Vanuatu: Efate Island – Port Villa
Port Villa is the capital of Vanuatu, located in Efate island. It’s the largest city in the country, yet it’s still only about 50k people. The island was first charted by Captain Cook in 1774, and was controlled by the British for the next hundred years, before switching to French Control. The city was then known as Franceville. It was jointly administered by British/French until independence. During WWII it was used by the US military as a staging ground. Serious cyclones hit Port Villa hard in 1987 and 2015. It’s a picturesque town with some offshore islands. The parliament building occupies the town center, and the waterfront is bustling with cafes and markets.
