A charming beach town, head to Mele Bay for water and adventure sports, gardens, local coffee and beer.

Located just a short drive from Port Vila, Mele Bay is a lively beach town famous for its community atmosphere. Wander through hilltop gardens, sample organic coffee and locally brewed beer and swim with the colourful marine life in the bright blue water of the bay.

With its many scuba-diving spots, Mele Bay is a great spot for water-sports fans, with shipwrecks, caverns and an abundance of marine life. If you don’t want to dive you can snorkel or kayak in the calm waters, or take a dolphin-spotting tour in a glass-bottom boat.

If you’re looking for a bit of adventure, then look no further than the zip-line canopy tour. Suspended 80 metres above the tree tops and covering a distance of 200 metres, you can whizz your way through the jungle. Try your hand at zorbing, where you roll down a hill encased in a giant inflatable ball. Head to Mele Cascades to cool down in its natural pools.

Nature-lovers shouldn’t miss The Summit. The South Pacific’s biggest tropical garden, The Summit covers 10 hectares and is a lush collection of local plants and flowers. Take a guided tour to learn more about how the flora is used by Vanuatu’s residents, including for health and beauty products. The Summit sits 200 metres above sea level and offers wonderful views of Mele Bay and the surrounding villages.

The Tanna Coffee Factory should be on every coffee-lover’s list. Visit the factory for a tour to learn about the coffee production from beans grown in the soil of Yasur Volcano on Tanna Island, and finish your visit with a tasting session.

If beer is more your thing, then make your way to the Seven Seas Brewery, which was opened in 2002 and is Vanuatu’s first microbrewery. Sample the Boot’s lager, a delicious German-style pilsner. Visit the websites of the microbrewery and coffee factory for more information.

You can reach Mele Bay by car in just twenty minutes from Port Vila. Alternatively, you can hop on the bus service that runs from the Anchor Inn in Port Villa all the way to The Summit – take a look at Mele Bay’s official website for departure times.

Plan a trip to see Mele Bay

Price found within the past 48 hours. Click for updated prices.

Coco Beach Resort

per person

14 Jul - 20 Jul

Return flight included

Brisbane (BNE) to Port Vila (VLI)

8.4/10 Very Good! (146 reviews)

The resort is small and quiet. The bares are very nice inside. They do get very hot, especially if you are not staying in one of the four beachfront ones that have aircon like we did. Even with aircon it is difficult to keep the room cool as large parts of the building are screened off with mesh. The food at the resort is very expensive. The lunchtime chicken wrap served with a small portion of chips was Au$30. All meals were around the same price. The food was not of the quality expected for such a high price. Breakfast was free. There were a few nights where the chef didn't turn up and we went to restaurants on the other side of the peninsula. I highly recommended Three Pigs and Cafe Villa. Both restaurants served excellent quality food. The road to both is very bumpy - something to note if you have back problems. The staff are very friendly and go out of their way to help you, especially 'H', the manager. Oddly, room cleaning each day took upwards of two hours. Very clean but inconvenient if you need to get back into your room. If you want to go into Port Vila, the quickest way is by water taxi which is a 15min ride and costs V2000 per person - AU$25 per person. You can also get a bus V300 each, or a taxi V2000 each. A word of warning, everything for tourists in Vanuatu is marked up. Don't go there if you are after a cheap holiday. That said, Coco Beach is somewhere to switch off, relax, read and swim. The resort is beautiful, quiet and exactly what we wanted.

Reviewed on 1 Mar. 2024

Poppys On The Lagoon

per person

14 Jul - 20 Jul

Return flight included

Brisbane (BNE) to Port Vila (VLI)

8.2/10 Very Good! (108 reviews)

Loved the bungalows on the beach and kitchen and spa. Wifi was a bit patchy but suffice. Easy walk to town. Sports bar next door was good to watch the football. Wish there was a bit more atmosphere say happy hour etc to meet other guests.

Reviewed on 9 Aug. 2023

Tropicana Lagoon Apartments

per person

14 Jul - 20 Jul

Return flight included

Brisbane (BNE) to Port Vila (VLI)

8/10 Very Good! (119 reviews)

This property is on a Lagoon and to go to a beach with the ocean is a little bid difficult. You should consider to rent a car. The staff is very friendly and helpful. They showed me how to stop the little buses , where you can reach the city and also one nice beach. They have a wonderful garden and a small pool is also there. It was a pleasant stay.

Reviewed on 29 Apr. 2024

Tours & day trips

See all 51 activities

Port Vila Full Day Tour - Experience the Real Vanuatu

Free cancellation available

Water activities

See all 12 activities

Kayaking 3in1 tour in Port Vila

Free cancellation available

Private & custom tours

See all 5 activities

4 Hour: Private Tropical Trio Excursion (with Hotel Pickup)

Free cancellation available

Wildlife & nature

See all 4 activities

Efate Round Island Tour includes Vanuatu Jungle Bridge

Free cancellation available

Popular places to visit

Mele Cascades

4.5/5(109 reviews)

Just minutes from the island’s main urban hub, this haven of clear pools and waterfalls hidden within the jungle makes a perfect daytrip.

Iririki Island

4/5(92 reviews)

Famous for being home to the former British High Commissioner’s residence, Iririki Island is now a popular and luxurious tourist resort.

Port Vila Market

4/5(226 reviews)

Peruse the stalls of this central market to pick up unique handcrafts and souvenirs or indulge in freshly baked French-style pastries and locally grown produce.

Port Vila Golf Country Club

4/5(11 reviews)

Play a round of golf at Port Vila Golf Country Club and enjoy other activities in Mele such as snorkelling. Amble around this relaxing area's waterfront and enjoy its top-notch restaurants.

Wet N Wild Zorbing

4.5/5(5 reviews)

Enjoy an outing to Wet N Wild Zorbing during your stay in Mele. Amble around this relaxing area's waterfront and enjoy its top-notch restaurants.

The Summit Gardens

4.5/5(13 reviews)

Explore the lovely green spaces of The Summit Gardens and enjoy the snorkelling in Mele. Amble around this relaxing area's waterfront and enjoy its top-notch restaurants.