Vitamin D in Vanuatu: best months for sun and a travel guide

The best months for vitamin D in Vanuatu are May to October. In September, a full dose of about 1,000 IU takes around 7 minutes at midday for skin type III at age 30, with 7.9 usable sun hours a day. For a beach stay it is rainy or stormy from November to April.

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Vanuatu month by month

Vanuatu is rated at its median coastal place, for skin type III at age 30. Click a month for the details.

Month	Rating	Sun window	Peak UV	Full dose, age 30	Full dose, age 65	Afternoon high	Rainy days
January	Bad weather	8.3 h	9.0	6 min	11 min	30°C	28/30
February	Bad weather	7.9 h	8.5	6 min	12 min	29°C	26/30
March	Bad weather	6.4 h	7.4	7 min	14 min	29°C	28/30
April	Bad weather	7.2 h	7.2	7 min	14 min	29°C	22/30
May	Good	5.9 h	5.6	10 min	18 min	27°C	15/30
June	Good	5.9 h	5.4	10 min	19 min	26°C	11/30
July	Good	5.6 h	5.2	10 min	19 min	25°C	15/30
August	Excellent	7.2 h	6.9	8 min	14 min	27°C	15/30
September	Excellent	7.9 h	8.1	7 min	12 min	28°C	17/30
October	Excellent	7.7 h	7.7	7 min	13 min	26°C	16/30
November	Bad weather	8.6 h	8.6	6 min	12 min	27°C	22/30
December	Bad weather	7.5 h	8.4	6 min	12 min	30°C	27/30

Sun window is the number of hours a day with UV Index 2.5 or higher. Full dose is the minutes at midday for about 1,000 IU of vitamin D with a quarter of the body bare, for skin type III. Rainy days are days with at least 1 mm out of 30.

Travel guide: why go to Vanuatu

Why go

Vanuatu is a small, adventurous Pacific country with active volcanoes, wreck diving and traditional villages.

Best for

Adventurers, divers and culture travellers.

What to expect

A dry season from May to October, a hot, wet season from November to April with cyclone risk, and simple facilities outside Port Vila.

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Places in Vanuatu

Each place has its own climate, so its best months can differ from the country as a whole.

Port Vila best: Excellent

Relaxed capital with a market, cafés and beaches.

Best for families, couples

Best months May to October · Avoid rainy or stormy from November to April

Espiritu Santo best: Excellent

Home of the SS President Coolidge wreck and blue holes.

Best for divers, snorkellers

Best months August · Avoid rainy or stormy from September to July

Vanuatu's biggest island, and popular with divers. It boasts shipwrecks for scuba diving, delightful beaches, coconut…

Efate best: Good

Main island with lagoons and an easy drive around.

Best for families, couples

Best months June, August · Avoid rainy or stormy in July and from September to May

Tanna best: Excellent

Mount Yasur volcano and traditional villages.

Best for adventurers, culture travellers

Best months April to November · Avoid rainy or stormy from December to March

Pentecost Island best: Excellent

Birthplace of land diving, held in April to June.

Best for culture travellers, adventurers

Best months May to October · Avoid rainy or stormy from November to April

Some short descriptions come from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Questions about vitamin D in Vanuatu

When is the best time to visit Vanuatu for vitamin D?

The best months for vitamin D in Vanuatu are May to October. In September, a full dose of about 1,000 IU takes around 7 minutes at midday for skin type III at age 30, with 7.9 usable sun hours a day.

Can you get vitamin D from the sun in Vanuatu in July?

Yes, but slowly. In July a full dose takes about 10 minutes at midday for skin type III at age 30, with 5.6 usable hours a day.

How long do I need in the sun in Vanuatu?

In September, the best month, about 7 minutes at midday with a quarter of the body bare, for skin type III at age 30; about 12 minutes at age 65. Darker skin needs longer and fair skin burns sooner, so keep sessions short. This is an estimate for planning, not medical advice.

Which months should I avoid in Vanuatu?

For a beach stay, avoid the months when it is rainy or stormy from November to April.

What is the best place in Vanuatu for vitamin D?

In September the strongest sun of the places we rate is around Tanna. Each place has its own rating, so open the place list to compare them.