First impressions of Port Vila and Vanuatu
When I first flew into Port Vila, I expected palm trees, coral reefs and that soft Pacific light you only get in this part of the world. What I did not expect was how welcoming and genuinely warm Vanuatu would feel from the moment I arrived.
This is not an over‑touristed destination where visitors are just numbers passing through. In Vanuatu, people notice you, talk to you and share their stories. That human warmth is part of what makes the country such a compelling place to visit – and, for some, to pursue Vanuatu citizenship by investment as part of a broader second‑citizenship strategy.
In this article, I want to share what I saw and learned on the ground: the culture, the people, the islands – and why Vanuatu quietly combines a Caribbean‑style lifestyle with serious tax and mobility benefits for globally minded individuals considering a second citizenship in Vanuatu.
83 islands and one of the world’s happiest countries
Vanuatu is a chain of 83 islands scattered across the South Pacific. Each island has its own kastom (customs), language and rhythm; moving from one to another can feel like stepping into a different country entirely.
Port Vila, on Efate, is where most visitors start. It is the capital, the main harbour and the country’s commercial heart. From the water you see green hills dropping into a deep, calm harbour dotted with small islands such as Iririki and Ifira, and a city that still feels more like a relaxed coastal town than a capital.
Vanuatu has been called “the happiest country on earth” more than once. That phrase can sound like marketing, but after spending time there I understood why it keeps appearing. The happiness is not loud or forced. It is in the way people greet you, in the pride they take in their islands and in how quickly they include visitors in conversations and community life.
For someone coming from a higher‑tax, high‑pressure environment, that sense of ease is part of the appeal. When you layer on favourable tax treatment for individuals and the option of a structured Vanuatu CBI program, the country begins to look like a very smart second home for global citizens and entrepreneurs. As I have written in my broader guide to citizenship by investment programs, the right choice is always personal – and Vanuatu is one of those places that only truly “clicks” once you have walked its streets and spoken with its people.
Under‑touristed,over‑delivering
One of the first things I noticed is how under‑touristed Vanuatu still is.
Yes, there are resorts and occasional cruise‑ship calls, but once you step beyond the waterfront you discover a country where tourism is still deeply community‑based. Guides know their guests by name. People have time to talk. It feels like the Caribbean might have felt decades ago – beautiful, but not yet saturated.
In Port Vila I based myself at a lagoon‑side resort, using it as a comfortable hub. From there I explored the island of Efate and kept hearing the same themes: pride in culture, a desire to create opportunities for the next generation and curiosity about the outside world – including how visitors, investors and new citizens might fit into that picture.
Conversations naturally turned to education, infrastructure and how programs like the Vanuatu citizenship by investment program can, when managed carefully, support local goals instead of undermining them. This balance between opportunity and protection is something I focus on in many countries, from the Caribbean to Africa, and Vanuatu is no exception.
The banyan tree: Vanuatu’s natural meeting hall
One of the most powerful symbols of that community spirit is the banyan tree.
On Efate I visited a huge banyan – an ancient tree with a vast, spreading canopy and aerial roots dropping like curtains to the earth. In many ni‑Vanuatu communities, a banyan like this is more than a tree. It is a meeting hall, a courthouse, a parliament and a place of storytelling all at once.
Locals explained that chiefs and elders gather under the banyan to discuss village matters, resolve disputes and make decisions together. It is where people talk about land, harvests, family, schooling – and now, in some cases, how to welcome visitors and investors in a way that protects culture and the environment.
Standing under that banyan, with the light filtering through the leaves, it was easy to see how Vanuatu’s traditional decision‑making still shapes the way the country is evolving – including how it thinks about foreign investment and modern pathways like citizenship by investment for high‑net‑worth individuals.
Lelepa Island: snorkelling, education and real community tourism
One of the most memorable days of my trip was a snorkelling tour around Lelepa Island, a small, stunning island off Efate’s coast.
The tour was led by Japin and Billy, local guides whose operation is proudly community‑run. Their day trip takes visitors by boat to snorkel, swim and experience village life on Lelepa. On land and water they were warm, funny and incredibly proud of their island.
What stayed with me, though, was the conversation about education.
They explained that revenue from the tour helps families pay for schooling – which is often in English or French and can be expensive relative to local incomes. The tour is not just about showing visitors coral and beaches; it is a micro‑enterprise that funds opportunity. When someone books with them, they are literally helping children stay in school.
This theme appeared repeatedly across my time in Vanuatu: tourism and, more broadly, international interest in the country being linked with very practical benefits – school fees, community improvements, conservation projects.
For anyone considering Vanuatu citizenship by investment, this is an important nuance. The program is not an abstract construct sitting in isolation; it exists alongside small, community‑driven initiatives like Japin and Billy’s tour. When structured well, these different streams of revenue can work together to support real families on real islands.
Football culture, flags and the World Cup
Vanuatu is football‑mad, in the best possible way.
During my stay I saw national flags draped over shops and homes, shirts from different teams and animated conversations about which country would go furthest in the upcoming Football World Cup. Debates about coral reefs and kastom could suddenly pivot to the merits of a particular striker or the latest qualifying result.
It is a small detail, but it says a lot. Vanuatu may feel remote on a map, yet it is deeply connected to global culture – through football, social media and, increasingly, through international investors and new citizens who choose to make Vanuatu part of their story.
Visiting the Vanuatu CBI unit in Port Vila
As part of my work advising clients on citizenship by investment and second‑citizenship strategies, I visited the citizenship by investment unit in Port Vila to get a direct sense of how the Vanuatu CBI program is run and how it is viewed locally.
I met with Annistacia, who is closely involved in administering the program. Our conversation reinforced what I had been hearing informally from guides and drivers: when designed and managed carefully, the Vanuatu CBI program is regarded as a constructive force for the country.
A few points stood out:
- The program brings much‑needed foreign currency into Vanuatu.
- Those funds help support government budgets, which in turn contribute to infrastructure, education and healthcare.
- There is pride in the fact that people from all over the world now choose to call Vanuatu their second home via citizenship.
From a client’s perspective, Vanuatu offers:
- A straightforward, well‑defined citizenship by investment process for qualifying applicants.
- Attractive Vanuatu tax benefits for individuals from higher‑tax jurisdictions, including no personal income tax, wealth tax or capital gains tax on individuals.
- Strategic geographic positioning close to Australia and New Zealand, in time zones that work well for Asia‑Pacific business.
- A lifestyle that feels very similar to a relaxed Caribbean‑style island environment, but with a shorter flight time from Australasia and much of Asia.
What impressed me most at the CBI unit was the sense of transparency and legitimacy. The Vanuatu citizenship by investment program was not presented as a secretive shortcut. It was treated as a regulated, clearly framed pathway for people who wish to contribute financially to Vanuatu while gaining the benefits of a Vanuatu passport.
In my broader work comparing different citizenship by investment programs, I often stress the importance of stability, due diligence and on‑the‑ground reality, not just marketing brochures. Vanuatu ticks more of those boxes than many people realise.
L’Houstalet: cuisine, history and independence
No serious visit to Port Vila feels complete without dinner at L’Houstalet, a legendary restaurant that has been serving French‑influenced cuisine for over half a century.
I went not only for the food – though that alone is worth the trip – but also for the history.
L’Houstalet is frequently associated with the era when British and French officials jointly administered what was then known as the New Hebrides, and with the long, complex process that led to Vanuatu’s independence in 1980. It is often said that officials used to meet and discuss the territory’s future over meals there.
It is important to be respectful when talking about this. Independence was not granted over a single dinner, and the story involves both colonial power and ni‑Vanuatu resilience. Sitting in the restaurant today, you feel the weight of that history – but you also see how firmly the country now stands on its own.
The staff are ni‑Vanuatu. The menu blends French techniques with local ingredients. Conversations at neighbouring tables range from village celebrations to football scores. L’Houstalet feels like a living bridge between Vanuatu’s past and present: a reminder that this is a country shaped by external influences, but ultimately defined by its own people.
Chocolate, turtles and everyday kindness
Beyond the “headline” experiences, some of the most memorable moments in Vanuatu were small acts of kindness and glimpses of daily life.
At a local chocolate factory on Efate, staff walked me through the process from cacao pod to finished bar. The mural outside – vivid, hand‑painted and full of movement – told its own story of land, trees and people working together to create something unique.
At a turtle sanctuary, I watched tiny hatchlings paddling in shallow turquoise water beneath a sign politely asking visitors not to touch them. Projects like this help protect fragile marine ecosystems while offering local communities another strand of tourism‑based income.
Drivers, guides and hosts shared stories about traditional festivals – from the Tanna toka dance that can last for days, to land‑diving on Pentecost, which inspired modern bungee jumping. People also spoke about which cultural events are appropriate for visitors and which are tabu, reminding me that not everything is meant for cameras or social media.
The common thread across all of these encounters was generosity. People wanted me to enjoy their country, but they also wanted me to understand it.
Why Vanuatu works for globally mobile individuals
If you are:
- Living in a higher‑tax country
- Building a location‑independent or international business
- Or looking to diversify your citizenship and lifestyle options
then Vanuatu deserves a serious place on your shortlist.
Vanuatu offers:
- Citizenship by investment through a clear, established framework
- No personal income tax, wealth tax or capital gains tax for individuals
- Proximity to Australia, New Zealand and Asia, with time zones that align well for business
- A lifestyle that combines Caribbean‑style island living with Pacific warmth and culture
- A population that, in my experience, is genuinely welcoming to foreigners, without the fatigue you sometimes feel in more heavily touristed destinations
Crucially, you can see how responsible investment and tourism can support local communities – from school fees on Lelepa Island to conservation and village infrastructure. For many of the people I spoke with, new forms of international engagement, including the Vanuatu CBI program, are not about losing control but about building opportunity on ni‑Vanuatu terms.
Welcomed, not just processed
What stayed with me after leaving Vanuatu was not just the colour of the water or the silhouette of banyan trees against the sky.
It was the feeling of being welcomed, not processed.
From Japin and Billy on Lelepa Island, to drivers and guides discussing festivals and kastom, to my conversation with Annistacia at the CBI unit, there was a consistent message:
Vanuatu is open to the world – to visitors, to new citizens, to new ideas – as long as that openness honours the land, the culture and the people who call these islands home.
If you are exploring Vanuatu citizenship by investment or broader second‑citizenship strategies and would like advice grounded in both professional CBI experience and first‑hand time on the ground, my team and I at JH Marlin would be happy to talk. As with any program, the goal is to find a solution that genuinely fits your life, not to chase the latest headline.
Vanuatu may still be under the radar. For thoughtful investors and globally mobile families, that is precisely what makes it so special.