How to Get to Hideaway Island from Port Vila
How to get to Hideaway Island from Port Vila: by road to Mele, then the shuttle boat from Mele Beach or the ferry from the Beach Bar, or on a tour that collects you in Port Vila.
To get to Hideaway Island from Port Vila, go by road to Mele, on Mele Bay, then take the boat for the last stretch. The Vanuatu Tourism Office puts the island about 10 minutes by car from Port Vila and says a shuttle boat travels regularly between Mele beach and the island; another of its pages says a free ferry goes from the Beach Bar (13 November 2026). The simpler way is a tour that collects you in town: Vila Hope Tours and Transfers’ Hideaway Island Escape picks up at Port Vila hotels and includes entry, from US$118.03 per person (checked November 2026).
Check dates for the Hideaway Island Escape
Where the boat leaves
The Vanuatu Tourism Office names two departure points, on two pages (13 November 2026):
- Mele Beach. Its Efate guide: a shuttle boat “regularly travels between Mele beach and the island”. Its beaches page calls Hideaway Island “a five-minute ferry ride from Mele Beach”.
- The Beach Bar. Its family itinerary: “A free ferry goes from the Beach Bar regularly”.
Neither page gives a timetable. The day pass is paid on the island (the Hideaway Island day pass quotes both pages on the fee).
From Port Vila to Mele by road
The Vanuatu Tourism Office’s guide to local transport (13 November 2026):
- Buses are minivans with a plate starting with B. They run without fixed routes or timetables; agree the fare with the driver before you get in, about 150-200 vatu for a short trip and 300-500 vatu for a longer one, and carry exact change.
- Taxis have a plate starting with T and no meters: agree the fare first and pay in cash, in vatu.
The Office does not publish a fare to Mele. Its listing for Hideaway Island Resort and Marine Sanctuary gives the island as a “15 minute drive from the heart of port vila habour”, and its Efate guide as about 10 minutes by car.
On a tour: who collects you, and where
| Tour (operator) | Pickup | From |
|---|---|---|
| Hideaway Island Escape (Vila Hope Tours and Transfers, Viator) | Port Vila hotels and resorts; cruise passengers walk 20 metres straight ahead from the wharf to a sign with their name | US$118.03 per person |
| Waterfalls, Snorkel & Underwater Post Office (Peter Ora's Luxury Shore Tours & Transfers) | The cruise ship terminal or your hotel | US$231.48 for two (US$115.74 each) |
| Snorkeling at Hideaway Island (Yumi Tours & Transfers Vanuatu) | Your hotel; 45 minutes by van each way | US$65 per person |
| Hideaway Island Combo (Yumi Tours & Transfers Vanuatu, Viator) | Your hotel lobby; cruise passengers look for the Yumi Tours orange flag at the port | US$92 per person, two adults minimum |
| Tanna Coffee, Hideaway Island & Fire Show (pete's Tour & Transfer) | Return transfers from Port Vila hotels; Fridays | US$272.32 for four (US$68.08 each) |
GetYourGuide checked November 2026; Viator checked November 2026.
Vila Hope Tours and Transfers picks up at hotels from town, such as the Grand Hotel & Casino and Iririki Island Resort & Spa, to Erakor Island Resort & Spa and, on Mele Bay, Island Magic Resort and Hideaway Island Resort & Marine Sanctuary itself. Its day starts at 8:30 AM, and the operator confirms your pickup time.
Sleeping near the boat
If you want the island within reach every day, Mele Bay is the side to stay on: search rooms on Mele Bay . Hideaway Island resort and where to stay weighs the island itself, Mele Beach, Mele Bay and Port Vila.
Collected in Port Vila, Entry Included
Vila Hope Tours and Transfers' Hideaway Island Escape collects you from Port Vila hotels, or at the wharf, and includes entry: 90 minutes on the island, the Blue Lagoon and the turtles in six hours. One adult can book.
Check dates on Viator