Vanuatu — Gay Travel Index 2026

Name: Vanuatu — Gay Travel Index 2026
Creator: GayOut
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

44/100

Some caution #105 of 207

Score = Legal 37/60 + Scene 7/40 = 44/100 · thin scene coverage — legal-weighted provisional score

Updated 7 Oct 2026 · release 2026.3.

A live score, not an annual report — it recomputes as laws, rulings and the scene itself change. See what moved in 2026.

Legal composite · Legal milestones · Scene on the ground · Plan your trip · Frequently asked questions

Port Vila → gay city guide

Legal composite — 37/60 points

Criminalization	Legal
Partnership	● No not recognised
Anti-discrimination	● No
Gender recognition	—
Enforcement reality	—

Legal composite, five components

Fulfilment per component (100 = maximum). Weights: criminalisation 35% · partnership 20% · enforcement 20% · anti-discrimination 15% · gender recognition 10%.

Legal milestones

Background, not travel advice — how the current status came to be. For planning a trip, rely on the current score, tier and scene sections above; 2026 movements are tracked in the sourced change log.

2007The Penal Code Amendment Act came into force, legalizing same-sex activity and equalizing the age of consent at 15. ↗
2009The VPride Foundation was established, giving Vanuatu its first ongoing LGBTQ advocacy organization. ↗
2013The Teaching Service Act banned discrimination based on sexual preference in teacher recruitment and employment. ↗
2024Parliament passed legislation explicitly banning religious, civil, and traditional marriages between people of the same sex. ↗
TodaySame-sex activity was legal but couples had no recognition or adoption rights, and society remained conservative with no visible gay scene. ↗

Sources: ILGA World · Human Dignity Trust · Equaldex. Each milestone links to a reference source ↗.

Scene on the ground — 7/40 points

LGBTQ+ venues listed

Dedicated gay bars

Gay saunas

Cities with a scene

Pride parades

Queer film festivals

Detailed scene metrics (for researchers)

Gay bars per million	0
Saunas per million	0
Events per million	0
Coverage grade	A
Scene score	7/40 (raw scene index 18/100)

Frequently asked questions

Is Vanuatu safe for gay travellers?

Vanuatu is rated Some caution on the GayOut Gay Travel Index 2026, scoring 44/100 overall with a legal safety component of 37/60.

Is same-sex marriage legal in Vanuatu?

No. Same-sex marriage is not legal in Vanuatu. Overall legal status: Legal.

Does Vanuatu have a gay scene?

Vanuatu has a limited documented gay scene: GayOut lists 7 LGBTQ+ venues, including 0 dedicated gay bars.

Which city in Vanuatu has the biggest gay scene?

Port Vila has the largest documented LGBTQ+ scene in Vanuatu, with 1 venues listed in the GayOut directory.