Swimming at the Blue Lagoon on Efate

The Blue Lagoon on Efate is a big swimming hole beside the sea: the Vanuatu Tourism Office says it is salty at high tide and fresh at low tide, with ropes tied to the trees for swinging in. It is busiest at weekends, when locals come out, and quieter on weekdays. The easiest way to swim there and somewhere else the same day is a tour. Manusale Tours’ Vanuatu: Tropical Splash, Beaches & Blue Lagoon Adventure adds Eton Beach and Eden on the River, with entry and snorkelling gear included, from A$150 per adult (checked November 2026).

The calendar above is Manusale Tours’ six-hour day, with 47 reviews (checked November 2026).

The water

The Tourism Office’s family itinerary for Efate is the most detailed description it publishes. It calls the Blue Lagoon “a luminous swimming hole tucked away on the south-east shoreline of Efate”, next to the sea, salty at high tide and fresh at low. The perimeter is large, it says, so there is space for everyone, and the clear water shows the twisted roots and submerged rocks around the edge. No issuer publishes a depth, and this page does not guess one.

Tide also changes the beach stop most tours pair with the lagoon: a reviewer of Manusale Tours’ day wrote on 11 September 2026 that Eton Beach “wasn’t much due to tides”, after enjoying the swim at the Blue Lagoon and the cascades.

The rope swings

The ropes are the part every source mentions. The Office’s Blue holes page describes people jumping into the water from ropes set up for the purpose, and the family itinerary invites you to “challenge the family to the highest swing off the Tarzan ropes tethered to trees”. Yumi Tours & Transfers Vanuatu’s half day sells the rope swing as its first highlight, along with watching local children show off their skills, and wooden platforms for getting into the water.

Yumi Tours & Transfers Vanuatu’s half day is not suitable for non-swimmers, pregnant women or people with back problems. Sammy`s Port Vila Tours & Transfers lists its Blue Lagoon day as unsuitable for non-swimmers and for people with mobility impairments.

Weekdays, weekends and food

The Office says the Blue Lagoon is very popular with locals at weekends, with a lively atmosphere, and suggests a weekday for a quieter swim. Food on site is limited, so either bring your own or pick a tour with lunch: Manusale Tours’ day includes lunch, fruit and snacks, and Sammy`s Port Vila Tours & Transfers and Island Life Tours include a barbecue lunch.

Pick the swim day that suits you:

Prices, ratings and review counts from the listings (GetYourGuide checked November 2026). Prices are per adult in Australian dollars and change by date: treat them as the shape of the market, not a quote.

What to bring

Manusale Tours’ list is a good one for any Blue Lagoon day: swimwear, a towel and a change of clothes, a sun hat and sunglasses, flip-flops, and biodegradable sunscreen and insect repellent. Bring vatu in cash if your tour does not include the entry: the gate takes cash only (the entry fee).

How long you get in the water

On a tour, the clock is the operator’s. The listings that give a time at the Blue Lagoon allow about an hour: Yumi Tours’ half day on Viator, Atmosphere Tours Vanuatu’s half day and Vila Hope Tours and Transfers’ Hideaway day each list an hour, and Lavanua Tours and Transfers’ half day lists an hour and a half. Manusale Tours names no time per stop, and several of its reviewers wrote that they could stay as long as they wanted at each one. Half day or full day compares the tours by length.