From the wind-whipped palms of Efate to the smoking rim of Mount Yasur on Tanna, Vanuatu greets the senses with salt air, warm volcanic dust, and the rustle of pandanus fronds being woven by hand.

Stalls at Port Vila Market glint with coconut-shell bowls and rows of glossy vanilla pods, while the deep bass of a freshly struck slit gong reverberates like a heartbeat across the bay, each sound and texture a reminder of kastom and island craft.

Walk a village track on Pentecost and you’ll see sand drawings traced with a stick, hear stories painted into barkcloth, and taste the peppery warmth of freshly ground kava. The islands’ landscapes and materials, from pandanus and bark to cacao and kava root shape everything local.

Whether you’re after edible treats or carved keepsakes, Vanuatu offers a tactile connection to place and people, and Vanuatu souvenirs make perfect reminders of that connection.

Here’s what to buy in Vanuatu to bring a piece of its spirit back home.

1. Bilum Bag

Why pick this up:
Bilum—the hand-knotted string bag—is a portable piece of Vanuatu’s living tradition, used for carrying market produce and babies alike. Owning one is like carrying a small piece of kastom weaving and island identity.

What to look for:
Seek tightly knotted patterns, natural-dyed fibers, and variations in stitch density that indicate handwork, often coming from women’s weaving groups in central provinces. Bright, intricate patterns often come from more established makers in Efate and Santo.

Price bracket (2025):
VT 1,500–8,000

Where to find it:
Port Vila Market, Luganville Market, village craft stalls and weekend maker markets.

2. Pandanus Mats and Hats

Why pick this up:
Pandanus weaving is everywhere in Vanuatu—mats (tores) and hats are practical souvenirs that also show the subtle skill of dyeing and plaiting local leaves. They’re immediately useful at home and beautiful laid out as wall hangings.

What to look for:
Look for tight, even plaiting and natural color variations; red, black and yellow dyes are traditional and pandanus with a fine finish comes from long-stem leaves harvested on Santo and Efate. Cheaper, machine-made versions will have perfectly uniform color and plastic sheen.

Price bracket (2025):
VT 800–6,000

Where to find it:
Port Vila waterfront stalls, Santo craft markets, village artisan collectives.

3. Vanuatu Vanilla Beans

Why pick this up:
Vanuatu produces some of the South Pacific’s most aromatic vanilla—moist, glossy pods that perfume a kitchen and last months if stored properly. It’s a culinary souvenir that directly supports smallholder farmers on Malekula and Santo.

What to look for:
Choose plump, oily pods with a deep brown color and strong warm aroma; beans sold loose by farmers often come with an origin tag from Santo or Malekula. Avoid brittle, dry pods which indicate poor storage.

Price bracket (2025):
VT 2,000–6,000 per 50–100 g

Where to find it:
Port Vila Market, Luganville Market, farmer stalls and specialty food producers on Santo.

4. Slit Gong Miniature

Why pick this up:
The slit gong is Vanuatu’s sonic emblem—miniature carved versions make striking decor and recall ceremonial life and island rhythms. They’re a carved, portable token of village gatherings and custom.

What to look for:
Small slit gongs should show hand-chisel marks, a hollowed center and traditional motifs from Ambrym or Pentecost. Beware of resin casts and factory-stained pieces; genuine ones feel heavy and slightly uneven from hand carving.

Price bracket (2025):
VT 3,000–15,000

Where to find it:
Ambrym village workshops, Port Vila craft stalls, Luganville markets.

5. Kava (Piper methysticum) — Powder or Dried Root

Why pick this up:
Kava is central to social life across Vanuatu; a small pack lets you recreate the peppery, earthy communal drink at home. It’s an edible souvenir with direct cultural context.

What to look for:
Look for locally packed, labeled kava from known islands (Tanna, Efate, Santo) with a distinctive earthy aroma; ask vendors about preparation and strength. Keep in mind customs restrictions at your destination—declare herbal products.

Price bracket (2025):
VT 500–3,000 per small pack

Where to find it:
Port Vila Market, Luganville stalls, roadside cooperatives on Tanna and Pentecost.

6. Tapa (Barkcloth)

Why pick this up:
Tapa—hand-beaten bark cloth decorated with natural dyes—carries ancestral designs and is used for ceremonies and clothing across the islands. It’s a large, dramatic piece that reads like wearable artwork or an oversized wall tapestry.

What to look for:
Prefer larger sheets with hand-painted motifs and uneven brush strokes; the soft texture and visible joins in barkbeaters signal authenticity. Machine-printed imitations will be too uniform and glossy.

Price bracket (2025):
VT 5,000–30,000

Where to find it:
Cultural villages (Tanna, Pentecost), Port Vila craft cooperatives and museum shops.

7. Santo Cacao Chocolate and Cocoa Products

Why pick this up:
Espiritu Santo’s volcanic soils yield fine cacao—local bean-to-bar chocolate bars and cocoa products taste of place and support small cooperatives. They’re lightweight, gift-ready, and satisfy a sweet tooth.

What to look for:
Choose bars from recognizable Santo producers with single-origin labeling and a short ingredient list; glossy bloom or odd smell can indicate heat damage. Pack carefully to avoid melting.

Price bracket (2025):
VT 300–1,500

Where to find it:
Luganville Market, Port Vila gourmet stores, specialty chocolate producers on Santo.

8. Ambrym Masks and Wood Carvings

Why pick this up:
Ambrym’s carved masks are striking and embedded in ceremonial dance and fire-dancing traditions; small carvings and masks bring island mythology into your home. Each piece reflects island stories carved by local artisans.

What to look for:
Genuine carvings show tool marks, locally sourced hardwood and traditional pigments; masks tied with natural fiber lashings often come from clan carvers. Avoid mass-produced resin masks sold in souvenir bins.

Price bracket (2025):
VT 4,000–25,000

Where to find it:
Ambrym villages (ask guides), Port Vila craft stalls, cultural centers.

9. Sand Drawing Prints and Books

Why pick this up:
Pentecost’s sand drawings are a unique visual language—prints, postcards or books reproduce these ephemeral artworks and include explanations of the stories they encode. They’re perfect for framing and for travelers who want cultural context.

What to look for:
Buy prints signed by the artist or illustrated books that credit Pentecost creators; original sand-drawing reproductions often come from community projects. Cheap mass-printed postcards may not credit the maker.

Price bracket (2025):
VT 200–1,500

Where to find it:
Port Vila museum shops, Port Vila Market, island visitor centers and cultural villages.

10. Coconut Oil & Natural Beauty Products

Why pick this up:
Cold-pressed coconut oil, artisanal soaps and tamanu oil blends use islands’ abundant coconuts and native botanicals for fragrant, travel-friendly gifts. They’re practical, long-lasting, and showcase local plant knowledge.

What to look for:
Choose cold-pressed or extra-virgin labels, transparent packaging listing only local ingredients, and small-batch artisan brands that note island origin. Cheap, perfumed bottles may contain synthetic additives.

Price bracket (2025):
VT 400–2,500

Where to find it:
Port Vila Market, boutique crafts shops, airport gift shops and cooperative stalls.

Tip: Pack fragile carvings and vanilla in your carry-on and always declare foodstuffs at customs to avoid issues. ✈️

Local Shopping Culture & Traditions

Shopping in Vanuatu is as much social exchange as commerce. Many purchases are made in open-air markets or directly from village artisans who weave, carve or ferment goods according to kastom (traditional rules).

Port Vila Market on Efate and Luganville Market on Espiritu Santo are bustling hubs where farmers, weavers and fishers sell produce and crafts; weekend village markets and cultural centers on Tanna, Ambrym and Pentecost offer deeper encounters with makers.

Bargaining is common in market stalls but tends to be friendly and modest, prices in cooperatives, museum shops, and boutiques are usually fixed.

Craft production is influenced by island ecology and ceremony: pandanus and coconut for weaving, bark for tapa, and hardwoods for slit gongs and masks, with styles varying dramatically by island.

Many communities organize cooperative sales or rely on tourism to bridge rural economies, so buying directly from makers supports livelihoods and helps keep kastom practices alive.

How to Spot Genuine Local Souvenirs

Look for evidence of handwork: slight irregularities in weave, visible tool marks in wood, hand-applied pigments on tapa, and natural-dye variations in pandanus products.

Ask sellers which island the item comes from, bilum from Efate, slit gongs and masks from Ambrym, vanilla from Santo and Malekula and prefer pieces with provenance or a maker’s name.

For food items, check for moisture in vanilla pods, a fresh earthy aroma in kava, and single-origin labels on cacao and coffee; avoid overly glossy or uniformly perfect items that suggest mass production or re-exported goods.

Be wary of perfectly identical carvings or ultra-cheap “authentic” masks—these often come from factories elsewhere. When buying expensive pieces, request a reasonable story of origin, inspect joinery and finishes, and consider purchasing through village cooperatives or museum-linked sellers to ensure authenticity.

Where to Shop in Vanuatu

• Port Vila Market (Efate) — main waterfront market for produce, vanilla, bilum and crafts.
• Luganville Market (Espiritu Santo) — bustling market for Santo cacao, coffee and pandanus goods.
• Ambrym and Pentecost village markets — for masks, carvings and sand-drawing art.
• Tanna markets near Lenakel and cultural villages around Mount Yasur — for kava and tapa.
• National Museum of Vanuatu (Port Vila) and museum shop — curated crafts and reference materials.
• Bauerfield International Airport (Port Vila) and Santo-Pekoa International Airport gift shops — last-minute local chocolates, vanilla and packaged goods.
• Weekend maker markets and cultural festivals — check local listings for pop-up artisan bazaars.

FAQs

Q: Are souvenirs in Vanuatu expensive?
A: Prices vary widely—market stalls and village-made items can be very affordable, while museum-quality tapa, large carvings and cooperative-sourced goods can be pricier; expect local ranges in VT rather than fixed retail rates.

Q: Is bargaining common in Vanuatu?
A: Light bargaining is normal in open-air markets; be respectful and smile—many vendors prefer a friendly haggle rather than hard negotiating. In boutiques, cooperatives and museum shops, prices are usually fixed.

Q: How do I know if food or plant-based souvenirs will pass customs?
A: Declare all foods and plant materials on arrival and departure forms; packaged, sealed products with origin labels (vanilla, packaged cacao) are usually fine, but raw roots, fresh fruit and unprocessed items may be restricted.

Explore Vanuatu’s markets and workshops—you’ll come away with stories and Vanuatu souvenirs that carry the islands’ flavors, textures and traditions.

Let me know in the comments if you have any other top ‘what to buy’ ideas!

About the Author

Colin is the founder of SouvenirsIdeas.com and a passionate traveller with a soft spot for ceramics, markets, and food tours. He writes practical, first-hand guides to help you bring home souvenirs that actually mean something — not just more clutter!