What do you think of Port Vila?

[Gerko]

Don't worry Fishtaco. I always enjoy visiting Noumea whilst the rest of my family do not like the place. Just a simple thing like wandering across from tne visitors centre to the big supermarket and wandering down the aisles past the tinned duck and foie gras, and into the specialty bread and cheese rooms full of crusty baguettes and runny camembert.

 

I'm really pleased to hear that the police are around now in Vila, particularly if they are working on the taxis. But the shopkeepers need to watch prices. Tourists won't just randomly spend money for no reason. We have to believe we are getting a bragin or paying a fair price for something we can't get at home.

 

This will no doubt horrify all the nonsmokers but last year at a dutyfree I got a carton of ten packs of 20's for ten dollars. One dollar a packet! When I pay around $17 a packet in Sydney. Trouble is Australia now only allows 50cig total into the country so if a similar special is around I'll end up having to chuck some away when I get off but still a bargain for the coffinnails.

[joejoe 59]

I wasnt fussed with it!

 

I actually wouldn't go out of my way to re visit unless it was just another a ship stop.

 

If its not a small island in the south pacific like Wala then give me South East Asia any day:)

 

I am in a minority though as I like Noumea and would choose it over port vila:p

What would you reccomend to do in Noumea Only visited from 3pm twice, next time we have the whole day:)

[Aus Traveller]

What would you reccomend to do in Noumea Only visited from 3pm twice, next time we have the whole day:)

 

Take a tour out into the countryside. These are on sale in the cruise terminal. Prices are quoted in AUD.

[MicCanberra]

Don't worry Fishtaco. I always enjoy visiting Noumea whilst the rest of my family do not like the place. Just a simple thing like wandering across from tne visitors centre to the big supermarket and wandering down the aisles past the tinned duck and foie gras, and into the specialty bread and cheese rooms full of crusty baguettes and runny camembert.

 

I'm really pleased to hear that the police are around now in Vila, particularly if they are working on the taxis. But the shopkeepers need to watch prices. Tourists won't just randomly spend money for no reason. We have to believe we are getting a bragin or paying a fair price for something we can't get at home.

 

This will no doubt horrify all the nonsmokers but last year at a dutyfree I got a carton of ten packs of 20's for ten dollars. One dollar a packet! When I pay around $17 a packet in Sydney. Trouble is Australia now only allows 50cig total into the country so if a similar special is around I'll end up having to chuck some away when I get off but still a bargain for the coffinnails.

There is a loop hole for bringing more into the country if you want and it is not illegal or dishonest. It is a little bit of a hassle, but my brother uses it.;)

[jennyau]

There is a loop hole for bringing more into the country if you want and it is not illegal or dishonest. It is a little bit of a hassle, but my brother uses it.;)

 

I'd love to know the loophole....

 

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[Gerko]

I'd love to know the loophole....

 

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Yes, please don''t just leave us hanging! What's the loophole?

[MicCanberra]

The loophole is you buy your duty free cigs and open every packet and smoke some of them. When returning you may have one in your pocket, one in your carry on several in you luggage and your travelling companions can have the same As well as the two unopened packets per person. My brother has done this several times and even when asked has been allowed through.:D

[Gerko]

Thanks for that but then you'd end up with a lot of smokes going stale, having already opened them. I was hoping there was some wonderfult way of bringing a couple of cartons in. I'll certainly bring back more than 50. If you spread them around unopened and just tell the customs person that you have a a pack or two more than the limit they tend to wave you through. Plus I get the wife's allowance as they never sell her brand abroad. At one time if you went on a cruise to nowhere you could buy dutyfree cigs on board and pretty much without limit as there was no Customs at the end having not visited any other ports. You can still sort of do that but you have to buy the packs one at a time over the bar and they charge ten bucks a packet, a lot less than normal retail but a lot more than dutyfree.

[MicCanberra]

Thanks for that but then you'd end up with a lot of smokes going stale, having already opened them. I was hoping there was some wonderfult way of bringing a couple of cartons in. I'll certainly bring back more than 50. If you spread them around unopened and just tell the customs person that you have a a pack or two more than the limit they tend to wave you through. Plus I get the wife's allowance as they never sell her brand abroad. At one time if you went on a cruise to nowhere you could buy dutyfree cigs on board and pretty much without limit as there was no Customs at the end having not visited any other ports. You can still sort of do that but you have to buy the packs one at a time over the bar and they charge ten bucks a packet, a lot less than normal retail but a lot more than dutyfree.

Perhaps you can cruise with lots of non smoking friends.:D

[Gerko]

That's a thought! I'm going on Celebrity Solstice in Jan with 53 friends. If each gets me their 50 cigs allowance ........

[MicCanberra]

That's a thought! I'm going on Celebrity Solstice in Jan with 53 friends. If each gets me their 50 cigs allowance ........

Thats the way, don't tell any of your smoking friends though or your quota will drop.:D

[jennyau]

The loophole is you buy your duty free cigs and open every packet and smoke some of them. When returning you may have one in your pocket, one in your carry on several in you luggage and your travelling companions can have the same As well as the two unopened packets per person. My brother has done this several times and even when asked has been allowed through.:D

 

I am so glad I came back here and found you actually answered....... we leave tomorrow!

 

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[fishtaco]

I am so glad I came back here and found you actually answered....... we leave tomorrow!

 

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Sorry but the loop hole has been well and truly closed!

 

50 smokes loose or sealed Per Person.

 

The only reason you could bring in opened packets as extra was because single cigarettes are non taxable and open packets have no commercial value, this was also debatable at customs and before the new low limit, I argued more than once with over zealous officials when i smoked for having my duty free limit and just one extra open packet in my pocket.

 

Any Cigarettes you declare to customs over the 50 will be held in bond for 3 months to be collected on your exit from Australia within that 3 months. Or you can pay the duty on all cigarettes including your 50 allowed.

 

Dont declare the amount over 50 and you take the risk of loosing all including your 50 allowance,these will not be held in bond but destroyed.

 

Tobacco tax is very important to a small population like Australia, Singapore is similar with high cigarette taxes and just as strict on importation.

 

Go to a Duty free shop before you leave Australia if you smoke as you can leave with 250 from any port including cruise ports, they are cheaper duty free than buying on the ship.

[jennyau]

Sorry but the loop hole has been well and truly closed!

 

50 smokes loose or sealed Per Person.

 

The only reason you could bring in opened packets as extra was because single cigarettes are non taxable and open packets have no commercial value, this was also debatable at customs and before the new low limit, I argued more than once with over zealous officials when i smoked for having my duty free limit and just one extra open packet in my pocket.

 

Any Cigarettes you declare to customs over the 50 will be held in bond for 3 months to be collected on your exit from Australia within that 3 months. Or you can pay the duty on all cigarettes including your 50 allowed.

 

Dont declare the amount over 50 and you take the risk of loosing all including your 50 allowance,these will not be held in bond but destroyed.

 

Tobacco tax is very important to a small population like Australia, Singapore is similar with high cigarette taxes and just as strict on importation.

 

Go to a Duty free shop before you leave Australia if you smoke as you can leave with 250 from any port including cruise ports, they are cheaper duty free than buying on the ship.

 

Thank you very much. I'll call into a duty free shop when we get to Sydney in the morning. That is 250 each isn't it?

 

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[avalon007]

We like Vila well enough, once you are away from the town.

 

Last time we haggled with a min van taxi guy & had him take us to The Cascades, then onto the Hideaway Island dock where went across to the island ($10 entry) as it has some nice snorkelling with floating pontoons you can swim out to. They also hire out dive equipment.

 

We then went via town on the way back to the ship & found the duty free alcohol not as cheap as the ship in several cases.

 

We did look in the shops but we never really want to buy anything on the islands apart from maybe a TShirt as we already own enough stuff.

 

It cost us $80 for just the 2 of us for about 4.5 hours.

 

The markets at the dock are reasonably extensive but all sell similar things. Good if it's your first time there to pick up the odd souvenir.

 

We are going back in March, so will probably go snorkelling again or diving this time.

 

Like most of the South Pacific Islands the best things to see are out of the towns or under the water. :)

 

Seems odd to me the number of people who choose to go to a Pacific Island & say they didn't enjoy it because they don't like snorkelling, going to the beach or walking anywhere! :rolleyes:

[Bellamariya]

Like most of the South Pacific Islands the best things to see are out of the towns or under the water. :)

 

Seems odd to me the number of people who choose to go to a Pacific Island & say they didn't enjoy it because they don't like snorkelling, going to the beach or walking anywhere! :rolleyes:

 

I agree! Efate is an amazing island filled with beautiful things to see and fun things to do and is much more than just Port Vila. Port Vila itself is just another town with shops, markets, cafes and restaurants.

 

If you decide to dive when you come for your next visit I can recommend Konanda Wreck for a nice, shallow wreck dive if you haven't done it before. I have a soft spot for the Konanda as it was the first wreck I ever dived.

[wenjoyjack]

Just back from Santo. What a beautiful place and beautiful happy people.. We can't wait to go back. The water is so warm and the blue holes are beautiful. The local people love the cruise ships coming in. When we went to Champagne beach they were building more traditional huts for selling their goods when the cruisers come ashore. We found the food and drink prices very reasonable - much cheaper than Oz.

 

 

 

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[Aussie FF]

Love the water taxi.:)

[fishtaco]

Thank you very much. I'll call into a duty free shop when we get to Sydney in the morning. That is 250 each isn't it?

 

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You can purchase as many as you want duty free when you leave the country.

 

There is no restrictions on bringing duty free cigarettes onto a cruise ship heading overseas. Many dont know this!

 

When I smoked which was not too long ago I started to bring duty free cigarettes onto a cruise ship when leaving Australia because they hiked up the price onboard to almost land shop price.

 

In Vila you will also be able to keep your duty free smokes and carry them onboard, you must ask the shop not to put the smokes in the same bag as the booze and that you will carry them on as opposed to being delivered to the ship like the booze.

[jennyau]

Thank you

 

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[DT1304]

Great thread (about Vila not the cigs) ;)

 

I was there in January 2013. We got a taxi to cascades where we planned to spend an hour but loved it so much, swimming and climbing, that we were there for about 3-4 hours. Then we went to hideaway and did some snorkelling.

 

The taxi then took us back to the ship, but dropped us at the end of the street so we could walk through the stalls on the way back to the ship.

 

It cost us $100 for 5 of us for all day for the taxi.

 

We going back again in April, this time on carnival, and i am trying to work out what we should do. Loved cascades and Hideaway, but think we should see/do different things this time round.