Travel Guide Luganville

Luganville, with a population of 13,100, has been named after French Lieutenant Commander Armand Lugan since 1880. It is the capital of the province of Sanma. Luganville, Vanuatu's second and only other city, was the economic lung of the archipelago from the end of the Second World War until independence in 1980. From June to September 1980, it was even the ephemeral capital of Vémarana under the leadership of the secessionist leader Jimmy Steevens. The local economy is based on fishing, cattle breeding and coffee, copra, cocoa and vanilla crops. Thanks to its international airport, Santo is one of Australia's favourite destinations when visiting Vanuatu. In a different way from Port-Vila, Luganville is a pleasant city to visit, as it is lively, noisy and a little disorganized. Luganville remains a small town, but with a Far West charm. Its large main avenue, which Anglophones call Main Street and Francophones call Higginson Boulevard, is lined with shops often run by Chinese merchants, restaurants, hotels, banks and public agencies. It is a good base for discovery because the rest of the island is splendid.