Your best experience in Vila

[matmar]

Hi all

 

Looking for find something interesting to do in Vila.

 

We are going to try and avoid the cruise line options and find a local operator to try and save some dollars.

 

Any tips/hints or contacts appreciated.

 

Mark

[MargnGrah]

Hi all

 

Looking for find something interesting to do in Vila.

 

We are going to try and avoid the cruise line options and find a local operator to try and save some dollars.

 

Any tips/hints or contacts appreciated.

 

Mark

 

At the wharf you will find dozens and dozens of cabs...(car/vans) just waiting to take you where ever you want to go. Most of them know the best places to go. Some suggestions are just doing a tour of the city and surrounds, Crystal Blue beach, Erakor Lagoon, Cascade Waterfalls, ask to be dropped off in vila and catch the ferry over to Iririki Resort.There is heaps of things at Vila.

Just google Vila and do some research on what interests you.

[Kinkacruiser]

Hi Mark,

In Port Vila, we took the ship's excursion to the village to see how the traditional Melanesians live. It was the Ekasup Cultural Village (a half day tour).I highly recommend it.

Cheers,

Kinka

[gkaclt]

In Port vila, we hired a mini bus fo half the day and Terry (our driver) took us on a sight seeing tour around town then of fto the local village. We stopped and visited the village school and played with the children. Our children 12,11,9,5 were able to see that they really have a good live and dont really need for any thing in their lives. Then he drove us to the top of the hill near the cascade waterfall to visit the Gecko man. He has 3 pet green Gecko that we all got to hold and get a really cute photo with 1 in each hand and 1 on our heads. We also got a amazing group shot of all 8 of us with the most lovely backdrop of the ocean and hills around. Shopping was good. Then back to the port to find Chrissy and give her our box of goodies we had brought her. It was the most memeroable day of our cruise.

 

Kelly:o

[MsMinx]

There's a local travel agent on a shop next to the iririki wharf by the name of John. He hooked us up with a lot of great trips when we honeymooned there. Maybe pay him a visit and see what he can offer you on the day? He's cheaper than P&O ;)

[dogboy53]

Hi all

 

Looking for find something interesting to do in Vila.

 

We are going to try and avoid the cruise line options and find a local operator to try and save some dollars.

 

Any tips/hints or contacts appreciated.

 

Mark

 

We spent the day at Iririki Island. Back in November last year it was a free water taxi ride over to the island. I believe they now charge about $30 but you get that back against lunch at the beautiful pool.

 

It was a great day snorkelling and then swimming at the pool with a swim up bar and smorgasboard lunch.

 

This was the view from Snorkellers Cove on Iririki looking across the harbour to Pacific Dawn.

 

[bawn2cruz]

We agree the Ekasup Cultural Village tour is a must.

 

We were in Vila last month and I (my wife won't fly in anthing smaller than a 'jumbo!) did the the seaplane 'flightseeing' which was awesome - the views from the air especially of the ship are something special. I paid for it with my OBC so I figured it cost me nothing!!

 

A tip - if you do decide to do it take the earliest departure, the weather is generally cooler and therefore, any turbulence is less likely. Our flight was very smooth.

 

It can only be booked through P & O as the operator is contracted to them whilst the ship is port.

 

Whatever you decide enjoy Port Vila.

 

Roy

[Seadreams27]

Have to agree about the Ekasup cultural tour, if you really want to get

a feel for these people, this is the way to do it.

There is demo's and stories on everything from their bush fridges, to

cannibalism. As stated is only a half day tour so leaves plenty of

time to explore Vila and some great duty free shops.:D

[Skyrules]

We agree the Ekasup Cultural Village tour is a must.

 

We were in Vila last month and I (my wife won't fly in anthing smaller than a 'jumbo!) did the the seaplane 'flightseeing' which was awesome - the views from the air especially of the ship are something special. I paid for it with my OBC so I figured it cost me nothing!!

 

A tip - if you do decide to do it take the earliest departure, the weather is generally cooler and therefore, any turbulence is less likely. Our flight was very smooth.

 

It can only be booked through P & O as the operator is contracted to them whilst the ship is port.

 

Whatever you decide enjoy Port Vila.

 

Roy

 

We did this flight independantly last year, before P&O starting doing flying shore tours again, and would thoroughly recommend it.

[arxcards]

We agree the Ekasup Cultural Village tour is a must.

 

We were in Vila last month and I (my wife won't fly in anthing smaller than a 'jumbo!) did the the seaplane 'flightseeing' which was awesome - the views from the air especially of the ship are something special. I paid for it with my OBC so I figured it cost me nothing!!

 

A tip - if you do decide to do it take the earliest departure, the weather is generally cooler and therefore, any turbulence is less likely. Our flight was very smooth.

 

It can only be booked through P & O as the operator is contracted to them whilst the ship is port.

 

Whatever you decide enjoy Port Vila.

 

Roy

Another version of this is an all day lap of the Island, including a canoe ride into the Epule River custom village. Being on the other end of the Island, it is a quieter experience and we enjoyed our day immensely. P&O do offer this, but so do the independants. Their website is currently down www.epule-river.com

[gizzigoo]

I am going to quite boring as my best time in Vila was just staying in town, chatting to people, sitting watching the world go by and of course the shopping.

 

I feel that sometimes we are so busy getting to see everything that we sometimes miss what is right in front of us. The people at the markets in town will happily chat about their lives.

 

My favourite experience will always be meeting Elizabeth and Cathy in the town centre markets.

[karmac]

I am going to quite boring as my best time in Vila was just staying in town, chatting to people, sitting watching the world go by and of course the shopping.

 

That's pretty much what we did both times in Vila and I LOVE that place. The second time we did do a tour but not a long one. DH & DD went horseriding which was a 3 hour tour whilst the 2 boys & I did exactly what you do Glenda. Then the 2 boys & I went on the Jetboat ride (in total about hour & half) whilst DH & DD did the shopping bit. Unfortunately we couldn't get our tours at the same time. We then had a late lunch on the ship and then our oldest son went paraflying and we wondered around the markets and DD & youngest DS got their hair draided (DS grew his hair especially for it:)).

[gizzigoo]

That's pretty much what we did both times in Vila and I LOVE that place. The second time we did do a tour but not a long one. DH & DD went horseriding which was a 3 hour tour whilst the 2 boys & I did exactly what you do Glenda. Then the 2 boys & I went on the Jetboat ride (in total about hour & half) whilst DH & DD did the shopping bit. Unfortunately we couldn't get our tours at the same time. We then had a late lunch on the ship and then our oldest son went paraflying and we wondered around the markets and DD & youngest DS got their hair draided (DS grew his hair especially for it:)).

 

That sounds like the perfect day in Vila to me too Karen! Where did you book the horse riding tour?

[delona]

We hired a tour guide at the gates of the markets his name was sam and for 30 bux each (8 in the van) he took us all over villa, showed us some of the other resorts, took us past all the official buildings told us about life and culture in villa took us shopping and waited and then back to another shop and waited (there was 6 girls) and then back to the ship for lunch then off to the Secret Gardens which was awsome had those green lizard things, coconut crabs, a demonstration of cooking and traditional huts and their history, they even had a canibal jump out at you, this was only $10 aus to get into. We then went to the cascade falls and to a coffee plantation and we did not pay a cent until he returned us to the ship. Heard from lots of people that they bartered their price down and where left at places so beware.