Wheelchair accessibility in Vanuatu

[mattandkelly]

Hi,

 

have posted this in the Disability Cruising Forum, but thought I'd also ask here - does anyone have any experience with wheelchair accessibility in Luganville and Vila in Vanuatu? Heading there on Rhapsody of the Seas in 2014. Any info appreciated :)

 

Cheers

 

Kelly

[suexxx]

Hi Kelly. Vila is a port stop so wheel chair would be no problem. I don't know about other place but if a port stop all will be ok. If a tender port I believe the chair needs to fold & the person is able to walk onto the tender. The ships people are there to help. Suexxx

[aussie57]

If you mean how wheelchair friendly is the town of Vila, I can tell you that it really isn't at all. The one time we have tried it we got a taxi from outside the secure gates which was really just a van. When wearing his prosthetic legs Allan can transfer in & out of vehicles himself which was just as well as there didn't seem to be any actual roll-in wheelchair transport.

BUT once we were dropped at the Post Office we realised that the broken road surface & what pass for footpaths, the huge gutters & total lack of kerb ramps, plus steps(from a few to many) into every bulding or shop meant Allan had to actually get out of the chair to negotiate the main street. We went to the waterfront & had coffee at Numba won cafe then back to the markets to catch a taxi back to the ship via the waterfront path which is not paved but still easier than the street.

Allan now stays onboard in Vila :(

[bazzaw]

yes -- the roads and footpaths in Vila are very rough - with LOTS of potholes - and you would need to get a "taxi" into town as the port is not within walking distance. Just remember that the "taxis" are nothing like modern taxis here.

 

I have been to Luganville, but it was a long time ago. Can't even remember if it was a tendering port or not? - there is not much of interest there and if we were to go again , would look at doing some kind of tour (but there isn't really a lot to do in that Department either)

 

Barry