{"schema_version":1,"title":"Luganville","type":"portabout","url":"/p/vanuatu/luganville/","collected":"2026-10-18","alternates":{"markdown":"/p/vanuatu/luganville/index.md","json":"/p/vanuatu/luganville/index.json"},"data":{"portPath":"/p/vanuatu/luganville","country":"Vanuatu","guidance":[],"months":[{"value":"2026-11","path":"/p/vanuatu/luganville/timetable/2026-11"},{"value":"2027-01","path":"/p/vanuatu/luganville/timetable/2027-01"},{"value":"2027-02","path":"/p/vanuatu/luganville/timetable/2027-02"}],"totalCalls":4,"aliases":[],"month":"2026-11","page":1,"rows":[{"date":"2026-11-16","ship":"Celebrity Solstice","arrival":"07:00","departure":"18:00","departure_date":null,"berth":"","tender_status":"unknown","sources":["cruisemapper-itinerary"],"ship_url":"/s/celebrity-cruises/celebrity-solstice","voyages":[{"url":"/v/celebrity-cruises/celebrity-solstice/20261110-20261122/","label":"12 nights \u00b7 Round trip to Sydney \u00b7 2026-11-10"}],"anchor":"call-a6b9a1b5d9d4bfe3"}],"rowStart":1,"rowEnd":1,"monthTotal":1,"pagination":[{"number":1,"path":"/p/vanuatu/luganville/timetable/2026-11"}],"timetablepath":"/p/vanuatu/luganville/timetable/2026-11","about":{"currency":"VUV","currencyurl":"https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/?Amount=1&From=VUV","portmap":"https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=-15.515861341631,167.189211845398","facts":[["Getting ashore","Dock at Luganville or anchor in Champagne Bay"],["Into town","Walk, taxi or bus"],["Best starting point","Open-air market"],["Currency","Vatu \u00b7 VUV"]],"sections":[["Getting ashore","Large cruise ships either dock at Luganville or anchor in Champagne Bay, near Hog Harbour on the north-east coast, according to the CruiseMapper wiki. The 2024 archive says the town is about one kilometre from the ship, overlooking Segond Channel, but the same archive gives a walk of 0.5 km into town, so both distances are noted. Taxis are the easiest option in midday heat or heavy rain, according to Wikivoyage. The sources give no terminal building details for passengers, so check arrangements for your call with the ship. The CruiseMapper 2026 snapshot shows Celebrity Solstice on 16 November 2026, arriving at 07:00 and leaving at 18:00. Check the public holidays against your call dates, including 30 July (Independence Day) and 25 December."],["For walkers and architecture fans","Luganville is Vanuatu's second-largest port city, after Port Vila, with about 13,000 residents on the south-east coast of Espiritu Santo. About 40,000 US military personnel were stationed in the city during the Second World War, and the US built three bomber airfields, a docking wharf and a drydock, according to the wiki. The main street is unusually wide because a US base commander wanted room for four army tanks to drive side by side. Rusting American military vehicles are a local sight. Many streets are unnamed, but locals usually recognise destination names."],["For beach lovers","Champagne Beach, about an hour away, has soft white silica sand and palms, and visitors pay a small fee to the landowners. The SS President Coolidge, a troop carrier sunk by mines in 1942, is the island's main attraction and is mostly visited by divers. Wikivoyage describes it as among the world's largest shipwrecks open to recreational diving. It lies in 60 to 180 feet of water, and the archive notes that the wreck draws a wide variety of colourful wildlife."],["For nature and outdoor fans","On the way back from Champagne Beach, the blue holes are good stops. Jackie's has the best facilities, and Riri and Matevulu each charge 1,000 Vatu. Wear reef shoes for the caves and bring a flashlight. Million Dollar Point, a snorkelling site, is described in the archive as the place where US forces pushed surplus equipment into the sea at the end of the war. Wikivoyage does not mention it, so this detail is unverified. Tap water throughout Santo is considered safe to drink, according to Wikivoyage."],["For shoppers","The open-air market runs 24 hours a day except Sunday nights, and sells fresh fruit, vegetables and other goods that people bring from their village gardens. The archive says the produce is organic and incredibly cheap. The produce market at the western end of town also has vendors. LCM, in the town centre, is the best place for Western goods, and the Women's Market sells handicrafts from all over Espiritu Santo. Bring your own toiletries, as the choice is limited."],["For eaters and drinkers","The produce market at the western end of town has vendors serving rice meals, such as stew, eggs or fish, for about 400 Vatu or less. Hotel Santo serves pizza, but it must be ordered a day or so ahead. Coral Quays is known for locally raised beef, and Nemo is a well-regarded French-run restaurant. Kava is sold in shells of 50, 100 or 150 Vatu. First-timers should start with a 100 Vatu shell and not spend more than 200 Vatu."],["Getting around and money","The currency is the Vatu (VT). The 2024 archive says one Vatu is worth roughly one US cent, which is unverified for current rates. Many businesses accept Cirrus and Maestro cards, but the archive places ATMs in Port Vila, and Luganville ATM access is not confirmed. Tipping and haggling are not expected. Taxis are the easiest option, and a taxi from the airport costs about 700 Vatu. Minibuses are cheaper but less frequent and can take a while to fill. Buses charge a flat 100 Vatu. Only the main road, the hospital road and the road up the hill towards Port Olry are paved, and the other roads are dirt or old concrete. Many hotels offer airport pickups. Wikivoyage says a bottle of Tusker costs about 200 Vatu, with no case discounts, and Vanuatu has no import tax, so imported goods cost more than their sticker prices suggest."],["Walking guide: into town","Start at the ship and walk into town. The sources give 0.5 km to about 1 km, so allow for the longer distance. On the way in, you pass handicraft stalls and remnants of buildings from the American base in the Second World War. Next, visit the open-air market and the produce market at the western end of town. Then climb the Big Hill, which is steep, for views over Segond Channel and Aore Island. Return to the ship the same way, or by taxi, which is the easier option in midday heat or heavy rain."]],"access":"The sources do not describe step-free routes at the wharf or on the tender. Most of the town is walkable, but the Big Hill is steep and many roads are unpaved, so taxis are the easier option for those with limited mobility.","links":[{"label":"WhatsInPort port guide (archived)","url":"https://www.whatsinport.com/Luganville.htm","detail":"Archived 2024 guide; prices and hours may be out of date"},{"label":"CruiseMapper port wiki","url":"https://www.cruisemapper.com/ports/luganville-port-750?tab=wiki","detail":"Port overview, traffic and schedule, snapshot 19 October 2026"},{"label":"Convert Vatu to your currency","url":"https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/?Amount=1&From=VUV","detail":"Daily reference rates","currency":"VUV"}],"maps":[{"label":"Luganville port location on Google Maps","url":"https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=-15.515861341631,167.189211845398","detail":"Port coordinates from the archive"},{"label":"Luganville town guide on Wikivoyage","url":"https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Luganville","detail":"Town layout, sights and food"}]}}}