperienced wreck divers, and the intact Konanda is also a good first wreck. The Semele Federesen, with its propeller at 40 m and sometimes a current, needs a disciplined dive plan.
Is there a recompression chamber near the dive sites?+
Yes. Port Vila, about a 20-minute boat ride from the Cathedral, has Vanuatu's only hyperbaric chamber.
Sources
- Big Blue Vanuatu — Big Blue Vanuatu
- Big Blue dive sites — Big Blue Vanuatu
- Diving - Tranquillity Island Resort — Tranquillity Island Resort
- South Pacific Memories — South Pacific Memories
- Guide to diving Vanuatu — Vanuatu Tourism Office
- Port Vila — Wikivoyage
Embed
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