Are you planning a trip to Vanuatu and wondering what is the best way to stay connected? Here is your guide for finding the best sim card for Vanuatu with where to buy a sim card in Vanuatu, my recommendation, up to date prices as per August 2023, the best 3G/4G network in Vanuatu, my experiences and info about international and e-sim cards for Vanuatu.
As part of my journey to visit every country in the world I also made it out to the beautiful Vanuatu. International sim cards and e-sim cards are one way to stay connected, but the cheapest way is a local prepaid sim card. The first thing I do in every country is instantly buying a prepaid sim card to get connected, it simply makes traveling in Vanuatu so much more convenient.
On Traveltomtom you can already find more than 200 prepaid sim card guides from all over the world: Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Asia, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Samoa, Tonga, Dubai, Hong Kong, USA, Europe, London, Paris and many more. So next time you are planning your trip abroad come check out Traveltomtom for the latest sim card advice. Bookmark this website!
My recommendation
Traveltomtom recommends using a Vodafone sim card for traveling in Vanuatu. Based on my own experiences they have the best 4G network across the country and islands.
If you travel to several different countries on your trip to the Pacific then you might want to check into an international sim card that gives you data in all the countries.
E-sim cards for Vanuatu
Normally I also recommend e-sim cards for travel, the easiest way to get connected when traveling in 2023. However, unfortunately I was not able to find any e-sim cards for Vanuatu as of August 2023. If you come across one then please let me know in the comments and I will add it here.
Why buying a sim card for Vanuatu
First off it is the best way to stay connected. Don’t rely on WiFi when traveling to Vanuatu. Even in the nicer resorts that we stayed in: White Grass in Tanna, The Moso in Moso and Breakas in Efate, there was no proper working WiFi. Simply do NOT rely on WiFi when traveling in Vanuatu.
Also don’t let slow overseas data plans ruin your trip. These roaming plans are much more expensive but worst even is that they limit the internet speed, mostly to 3G only.
Where to buy a sim card for Vanuatu
The easiest place to buy a sim card is on arrival at the international airport of Port Vila. As soon as you walk into the arrival hall of the international terminal you will see a Vodafone and Digicel shop. These are also the 2 main mobile internet providers in Vanuatu. Both of them sell prepaid sim cards for tourists at Port Vila International Airport.
Normally they supposed to be open for all arriving flights, but my flight from Sydney was delayed and both sim card shops were closed.
The next morning I flew from Port Vila to Tanna Island and in the next door Domestic Terminal there also is a Digicel and Vodafone shop. I bought my sim card for Vanuatu therefore the next morning in the Domestic terminal. If on arrival in the international terminal the Vodafone or Digicel shop is not open then walk to the domestic terminal to try your luck there. Walking time 2 minutes.
Prices Vanuatu sim cards
As you there are only 2 mobile internet providers in Vanuatu it wasn't that hard to make a Vanuatu sim card comparison. $1 USD = 118 VUV and 1 VUV = $0.0085 USD.
Vodafone prepaid sim card
Vodafone Vanutau offers a free sim card with 2 GB data for 3 days, so if you are just staying 1-3 days in Vanuatu this is FREE! :)
- 2 GB data for 14 days + $10 AUD credit = $10 AUD ($6.7 USD)
- 5 GB data for 14 days + $35 AUD credit = $35 AUD ($23 USD)
Dial *183# in Vanuatu to check your Vodafone balance.
Digicel prepaid sim card
At Digicel they offer 3 prepaid sim card deals for tourists traveling in Vanuatu:
- 1 GB data + 1,000 VT credit for 7 days = 1,000 VT ($8.4 USD)
- 5 GB data + 50 minutes + 50 sms for 7 days = 2,000 VT ($16.8 USD)
- 15 GB data + 100 minutes + 100 sms for 14 days = 3,000 VT ($25.2 USD)
Dial *130# for checking your Digicel balance and *777# to find your number.
Best 4G/5G network in Vanuatu
Unfortunately there is no detailed info online about the network coverage maps of both Vodafone and Digicel Vanuatu. Normally I compare the available online 4G/5G coverage maps and come with a conclusion about the best network in a country.
This time I will have to go with my own experiences. Great thing is that we traveled to Vanuatu with a group of 4 and two people had a Digicel sim card and the other two had a Vodafone sim card so a great way to compare the mobile network coverage in Vanuatu.
On Tanna Island it was very clear that Vodafone has a much stronger 4G signal than Digicel, especially in the Mount Yasur Volcano area. As we spent 4 days on Tanna Island I was depending on my friends for a Vodafone hotspot.
In and around the capital Port Vila there was a good 4G signal of both operators. On Moso Island it was again Vodafone that had a slightly stronger 4G signal. So overall based on my experiences Vodafone has the best 4G network in Vanuatu.
Is there 5G in Vanuatu?
No, as of August 2023 there is no 5G yet in Vanuatu. Some islands and areas are not even covered with a 4G signal.
Best sim card for Vanuatu
Taking all the above into consideration Traveltomtom comes to the conclusion that Vodafone is the best sim card in Vanuatu. However, it is much more expensive compared to Digicel and in fact a sim card with data in Vanuatu is pretty expensive.
Vodafone has a stronger 4G network and especially if you are traveling around the Vanuatu islands it is recommended to get a Vodafone sim card. Both sim cards can easily be purchased on the international airport on arrival in Port Vila.
I hope all the above information for getting connected in Vanuatu was helpful and it made you choose the right sim card for Vanuatu.
Curious what it looks like trying to visit every country in the world? Go check out my Instagram account @traveltomtom and follow along. As of August 2023 I have visited more than 155 countries, so still a long way to go. Also you will find many tips about traveling in Vanuatu.
Enjoy your trip to Vanuatu!
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