Climate and average weather in Port Vila
In Port Vila, the weather is muggy, warm, wet, and partly cloudy and remarkably steady, with daytime highs holding near warm levels all year. The wettest stretch peaks around March.
Over the course of the year, the temperature in Port Vila typically varies from 23°C to 28°C, and is rarely below 22°C or above 29°C. February is the hottest month of the year, while August is the coldest.
Based on the travel score, the best time of year to visit Port Vila for warm-weather activities is from early May to late December.
- Hottest
- Feb
- 28°
- Coldest
- Aug
- 23°
- Wettest
- Mar
- 237 mm
- Driest
- Aug
- 57 mm
- Rain / yr
- 1567 mm
- 158 wet days
- Daylight
- 10.9–13.1 h
- shortest–longest
- Elevation
- 10 m
- 17.7°S
- Clearest
- Oct
- 54% cloud
Port Vila is capital and largest city of Vanuatu.
- Density
- 1,521/km²
- people per km²
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Port Vila weather by month, at a glance
The whole year in one picture — sky, rain, humidity, temperature and travel score. Click any band to jump to its full chart.
Each stripe is one measure across the whole year, stacked so a single day reads top to bottom. The sky band runs overcast grey on top down to clear blue at the base — more blue means sunnier — followed by the rainfall curve, the humidity band, a temperature strip that tints each stretch of the year by how warm its average high is, and the travel-score line at the foot. Scan straight down any date to read that day across every measure at once; the score climbs highest around early May to late December.
Temperature through the year
Daily average highs and lows in Port Vila, from 1991–2020 of climate data. The shaded bands show the range most days fall in — 10th to 90th percentile.
Temperatures in Port Vila stay fairly even through the year, without a distinct hot or cool season. The warmest month is February, with an average high of 28°C and low of 26°C; the coolest is August, with an average low of 23°C and high of 24°C.
Days typically run about 1°C warmer than nights year-round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 27 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 |
| Avg low (°C) | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 25 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27 | 26 |
| Feb | 28 | 26 |
| Mar | 28 | 26 |
| Apr | 27 | 26 |
| May | 26 | 25 |
| Jun | 25 | 24 |
| Jul | 24 | 23 |
| Aug | 24 | 23 |
| Sep | 24 | 23 |
| Oct | 25 | 24 |
| Nov | 26 | 25 |
| Dec | 27 | 25 |
Average hourly temperature in Port Vila
A compact picture of the whole year, hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled average temperature. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
Read left to right for the day of the year and top to bottom for the hour of the day; the color is the modeled temperature, cool blues through to hot reds on the same scale as the other charts. A vertical slice is a single day's swing — coolest just before dawn, warmest in the mid-afternoon — while a horizontal slice follows one hour across the seasons. The darker overlay marks night and the lighter one the twilight around sunrise and sunset. Colors run warmest on February afternoons, near 28°C, and coldest before dawn in August, near 23°C.
Port Vila weather by month
Every month at a glance. Click a month for its detailed page.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27° / 26° | 186 | 17.9 | 12.9 | 5.3 |
| Feb | 28° / 26° | 192 | 19.1 | 12.6 | 4.8 |
| Mar | 28° / 26° | 237 | 21.8 | 12.1 | 4.7 |
| Apr | 27° / 26° | 209 | 19 | 11.6 | 5.1 |
| May | 26° / 25° | 146 | 12.6 | 11.2 | 6.2 |
| Jun | 25° / 24° | 104 | 10.2 | 11 | 6.7 |
| Jul | 24° / 23° | 66 | 7.8 | 11 | 7.3 |
| Aug | 24° / 23° | 57 | 7.6 | 11.4 | 7.4 |
| Sep | 24° / 23° | 73 | 8 | 11.9 | 7.3 |
| Oct | 25° / 24° | 85 | 8.6 | 12.4 | 7.2 |
| Nov | 26° / 25° | 79 | 10.4 | 12.8 | 6.7 |
| Dec | 27° / 25° | 132 | 14.6 | 13 | 6.0 |
Chance of rain
How likely it is to rain on a typical day, and how that shifts across the wetter and drier seasons.
Port Vila gets about 1567 mm of precipitation a year. On a typical day the chance of rain is often wet, but that rises and falls sharply with the seasons.
The wetter season lasts 5.4 months, from around Nov 30 to May 11, peaking in March at about 74% chance on a given day. The drier stretch runs the rest of the year, bottoming out around Jul 18.
March is the wettest month by volume, with 237 mm over about 22 wet days; August is the driest, with 57 mm.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain on a day (%) | 57 | 68 | 71 | 63 | 41 | 33 | 25 | 25 | 27 | 28 | 34 | 47 |
| Rain days | 18 | 19 | 22 | 19 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 15 |
| Rain on a day (%) | Rain days | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57 | 18 |
| Feb | 68 | 19 |
| Mar | 71 | 22 |
| Apr | 63 | 19 |
| May | 41 | 13 |
| Jun | 33 | 10 |
| Jul | 25 | 8 |
| Aug | 25 | 8 |
| Sep | 27 | 8 |
| Oct | 28 | 9 |
| Nov | 34 | 10 |
| Dec | 47 | 15 |
Monthly rainfall
Over a full year, Port Vila collects about 1567 mm of rain across 158 wet days — roughly 131 mm in an average month.
It doesn’t fall evenly. March is the wettest month with 237 mm, while August is the driest at just 57 mm. The three wettest months alone bring about 41% of the year’s total.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainfall (mm) | 186 | 192 | 237 | 209 | 146 | 104 | 66 | 57 | 73 | 85 | 79 | 132 |
| Rain days | 18 | 19 | 22 | 19 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 15 |
| Rainfall (mm) | Rain days | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 186 | 18 |
| Feb | 192 | 19 |
| Mar | 237 | 22 |
| Apr | 209 | 19 |
| May | 146 | 13 |
| Jun | 104 | 10 |
| Jul | 66 | 8 |
| Aug | 57 | 8 |
| Sep | 73 | 8 |
| Oct | 85 | 9 |
| Nov | 79 | 10 |
| Dec | 132 | 15 |
Clouds and sunshine
How often the daytime sky is clear, partly cloudy or overcast.
In Port Vila, the average share of the sky covered by clouds shows moderate seasonal variation over the course of the year.
The clearer part of the year begins around July 9 and lasts for 5.8 months, ending around January 1. The clearest month is October, when the sky is clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy 57% of the time on average.
The cloudier part of the year begins around January 2 and lasts for 3.5 months, ending around April 17. The cloudiest month is March, when it is overcast or mostly cloudy 59% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 46 | 42 | 41 | 50 | 48 | 46 | 52 | 53 | 57 | 57 | 55 | 55 |
| Cloudier (%) | 54 | 58 | 59 | 50 | 52 | 54 | 48 | 47 | 43 | 43 | 45 | 45 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46 | 54 |
| Feb | 42 | 58 |
| Mar | 41 | 59 |
| Apr | 50 | 50 |
| May | 48 | 52 |
| Jun | 46 | 54 |
| Jul | 52 | 48 |
| Aug | 53 | 47 |
| Sep | 57 | 43 |
| Oct | 57 | 43 |
| Nov | 55 | 45 |
| Dec | 55 | 45 |
Daylight, sunrise and sunset
Hours of daylight through the year, with sunrise and sunset times.
The gold band is daylight — sunrise runs along its lower edge, sunset along the upper — so it widens toward summer and pinches toward winter, with night the dark area above and below. The longest day, around December 14, brings about 13 h 06 min of light; the shortest, around June 14, only 10 h 54 min — a swing of roughly 2 h 12 min.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 12.9 | 12.6 | 12.1 | 11.6 | 11.2 | 11.0 | 11.0 | 11.4 | 11.9 | 12.4 | 12.8 | 13.0 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 5:27 | 5:43 | 5:53 | 5:59 | 6:08 | 6:19 | 6:21 | 6:09 | 5:44 | 5:20 | 5:07 | 5:11 |
| Sunset (PM) | 6:25 | 6:19 | 6:00 | 5:35 | 5:18 | 5:15 | 5:23 | 5:33 | 5:38 | 5:44 | 5:57 | 6:15 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12.9 | 5:27 | 6:25 |
| Feb | 12.6 | 5:43 | 6:19 |
| Mar | 12.1 | 5:53 | 6:00 |
| Apr | 11.6 | 5:59 | 5:35 |
| May | 11.2 | 6:08 | 5:18 |
| Jun | 11.0 | 6:19 | 5:15 |
| Jul | 11.0 | 6:21 | 5:23 |
| Aug | 11.4 | 6:09 | 5:33 |
| Sep | 11.9 | 5:44 | 5:38 |
| Oct | 12.4 | 5:20 | 5:44 |
| Nov | 12.8 | 5:07 | 5:57 |
| Dec | 13.0 | 5:11 | 6:15 |
Sunny days
How many genuinely sunny days each month brings — days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — banded into plain-language zones.
Port Vila averages about 9 sunny days a month — counting the days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — with a clear seasonal swing between 8 and 13 days.
The sunnier stretch runs 4.4 months, from around Aug 31 to Jan 12. The sunniest month is December, with roughly 12 sunny days (mixed).
The greyest month is June, down near 8 sunny days — about 34% fewer than the December peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunny days | 10 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 |
| Sky | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Gloomy | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed |
| Sunny days | Sky | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10 | Mixed |
| Feb | 8 | Mixed |
| Mar | 9 | Mixed |
| Apr | 9 | Mixed |
| May | 9 | Mixed |
| Jun | 8 | Gloomy |
| Jul | 9 | Mixed |
| Aug | 9 | Mixed |
| Sep | 10 | Mixed |
| Oct | 11 | Mixed |
| Nov | 11 | Mixed |
| Dec | 12 | Mixed |
Humidity comfort
Share of days at each humidity comfort level, based on the dew point — the measure that tracks how muggy it actually feels.
Humidity comfort is graded by the dew point — the temperature at which the air would be fully saturated — because it tracks how muggy it actually feels far better than relative humidity does. A low dew point feels dry and crisp; a high one feels sticky and oppressive no matter the reading on a humidity gauge.
In Port Vila, how humid it feels changes noticeably over the year.
The more humid part of the year lasts 8.3 months, from around October 11 to June 19. The muggiest month is January, when the air feels humid, muggy or worse about 100% of the time.
The most comfortable stretch runs from around June 20 to October 10, and August is the most comfortable month — the air is dry or comfortable 16% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Comfortable (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 15 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Humid (%) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 20 | 31 | 29 | 26 | 19 | 8 | 3 |
| Muggy (%) | 10 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 32 | 40 | 39 | 36 | 40 | 40 | 34 | 18 |
| Oppressive (%) | 57 | 49 | 51 | 66 | 53 | 37 | 20 | 19 | 25 | 38 | 56 | 68 |
| Miserable (%) | 32 | 47 | 47 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 11 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | Muggy (%) | Oppressive (%) | Miserable (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 57 | 32 |
| Feb | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 49 | 47 |
| Mar | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 51 | 47 |
| Apr | 0 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 66 | 20 |
| May | 0 | 1 | 11 | 32 | 53 | 2 |
| Jun | 0 | 3 | 20 | 40 | 37 | 0 |
| Jul | 0 | 11 | 31 | 39 | 20 | 0 |
| Aug | 1 | 15 | 29 | 36 | 19 | 0 |
| Sep | 0 | 9 | 26 | 40 | 25 | 0 |
| Oct | 0 | 3 | 19 | 40 | 38 | 0 |
| Nov | 0 | 0 | 8 | 34 | 56 | 2 |
| Dec | 0 | 0 | 3 | 18 | 68 | 11 |
Wind
Average wind speed through the year, banded into plain-language speed zones so a number reads as 'breezy' or 'calm' without knowing the scale.
This is the average sustained wind speed at the standard 10 metres above open ground — the steady flow a weather station reports, not the sharper gusts that come and go, which can run half again as fast. It's the number that says whether a place is generally breezy or calm.
Across the year, average wind speed in Port Vila is typically breezy, near 25 km/h, and varies moderately with the seasons.
The windier part of the year lasts 6.9 months, from around Apr 26 to Nov 20. The windiest month is August, averaging about 28 km/h (breezy).
The calmer part of the year runs from around Nov 21 to Apr 25, with February the calmest month at about 22 km/h.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 22 | 22 | 22 | 24 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 23 |
| Feels | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 22 | breezy |
| Feb | 22 | breezy |
| Mar | 22 | breezy |
| Apr | 24 | breezy |
| May | 27 | breezy |
| Jun | 28 | breezy |
| Jul | 28 | breezy |
| Aug | 28 | breezy |
| Sep | 27 | breezy |
| Oct | 27 | breezy |
| Nov | 25 | breezy |
| Dec | 23 | breezy |
Hazard calendar for Port Vila
When the seasonal hazards worth planning around — the rainy season, tropical-cyclone risk and dust haze — are active through the year.
Port Vila sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.
Port Vila's rainy season runs December–May, when most of the year's rain falls.
Best time to visit Port Vila
To characterize how pleasant the weather is in Port Vila throughout the year, we compute two travel scores — one for general sightseeing, one for beach and pool weather.
Around mid December, Port Vila is still near the tail of its best-weather window — great conditions with the peak-season crowds already thinning.
Inferred from the travel-score curve; month-by-month visitor numbers are a planned addition.
The travel score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 18°C and 28°C. Based on this score, the best time of year to visit Port Vila for general outdoor tourist activities is from mid May to mid December, with a peak score in the last week of August.
The travel score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel score (0–10) | 5.3 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 5.2 | 6.2 | 6.7 | 7.3 | 7.4 | 7.3 | 7.2 | 6.7 | 6.0 |
| Rating | fair | fair | fair | fair | good | good | good | good | good | good | good | good |
| Travel score (0–10) | Rating | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5.3 | fair |
| Feb | 4.8 | fair |
| Mar | 4.7 | fair |
| Apr | 5.2 | fair |
| May | 6.2 | good |
| Jun | 6.7 | good |
| Jul | 7.3 | good |
| Aug | 7.4 | good |
| Sep | 7.3 | good |
| Oct | 7.2 | good |
| Nov | 6.7 | good |
| Dec | 6.0 | good |
The beach/pool score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 24°C and 34°C. Based on this score, the best time of year to visit Port Vila for hot-weather activities is from mid April to mid February, with a peak score in the last week of October.
The beach/pool score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
What to pack for Port Vila, by month
Month by month, what's worth putting in the bag — from the temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind. Tap a month for a quick packing note.
Port Vila packs about the same all year — highs hold near 28°C. Across the year the things worth having are light clothes, rain gear, sun protection and a windbreaker.
In February, Port Vila sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. Worth having: a windbreaker. About 19 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Port Vila
Average ocean temperature at the nearest coast, month by month, banded into swim-comfort zones — the other half of the beach question.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 14 km away) is warmest in February at about 29°C and coldest in August near 26°C.
The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| Comfort | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28 | Tropical |
| Feb | 29 | Tropical |
| Mar | 29 | Tropical |
| Apr | 28 | Tropical |
| May | 27 | Warm |
| Jun | 27 | Warm |
| Jul | 26 | Warm |
| Aug | 26 | Warm |
| Sep | 26 | Warm |
| Oct | 26 | Warm |
| Nov | 27 | Warm |
| Dec | 28 | Warm |
UV index (midday) in Port Vila by month
Clear-sky midday UV index through the year, shaded by the WHO exposure levels — how much sun protection each month calls for.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Port Vila peaks around February 15 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 20 at about 7 (very high).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 15 | 16 | 15 | 12 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 13 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 15 | Extreme |
| Feb | 16 | Extreme |
| Mar | 15 | Extreme |
| Apr | 12 | Extreme |
| May | 8 | Very high |
| Jun | 7 | Very high |
| Jul | 8 | Very high |
| Aug | 9 | Very high |
| Sep | 13 | Extreme |
| Oct | 15 | Extreme |
| Nov | 13 | Extreme |
| Dec | 13 | Extreme |
Average hourly UV index in Port Vila
Modeled clear-sky UV for every hour of every day — when in the day sun protection actually matters.
The whole year hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled clear-sky UV index — the midday peak scaled down as the sun sits lower in the sky. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
UV falls off far faster than brightness as the sun drops, so even in February the burn window is concentrated in the middle of the day: about 9 hours a day reach index 3 (protection recommended), and 7 hours reach 6 or more. Mornings and late afternoons stay comparatively gentle year round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | 9 | 9 | 8.5 | 7.5 | 6.5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8.5 |
| UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | 7 | 7 | 6.5 | 5.5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4.5 | 6 | 7 | 6.5 | 7 |
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9 | 7 |
| Feb | 9 | 7 |
| Mar | 8.5 | 6.5 |
| Apr | 7.5 | 5.5 |
| May | 6.5 | 4 |
| Jun | 6 | 3 |
| Jul | 6 | 3 |
| Aug | 7 | 4.5 |
| Sep | 8 | 6 |
| Oct | 8.5 | 7 |
| Nov | 8.5 | 6.5 |
| Dec | 8.5 | 7 |
Growing season
Port Vila is frost-free year round — even the coldest nights rarely reach freezing, so there is no start or end to the growing season.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frost-free chance (%) | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Frost nights | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Frost-free chance (%) | Frost nights | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 100 | 0 |
| Feb | 100 | 0 |
| Mar | 100 | 0 |
| Apr | 100 | 0 |
| May | 100 | 0 |
| Jun | 100 | 0 |
| Jul | 100 | 0 |
| Aug | 100 | 0 |
| Sep | 100 | 0 |
| Oct | 100 | 0 |
| Nov | 100 | 0 |
| Dec | 100 | 0 |
Growing degree days
Growing degree days tally heat above 10°C: each day adds however many degrees its average temperature runs over that threshold, and cold days add nothing. Port Vila banks about 5,572 degree days a year, and the running total — which growers use to time plantings and predict maturity — climbs fastest around February.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Growing degree days (°C·days) | 515 | 474 | 522 | 488 | 478 | 437 | 427 | 419 | 414 | 446 | 456 | 497 |
| Growing degree days (°C·days) | |
|---|---|
| Jan | 515 |
| Feb | 474 |
| Mar | 522 |
| Apr | 488 |
| May | 478 |
| Jun | 437 |
| Jul | 427 |
| Aug | 419 |
| Sep | 414 |
| Oct | 446 |
| Nov | 456 |
| Dec | 497 |
Solar energy
Average daily shortwave solar energy reaching the ground, banded into brightness zones so the number means something at a glance.
Solar energy is how much sunlight actually reaches the ground each day, measured in kilowatt-hours per square metre (kWh/m²) — the combined effect of how long the sun is up, how high it climbs, and how much cloud gets in the way. It's the raw fuel a solar panel has to work with: for scale, 1 kWh/m² a day is dim and wintry, while 7+ is desert-bright.
Port Vila receives about 5.3 kWh/m² a day of solar energy on average — bright — with a clear seasonal swing between 3.5 and 7.0 kWh/m².
The brighter stretch of the year lasts 6.2 months, from around Sep 18 to Mar 26. The brightest month is December, averaging about 6.8 kWh/m² (intense).
The dimmest month is June, down near 3.6 kWh/m² — roughly 46% less than the December peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 6.7 | 6.1 | 5.6 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 4.3 | 5.3 | 6.1 | 6.5 | 6.7 |
| Level | Intense | Intense | Bright | Bright | Bright | Moderate | Moderate | Bright | Bright | Intense | Intense | Intense |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6.7 | Intense |
| Feb | 6.1 | Intense |
| Mar | 5.6 | Bright |
| Apr | 4.8 | Bright |
| May | 4.1 | Bright |
| Jun | 3.6 | Moderate |
| Jul | 3.7 | Moderate |
| Aug | 4.3 | Bright |
| Sep | 5.3 | Bright |
| Oct | 6.1 | Intense |
| Nov | 6.5 | Intense |
| Dec | 6.7 | Intense |
Where is Port Vila?
Port Vila sits at 17.7°S, 168.3°E, 10 m above sea level, in Vanuatu. The nearest listed city is Ouvéa, 374 km away.
What Port Vila looks like
Topography around Port Vila
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Port Vila.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Port Vila has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 132 m around an average of 25 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 646 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 631 m.
The land around Port Vila is covered by trees (42%) and water (33%) within 3 km, trees (51%) and water (40%) within 16 km, and water (90%) within 80 km.
Vanuatu travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 1
- Exercise Normal Precautions
- Power plugs
- Type I
- 230 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 90% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $4,039
- 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 19%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 0.3
- per 100k, 2020
- Road deaths
- 14.9
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Lower middle
- World Bank
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Port Vila (-17.7365°, 168.3137°, elevation 10 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).