How to Send Flowers to Vanuatu from Abroad

Yes, you can send flowers to Vanuatu from abroad without knowing a shop there or holding a local bank account. You order online, pay in USD by card or PayPal, and a florist in Vanuatu makes the arrangement and delivers it by hand.

Most people who order this way are ni-Vanuatu working or studying overseas, often in Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia or Fiji, along with friends, partners and former volunteers who keep ties with families in the islands. This guide covers how it works, what to send and what to have ready.

Can you send flowers to Vanuatu from another country?

You can. Nothing travels by international courier: when you send flowers to Vanuatu from abroad with VanuatuFlowers, the order goes to a florist who works near the recipient and uses stems available locally. There are no customs forms and no days in transit.

Be realistic about geography, though. Vanuatu is a chain of more than 80 islands, and almost all professional floristry is concentrated in Port Vila on Efate and, to a lesser extent, Luganville on Espiritu Santo. Villages around the capital such as Mele, Pango and Erakor are usually straightforward. For Tanna, Malekula, Ambae and the other outer islands, delivery depends on whether a florist can reach the address on the date you want, so treat those orders as subject to confirmation. The delivery areas page lists the places covered.

How does ordering from abroad work, step by step?

1. Choose an arrangement from the flower catalog. For a death in the family, see the sympathy collection.
2. Enter the recipient's name, where they live and a local mobile number.
3. Pick the delivery date and write your card message. A printed card is included with every order, and you can write it in English, French or Bislama.
4. Add an extra if you wish: chocolates, a vase, a teddy bear, balloons or wine.
5. Pay in USD by card or PayPal.
6. The local florist prepares the flowers and hands them to the recipient.

Tropical supply is not the same as in a big city abroad. Roses, lilies and other imported stems arrive by air in limited quantities, so the florist may replace a flower with a similar one of equal value while keeping the colours and style of the design.

How long does delivery take and when should you order?

Next-day delivery is the standard, and same-day delivery is possible in the main towns when the order is placed early in the local day. In practice that means Port Vila first and Luganville second; everywhere else, allow extra days.

Mind the clock. Vanuatu is on UTC+11 all year with no daylight saving. That is one hour ahead of Sydney in the southern winter and level with it in summer, one or two hours behind Auckland, 15 or 16 hours ahead of New York and 10 or 11 ahead of London. When it is Friday evening in the United States, Saturday is already well under way in Port Vila.

Three more timing points:

• Sunday is a day of church and rest across the country, and many businesses are closed. Aim for Saturday or Monday.
• Order several days ahead for the busy dates: Valentine's Day on 14 February, Mother's Day on the second Sunday of May, and Christmas.
• The cyclone season runs from about November to April. Severe weather can interrupt flights, inter-island shipping and local roads, and flower supply with them.

How much does it cost to send flowers to Vanuatu?

Prices on the site are charged in USD; EUR and GBP are displayed only as a reference. Arrangements currently start at USD 63.24, and a flat delivery fee of USD 14.95 is added per order. The printed card is free. Your bank converts the charge if your card is in another currency, so the amount on your statement may differ slightly from the reference price you saw.

Fresh flowers cost more in a small island nation than expats often expect, because many stems are flown in. A mid-sized bouquet handed over in person usually says more than the largest option on the page.

What flowers are appropriate in Vanuatu, and which should you avoid?

Flowers are part of everyday island life. Hibiscus and frangipani grow in most yards, and guests of honour, graduates and departing relatives are draped in salusalu, garlands of fresh flowers and leaves. A florist's bouquet is therefore a gift for moments that matter.

Occasions when people commonly send flowers:

• Mother's Day, the second Sunday of May, the biggest family flower date of the year.
• Valentine's Day, popular with couples separated by work overseas. A rose design such as Iridescent Rose Luxe fits well.
• Birthdays, weddings and anniversaries, including the church blessing that often follows a custom marriage.
• Graduations and achievements, for example at the end of the school and university year.
• Children's Day on 24 July and Independence Day on 30 July, when families gather and relatives abroad like to be present in some form.
• Christmas and New Year, the main season of reunions.
• A death in the family. Mourning in Vanuatu is communal: relatives and neighbours gather at the house for days, and further gatherings follow in the weeks after the burial. White and soft-coloured flowers sent to the family home or the church are appropriate, with a short card. Sori tumas is the usual Bislama expression of sympathy.

Things to avoid:

• An all-white arrangement for a happy occasion, since white is associated with funerals in church settings.
• Strongly scented flowers for a hospital ward. A compact arrangement that comes in its own container, such as Lilac Reverie Vase, is easier for a patient.
• Insisting on one exact flower. Ask for a colour or a mood instead, and let the florist work with what is fresh.
• Surprise deliveries with no phone contact. They rarely work where houses have no numbers.

What details do you need from the recipient?

Addresses are the main difference from ordering in a large country. Most homes in Vanuatu have no street number and mail goes to post office boxes, so a florist finds people through names, places and phone calls. Have these ready:

• Full name, plus the name the person is known by locally if it differs.
• A mobile number that will be answered during the day, and a second number for a relative if possible.
• Island, town or village, and neighbourhood, for instance Freswota, Nambatu or Tebakor in Port Vila.
• A landmark: the nearest church, store, school or bus stop, and a short description of the house or gate.
• Workplace name if delivery there is easier, with the hours the person is in.
• For a hospital, the patient's full name, the ward, and a family member who can receive the flowers.
• For a funeral, the family name and where mourners are gathering.

With those details and a few days of notice, sending flowers to Vanuatu from abroad is simple: you choose and pay online, and a local florist carries your message to the door.

Frequently asked questions

Can I pay for flowers to Vanuatu with a foreign card?

Yes. VanuatuFlowers charges in USD and accepts international cards through Stripe, as well as PayPal. EUR and GBP amounts on the site are shown only as a reference.

What time zone is Vanuatu in?

Vanuatu is on UTC+11 all year and does not use daylight saving. It is 15 or 16 hours ahead of New York and 10 or 11 hours ahead of London, depending on the season.

Can flowers be delivered outside Port Vila and Luganville?

Sometimes. Florists are concentrated in Port Vila and Luganville, so delivery to outer islands such as Tanna, Malekula or Ambae depends on local availability and is confirmed case by case.

What if the recipient has no street address?

That is normal in Vanuatu. Give the village or neighbourhood, a nearby landmark such as a church or store, and a mobile number so the florist can call and agree where to meet.