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Tara Beach is absolute beach front situated on 12 lush acres fronting picturesque Mele Bay, Efate, Vanuatu. With crystal clear, safe waters at your doorstep, we are the perfect spot for snorkeling, kayaking, swimming and getting away from it all for a while. We also have a chilled out open air bar / cafe known as the Beach Hut that is also open to day visitors and locals. Located about 15 mins from town & 10 mins to the airport, we provide free airport transfers for guests. All bungalows have tea and coffee making facilities and a fridge, with ocean views a few metres from your door included as standard.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Budget
Modern
Location
Devil's Point Road Mele Bay, Port Vila, Efate Vanuatu
Reviews
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This was our 2nd visit to Tara Beach Bungalows Resort, and this time it was our honeymoon. We were welcomed back like family. Our Bungalow number 1, was 'Number 1' as Christine will tell you about everything there. The new resort Manager, Eric (the owner's son) is very switched on and if you had a problem with the hot water (which we didn't) he would be onto it in a flash, which may catch you off guard a bit in Vanuatu, because nothing much happens fast in that lovely slow paced culture, unless it's a lightening strike. The owner, Sala, will still pull up a chair to your table at the restaurant, and sing with his guitar. So will Lu Lu. Our room had been specially prepared with loads of flowers, new curtains and lovely soap. Nothing 'grotty' at all about our bungalow and we spent quite a bit of time with the two girls from Norway in bungalow 2 and they loved their rooms. The fish we had come to love the year before were ready to swarm all over us as we dropped into the warm water off the jetty. See attached photos. The jetty is in the process of being turned into an over water dining area as part of the restaurant. That will be amazing when it is finished soon. A scuba diving facility is also opening at Tara early next year. We will probably be back to participate in that. We had a lovely stay. As I've said in a previous review.....if you want 5 or even 4 star....don't go to Tara. If you want to relax in a lovely locally run resort where you can eat light lunch from locally bought supermarket stock in your room, or at their restaurant for dinner, or even other nearby resort restaurants if you like....someone will drive you there and pick you up later...then this is the place for you. If you don't like to sleep with the sound of the ocean in your ears all night, bring ear plugs.
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Date of stay: October 2011
Value
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Tell them you are related to me or something......
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The staff at tara beach are very friendly and eager to help especially Christine. All the bungalows are 5 steps away from the coral beaches and reefs. Kayak out to the coral cay or just snorkel off the jetty (kayaks, life jackets and snorkel gear are available). Lulu will come and sing you songs while you eat your meals. The food isn't of a very high standard and a bit over priced so we recommend you ask John D, the bus driver to drop you in town to eat out.
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Date of stay: October 2010
Value
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Location
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Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This was our second post Christmas break at Tara - in 2011 we got cheap flights with friends and then booked our accommodation at Tara Beach on Wotif based on previous reviews (close enough for 4 of us to share a bungalow). We thought we had died and gone to Heaven after waking on the first morning after a late night arrival. Such a fantastic time was had that we decided to return to celebrate my 50th with family and friends New Years 2012. The best time was had by all - total relaxation and totally looked after by staff, Eric, Sala, Lulu and Chrisitne treated us like returning family and nothing was too hard for them - we had a magical New Years Eve dinner on the new jetty - we christened it - and dined here most nights. The cake organised for my birthday was to die for! Meals were great - as was the cold Tusker - and we relaxed totally, snorkelled all day and Eric was more than happy to organise tours for the younger generations in our group. My daughter fell ill one day - Christine looked after her "princess Stephanie" - bringing her water and stroking her face ! Tara Beach is not 5 star resort - it is the perfect holiday spot for us as we aren't bothered by no locks, no screens ( so a few bugs) and no air con or pool ! What we love about this place is the people and the setting (right on the water) and we will be returning to our slice of Heaven again for our now regular break at the end of this year!
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Date of stay: January 2012
Value
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Location
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Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I can not recommend Tara Beach resort and we hated our stay here so much that we hired a car and went out from 8 til late for the 4 nights we stayed here. We even considered paying to stay else where but after paying AUD$185/n we really couldn’t afford it.
It is a 10-15 minute slow bumpy drive down the dirt road to Tara Beach Resort. Tara Beach Resort has lush level tropical gardens and a little beach out the front of the restaurant. There was good snorkelling there. All the bungalows a spaced apart and are built on the foreshore facing east. When we arrived at the arranged time our unit was still being cleaned so we had to wait in the restaurant. The manager was on leave so a friend of his was overseeing things. While we waited to see our accommodation he told us that the place was fully booked until yesterday when they had all left. So why wasn’t the room ready for us? I thought. He also informed us that we had no hot water but he would get someone to fix it tomorrow. We were also asked to tell him a few hours before lunch and/or dinner if we wanted to eat at the restaurant and what we wanted to eat. He told us there was a bus at either 9am or 6pm to and from Port Vila. We were annoyed but polite and had a good attitude that we’d make it work. I could live with these inconveniences. There was no reception area where we could go to ask someone to call us a taxi and with no suitable phone we would have to walk up to the main road and hail a taxi from there. He was very kind and lent us his phone so we could organise a hire car. This was another $65/d on top of the accommodation costs.
We stayed in bungalow 2 which faces east and has uninterrupted views of the beach. The furniture was tatty and the couches were cane with well worn cushions -not comfortable for lounging on. There was a TV but no reception! The sheets had a nasty brown stain on them. I used my own used beach towel for a pillow, because I felt it was cleaner. We were given four small and thin towels with mismatched bathmats and hand towels (which is not a deal breaker). The draws were ABSOLUTLY DISGUSTING. There were dead cockroaches, mouse poo and other stains in ALL the draws; from the dressers, bedside tables and the bathroom. We were kindly ‘left’ a soggy and used bar of soap in the shower but no other toiletries were um… provided! The scum and hair in the drain was just filth and made a lovely bath for my feet while I showered! NOT. There were no screens on the windows or doors so we had to suffer in the heat and not enjoy a beautiful ocean breeze. Tea coffee, sugar, milk were provided. There was no safe in the room, and we did not even receive a key so we could not even lock our room. Housekeeping made our room up once out of the four days/nights we were there.
On our first night we found a huge spider in the bathroom, right next to the toilet. So when I got up to use the toilet in the night I put on the bathroom light. Big cockroaches were all over the floor but also on our toothbrushes and in our toiletries bag. UTERLY REVOLTING.
Day one, on our way to breakfast, we were stopped by the man from unit 1. As it turns out the lady in this unit oversees the bookings for the resort. He greeted us with “are you the people complaining from unit 3?” 1. We hadn’t complained and 2. We are staying in unit 2. He then called his wife and had my husband (because I refused) talk to her for 20 minutes. We did not want this confrontation or negativity on our holiday. So they talked about the resorts infrastructure and how the lack of services affected our experience at the resort and our holiday in general. We had booked there thinking we could enjoy the gardens and lounge and swim at the beach and without having to go anywhere for food. But instead we were asked to give hours of notice for food we wanted to eat. He also informed her that we had cockroaches and a spider and she said she would have housekeeping clean our room. The housekeeper came while we were out for the day and she made the bed, she did not clean anything. W shopped for and paid for the batteries to get the hot water system working.
Night two was no better; in fact I saw cockroaches on our suitcase on the bed of the spare room as well as in the bathroom. I swear, I could hear my husband swatting at his face as he slept and dread to think of what was there. It’s alright though, he doesn’t remember-he was asleep. lol
In the morning on day two we talked to the man next door about the cockroaches and he said he would spray the room to kill the cockroaches. We left for the day and evening hoping to find a clean unit on our return. We arrived back to dead cockroaches all over the floor but worse, he had sprayed the unit and not aired it so the unit was a hothouse which smelt of bug spray and gave my lungs that “chemical feeling”. Mmm The hot water system had been fixed.
So on day three we had the lady from unit 1 look at our unit, to see the dead cockroaches, grubby sheets, used soap and dirty draws and told her how her husband had sprayed but not aired the unit but also that housekeeping obviously had not cleaned our unit. She said she would have housekeeping come and clean. BUT surprise surprise when we arrived at the resort the unit was as we left it. FILTHY. I would have preferred camping to this. I dry wrench every time I think of being there and feel upset and disappointed in the services or lack there of provided to us by Tara Beach Resort.
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Date of stay: April 2011
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Beware. If you are prepared to take the risk of being stranded in a foreign country without accommodation in spite of a confirmed booking fully payed in advance and you don’t mind if you don’t get your money back, then this could be the place for you.
The Owner/Manager of Tara Beach Bungalows cancelled our booking while we were on holiday by sending us an e-mail the night before. He did give us an explanation of an overbooking and provided the phone number of an alternative hotel – which turned out to be fully booked as well.
If this was not unacceptable enough, he kept hold of our money with excuse after excuse such as ‘we did not confirm that we wanted our refund’, ‘there have been administration problems’, ‘our credit card details have been mislaid’; finally our communication with the hotel manager was terminated when our emails kept bouncing back as ‘undeliverable’. I would like to think that all of this was due to an honest mistake (or series of them) but another similar review on this site causes me to question this.
In the end we had no option but to seek recompense via the booking agent, however their response was simply to contact the owner and request that they make the repayment (which clearly didn’t happen). On the third attempt by the agent and months after the original cancellation, our patience ran out and we demanded that the agent refund us directly and seek compensation from the hotel; reluctantly they agreed and we received payment from them within a few days.
The reviews on Trip Advisor for this accommodation generally sound good and we really would like to have experienced it for ourselves, but be aware that if you make a discounted booking through an online agency and the owner subsequently receives an alternative booking that offers a higher premium, you may be at risk of having your booking cancelled at the last minute – something you may be unaware of until you arrive to check in at the hotel. You have to ask yourself - is it worth the risk and hassle for a stay at Tara Beach Bungalows?
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Date of stay: November 2015Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed at Tara Beach Bungalows for 5 nights in July 2015. There were 5 ladies in our group and we have never laughed so much or had so much fun with beautiful local people. Eric, Sala, Christine, Marie and Johnny were so friendly and helped us with sightseeing suggestions and took us to many wonderful places.
I have been to Vanuatu 8 times so far and this was one of the best trips I have had. Eric and Johnny took us to the Mele Cascades which was about an hour walk from the bungalows and once we were there Johnny showed us how to dive under the waterfall into a cave. I had been to Mele Cascades many times but had never experienced this special cave. The local knowledge is probably the biggest advantage of staying at Tara's. I would highly recommend spending some time chatting to the staff and getting to know them. They are such beautiful people. It will make your holiday very special.
If you like a 5 star resort with a pool and fancy bar/restaurant then Tara is not for you but if you want a gorgeous location and interaction with local people then this is a fabulous location. You are also supporting the local community by staying here as it is owned by locals. AT the moment the restaurant / bar is still closed due to cyclone Pam but they are working on getting it back up and running. A few minutes down the road is another 2 resorts with great restaurants/bars so you can always get dropped there for dinner or head into town which is about half an hour in the Tara mini bus.
The rooms are basic but clean and comfortable. They are 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom and there is also a single bed in the lounge area so very suitable for people sharing accommodation or families.
The water out the front of the resort is crystal clear and gorgeous. Take reef shoes to wear into the water as it is quite tough on the feet (you need those for most beaches in Vanuatu). You can go kayaking and Johnny will take you to a gorgeous little island for a swim.
Tara Beach Bungalows have a mini bus and they will take you anywhere you want to go while you are staying there for 200 Vatu per person. My suggestions for sightseeing would be:-
1. Mele Cascades 2. Hideaway Island - snorkelling and swimming, great beach bar and great food 3. Blue Lagoon - make sure you swing off the rope into the water 4. Erakor Island - lunch, swimming and snorkelling 5. Head into Port Vila township for lunch, shopping and a massage 6. Irririki Island for lunch and a swim (its closed at the moment due to the cyclone)
The bungalows have free wifi with a good connection.
Summary -fabulous location and a special experience with local people.
Tip of the Day - ask Sala to sing you a song while you are there. The girls in our group all started crying. He has a gorgeous voice and please give Eric, Christine, Marie and Johnny a hug from me :)
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Date of stay: July 2015
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:Bungalow Numbawan was the best (Number one)
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from tara-manager, General Manager at Tara Beach Bungalows
Responded 27 July 2015
Tankiu tumas Anita M for taking your time to write this excellent review. It was a pleasure getting to know you and the girls, and we sure enjoy your company during the 5 nights stay with us. Tankiu tumas for choosing to stay in a 100% locally owned resort and we look forward to welcoming you again in the near future. Lukim yu long Tara Beach. Eric
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We had a lovely family holiday here for one week. The Bungalows are comfortable and perfect for a family of five. The bathroom was a little tired but clean, we had intermittent hot water and a shower that tended to leak onto the floor. The gardens were lovely and a nice place to spend the day. Tara beach is off the beaten track, but this is a feature we enjoyed, and it is only a short drive into Port Vila. Christine is always happy to organise transport and any tours you may be interested in. The menu was limited at Tara Beach and so we chose to eat out most nights. We enjoyed the Melanesian night with lovely food, music and local dancing. The snorkelling only 20 metres from the front door was fantastic and enjoyed by all the family. The walk up to the Summit was well worth it. This is a friendly, family run place, while it could do with some updating I would still recommend Tara Beach for a comfortable family holiday that is affordable in a beautiful country.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: September 2014
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stayed at tara beach bungalows for 14 nights September 19 to October 3rd had the best holiday we have ever had, kids age ( 20,13,10) and also eldest sons girl friend.ill start buy saying this resort is no 5 star palace but we knew that when we booked, what made tara beach a 5 star resort for us was the location the family who own and run the resort and especially the staff( Kana and Christine) we fell in love with theses two great people. They will go out of there way to do anything for you. Kana who is a general hand at this place is probably over looked by most visitors here, he is amazing we all just absolutely love him and will miss him dearly. Christine will organise any tour, trip or bus for you and is very family friendly, she is always there to welcome you with a big smile. Eric and his family and staff put on a big feast for us on our last night with his Dad Sala playing guitar and singing for us at no cost we enjoyed the night and appreciated that kind gesture. Kana went into port vila that same day and got gifts for us all from his own money which blew us away as there wage over there is very low compared to Aussie's, the bungalows are clean but tired which no way bothered us, we never had any hot water problems and the grounds and beach are well kept the snorkelling here is awesome and safe we felt no currents the under water life here is great with heaps of and corals and drop offs. If you are looking for a 5 star resort with all the mod cons then this may not be for you but if your after a real vanuatu experience with a local owned Ni-van family business with 10 star staff then I say give Tara beach bungalows a look.
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Date of stay: September 2014
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Bungalow 1 has a sink and TV, DVD player and closest to restaurant.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My family of 4 decided to go to this resort for a meal and a swim a couple of weeks ago. My husband and one of my sons had dropped in to do the same thing a couple of years ago and had really enjoyed the experience, especially the snorkelling.
We arrived early afternoon, parked under a shady tree and headed for the restaurant. Almost unable to hear ourselves speak due to the absolutely deafening music being blasted from the giant speakers in the restaurant, we tried in vain to get someone's attention. Sitting outside was a group of (what I assume to have been) ni-Vanuatu who could see that we were looking for assistance, but studiously ignored us. Eventually, a very tired looking lady arrived at the desk. Her response to our request for a meal was met with the words "Only chips - 1000 vatu". Despite the outrageous rip-off of what amounted to $10 for a plate of chips, we decided to stay as we couldn't be bothered trying to find somewhere else. Trying to escape the still deafening music, we elected to sit outside and chose a table. Trying to make it a little more stable on the sand, one of the legs immediately fell off but after a few moments we got it sorted. Duly, the chips arrived. No salt, no pepper, no servietttes, nothing anything else offered. We asked for drinks, only to be told that they only thing they had was Tusker beer. What? Surely there must be soft drink? No. Not even any water? No. Unbelievable! It was either beer, beer or beer.
We looked at the chips and disconsolately ate a few as felt we'd better try and at least get some of our money's worth. Our thoughts of snorkelling rapidly went west as we looked at the beach and saw the rubbish and plastic bags washed up all over the place; it just looked so uninviting that the last thing we wanted to do was waste any more time in this awful place.
We were so disappointed in our visit. No one was welcoming, no one cared that we might want to stay, no one gave a damn, basically. What a crap introduction to somewhere that so many others on this site claim to be be a virtual paradise.
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Date of stay: December 2013
Value
Service
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
You could only discover this Vanuatu gem by accident just as we did. If you want a luxury resort; don't visit Tara Beach Resort. If you want to discover the magic of a beautiful South Pacific Island Resort, complete with outstandingly friendly and helpful staff and diving almost from your front door on coral reefs packed with tropical fish......then don't come to Tara Resort....!!!!! I've got to have rocks in my head writing this review. I want this place all to myself. Please stay away. It's a horrible place and don't look at the photos I've posted.
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Date of stay: November 2010
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are more places to choose from in the Port Vila area.
ALSO KNOWN AS
tara beach bungalows hotel port vila, tara beach hotel, tara beach port vila
LOCATION
VanuatuEfatePort Vila
NUMBER OF ROOMS
5
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