A little preparation before you travel makes arriving on Aore much easier.

Please send us your arrival details before your trip, including your arrival date, flight number, arrival time and number of guests. 

🚩If your flight is delayed or your travel plans change, please message us as soon as you know so we can adjust your transfer where possible.

We also recommend pre-booking anything you know you would like to do during your stay, particularly plantation tours, cultural experiences, transfers and special meals. 

Some activities depend on staff availability, weather and local commitments, so booking ahead gives us the best chance of arranging them for you.

What to Bring

Aore Island is relaxed and informal, but a few practical things are useful:

- Reef shoes or sandals suitable for boats and beaches as our sand is coral sand

- Light rain jacket fo boats and rain

- Hat and sunscreen and dry bag

- Insect repellent

- Swimwear

- Any personal medications you may need

- Some Vanuatu vatu for small local purchases, tips and services

- Phone charger / power bank

- Groceries, drinks and personal supplies purchased in Santo before crossing to Phoenix on Aore

You do not need to bring lots of equipment, but remember that Aore does not have supermarkets or large shops, so it is best to arrive with the food and personal items you expect to need.

Before You Leave Home

Please check that you have:

- Sent us your flight and arrival details

- Confirmed your transfer to Aore

- Told us about any children travelling with you

- Advised us of any significant arrival changes or delays

- Pre-booked tours or experiences you particularly want to do

- Planned your grocery shopping in Santo

- Saved our WhatsApp number: +678 7342101

If you are staying with us at Phoenix Plantation, you can safely assume that your booked transfer will take you all the way to your accommodation. You do not need to organise another boat or find your own way across Aore unless we specifically tell you otherwise.

Phoenix Plantation transfers leave from our private Aore Wharf in Santo formerly Smugglers Bar/Restaurant.

📍 Please make sure you are at the correct wharf. Ask your taxi driver for Aore Wharf, formerly Smugglers Bar/Restaurant.

Depending on the weather, your transfer may be:

- Direct by boat from Santo all the way to your Phoenix Plantation property, or

 Boat + island road transfer if conditions are windy or it is safer to land at another point on Aore.

Either way, we get you through to your property.

If You Book the 3:00 PM Scheduled Transfer

Please arrive at Aore Wharf shortly before 3:00 PM.

The boat will collect you at the booked time. Arriving much earlier does not mean we can leave earlier, as our boats and drivers work to pre-arranged schedules and may be completing other guest transfers or plantation work.

If you would prefer an earlier crossing, please book a Private Island Transfer in advance.

Option 1 — Managed Airport Transfer

Let us coordinate your complete transfer from Santo Airport through to your Phoenix Plantation accommodation.

Cost: A$110 per group

Approx. VT8,500

Includes:

- Airport pickup

- Transfer into Luganville for shopping

- Luggage coordination

- Approximately 1 hour for shopping while your driver waits with your luggage

- Boat transfer to Aore Island

- Final transfer through to your accommodation

The price is per group, not per person. We use independent local drivers and boat operators, and their costs are largely the same whether one guest or several guests are travelling.

Travelling Solo?

If you are travelling alone and want to keep your transfer costs down, we usually recommend making your own way to Aore Wharf. (Our private Wharf)

Take a local taxi from Santo Airport to Aore Wharf, leave your luggage in storage, complete your shopping in Luganville, then return to the wharf for the 3:00 PM scheduled shared transfer to Aore.

This is generally the most economical option for a solo traveller.

Option 2 — Make Your Own Way to Aore Wharf

If you prefer to arrange your own road transport from Santo Airport, ask your taxi driver for:

Aore Wharf — formerly Smugglers Bar/Restaurant

From there you can book either:

Scheduled Shared Transfer

- Departs Santo at 3:00 PM

- A$25 per group — approx. VT2,000

- Monday to Friday

Private Island Transfer

- Available between 7:00 AM and 3:30 PM

- A$45 per group — approx. VT3,500

- Monday to Friday

- Outside normal times by prior arrangement only and subject to daylight, weather and availability

Book Your Transfer

WhatsApp: +678 7342101

Email: info@vanuatuisland.org

Online: vanuatuisland.org

Shopping for Supplies

Aore Island does not have supermarkets, so we recommend buying your groceries, drinks and supplies in Luganville before travelling across.

If you need time for shopping, the Managed Airport Transfer is the easiest option because your driver can wait with your luggage while you shop.

Alternatively, luggage storage is available at Aore Wharf from VT1,000 per group, allowing you to leave your bags securely while you complete your shopping.

Early Airport Departures

Have an early flight? We can also arrange your return journey from Aore Island to Santo Airport.

You will cross to Santo by boat, where a pre-booked driver will meet you and take you directly to the airport.

Boat + airport driver: VT5,500 per group

Please arrange this with us in advance.

A Few Things to Know

Boat transfers operate during daylight hours only. The scheduled afternoon ferry leaves Santo at 3:00 PM, and normal transfer services finish by approximately 3:30 PM.

If your flight arrives too late to safely cross to Aore before dark, you may need to stay in Santo overnight and travel across the following morning.

If we are organising your transfer, please send us:

- Flight number

- Arrival date

- Arrival time

- Number of adults

- Number of children

Boat Waiting Times

If you are running late, please let your driver know.

Drivers generally have other bookings and need to leave on time. If you cannot make your booked time, contact the driver so another available pickup time can be arranged.

Waiting fee: VT400 per 15 minutes

Approx. A$5

Waiting fees do not apply to airline delays.

Getting around Aore is easier than it may first sound. Boat travel is simply part of everyday island life, and once you understand the rhythm it quickly becomes part of the Aore experience.

AUD prices are approximate and may vary with the exchange rate.

When you arrive at Phoenix Plantation, your transfer will take you through to your accommodation.

We will let you know before arrival:

- Lian  will meet you at the property

- the house will be open for you

- key will be left for you

Please keep your phone available on arrival in case we need to contact you with any last-minute instructions.

Check-In Time

Standard check-in is 2:00 PM–4:00 PM.

If you expect to arrive earlier or later, please let us know in advance so we can confirm what is possible and coordinate your transfer.

What Happens When You Arrive

Your transfer takes you through to your Phoenix Plantation accommodation. 

Depending on weather and conditions, this may be:

- direct by boat to the property, or

- boat to Aore followed by a short island road transfer.

Before You Leave Santo

Before crossing to Aore, make sure you have:

- groceries and drinks

- any personal medication

- cash in Vanuatu vatu if needed

- your phone charged

- our WhatsApp number saved: +678 7342101

A quick note before you head into town:

Alcohol cannot be sold by supermarkets or takeaway bottle shops from 11:30 am Saturday until 7:30 am Monday. 

Cigarettes are available from supermarkets, Chinese stores and Island Duty Free, but opening hours vary on weekends.

Kava is different from alcohol and is widely available from local nakamals, usually from late afternoon into the evening. If you would like KAVA please request the day before so we can prepare it. 

Money & ATMs

BRED Bank Central Luganville.

ATM available and useful for withdrawing vatu.

National Bank of Vanuatu Central Luganville. Banking, cash withdrawals and ATM services.

No1 Currency

Main Street, Luganville.

Useful for changing AUD, NZD, USD and other major currencies.

Usually open Monday to Saturday. 

Western Union

Available at the Luganville Post Office and other agents in town.

Useful for sending or receiving money.

There is also a Western Union service at Santo Airport. 

Tip: carry some cash and smaller vatu notes. Markets and many smaller businesses do not accept cards. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="3"}

Supermarkets

LCM Supermarket

Central Luganville.

One of the larger supermarkets for groceries, frozen food, meat, toiletries, drinks, alcohol and household basics.

Daming Supermarket

Central Luganville.

Good for general groceries, snacks, drinks, household goods and everyday essentials.

Chinese stores

Found throughout Main Street and central Luganville.

Often useful for groceries, drinks, household items, clothing and those random things you suddenly discover you need.

Fresh Food

Luganville Market

Near the centre of town.

The best place for fresh fruit, vegetables, herbs and local produce.

Go earlier in the day for the best selection and bring cash.

The official tourism information currently says the main Luganville market operates every day except Sunday, so opening days can change locally. 

Pharmacy

Luganville Drugstore / Uncle Bill’s Pharmacy

Central Luganville near the market area.

Useful for normal pharmacy items, basic medicines and health supplies.

Pharmacies in Luganville generally operate around 8:00 am–5:00 pm on weekdays, with more limited weekend availability. 

Doctor & Hospital

Northern Provincial Hospital

F5RM+9MH, Luganville

Phone: +678 36345

For anything more than a minor medical issue, this is the main hospital for northern Vanuatu.

Hardware

Santo Hardware

 Luganville

Useful for tools, building supplies and general hardware.

Wilco Hardware Santo

 Luganville

Larger range of hardware and building supplies.

Tourist Information

For tours, blue holes, diving, transport and things to do around Santo, ask at the tourism information services in central Luganville or check with your host before heading out.

Island Duty Free

Island Duty Free

Main Street, Luganville.

Good for spirits, cigarettes, fragrances, cosmetics, souvenirs, electronics and gifts.

onday –Friday 8:00 am–5:00 pm and Saturday 8:00 am–12:00 pm. 

A Santo shopping trip is worth treating as part of the island experience. Do your supermarket shop, wander through the market, grab lunch or coffee, withdraw some cash and then head back across to Aore stocked up for a few days.

One of the nicest parts of staying on Aore is that food becomes part of the experience rather than something that simply arrives at your door.

There are no public restaurants on Aore Island, so Beachfront on Aore is mainly self-catering. 

The house has an oven and cooking facilities, and most guests shop in Santo before crossing to the island.

Most Santo supermarkets and shops are open Monday to Friday, usually around 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. 

Some open Saturday mornings, some Chinese stores trade longer hours, and the main market currently operates seven days a week.

Eating Out 

If you enjoy eating out, Santo has plenty of daytime options including cafés, bakeries, market food, Natangora Café and hotel restaurants. 

Evening dining is more limited once you are staying on Aore, so if restaurant dinners are an important part of your holiday, we suggest spending a few nights in Santo as well.

Local tiffin meals

For something much more local, village mamas can prepare a simple tiffin-style meal for VT 1,500 per person.

This is not a restaurant menu. You receive what has been cooked that day, which is really part of the charm. 

Meals may include rice, local vegetables, chicken or beef, laplap, simboro, tuluk, bread, half-moons and other simple home-style dishes.

Think of it less as ordering dinner and more as being invited to eat what the family is eating that day. It is deleivered for you to warm up and if you are not home the host will out in fridge for you. 

Shopping Service

If you would rather arrive and settle in, we can arrange a shopping service for VT 3,000.

 Please send your shopping list the day before so there is enough time to buy everything and bring it across to Aore.

A small island reality

There are no shops on Aore and no regular fruit and vegetable store, so almost everything has to come across from Santo.

*Please do not ask local staff to pick up shopping or personal items unless it has been arranged and paid for. What sounds like a quick errand can mean a walk to the landing, a boat trip to Santo, another walk to the shops, waiting for transport and then the return journey. Their time is valuable too.

Many local families also rely on subsistence farming for their own food. Please do not ask staff for produce from their gardens, and please do not pick fruit, vegetables, coconuts or other crops yourself. Gardens and trees belong to local families, even when they may look unused.

📍Saturdays and Sunday are important church and family days on Aore, so please try to arrange shopping, meals and errands during normal weekday working hours.

Island food works best when you lean into it a little: shop ahead, try what is local, cook something simple, order a tiffin meal and enjoy the fact that dinner here may feel very different from dinner at home.

To order a tiffin service please book night before call WhatApp +678 7342101 

Where to shop

Luganville Local Market

MarketBest for fresh fruit, vegetables and local produce. The market is currently open daily. 

LCM Supermarket

Good for a fuller grocery shop: fresh and frozen food, pantry staples, household items and some hot food. It is one of the more varied supermarkets in town. LCM Store

Daming Supermarket

Useful for general groceries and often handy if you need later opening hours. 

Sunshine Supermarket

Another option for basic groceries, although the range is generally smaller. 

Where to eat

The Tu Restaurant & Bar

RestaurantGood all-round option for breakfast, lunch or dinner, with seafood, Santo beef, international and Asian dishes.

Attar Cafe

Casual café-style food, including pizza, Middle Eastern and European-style options.

Natangora Café

A long-running Santo café, good for coffee, breakfast and lunch. 

Market Meal Booths

Simple local meals and one of the easiest ways to try everyday Santo food.

Checking out is easy. There is nothing special you need to do before you leave. We want you to enjoy your last morning rather than worry about cleaning or a long checkout list.

The only important thing is to book your return boat transfer in advance, particularly if you have a flight or another connection from Santo.

Please let us know your preferred departure time as early as possible so we can arrange your boat and transport.

Our team will take care of the house after you leave. Safe travels and thank you for staying with us at Phoenix Plantation.

Staying Connected

Staying connected on Aore Island is easy, but internet access differs between our two guest houses.

Aore Treehouse   are a budget stay and does not include internet. Mobile data can easily be purchased in Luganville before travelling to Aore Island.

Beachfront on Aore 

Beachfront on Aore includes Starlink Wi-Fi, with connection details below. We are fairly remote, so we are genuinely impressed by how well Starlink works here. 

Passwords will be sent to you before you check in. 

• On a good day, speeds can be around 250 Mbps download, 
• with uploads around 37 Mbps and
• latency around 45 ms.

But this is still island internet, not a city fiber connection. 

Passwords will be sent to you the day before you arrive. 

Some guests ask whether they can bring useful items for the local community, local families or the plantation team. You are very welcome to, and practical items that can be used straight away are usually the most helpful.

Useful items include:

- Backpacks and school bags

- Lego/ Board Games

- Good-quality children’s clothing

- Skirts, T-shirts and lightweight cotton clothing

- Men’s business shirts, which are useful for church and special occasions

- Caps and sun hats

- Dry bags

- Solar items

- Kitchen utensils

- Toiletries and practical household items

Please bring items that are clean and in good condition. If you are unsure what would be useful, message us before travelling and we can let you know what is currently needed.

 Tiffin Service – Home-Style Island Meals

Don’t feel like cooking? Our Phoenix Plantation Tiffin Service offers simple, freshly prepared lunches and dinners delivered to your guest house.

Meals are home style and made using local and seasonal ingredients where possible. Depending on availability, meals may include

• chicken, 
• curries, 
• rice, 
• vegetables, 
• salads, 
• local root crops and
•  traditional dishes such as laplap and simboro.

A$20.00 approx VT1,500 per person

All Tiffin meals must be ordered at least 24 hours in advance Monday to Friday

Kava is a traditional part of Vanuatu culture and is usually enjoyed in the late afternoon or evening. If you would like fresh, locally made kava, please let us know the day before, as it takes time to prepare and must be ordered in advance.

Alcohol should be purchased in Santo before returning to Aore Island. Vanuatu law restricts takeaway alcohol sales from 11:30am Friday until 7:30am Monday, so please plan ahead if you would like alcohol for the weekend.

Please drink responsibly and respect our peaceful island environment.

The sea around Aore is one of the quiet pleasures of staying here. Clear water, coral edges and sheltered stretches of coastline mean you can often see marine life without booking a tour or going very far at all.

Most days it is a turtle surfacing a few metres from shore. Other days it is a dugong moving slowly through the shallows. During whale season, you may even see whales passing through the wider waters around Santo.

What you may see

Dugongs

One of Aore’s most special visitors. They are often seen in quieter water and daily are  very close to shore. Leave paw paw for them and they will swim in.

Turtles

A regular sight around the island. Guests often spot them surfacing, feeding or cruising through the shallows.

Whales

During whale season, whales may pass through the wider waters around Santo. If you are lucky, you may see them from shore or while travelling by boat.

Reef fish

The shallows are full of movement — butterflyfish, angelfish, parrotfish, surgeonfish, wrasse, damselfish and schools of smaller tropical fish.

Rays

Stingrays and other rays may occasionally be seen gliding over sandy patches or resting quietly on the bottom.

Octopus

Excellent at disappearing in plain sight. Look carefully around rocks and coral and you may spot one tucked away.

Sea cucumbers and starfish

Common in the shallows and part of the everyday reef landscape.

Sea urchins

Also common, especially around rocky areas and coral. Best admired rather than stepped on.

Crabs

You will see plenty around the shoreline and rock pools, especially as the light starts to fade.

Cone shells

Some cone shells are venomous. They can be beautiful, but please leave live shells exactly where you find them.

Sea snakes

Sea snakes are occasionally seen around reefs. They are venomous but generally shy and not interested in people. Give them space and do not try to touch them.

Jellyfish

They can occasionally appear depending on currents and weather. If you see a number of them in the water, give swimming a miss until they move on.

Sharks

Shark sightings close to shore are uncommon. Like most reef wildlife, they generally avoid people. Locals eat them, in 6 years I have never seen one

Crocodiles

Crocodiles are not part of the normal marine environment around Aore. They are not native to Vanautu 

A few simple sea rules

• Wear reef shoes.  The shoreline is coral and rock in many places, and reef shoes make getting in and out of the water much easier.
• Do not pick up unfamiliar shells or marine animals.
• Give turtles and dugongs plenty of room.
• Avoid swimming alone after dark.
• If the sea turns rough, windy or murky, wait for conditions to settle.
• If local boat operators or staff advise against swimming or boating, follow their advice.

The nicest thing about Aore is that the wildlife is not presented to you. It simply appears when it feels like it. A turtle at breakfast, a dugong in the afternoon, a ray gliding past your feet that is usually how the best sightings happen. 

Emergency & Useful Contacts

WhatsApp or Call +678 7342101

• House Mumma:  Lian 
• House Maintenance : David
• Aore Transfer Taxi: Julie 

Office hours:

•  7:00 am–3:00 pm, 
• Monday to Friday. 
• Messages outside these hours will  be answered the next working day.

📍After-hours emergencies will be answered. An emergency means something requiring immediate help, such as:

• Serious illness or injury
• Fire
• Someone unconscious or in immediate danger
• Major accident
• Serious security issue
• Cyclone, tsunami or earthquake requiring urgent action

Emergency Services – Santo

• Police:  1111 
• Police  Santo non-emergency: 36 222
• Fire: 113  
• Fire Service Santo: 36 333  
• Maritime emergency: 114  
• ProMedical Ambulance: 115  
• Northern Provincial Hospital, Luganville: +678 36 345 
• For serious medical emergencies or medevac assistance, contact ProMedical on 115. 
• ProMedical operates in Santo and provides emergency ambulance and medical evacuation support. 

Cyclones, Earthquakes & Tsunami Information

• For official cyclone, earthquake, tsunami and other geohazard information, follow the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-Hazards Department (VMGD)
•  During a serious event, follow official VMGD, Police and disaster-management instructions. 

Note on Local Culture:

• We respect local working hours and customs, so unless something is urgent, please keep housekeeping requests brief and make them during the day.
• Our local team finishes at 4:00 pm so they have time to prepare their own homes and families before dark. 
• Local families carry water by hand, cook over an open fire, and do not have mains power or running water.
• Please help us respect local life and culture by keeping non-urgent requests within normal working hours and allowing staff to finish on time.