Port Vila in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Port Vila sees average daytime highs around 27°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 510 mm of rain over about 52 wet days across the season. It is the warmest season of the year and the 2nd-wettest season.
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 27°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 33% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Summer is Port Vila's 3rd-best season to visit on our travel score. Port Vila has little temperature swing across the year, so its calendar seasons blur — the season framing matters less here than for a place with four distinct seasons. For the whole year in context, see Port Vila's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 27°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 26°C
- Rainfall
- 510 mm
- 52 wet days
- Avg wind
- 22 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.4
- 3rd-best season
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Port Vila in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 27°C.
A typical summer day in Port Vila reaches about 27°C and drops to 26°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest December.
Port Vila weather by month
How the three summer months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| 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 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 33% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Port Vila gets around 510 mm of rain over 52 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 22 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 13 hours in early December to 12 h 24 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Summer
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across summer, about 6.5 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Port Vila
In summer, Port Vila overlaps its cyclone and rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
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.
Is summer a good time to visit Port Vila?
Our two travel scores rate summer for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
summer is a reasonable time to visit Port Vila for sightseeing.
What to pack for Port Vila in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Port Vila sees daytime highs around 27°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. Worth having: a windbreaker. About 52 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Port Vila in Summer
The nearest coast averages about 28°C across summer — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
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 in Port Vila in Summer
Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages around 15 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
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 |
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.
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.