Approaches to the Port Vila Inner Harbour

Welcome to Port Vila's calm inner harbour

After you have finished the clearance formalities, contact Yachting World on VHF 16 and, if you wish, arrange for a berth at the sea wall marina or a swing mooring.

Northern Entrance (Blue Route)

The north entrance is the best one to use for the Yachting World Sea Wall Marina and, if your mast is less than 19 metres high, for the fuel wharf and swing moorings. There are red and black entrance markers at the first reef shoal as you approach from the north. The deepest part is close to the port marker and is 2.7 metres at spring low tide. There is a second shoal with a minimum depth of 2.4 metres. Yachting World's sea wall marina is to port as you enter.

overhead wire

There is an overhead power cable between Efate and Iririki Island that crosses just after you pass the Yachting World Sea Wall Marina. The wire is highest near Yachting World and lower on the Iririki Island side. Yachts with masts higher than 19 metres (62 feet) are required by Vanuatu law to stay in mid channel to the east side of the mooring buoys.

The Southern Entrance (Yellow Route)

In 2017 the channel on the southern end of the inner harbour was dredged to 5.5m depth. There are red and green lit markers through the channel. Any yacht with a draft less than 5.5m can enter into the inner harbour.  Yachts using the southern entrance are required to call the harbormaster on VHF 16 or 12 before entering or leaving.

 

 

Make yourself at home

The inner harbour is 30 to 40 metres deep, cluttered with wrecks, and the bottom is mud with hydrogen sulfate that will eat galvanizing on anchor chains so our swing moorings are a very good option. Click for more information on the swing moorings.

The Waterfront Bar and Restaurant has a dinghy wharf and a multitude of services for visiting yachts. For more on the Waterfront Restaurant and Bar, click here.