Dugongs in Vanuatu: Where You May Encounter Them

Strongest research + access combination

Havannah Harbour, Moso, Lelepa and north Efate

For a short Vanuatu visit, Havannah Harbour offers the strongest blend of documentary evidence, sheltered habitat and practical access from Port Vila.

What the evidence shows

Havannah Harbour sits between northwest Efate, Moso and Lelepa. Historical research identified the harbour, Undine Bay and nearby reef flats as a potentially connected dugong habitat system. During the 1987 aerial work, observers recorded an adult between Moso and mainland Efate and an adult with a young animal between Lelepa and Efate.

A limited north Efate drone project conducted in 2021 strengthens the modern case. Across 38 flights and 7,465 photographs in two targeted blocks, the survey protocol recorded three dugong detections: two in Havannah Harbour and one in the separate Pele–Kakula–Emua block. In Havannah, adjacent transects could have shown the same travelling animal more than once, so the safest conclusion is that the photographs establish at least one live dugong in the harbour during the survey—not abundance, residency or visitor odds.

Read the full Havannah Harbour and Moso Island guide for the historical record, habitat, survey limits and current local context.

What a visitor can realistically expect

North Efate is the simplest area compared here to add to an Efate holiday. Current reports from local observers make a sighting a genuine possibility, but they are not yet a standardised success-rate series and cannot support a promise on any given day. A wider day can combine Moso Island, reefs, sheltered passages and coastal scenery, with a dugong treated as a possible wild encounter. Seagrass condition, weather, glare and recent animal movements all affect whether anyone sees one.

For Abyss travellers, this is the relevant setting around Moso and Havannah Harbour. The Vanuatu diving guide explains the destination’s reefs and trip styles, while the Vanuatu Long Weekend Dive Escape is built around warm-water diving—not a guaranteed dugong activity.

Best community + habitat expedition

Gaspard Bay, Lamap and the Maskelyne Islands, Malekula

South and southeast Malekula contain one of Vanuatu’s most convincing dugong landscapes: sheltered shallows, seagrass, community conservation and visitor experiences rooted in local knowledge.

Three names, two coastal systems

Gaspard Bay lies near Lamap on mainland Malekula and is associated with the Dravail Conservation Area. The Maskelyne Islands form a separate coastal complex off the island’s southeast. They are often grouped together in travel language, but a report from one should not be used to claim reliability at the other.

Historic research highlighted southeast Malekula and the Maskelynes as important habitat. Seagrass monitoring at Lamap adds current ecological context, while recent local reports of groups around the Maskelynes are encouraging. Those reports remain observations—not a standardised population count.

What is currently visitor-facing

Vanuatu Tourism lists a half-day canoe experience from Lamap Point through the Dravail Conservation Area to Gaspard Bay, describing a wider day of dugong searching, reef snorkelling and local activities. The listing identifies high tide as a practical local timing cue; that should not be turned into a Vanuatu-wide “dugong season”.

Malekula is the choice for travellers who value community access and conservation over convenience. Reconfirm whether a tour is operating, who grants access, current transport and the permissions governing any in-water activity.