A guide to Vanuatu’s best snorkeling and scuba diving

29.07.2024 - 15:03 / lonelyplanet.com

Jul 27, 2024 • 6 min read

Due for a diving holiday? Clear tropical waters, colorful coral reefs and a plethora of wrecks combine to make Vanuatu one of the best scuba diving destinations in the South Pacific. But there are also plenty of opportunities for snorkeling across the 80-plus island archipelago, also known for its wild landscapes and rich kastom (traditional) culture. From top dive sites to the best places to get certified, here’s a quick guide to exploring Vanuatu’s underwater world.

Diving in Vanuatu is predominantly resort-based, with the industry concentrated on three main islands: Efate, home to the capital Port Vila and Vanuatu’s main international airport; Espiritu Santo (just Santo to locals), which welcomed direct flights from Brisbane, Australia, in 2024; and the more remote and less developed island of Tanna, a 40-minute flight from Port Vila.

Most divers will have heard of the immense wreck of the SS President Coolidge in Santo, but there are plenty of other wrecks, reefs and caverns to explore across Vanuatu’s diving hubs.

Originally a luxury ocean liner launched in 1931 that went into service as a troop carrier during WWII, ‘The Coolidge’ was accidentally sunk in 1942 by US mines just off Luganville, the largest town on Santo. Almost 200m (656ft) long and 25m (82ft) wide, the coral-encrusted ship is now a popular shore dive with around 50 sites to explore, depending on your certification level.

Resting on its port side at a depth of between 21m (69ft) and 70m (230ft), The Coolidge is best suited to advanced divers, though open water divers can still enjoy a fun dive along the starboard hull towards the bow, where some artifacts from deeper in the ship have been stored for recreational divers to see. Advanced divers can ogle jeeps in the cavernous Cargo Hold 2, while certified technical divers can dive into the ship’s sunken swimming pool at 57m (187ft).

Another popular dive near Luganville is Million Dollar Point, a dumping ground for thousands of tons of US construction equipment during WWII. There are also a trio of plane wrecks off Santo that includes a rare birdcage Corsair fighter, while Tutuba Point off the north coast is known for its rich corals and swim-throughs. Just south of Luganville, Aore Wall is adorned with sea fans, while Cindy’s Reef offers a relaxed drift dive teeming with anemone fish. 

Divers can explore more than 20 dive sites off the coast of Efate. More popular dives close to the capital city of Port Vila include the Twin Bommies, which attract an array of fish and critters; the Cathedral, a spectacular limestone chimney; and Ollie’s Lolly, a shallow reef near Hideaway Island with a rare red anemone. Beginner-friendly wreck dives include the Bonzer, a small