A sealed ring road of roughly 130 km runs right around Efate. You can drive it in about three hours without stopping, but it deserves a full day. Away from Port Vila the island is villages, coconut plantations, cattle under the palms and long empty stretches of coast.
The north-west side borders Havannah Harbour, a deep natural anchorage sheltered by Lelepa and Moso islands. In World War II it was a major American naval base; bottles, machinery and aircraft parts still turn up, and a small private museum by the road displays them. The area is also part of Chief Roi Mata’s Domain, a UNESCO World Heritage site linked to a paramount chief of around 1600.
Top things to do: Havannah Harbour & the Round-Island Road
Stop at the WWII relics
At Tanoliu a family-run roadside museum shows Coca-Cola bottles, tools and other items left by US forces. Elsewhere on the north coast you pass the remains of a wartime airstrip. Entry is by small donation or fee.
Cross to Lelepa or Moso
Day tours by boat visit Lelepa for snorkelling, a beach lunch and Fele’s Cave, with its old rock art, and Moso for reef and village life. The beaches here were used for the “Survivor: Vanuatu” television series and are still marketed as Survivor Beach.
Drive the whole loop
Going clockwise from Port Vila: the Blue Lagoon and Eton Beach, the quiet north coast and the wharf for Pele and Nguna, Havannah Harbour, then back over Klem’s Hill with a view across Mele Bay.
How to get to Havannah Harbour & the Round-Island Road
- By tour: round-island day tours include lunch and swimming stops — see the ranked list.
- By rental car: straightforward. Vanuatu drives on the right; watch for potholes, dogs, chickens and people walking on the road, and avoid driving at night.
- By bus: not practical for the full loop.
Insider tips
- Carry cash in small notes: nearly every beach, swimming hole and lookout is on custom land with its own small entry fee.
- Fill the tank in Port Vila; fuel is scarce around the island.
- Turtle sanctuaries: some tours stop at places where captive turtles are fed or handled. Conservation groups advise against handling sea turtles and against keeping them in small tanks. If that matters to you, ask the operator exactly what the stop involves, and prefer seeing turtles in the wild while snorkelling.
- Havannah Harbour faces west — a fine place for a late lunch and sunset.
Tours that include Havannah Harbour & the Round-Island Road
These bookable experiences are the easiest way to see Havannah Harbour & the Round-Island Road:
Island day trip from €89 Port Vila: Moso Island Snorkelling and Cultural Day Tour
A full day on Moso, the long island that shelters Havannah Harbour. Snorkel the reef, eat a barbecue lunch and join in traditional activities with your hosts — a gentle way to see outer-island life without flying anywhere.
- Boat across Havannah Harbour to Moso Island
- Snorkel over coral reef
- BBQ lunch and traditional village activities
Private tour from €248 per group Port Vila: Private Customisable Tour with Driver
A private vehicle and local driver for five hours, with the route built around what you want to see. Priced per group, so it works out well for families and friends sharing.
- Your own vehicle and driver
- Choose your own stops and pace
- Priced per vehicle, for up to 14 people
